Staff photos by David Smart

by David Smart

They came from 10 parishes and missions in the diocese. They came together to work, worship, and play as One Church. This diocesan youth group lived the mission statement of the Diocese of East Tennessee.

“It’s good to see young people who want to help others,” said Anna Newport, an 87-year-old parishioner of Christ Church, Rugby. As she watched them work, she talked about how pleased she was to have this swarm of young people buzzing around her house.

The group spent the week of July 4-9 on a diocesan youth summer service project in Scott County. The service aspect of the week was to paint Anna Newport’s house and to assist Jerry and Jody Weiler, also Christ Church parishioners, by doing some carpentry work at their house. However, the goal was to live and work in community with other members of the diocese.

“This is a valuable experience for this group, they are learning to live in community, to work, play, and worship together,” said Patricia Raynolds, diocesan youth coordinator. She spoke as she sat watching the group playing in the cold water of the Clear Fork River. They had worked for several hours scraping and painting in 90 degree temperatures earlier in the day. The late afternoon swim had been greatly anticipated by the youth.

“I think it looks good because we kids did all the work,” said Rachel Anderson, a 7th grader from All Saints Church, Morristown. “A lot of people might have thought that we couldn’t have done such a good job,” she added as she looked at the house they were painting.

“These young people are learning the joy of helping others,” said the Rev. Jim Sharp, Deacon at All Saints Church, Morristown. “They are also learning that they can make a difference in the lives of others.”

They had slept in tents under the trees and the hot humid air of July nights. Their bathroom facilities consisted of a latrine that they dug and built of plywood on July 4. a day when many of their friends back home were enjoying picnics and fireworks. Their shower was a garden hose connected to a shower head hanging from a tree. They cooked over a camp stove and ate while swatting misquotes and gnats. Even so, many were reluctant to leave. The tents seemed to come down slower than they had gone up a week earlier. They were reluctant to leave the community that they had become.

Reflections on the week at Rugby by Josh Reed