Towel Ministry
What is Towel Ministry?
Towel Ministry provides youth, rising 8th grade through graduating seniors, the opportunity to be the "hands and feet" of God through a mission experience focused on home repair and building relationships with our WNC neighbors.
We offer two 5-day sessions of Towel Ministry in June. The work primarily includes making housing improvements, repairs, and maintenance for elderly, disabled, and marginalized people. Typical work projects might consist of handicap access, painting, yard clean-up, and other simple projects that can be managed by a small group.
Towel Ministry strives to be the embodiment of walking the talk of the Church and sharing God's love through relational ministry. The name "Towel Ministry" is representative of Jesus's servant heart, as shown by his act of washing and drying the disciples' feet. John 13:1-17
Summer 2026
This summer, we will be offering two sessions of Towel Ministry Mission Experience for youth (rising 8th graders to graduated 12th graders). We will be based at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher, NC. Our worksites will be within a 45-minute drive of the church.
General Information:
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Session One: June 15-20
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Session Two: June 22-27
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Cost: $400 per person, includes all meals, lodging, and evening activities.
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We request that groups bring at least one adult with construction experience, formal or informal, as well as follow all Safe Church chaperone requirements.
For registration information or general questions, please email Eden Lewis
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
Work with us!
We have positions available this summer for individuals interested in assisting with the Towel Ministry. We hire young adults to serve for the two-week sessions.
Employment Opportunities (Job Descriptions coming soon)
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Counselors
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Materials Manager
Volunteer with us!
Volunteers are a huge part of Towel Ministry because they provide the opportunity for intergenerational relationships to be built and model what it looks like to serve others.
Volunteer Opportunities:
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Health Professionals
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Kitchen Manager & Assistants
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Program Assistance
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Jobsite Support
Click for Detailed Job Descriptions
If you have questions, please email Charlotte Garcia
Our Mission
The Mission of Towel Ministry is about spreading the Gospel through action by being the hands and feet of God in the communities that we serve. There are three equally important missional components to the week:
Action
This relates to home improvement project at hand. The adults and the youth will either be actively working to complete a project or assisting with the management of the worksite.
Relationship
Building relationships with the homeowners is as equally as important as completing the project. Being open and available for conversation and connection with the homeowner is a missional pillar of Towel Ministry. Helping a new friend push back loneliness and isolation, even for a little while, may be the best Good News that person has heard in a long time; the home improvements are welcome, but in very they are a bonus to building new relationships.
Spreading the Good News of the Gospel
At Towel Ministry we spread the Good News of the Gospel through our actions and our words. This is shown through the work we do on the project and the relationship built between us and the homeowners. We are not there to just “fix” a house but to show that we love and care about the homeowner and the community we serve.
The History of Towel Ministry
Towel Ministry began as the brainchild of the late Deacon Cris Greer and the late Rev. Gene McDowell in the 80s. It evolved as a response to the need in our community for housing improvements, repairs, and maintenance. The first camp operated out of a volunteer fire department with a total of sixteen participants. Since that time, Towel Ministry has grown and spread. From its modest beginnings in the very western tip of the state, the ministry has spread across the Diocese of Western North Carolina and beyond.