We are excited to welcome you this summer as together we will Be the Light by joining our  hands and hearts to love God and serve our neighbors in Central Appalachia. When we let our  light shine, it is not to draw attention to ourselves, rather we help make God’s love visible to  others. There are already bright lights in Central Appalachia ready to welcome ASP’s summer  volunteers and we are excited to have you come and add your light to the communities where  we serve.  

Appalachia Service Project is a Christian ministry, open to all people, that inspires hope and  service through volunteer home repair and replacement in Central Appalachia. Even though we  may not all express our faith in the same exact words, or perhaps we are still looking for words  to express our faith, we value each person who comes to serve with us and invite you to join us  this summer as we seek to Be the Light and encourage each other in love.  

All groups are invited to use these 3 new Pre-Trips sessions which introduce our theme, share  our mission and best practices while serving with ASP.  

In addition to these three sessions, we have additional resources including our 3 S’s, Safety  Manual, Practice Construction sessions and our new standard practices for groups that were  established in 2024.  

This year’s three new sessions include: 

Connect: In this session, you will explore our theme, Be the Light and Matthew 5:16 with a focus  on building community, learning about ASP’s Guiding Principles, and a devotion that explores  our theme through scripture. 

Build: This session will help engage your team in learning about ASP’s home repair projects,  ASP’s best practices for safety and how to equip your team for a successful week of service.  This session ends with a devotion focused on our theme and quiet reflection time.  

Transform: The third session focuses on a story from ASP’s founder Tex Evans, then shares a  discussion on stepping outside of your comfort zone to embrace service and leadership and  this session ends with a devotion on gratitude.  

When you arrive at your assigned county this summer, you will find additional Spiritual  Programming resources for each day. These resources include our Field Guide which contains  daily devotions, prayers, and reflection questions for your team. Evening Gatherings led by staff  to reflect on service and faith, to learn about the communities where we serve, and to pray and  worship together.  

We are excited to welcome you this summer! 

Blessings as you prepare,

Rev. Jane Cheema 

Director of Spiritual Programs