A VIM team of Michigan United Methodists just returned after serving in Virginia. Hear their story and discover where other volunteer teams will be heading in the months ahead.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
From March 1-5, 2026, a 12-person Volunteers in Mission (VIM) team from four Michigan United Methodist congregations — Chelsea: First UMC, Livonia: Newburg UMC, Middleville UMC, and Rochester: St. Paul’s UMC — traveled to Big Stone Gap, Virginia, to assist with long-term disaster recovery. This part of Appalachia is near the Virginia – Kentucky state line.
VIM, celebrating 50 years in 2026, is the official short-term volunteer sending agency of The United Methodist Church. VIM partners with teams in annual conferences to offer short-term local and international mission opportunities aligned with skill and site needs.
The VIM team of Michiganders helped rebuild a home destroyed when floodwaters, backed up behind logging debris, broke loose and came down the side of a mountain, smashing into the back of the house. Logs and stumps knocked the house off its foundation, moving it eight feet forward and splitting it in half. A previous volunteer team, along with the homeowner’s son, a builder, rebuilt the foundation, framed and roofed the house, and installed windows, but more work was still needed to finish it.
Led by Rev. Rodney Gasaway and VIM Coordinator Jody Pratt, the team installed most of the siding and soffits around the house’s exterior and completed some ceiling framing inside. They also inventoried materials and prepared the site for future teams to work on other parts of the house rebuild, such as the front and back decks. The house is one of 25 new-construction rebuilds that the Holston Conference is managing after devastating flooding in the area.
The Michigan team originally planned a follow-up trip to a disaster recovery site in North Georgia (see previous news story), which several members had visited last March as part of an Early Response Team (ERT). However, they were redirected days before departure when that area ran out of work due to an influx of Amish and Mennonite teams.
Leveraging his experience leading VIM teams, Rev. Gasaway quickly networked across denominational contacts and, within 24 hours, secured a new assignment in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, working with the Holston Conference’s VIM / ERT coordinators.
The team stayed at Natural Tunnel State Park, about 20 minutes from the worksite. The lodge accommodations offered a comfortable space for nightly sharing, team-building activities, and a Holy Communion service at the week’s end, helping participants from different congregations connect.
Rev. Gasaway emphasized the importance of bonding with his team members. “In the car rides together, we got to know each other. We had three different congregations in the car I was in! And then we worked together on the house, had meals together, and worshiped together. So, it was an opportunity to get to know each other on a much bigger, better level.”
The team also met the homeowner and his family, who had been living in a donated camper on the property and planned to pass it on to another family in need once their house was finished, creating a rotating community resource. The homeowner, an older lifelong resident with multiple health issues, and his extended family reflected the close-knit but resource-scarce Appalachian setting. The area’s economy has depended on the coal industry in this mountainous region for many years.
The homeowner’s son, who lives nearby and is active in a non-denominational church, talked to Rev. Gasaway a lot about prayer.
“His son was very grounded in his faith, and he was just so grateful and prayerful,” said Gasaway. “The night before he met us at the house on that first day, we spoke, and he said a prayer on the phone for us for coming and safe travels for everybody.”
Beyond the worksite, the VIM team experienced hospitality and visibility in the local community. They met people at various places, including the hardware store, the grocery store, and especially at a local ice cream parlor.
“We went down there to have ice cream,” noted Gasaway, “and the people running it took pictures and put them on their Facebook page, saying, ‘Here’s this team from Michigan from these churches that are here helping.’ They started getting comments, and it just made their day for us to walk in and for people from the community to come in and meet us.”
Rev. Gasaway, who serves as a deacon at both Chelsea: First UMC and Livonia: Newburg UMC, said the VIM trip to Big Stone Gap was rewarding for him personally. “Our team worked very hard, but it was probably one of the most relaxing and connectional mission trips I’ve ever been on as far as those that we were working with and getting to know.”
This Virginia project is one of multiple VIM efforts linked to Newburg UMC, which has also coordinated mission trips to Guatemala, Alaska, other places in Appalachia, and an annual trip to God’s Country Community Ministries, an EngageMI ministry partner and ongoing VIM site in the Upper Peninsula. Rev. Gasaway is leading a team there this August and seeks volunteers (see details below).
VIM trips are accessible to people with varied skills — construction, cooking, logistics, spiritual support, or relational ministry — and do not require an Early Response Team (ERT) certification to join. A willing heart to learn and serve is all one needs. When led by VIM-certified leaders, these trips are a welcome entry point for those discerning hands-on mission involvement.
Below are upcoming opportunities led by VIM teams from the Michigan Conference that need volunteers, regardless of which congregation you belong to. Reach out to the team leaders listed below with any questions. For those attending the 2026 Michigan Annual Conference, visit the VIM / ERT table at the Mission Festival on Friday evening. You’ll have the chance to meet some volunteers and learn about mission journeys planned for this year and beyond.
Upcoming VIM Experiences
VIM works with both individuals and church groups, as well as experienced teams and those just getting started. Teams are launched that cover everything from relationship-building to construction, even medical and wellness. VIM services all ages, from 18 to 99, and all levels of experience. Don’t let age or lack of experience stop you from inquiring!
Review the Michigan Conference’s VIM web page for up-to-date information.
July 16-17, 2026, to Detroit with After the Storm
Join this meaningful service opportunity for VIM volunteers on July 16-17, 2026, in Detroit. In partnership with After the Storm, our Michigan Conference long-term disaster recovery ministry, volunteers will serve individuals and communities in need through hands-on projects tailored to your skills. Individuals or groups may participate for one or both days, with lodging provided for overnight volunteers.
Worksites and teams will be assigned based on skill sets. The cost is $5 for one day (includes lunch at the worksite) or $20 for two days (includes lunches, overnight lodging, and a light breakfast). Dinner will be on your own.
Register by July 10. To register and submit your skill list, contact Jody Pratt, VIM coordinator, at [email protected] or 616-292-4908.
August 16-20, 2026, to the Upper Peninsula
Rev. Rodney Gasaway is leading a team to the Newberry area in the eastern Upper Peninsula to serve with God’s Country Community Ministries. The dates are set for August 16-20, 2026. This rural ministry reaches out to families living near or below the poverty line. Their key programs include clothing giveaways to local schools, a free store, and home improvement and accessibility upgrades. There is a job for every skill level on this team, and it is a great entry-level mission experience for all ages.
Contact Rodney at [email protected] to learn more.
February 2027 to Liberia
Rev. Jon Reynolds at Brighton: First UMC is leading a team of United Methodists on a mission opportunity to Liberia in February 2027 (exact dates to be determined). This will be a life-changing experience, during which you will learn more about education, water / sanitation projects, agricultural development programs, and the Bishop Judith Craig Children’s Village, one of our international EngageMI ministry partners.
The cost is $2,500. Email Jon at [email protected] for more details and to reserve your spot on the team.
March 1-11, 2027, to Lima, Peru
This trip to the Lima, Peru, area is open to all ages, but the team is especially looking for young adults aged 18 to 35. Participants will take part in projects such as vacation Bible school (VBS), healthcare, light construction work, and other activities to be determined by requests from The Methodist Church of Peru (Iglesia Metodista del Perú) in the Lima / Calleo area. The team will build relationships with our Peruvian partners and develop leadership skills and cross-cultural connections.
The cost is $1,650 with a $50 deposit due at registration. Cost includes all food, lodging, and transportation in the country. Airfare to Lima is the responsibility of the participant.
Pre-registration is required by October 1, 2026. Contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] or 616-292-4908 to learn more and to register.
The publication of this article was made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on April 27, 2026