Serve One Another Humbly in Love

Work week is a bi-annual tradition at Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center. In the fall and spring a group of volunteers spend a week on our grounds being the hands and feet of Christ. They don't always know what needs to be done but the impact they make through their willing service is impossible to measure.

Each year, through the generosity of Thrivent Action Teams, we are able to multiply the work of these servants. Thrivent Action Teams is a volunteer program for individuals who are willing to lead a team of people willing to make an impact on a cause or place they are passionate about. They are interested in encouraging their members to use the gifts they have been given to live generously.  This year, $4,250 of money was donated toward Fall Work Week because of their members, and over the last five years we have put $23,000 to use around our grounds and facilities.

We want to use this week's entry to celebrate those individuals who donate their time, talent, and treasure to do work that may go unnoticed by guests throughout the year, and let you see a behind the scenes look at improvements and project that are underway.

As one of the oldest buildings on our grounds, the Mountainview Dorms are the home of dozens of youth retreats throughout the year. As all well loved building tend to do, they've begun to show their age and were in need of some bathroom updates. Guests will be able to use new vanities this fall and winter.

With lots of traffic during the summer, and a large crowd expected to stock up on Christian and Scandinavian themed gifts and goodies for Christmas, a new door was installed between the snack shop and bookstore.

Our Inn rooms, and some of our cottages, received a fresh coat of paint on some of the railings and banisters. This will keep our grounds looking professional and photogenic throughout the winter season.

There's plenty of books, artwork, and attired for sale in the Tuscarora Bookstore. Now, it can all be displayed on a new counter top which was installed this past week.

Each year, there is mending work to be done around the grounds on curtains and bedspreads. Without a team of seamstresses and many donated sewing machines Tuscarora would need to replace them more often, and it's always amazing how much work can get done when people are laughing and having fun!

Amidst the many handy-work projects and repair jobs, there is always cleaning and sprucing up to do. Many of our work week volunteers spend their days cleaning out corners, emptying garbage cans, and dusting unseen surfaces. Their work makes Tuscarora a welcome, clean, and comfortable place for refreshment and relaxation.

The work of these volunteers brings to mind the words of Galatians 5:13, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love." This past week, our brothers and sisters were willing to serve humbly, and Tuscarora is better for it. Join us in thanking them today!