Appalachia Service Project is excited to share our theme for 2026: Love Your Neighbor!
Our theme comes from Romans 12:12-13 “Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.” (CEV)
At ASP, we practice loving our neighbors each day through home repair projects, by responding to natural disasters, and by building new homes for families in our region. Love and acceptance are the foundation of our ministry, as our Founder, Tex Evans, said, “We accept people right where they are and just the way they are.”
Learning to love your neighbor through service is both a simple practice and a profound calling. At its core, loving neighbors is about action—choosing to step into someone else’s world with compassion, humility, and generosity. You might say that service is our shared language at ASP through which love is made visible. We believe that acts of service build bridges, strengthen communities, and reflect the dignity and worth of every person. In a world that often feels hurried and divided, choosing to serve our neighbors—near or far—reminds us that kindness is powerful, connection is possible, and love is meant to be lived out loud.
Our theme verse comes from the book of Romans, where Paul writes to the church in Rome and instructs them on how to interact with each other. He calls them to rise above differences and live out a standard of love in their communities. Paul points to the teaching of Jesus as a guide to a way of life that is centered on practicing love, offering forgiveness and embracing peace and hope and this connects us to one of ASP’s Guiding Principles: We believe in ministering in the spirit of love, acceptance, and hopefulness.
We are thankful that you are joining us this summer to be part of our ministry practicing love and acceptance as we encourage each other to Love Your Neighbor. See you soon!
Jane Cheema
Director of Spiritual Programs
