Beersheba Springs (Tennessee) Assembly received a $10,000 ENCORE Ministry grant to help fund renovations to four long-term stay spaces, making them more accessible and navigable. When complete, guests can use the spaces for personal retreats, sabbaticals, and temporary housing during transitions.
During the pandemic, assembly staff identified the need for such spaces. Both individuals and families were looking for places to stay for personal retreats.
ENCORE Ministry, a ministry of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky (TWK) Conference of The United Methodist Church, became involved through its grant program to help churches and church-related institutions facilitate their work with older adults.
“While we had several individual rooms, we didn’t have kitchen space that could accommodate the needs of personal retreat guests,” said Assembly Director Sarah Ratz.
“We had individuals stay for a week or two; a park ranger who stayed during the summer of 2021; and a writer who stayed for several months in 2020. We started looking at how we could provide better services for personal retreat guests and decided to remodel four rooms, each complete with a small kitchenette and bathroom.”
Rising supply costs threatened the project’s completion and budgeted and fundraising money couldn’t keep pace. ENCORE Ministry’s grant helped push the project across the finish line. The retreat spaces will be ready for occupancy in late-spring 2023.
In 1941 the property was purchased by the legacy Tennessee Conference of The United Methodist Church. Since then, the assembly has provided a place and space for people of all walks of life to gather and see God in a natural setting.
“This project has been another example of God doing something new,” said Ratz. “As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ The vintage block rooms had not been used in years. Thanks in part to grant funding from ENCORE Ministry, we have seen this space transformed into a brand-new space with a purpose and mission.”
Each room has been designed to accommodate guests with mobility issues. The vinyl flooring is free of carpet and throw rugs, ensuring a trip-proof and wheelchair-friendly surface. The bathroom features a grab bar in the shower. A low shower curb was used in place of a bathtub/shower combo — eliminating the challenge of stepping over and into a tub to bathe.
“While the personal retreat rooms may be reserved by anyone, we designed these rooms to accommodate senior adults and other people with mobility issues,” said Ratz. “We look forward to having our first older adult guest soon. He or she will find the room safe, comfortable, and accessible.”
About ENCORE Ministry
ENCORE Ministry is a ministry of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky (TWK) Conference of The United Methodist Church. It provides older adult ministry resources, leader training, church consultations, and grants to equip TWK churches for ministry by, with, and for older adults. TWK churches receive ENCORE Ministry services at no cost. For more information, visit encoreministry.org or contact Kent McNish, executive director of ENCORE Ministry at or 615-479-6175.
