We’re excited about our annual summer mission trip! This year we’re working with Team Effort, a student missions organization, based in Jacksonville, FL. Team Effort has worked hard to put together an unique experience that is part summer camp, part mission trip experience.

RAFTING!

***We had to make a last minute change to our white water rafting outfitter, due to a scheduling conflict.
We will now be rafting with White Water Express, out of Copperhill, TN. As a result, you may have filled out a different rafting release form. We’ve changed the links on our website.
We will have extra release forms to till out on Sunday morning, if you have any issues (no notary needed for this one 🙂

THE TRIP
This year, we’re traveling to the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, just outside of Gatlinburg. Our lodging, chapel services, and meals will mostly take place at Tennessee Wesleyan University, TWU. We will be doing service projects and evangelism in the Athens, TN area. Check out the Team Effort site for more details on what the week will look like!

On Friday, June 16, we’ll take an excursion to Gatlinburg, TN for a White Water Rafting Expedition. Use the form below to indicate interest and be sure to fill out the rafting release form. 
FORMS, FORMS, & MORE FORMS!

Great news! We now have all of the notarized TeamEffort Permission/Release forms! (hooray!)
We’ve asked you to fill out a Whitewater Express Form, a Rafting Questionaire, and an electronic contact form. We’re adding one more to the list, to ensure that everything is covered on our trip.
We’re asking a parent/guardian to sign a Permission/Release from for First Baptist Sweetwater as well. We’ll have these forms available to be signed when you arrive to load up on Sunday morning. As a result, we need at least one parent/legal guardian available to sign paperwork before we depart.

 

 

 

 

Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through everything. Stop by our document station in the Student Center game room when you arrive on Sunday, to make sure we have everything we need from you.


BREAKFAST ON SUNDAY!
To save the cost of one meal and travel time, we’ll provide a simple breakfast on Sunday morning in the Student Center game room.
Coffee, OJ, cereal, McDonalds Breakfast Burritos, and an assortment of pastries.

TRAVEL
We want to make sure that everyone has used the bathroom before we depart to minimize stops. If there’s an emergency, no worries, we’ll make accommodations.
We hope to stop for a bathroom break, lunch, and another break for fuel and essentials before arriving.
We hope to check in at Tennessee Wesleyan University around 5pm, and we’ll get a quick bite to eat before worship on Sunday night.

RELATIONAL MISSION WORK

We’ve received word from our partners at Team Effort that they’re setting up a special day for our group to serve people, engage in real conversations, pray with those we serve, and share the love of Jesus one-on-one. This may be a little intimidating for most of our students. No one will be forced to participate, and everyone can find simple ways to serve. That said, we hope that many of our older students will rise to the challenge. Please be praying about this opportunity.

OUR PARTNERSHIP
Team Effort is an established organization, based in Jacksonville, FL, that specializes in student
mission trips all over the country. They provide a quality program that includes:

  LODGING & FOOD (dorm style at Tennessee Wesleyan University)

  SERVICE PROJECTS (site selection, planning, direction, & materials)

   THEMED CHAPEL SERVICES (worship & messages)

   THEMED DEVOTIONAL MATERIAL (for personal reflection)

Our team is responsible for Free Day activities on Thursday & Friday and 2 meals, in addition to
travel, discipleship conversations, and general oversight of our students. 
 
We will share this experience with several other youth groups from across the country, but will operate as an independent group throughout the week. 
REMAINING FUNDS
Any remaining funds to be paid, should be taken care of, no later than June 5th. 
 
You may deliver cash directly to the church office.
Electronic payments may be made here, by selecting the “STUDENT MINISTRY” fund.
Or you may pay with a check to FIRST BAPTIST SWEETWATER, designating “STUDENT MINISTRY” in the memo line.
TRAVEL FUNDS
Students will need to bring approximately $125 (cash or card) to cover travel meals and incidentals, as mentioned in the NEW IMPROVED PACKING LIST (click “What to Bring” below) and the most recent updates (links below). Please contact Pastor Dan if your student needs assistance.
FUN DAY
We will travel to Gatlinburg for our final full day for …. WHITEWATER RAFTING!!! Please fill out this online form to let us know whether you would like to participate in the rafting excursion or an alternate activity. Expenses have been paid for our expedition. You will need funds for food and incidentals on our free day. 
CHECKLIST
Departure is 7:00am. Be at the South Campus by 6:30am to allow for loading.

Students are assigned to specific vehicles—we think you’ll like the arrangements.
We will check to make sure you have the following before being allowed to get on the vans:

o TeamEffort Release Form

o Whitewater Express Release Form

o Electronic Contact Form

o Electronic Rafting Questionnaire

o Travel Funds (or prior arrangements)

QUESTIONS
If you have any questions at all, please email Pastor Dan.

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his
love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy
complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:14 (NIV)
 
WHAT
TO 
BRING
STUDENT 
BROCHURE
TEAMeffort
TEAMeffort RELEASE
FORM
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