Appalachian Trail Servants

Please pray for us! Here are some specific needs: *********** As A.T. Servants grows, there is a greater need for Suzy to be full-time in ministry (she is currently working at Regions Bank). Please pray that God provides our full-time financial support. ********* Pray that thru- hikers will connect the beauty of the creation around them with the one true Creator. ********* Please pray for volunteers to commit to Trail Angeling. ********* Pray that the deeds of Trail Angels will be seen by thru-hikers as the good deeds of the church and Christians and not the individual Trail Angel. *********** Praise God that partnership contacts have opened in North Carolina. *********** Pray for Trail Angel leaders to be developed in each state. *********** Since Craig and Suzy will be traveling to the 14 states that host the A.T. (to train volunteers), please pray that God will provide a R.V. for them to live in. ************* Pray for the following hikers: Mickey-One-Sock Mustard Odie Jack Joshua Mother Nature Shout Out Kaya Meg Flyin' Brian--hiked 7,000 miles in one year Scraggley John Helga--husband recently deceased. Now off of the trail. Scraggs Gordo Quest Silvergirl Martin Becky Meg Zach Emory Mary Chigger Casey Regular Bryan Julie Doc Boston Jason Swiss Miss Adam Adam2 Blaine Pheonix Kansas Brain Jason Docks D-Bone Nicole Wanderlost--77 years old, Mormon, wife deceased 5 years ago, lost his pack twice in 50 miles. Kelly Smokestack Hoke Craig--non-Christian that receive a Bible from Trail Angels Meanderthal Camera 1 Camera 2 Bumpo Coyote Opelika Ichabod Casey Syracuse Bramble--was hiking for cancer research [Hit Counter]	Introducing Trail Chaplain, Jonathan
	As you may know, "Trail Chaplains" are Christian missionaries who spend 3-6 months hiking the Appalachian Trail alongside their fellow thru-hikers. Because they have “walked a mile in the other thru-hikers’ shoes”, Trail Chaplains not only have the ability to effectively relate to hikers, but they also have the ability to earn the respect of those they are trying to reach. We are proud to announce that this March, A.T. Servants will be sending out our very first Trail Chaplain! His name is Jonathan. Jonathan is a mature Christian that will graduate from Clemson University in December 2004 with a 4.0 grade point average. He has extensive backpacking and rock climbing experience and he feels called to reach out to those who seek purpose in nature. We are very excited that God has placed such a mature and exciting individual in this ministry. We know that he will seek to serve God in everything that he does! Like Craig and Suzy, Jonathan must find a team of partners to support him prayerfully and financially during his hike. Please take a moment to check out Jonathan's missionary web page. Are you interested in hiking as a Trail Chaplain? It is not too late to begin planning for Spring 2005! Check out our Trail Chaplain information pages for information on how to apply.
	The IRS Now Recognizes A.T. Servants as a Non-profit, 501(c)(3) Corporation
	Recently the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recognized Appalachian Trail Servants, Inc. as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation. This is a major step in the growth process of Appalachian Trail Servants. Now, if a person decides to financially partner with Appalachian Trail Servants as a ministry, then checks may be made directly to "A.T. Servants" and the partner can receive a tax deduction. Additionally, as a non-profit corporation, A.T. Servants may receive tangible gifts as well (e.g. automobiles, recreational vehicles) and you will receive a tax deduction for the fair market value of the vehicle. Being a non-profit corporation brings added value to A.T. Servants and to the partners of A.T. Servants as well.
	New, Online "Trail-Church" Database Will Help Hikers Find Churches Near the Appalachian Trail
	Each time Appalachian Trail Servants delivers a presentation at a church, we mention that we envision that A.T. Servants will have a comprehensive, list of "hiker-friendly, trail-churches" in the future. We are happy to announce that the vision for this list has now become a reality! It will enable a need-bringing hiker to find the trail church nearest to him or her. At most major trail towns on the Appalachian Trail, there are internet access computers available for hikers to use (such as computers at the library). Wanting to make the Hiker Friendly Church List accessible to anyone who may need it, we have decided to put it on a database on the Appalachian Trail Servants’ website. Putting the list on our website will make it accessible to anyone who may need it. Now we need to populate the database with information. So, we need your help. Not only do we have to find churches along the Appalachian Trail that are willing to help hikers, but we also have to make this list accessible and known to hikers. As you think of churches that are both helpful and near the trail, please add them into the database after you have talked to the pastor. The online, trail-church database is located at http://www.atservants.org/cgi-bin/db/display.cgi. Please spread the word about the database to hikers and churches.
	Craig and Suzy Spread Word about A.T.S.
	Once again, Craig and Suzy spent much of their time in October and November working to grow the network of churches that serve hikers on the Appalachian Trail. During this time, Craig and Suzy traveled within Georgia, and Craig continued to travel in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. In Georgia, Craig and Suzy were the keynote speakers at a Women on Mission's Mission Celebration Conference. Here, the women showered A.T. Servants with prayers and they excitedly planned their involvement with the ministry. Suzy spoke to the mission's committee at McConnell Memorial Baptist Church in the oft-visited hiker town of Hiawassee. Both Craig and Suzy spoke to Sunday School classes at both First Baptist Church of Gainesville, GA and North Metro Baptist in Buford, GA. They also spoke to Hills Crossing Baptist Church in Clarkesville, GA and at Center Baptist Church in Helen, GA. Both of these warm congregations quickly saw the hikers' needs and began to answer God's call to action. They are already planning to begin helping hikers in March 2005. Finally, Craig attended the Georgia Baptist Convention in November. Here, he met a number of wonderful co-laborers. In North Carolina, Craig met with the Macon Baptist Association. During this beneficial meeting, A.T. Servants was asked to submit an article to Macon Baptist Association newsletter. In Alabama, the Alabama Hiking Trail Society also wrote an article about A.T. Servants during November. Craig also attended the Tennessee Baptist Convention. Here he met several exciting ministry contacts and co-laborers for Christ. In Virginia, Craig met with The Virginia Baptist Conservatives to cast the vision about trail ministry. He also spoke at Damascus First Baptist Church. Here, he even got the chance to serve the needs of two Southbound thru-hikers (see related article, below)! Would you like to hear Craig and Suzy speak to your church about what God is doing through A. T. Servants? Contact them at info@atservants.org or call 706-482-8537.
	Craig's Divine Meeting with Two Southbound Thru-hikers
	As you may know, each Spring about 2,000 hikers attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail starting from the south, at Springer Mountain, Georgia and they hike northbound towards Mount Katahdin in Maine. You may not know that each Summer, around June, about 300 hikers attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail starting from the north, heading southbound. In hiker lingo, hiking southbound is known as "SOBO". Hiking SOBO is more difficult that hiking northbound primarily because the terrain is more difficult near the beginning of the hike (e.g. the White Mountains in New Hampshire) and because of the sheer solitude. In November, I (Craig) was in Damascus, Virginia at the library. While checking my e-mail, I was sitting next to two men who were doing the same. Taking note of their tattered clothing, long beards, and unmistakable smell, I asked them whether they were SOBO hikers. They affirmed my intuition and I asked them whether they would like for me to treat them to an all-you-can-eat dinner (known by hikers as an "AYCE"). Hikers love eating. So, they took me up on the offer. During our dinner, one hiker ate nearly an ENTIRE family-sized pizza and the other hiker at a huge portion as well! I told them that it was my job to make sure that churches helped hikers such as themselves. While serving their physical needs by paying for their meal, I was able to turn the conversation to more spiritual matters. We talked about how having goals is good but how having an eternal perspective is priceless. This seemed to sit well with the two hikers. As a matter of fact, the two hikers actually came to church with me that very night and they were greeted by the church with open arms! Three hours after our first meal, the hikers were happy to eat a second dinner paid for by some members of the church! Before saying their good-byes the church members were able to shower the SOBO hikers with love and encouragement that they needed. After having been fed two times and showered with love and encouragement from the church, I believe that they came away from the experience feeling cared for by the church. More importantly, I believe that they walked away with some important things to think about. Many southbounders are in VA, TN, NC, and GA right now. Please keep your eye out for them.
	Chattahoochee National Forest Supervisors Give A.T. Servants "Thumbs Up" to Work in Their Forest
	Late in 1995, U.S. Forest Rangers in the South began enforcing regulations concerning "special use permits" for shuttle service providers. The permit can cost up to $150. Since A.T. Servants shuttles hikers, this was of concern to us. So, we visited the Supervisor's Office for the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. During the meeting, the Supervisor advised us that we would not need the permit. Instead, he stated, he was very happy that A.T. Servants is on the trail helping hikers because we can be the "eyes and ears" for the Forest Service. Please continue to pray that A.T. Servants continues to have good relations with the Forest Service.

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Introducing Trail Chaplain, Jonathan	Appalachian Trail Servants is Now a Non-profit, 501(c)(3) Corporation	Online "Trail Church" Database Will Help Hikers Find Churches Near Trail	A.T. Servants Attends GBC, TBC, and speaks in Damascus, VA	This is the Season for Southbound Hikers	Chattahoochee National Forest Supervisors Give ATS "Thumbs Up"