First, Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries has a 25 year relationship with South Korean Baptists. Now we are celebrating our strong relationship with Myoungsu No, Baptist Campus Minister at the University of Seoul and SMRM alum, in a mission project for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Bill went in March to South Korea on a planning trip. The goal is to establish small teams of Olympic-experienced resort ministers, younger ministers who are interested in learning this skill set, and Korean ministers. Each team will be sent into an Olympic venue to build relationships and
do evangelistic ministry. The March trip was a great success.

Second, Linda Johnson is joining with SMRM for several months beginning in April. Linda is a career resort missionary who has lived out her calling with a powerful ministry. She will be bi-vocational as she joins with us. Her focus will be on developing new ministries and supervising on-going ministry programs. This will enable Bill to continue in the Fire Ministry and to encourage our community relationships.

Third, we are joyfully at work preparing and planning our summer of missions. This is a vital and accurate ministry, particularly this year. We look forward to being involved with our guests and our attractions’ employees. We are recruiting summer missionaries and mission groups. We are also providing training for those group leaders.

Fourth, our Fire Ministry continues to evolve as God leads. We have gone from emergency response to immediate needs to transitional help to restoration of hope and presence. We are in for the long haul. We continue to utilize creative responses such as the Fill the Freezers project, receiving and giving 150 new mattresses, and a “Blessing Shower” of all new kitchen appliances and setup. We continue in this painfully beautiful ministry.

Thanks be to God for you and Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries.
Thank you for giving financially to enable us in these God-guided ministries.
Thanks be to God! —four times.