What an honor and joy it is to be gathered here today—friends, family, volunteers, current & former staff and partners— all members of the Mountain T.O.P. family spanning generations. We are here to celebrate a truly remarkable milestone. Today is more than a celebration of 50 years—it's a moment to pause and thank God for all He has done, is doing, and will continue to do through this extraordinary ministry.

Jubilee is not just something we talk about. It is not a feeling, an idea, or an abstract teaching to make an audience feel good about themselves. Jubilee is a lived experience. The largest portion of my job as a Program Manager in this 50th year of Mountain T.O.P. is to create spaces for campers to have meaningful experiences with God.

Throughout March and April, we welcomed 76 participants to Mountain T.O.P. to serve on multiple home repair projects. From middle schoolers to college students to older adults, all our participants helped us move the needle on substandard housing in our community.

Each year at our George Bass Brick and Mortar event, we honor a selection of important community partners and volunteers.

Jacob Sorenson, director of the Effective Camp Research Project and author of Sacred Playgrounds: Christian Summer Camp in Theological Perspective, identifies five fundamental characteristics of Christian summer camp: safe space, participatory, relational, unplugged from home, and faith-centered. Mountain T.O.P. practices all these characteristics by offering an inclusive community where all participants are welcome to be fully themselves. By serving others, meeting new people, and spending time in nature, our participants step into a new rhythm of life and explore new expressions of faith.