Start by doing what’s necessary: then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. – Francis of Assisi

Today marks the first work day of our 20th summer in Wyoming County, WV. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were new to the county, figuring out where everything was, meeting new people and setting up shop in Glen Rogers. Now in our 20th summer, we call The Way/Made New Church our home, but we continue to explore new places and meet wonderful new friends.

The volunteers arrived yesterday in time to share a communal dinner together and then gather as a community for our commissioning service and a little refresher about what the PV experience is all about: service, community and reflection. Today the volunteers helped us move our tools and housewares supplies to our summer home and set up for all the volunteers that will be coming and spending time in Wyoming County. Besides this thankless, yet necessary task, volunteers helped with a basketball camp that The Way was holding and also helped to sort items at the Itmann Food Bank. It was a full and eventful day!

Our dinner tonight was a delicious combination of chicken grilled outside, a cheesy pasta cauliflower dish and salad. We also celebrated a volunteer’s birthday (Happy Birthday Hannah!) with a scrumptious homemade chocolate mousse cake.

Since volunteers don’t arrive until Sunday this summer, we lose out on PV Community Day where we had a chance to get to know and spend time with our fellow volunteers. Because of this, on Monday evening for reflection, we will be taking the time to learn a little bit about our fellow volunteers by creating poetry about ourselves and sharing. After everyone shared a poem, New and Goods were shared around the circle.

We are looking forward to another great day tomorrow.