Fall Work Party - Nov 3-4


Dear Friends of Machen Retreat and Conference Center,

Warmest greetings to all of you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Summary:

We will be having an organized Work Weekend November 3-5 in order to accomplish several needed repairs of and improvements to our facility. Food and lodging will be provided so that interested parties can give a full day of work on Saturday, 11/4.

Let me know if you plan to come as soon as you are able, and by October 31, at the latest. Read on for much more information. (See the very end of this email if you would like to not receive such notices from us.)

Details:

The Retreat Operating Committee is planning a Work Weekend at Machen Retreat and Conference Center (MRCC) surrounding November 4th.

There are many items that need attention at MRCC. In the PS of this letter you can see a list of a lot of them.

The weekend will be structured as follows: The official start will be dinner on Friday. There will be a devotional service on Friday evening. We will work all day Saturday with three square meals served. Breakfast will be provided Sunday morning and all attendees are welcome to attend worship at Covenant Community Church, OPC in Staunton on your way home. Lodging and all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday Breakfast will be provided free of charge, albeit in exchange for a full day’s work at MRCC. This time will be a time of focused work so we ask that attendants be limited to adults and young adults able and willing to give a full day of labor on Saturday.

Additional possibilities:

All are welcome to come early on Friday to participate in work that several will be doing that day also (though only Friday dinner will be provided). MRCC will be open to all participants from Thursday, 11/2, to Monday, 11/6, if you desire to come early or leave late. Lodging during these dates, assuming at least one full day of work on Saturday (& Friday if there then), will be free of usage fees. You are welcome to bring you own food and use the kitchen any time outside of Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast (the provided meals).

PLEASE:

Email me to let me know if you can come to bless us and to further the work of the OPC here at MRCC. If you plan to come please let me know the number of persons in your group ("one" is OK), the estimated arrival and departure times, and any skill set that you may have (e.g. finish carpentry, door install/fix, dish washing, etc.)

Thanks and Lord Bless,

Dave Tack, MRCC Director

director AT machen.org

PS

Here are some of the tasks that are need to be done (all skill levels needed):

  • General clean up and organization
  • build shelves
  • reattach plastic bathroom trim
  • finish drywall (mud, tape, paint)
  • install finished trim
  • outdoor carpentry
  • fix door jams that came loose
  • saw up and stack felled trees
  • spread composted mulch & seed
  • grind a lot of stumps
  • clear brush
  • bury outdoor wire
  • install Handicap bathroom grab bars
  • install stainless steel wall panels behind griddle
  • build barrier in Utility room
  • railing/fencing around deck
  • electrical outlet work
  • lots of small misc. items