COM Newsletter

November, 2015

Our Fall Rally was held at the Boys Ranch in Millington, TN. From Sept. 25^th thru Oct. 2^nd, 2015.  There was approximately 35 people participating and we got a lot of work done. 

We've had quite a few New Members this year (2015).  I think they are the following:

Bob & Susan Entner, Danny & Phyllis Griffin, Phil & Sherry Hill,  James & Annette Lowrance, James & Margaret Spatz, Michael & Darlene Trevathan, John & Twyla Uggla.  If this is not correct, let me know. 

Work Performed:

The Administrator’s home was painted, electrical outlets replaced, leaky shower faucet repaired, non-functional florescent ballasts replaced, light bulbs replaced where needed and the detached garage had a number of switches replaced along with identifying which breaker controlled what.  The back porch of the residence was extended and a new railing added.

            Two residential buildings had electrical repairs completed.

            The ranch service trailer lights were repaired.

            A number of trees along the fence line were removed and/or trimmed.  The fences were  

                  repaired and a fenced area for livestock was constructed.

            Shrubs were trimmed, weeding, etc. on the flower beds all around the campus.

            A chicken coop was constructed.

            Old church pews were re-sized to serve in new areas.

            The Food Pantry was gone thru and cleaned, date labeled, etc.

            The Clothes Closet was cleaned up, organized, etc.

In June several of us went to the National COM Rally in Marion, NC.  They were:  Joe & Charlene Carter, Gil & June Chard, Jim & Mona Green, Gene & Billie Haynes, Gary & Jody Henderson, Charles Johnson, Rick & Rheba Lott, David & Ann Mahon, Don & Donna Murray, and Bobby, Tina & Lance Naylor.  I think this was the most of our COMs that have been to a National Rally and it was a wonderful experience.  Next year’s Nat’l Rally will be in Springfield, MO at the Empire Fair Grounds on June 8th – 10th, 2016

Different projects had been done since our State Spring Rally.

East TN

 East TN held a two week Mission Work Project at Harrison-Chilhowee (The Kings Academy) near Seymour, TN.  There were eleven members present; six of those were from Middle TN.  A total of 615.5 hours were worked.        

 Following are the work items completed:

Painted Kindergarten Rooms and Hallway in Ogle Building.

Painted Classroom and Front Gym Wall in Tibbitts Building.

Installed Dishwasher and two Cabinets in Schubert Apartment.

Redid Bathroom Vanity, Shower and Commode in Atchley Apartment.

Installed Laundry Sink, Washer and Dryer in Atchley Building.

Installed Sink, Plumbing, Electric, Cabinet and Sink in Kitchenette in Stewart                   

       Bldg.                

Worked on Fire Marshals Punch List.

Painted Kitchenette.

Installed electrical supply to Workshop from Concession Stand.

Trimmed Limbs in Campground.

Trimmed shrubs, removed grass and weeds from Flower Beds.

Middle TN

Joe went up to Camp Ozone (Christian Bible Ministry), Townsend, TN and checked out what needed doing.  Then he & Charlene went back and installed a couple RV Hookups. 

Later Gary Henderson went back for a couple weeks and did quite a bit of work.  He installed a Laundry Sink in Director’s Home, Ice Maker at Lodge, new Frostproof Yard Hydrant in Cabin area, and Replaced Exterior Valve Box at Lodge. He repaired the Wooden Fence, Lodge Door, Weedeater, and the Bell outside of Lodge.  He also trimmed Trees at the entrance to camp, replaced a tractor fan blade, and built a Chicken Coop.

The Carters went on their Mission Trip to the Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, AL in July as they have done for the past 20 years.  Several people go with them each year.  It would be nice if some of our COMs would like to go also.

West TN

Apparently there was some work done at the Boys Ranch & Bartlett Children’s Home but I haven’t gotten a report on work done in West, TN.

Other Things Going On

We have had some Mission Work going on since the Fall Rally.  Several of our members are helping with the building of the New Beginning Church at Monteagle, TN.  The church is in one half of the “Fred’s” store there about ¼ mile off of I-24 at Exit 134.  The inside is being totally finished.  There have been metal studs put up, electrical wiring, sheet rock hung and some puttying done.  The work is still going on if anyone is interested call Joe Carter.  The workers have just been going down for the day then driving home but I think you could go down and stay for a few days at a time. 

Doyle Combs traveled with a group from the Maury County Baptist Association to Vilonia Arkansas for a project with Samaritan’s Purse. The living accommodations were spartan with men in a single bunk room and the women in another building with a similar bunk room. The project was a year long effort to rebuild homes for residences destroyed by a tornado. By it being a home, the new owners were present and available to be witnessed to. The work was for these teams were installing vinyl siding and soffit, insulating the residence before the dry wall installation. Completing porch railings and building exterior stairs. Meals were furnished as were tools and bedding. This is a Franklin Graham organization and there was prayer before all meals and at the beginning and end of each day's work. There was a devotional similar to our own each morning, and a sharing time after the evening meal about what each of us had personally learned. The sharing was directed to our spiritual life more than out work day. The complete team was from three parts of the country, and included Lutherans, Episcopalian, Catholic, and Baptists. There was time for games in the evenings.

If anyone that has been involved in COM Projects not listed or other mission  projects outside of COM, it would be nice to let us know about them.  We would put them in the next Newsletter. 

Our Spring Rally is scheduled for April 22^nd – 24^th with the work week the 25^th thru the 30^th at the Chattanooga Children’s Home. 

The Fall Rally is at Brentwood Children’s Home on Sept. 30^th – Oct. 2^nd with the work week on Oct. 3^rd thru 7^th. 

Charlene Carter, TN COM, Secretary