What is ASP?

The Appalachia Service Project is a home repair and home building ministry through which volunteers and our ASP staff repair and build homes for low-income families in rural Central Appalachia (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia).

The goal is to make homes WARMER, SAFER and DRIER, while offering transformational experiences for volunteers and homeowners alike.

While ASP maintains an affiliation with the United Methodist Church's Board of Discipleship, ASP's scope of ministry is open to participants of all denominations, civic organizations and community groups.

Statement of Values

• We believe that each person is a child of God imbued with dignity and worth.
• We accept people right where they are and just the way they are. We believe that affordable, safe, sanitary housing is a basic human right.
• We are committed to witness through the good quality of our work and careful stewardship of our resources.
• We believe God calls volunteers to serve others as partners in ministry and we will encourage their growth in faith, as they are involved in this service.
• We believe where ASP is involved in local communities we will encourage, affirm, and support social and economic justice.

History

ASP was founded in 1969 by Glenn "Tex" Evans, a United Methodist Minister and former missionary, while ministering at Henderson Settlement in Frakes, Kentucky. The first work camp was established in at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. Tex, with $800, "Pinky" (the pink station wagon which was the first donated ASP vehicle), and 50 volunteers who repaired four homes. By 1974, ASP had 2900 volunteers at ten centers and repaired 301 homes. The Cup of Cold Water Fund was established at that time to pay for wells, septic, plumbing, and to install electricity for homes without these amenities. In 1976, ASP expanded beyond Central Appalachia by sponsoring work crews in Arkansas, California, Alabama, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Kentucky. (The Sierra Service Project was a successful spin-off from ASP's ministry in California and is still incorporated today.) Recognizing that the project was too geographically diverse, in 1977 ASP returned to its roots in Central Appalachia, where it remains today. On July 25, 1978 the Rev. "Tex" Evans died from cancer. Today, ASP hosts nearly 15,000 volunteers from over 30 states each year. These volunteers operate in over 20 of Central Appalachia's most impoverished counties.

Tex Evans' Theology for ASP

• We rejoice in the gift of life, consider it to be possible only through the goodness, and the wisdom, and the power of God.
• We count ourselves to be Christians, even saying with Polycarp of old: "I worship the one true God and His Son I follow!"
• We see all people as our brothers and sisters, made in the image of God, having intelligence, a will, freedom, a sense of beauty, compassion, a sense of values, and creativity.
• We hold that every person wants, essentially, four things: to be loved, to belong, to own something, to create something worthwhile.
• We go to our brothers and sisters and we accept them right where they are, just the way they are. Earnestly, we seek to bear witness to awareness, concern, hope and helpfulness-Christian Love!
• We count ourselves fortunate indeed, in our own opportunities, and seek to give a good account of our stewardship.
• We seek to work in glad cooperation and mutual support with other workers being prepared to keep sensitive and helpful according to the needs of the hour.
• Gladly, do we serve Him who said in the fourth chapter of Luke, "He has sent me to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to open the doors of the captive."

ASP at CUMC

What is ASP at CUMC?

• Emergency home repair
• Cold showers and hot weather
• Blue, Smokey mountains
• A long way from home
• People in need
• Spirited, hard-working youth
• Enthusiastic, hard-working adults
• Fun and laughter
• Building "bridges"
• Commitment
• Mountain-side family cemeteries
• Kudzu
• Road kill
• Music, music, music!
• Seymour, Indiana
• Pit stops
• Culture
• CUMC congregation support

History

In 1981, Reverend Duane Gebhard organized the first group from Christ Church to go on ASP. That first year, Christ Church sent 26 youth and 8 adults to Whitesburg, Kentucky. Contrast that with the past two years (2002 and 2003), in which Christ Church has sent 50 youth and 20 adults each year. All total, from 1981 through 2005, Christ Church has sent 578 people to help with the special needs of the Appalachia area. Additionally, for 2006 we have 12 NEW first time youth!

Christ Church has always gone on a retreat following the workweek to relax, reflect, and have some fun. For several years the group went to Rev. Gebhard's cabin at Duneswood on Lake Michigan. In the years after Rev. Gebhard was appointed to another church, the group has been to several other retreat centers. In the early years the group also did some sightseeing, including 1982, when they visited the World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Mission: To grow youth disciples in Jesus Christ

Adult Goals:

• Continue local mission focus
• Make this year's ASP the best ever
• Balance relationship and task
• Grow spiritually
• Challenge our youth to grow spiritually

Volunteers

Adult Criteria

• 25 years of age
• Prior positive experience working with youth
• Reference name of someone who has witnessed her/his involvement with youth
• Completion of "volunteer background" assessment form
• Read and sign Adult Covenant form
• Meet with designated adult leaders for interview and Mission/Goals/Covenant/Criteria discussion

Youth Criteria

• Age - a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior in high school
• Motivation - Have the right reasons for wanting to participate
• Commitment - Be willing to meet all commitments during the year
• Interview - Meet with designated adult leaders for interview and Mission/Goals/Covenant/Criteria discussion
• Attitude - be capable of having and promoting fun!

As a policy of our church, for the protection of our youth, we can not identify our volunteers by name. However, it is the face that is most important, as that is how you would customarily identify them around the church. We hope this photo album will assist you in getting to know our volunteers and we encourage you to introduce yourself to one and all!

Donations

There are many ways that people have donated to ASP over the years. Many, many, many hours of work have been donated by the volunteers that organize, run and participate in the CUMC ASP program. As always, funds are needed to run this important mission project of CUMC. Following are some of the ways that you can be a part of the ASP program here at CUMC.

Please note that there are many corporations that will match your donation through a company matching grant program. This doubles the value of your gift to our sisters and brothers in Appalachia and to the life experiences of the CUMC youth. If your company does NOT match donations to churches, they generally WILL match donations made directly to the ASP program.

So whether you make donations to the ASP fund, attend one of our beautiful meals, laugh at our skits and/or pray for a safe journey, we sincerely appreciate your support of the ASP program here at CUMC. It is a mission that our youth can be involved with thanks to your support. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Donations to CUMC ASP Program

1. Sponsorship Drive - Each year, on Mother's Day and the following two Sundays, there is a sponsorship drive where we ask for the congregation to sponsor one or more youth and/or adult participants. This is probably the most "fun" way to donate, since you are then adopted by the volunteers and recognized in a very special way.
2. Monthly Mission Envelopes - CUMC members receive envelopes for their pledge commitment. These packages contain monthly envelopes for mission donations. If you would like to donate monthly, you can mark your donation to go to ASP. This money goes to the Mission Work Area and then eventually to the ASP fund.
3. Pew Envelopes - Sunday offerings can be made directly to the ASP fund using pew envelopes and marking the fund for ASP. This money will be deposited into the ASP fund.
4. Checks sent directly to CUMC - Checks can be sent directly to CUMC with a note of explanation that the money is to be used for the ASP program.
5. Christmas and Easter Brunches - Indirectly, you can also support our program by participating in our fund raisers, particularly the Christmas and Easter brunches. Many of you have enjoyed the ambience of the transformed Wesley Hall and the great food over the years, along with the quality time spent as a family during these special times of the church year. They are the best brunches in town for under $10 and profits go directly to the ASP fund.

We would love to recognize those who support our program, but can only do so if we know who you are. Of the above methods, only the sponsorship drive allows us this privilege. If we know who you are, we will recognize you in our special way by sending you a personal letter from our ASP site in Appalachia in July. You will also receive an invitation to the special ASP recognition service which follows our return. This service is a witness to the week of service and the year of preparation, through stories, song, tears and laughter. For many members of the congregation, this is one of the most meaningful services of the year!

Donations to National ASP Program

In 1998, the Appalachia Service Project was designated as a General Advance of the Church by the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. A "General Advance," or "Advanced Special," is a mission project that has special impact in areas of highest need.

Your United Methodist congregation can now designate your second mile and other gifts to ASP through the General Advance program. Our project number is 2-982050-1.

For information about donating money via credit card or check, or donations of vehicles or airline tickets/vouchers, see the National ASP Home Page and click on "Donations" in the left hand menu.