A group of NOMADS, an ecumenical ministry of RVers from around the United States, came to Michigan this summer to help out at Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center in Dowling.
BARB HARLOW
Northville: First UMC
This summer, Wesley Woods Camp & Retreat Center in Dowling, Michigan, experienced a buzz of activity, accompanied by the hum of power tools. An eight-person NOMADS team was on-site from June 2-19, 2025, working diligently on a list of maintenance and building projects identified by the Grace Outside administration team. The NOMADS team was led by Steve and Pam Heffelbower.
NOMADS (Nomads On a Mission Active in Divine Service) travel in their own RVs to churches, camps, shelters, and disaster response agencies that have requested help. Many are active retirees who enjoy working with others, but retirement is not a requirement. Funded primarily through membership dues, NOMADS are “rebuilding lives, homes, and facilities with God’s love and our hands.”
NOMADS, an ecumenical ministry with members from many Christian denominations, serves historically Methodist organizations. In 2024, NOMADS scheduled 106 three-week projects and 50 weeks of disaster rebuilding projects across the country. Currently, there are three ministries in Michigan receiving NOMADS work teams: Wesley Woods, Lake Michigan Family Campground, and Bayshore Camp and Family Ministries.
In June, Wesley Woods was working hard to get ready to embrace youth campers with Grace Outside, but with staff shortages, they were glad to have help from our NOMADS. NOMADS cleaned and did maintenance on student cabins, put in the docks, power-washed kayaks, tore down an old deck by the pool, took down blinds and put up curtains in all the student cabins, cleaned the outdoor chapel area and painted the benches, and much more!
The team, coming from all around the country, worked hard and then enjoyed the surrounding area with good restaurants, Lake Michigan beaches, walking trails, an Amish bakery, and an old-time general store with hand-dipped ice cream. They also got to experience several large turtles laying eggs around them!
So, if you are looking to meet lots of new people and travel the country in your recreational vehicle, check out NOMADS.
For more information, visit our website at www.methodistnomads.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We welcome Christians of all faiths. And you do not need a construction background to be one of our NOMADs — just a willing heart. Will you join us?
NOMADS is a national Ministry Partner (General Advance #982658) with the EngageMI program of the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Barb Harlow attends Northville: First UMC at home and United Methodist churches throughout the country while traveling in her fifth wheel with her husband, Bill. Barb is a board member of NOMADS, representing those annual conferences in the North Central Jurisdiction.
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Last Updated on October 22, 2025