When there is a need, the people of Mt. Olivet Church are there, with spiritual outreach, financial support, helping hands, and love.

A significant mission of Mt. Olivet for more than thirty years has been the sending forth of building teams: Groups of individuals who travel around the state, the country, and the world to assist others in need with the construction and repair of homes and churches.

Mt. Olivet and its members have received many blessings from their participation in building teams through the years. These teams are organized by the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our first team went out thirty years ago, and we have since sent teams to more than ten countries as well as teams that have served here in North Carolina and in Alaska.

Two of our former pastors, Rev. Ed Cochran and Rev. Hal Varner, were very active in the building team program of our conference. They helped to lay a firm foundation of support from Mt. Olivet.

Although participants go to work on a building project, building relationships with the people is the most important part of their trip. Always, they return saying, “We received more than we gave.”

Below is a partial list of building team participants from Mt. Olivet. If you have information to add this history, including pictures from a trip, please contact Susan Craver.

For more information on the Western North Carolina Conference Building Team Program, visit their webpage by clicking here.