A mix of young people and able-bodied parishioners are in a coal mining town in Southern Virginia this week to tackle projects to improve the lives of residents of this impoverished region.

Fifteen members from Christ Episcopal Church in Woodbury. NJ, are spending Nov. 6 through Nov. 9 in the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia undertaking construction and assistance priorities within the coal mining community of this Appalachian town.

This is the third year that a carefully selected team of youth, adults and clergy from Christ Church was commissioned and sent out to take up temporary residence within Grace House on the Mountain, located on Sandy Ridge in Wise County, VA.

A ministry of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, Grace House on the Mountain endeavors to extend the love of Christ by reaching out into the Appalachian communities showing mercy and compassion, through responsiveness by “working with, not for” the families in the surrounding area.

The mission team’s work projects center on helping families have safe, warm, and dry homes. In addition to the work projects, Grace House on the Mountain extends outreach services to the community around us by offering assistance to families in need of help with electricity, water and medicinal needs.

In cooperation with local church congregations, Christ Church hosted a Dante community gathering and cookout after arrival.

Each year, Christ Church Woodbury targets a need for the residents. The first year, donated prom dresses were sent and proved to be very popular. The second year, it was pajamas for the youngsters that were collected as admission to the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, hosted by the church’s acolytes.

This year, it was books for all ages of children and the response was overwhelming as more than 40 boxes of gently used and new books were sent along with the mission team.

The 2019 Mission Travel Team consisted of the Rev. Brian Burgess (Rector), Denise Burgess, Rob Johnson, Jillian Johnson, Tara Mass, Natalie Mass, Colwyn Moser, Josephine Moser, Sarah Novalsky, Christopher Piskun (Vestry mission coordinator), Luke Piskun, Michael Seddon, Aaron Schiffer, David Wishnick and Noah Wishnick.

To see the work of this mission team, check out the blog at Christchurchwoodbury.wordpress.com.