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Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries is a ministry program provided by the Sevier County Association of Baptists, the Tennessee Baptist Convention, and the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Smoky Mountain Resort Ministries (SMRM) is responsible for all resort ministry work by Baptists in Sevier County with the four main areas of attractions being the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.
Resort ministry is communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people caught up in a leisure lifestyle. Our purpose is to express the love of God and the care of the churches to those people who visit in the resort settings and to those people, both seasonal and permanent, who work in the resort industries of Sevier County.
Listed below are eight different ministry programs in which SMRM works to share the Gospel with the leisure lifestyle people who live, work, and play in these resort areas.
CAMPGROUND MINISTRY
- Sunday worship services in 12 campgrounds
- Day camps for children
- Family Evening Programs
- Youth programs such as coffee houses, ice cream gatherings, Bible studies, etc.
- Visitation
- Chaplain relationships for employees and guests
SKI MINISTRY
- Employee Devotionals and Bible Studies at Ober Gatlinburg
- Skier Sunday worship services
- Supervision of the Host Program (volunteer services for winter guests)
- Programs for international employees
- Chaplain relationship for employees and guests
PARKWAY MINISTRY
- Chaplain on the Parkway in Gatlinburg with visitation in local shops
- Onetoone witnessing and counseling
- Employee Bible Studies
- Performance ministry in The Village shopping area
- Relational Creative Arts Ministry to Gatlinburg Street Performers
THEME PARKS/SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS MINISTRY
- Chaplain at Dollywood / Splash Country Water Park
- Full time endorsed chaplain provided to park's 1600 employees and 2 million guests per year
- 9:30 and 11:30 worship services at Robert F. Thomas Memorial Chapel
- Employee Visitation Program
- Bible Studies at Splash Country Water Park
- Special services and programs as needed
- Chaplain at LeConte Lodge
- Sunday worship services at sunrise and breakfast
- Chaplain relationship with Lodge employees
SPECIAL EVENTS MINISTRY
- Fourth of July Parade: Gatlinburg
- Pre-Parade entertainment and witnessing to 80,000
- Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair: July, October, February in Tampa, Florida
- Craftsmen's Sunday worship services
- Cookie bag welcome and visitation program
- Hostess program of booth sitting for crafters
- Christian witness handout to 60,000 visitors
- Children's craft booth and face painting
WHITE WATER RAFTING MINISTRY
- Outreach to white water rafting guides in Hartford, TN through weekly activity programs, cookouts, and Bible studies
INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEES MINISTRY
- Outreach to approximately 2000 international seasonal employees working in resort area
- Van transportation shopping and outings
- Conversational English classes
- Bible studies and gift Bibles in their language
- Cooking classes
- Church sponsored special events such as soup dinners or park picnics
RESORT MINISTRY TRAINING AND PROMOTION
- Supervision of approximately 600 volunteers per year
- Hosting Resort Ministry Training Conferences upon request
- Resort Ministry awareness and promotion speaking and conferencing
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