Thank you, Zach Nolt
Today is Zach Nolt's last day at The Root Cellar. He is pursuing other career opportunities in the central Maine area, so thankfully he wont be far away.
There is not a part of our building, a blade of grass on our property, staff member or neighbor that has not been blessed by Zach and his family since they joined The Root Cellar in the summer of 2014. Zach and Monika served as house parents for the Brethren Volunteer Service for 2 years supporting a team of young adult volunteers dedicating a year of service to our neighborhood. This included being a full time volunteer at The Root Cellar in Lewiston.
In those days, we were really just getting started in what has become our normal programing. English Language Learning classes and Friends and Neighbors Network had only just begun. Our teen programming and after school programs were just finding their feet and had yet to be organized into the the full slate of mentoring programs we have today.
Zach joined me and a small team of volunteers in a time when I was just starting to figure out how to do my job and lead as the Site Director in Lewiston. Working with me in those days was bumpy to say the least. We were making it up as we went along, acting in faith with very little experience. Yet God blessed our work together.
After volunteering for 2 years, Zach joined our staff as a full time Program Coordinator in 2016. In a demonstration of true faith that God was do at The Root Cellar, Zach, Monika and their family leaned into their new home and became part of the neighborhood. In turn, they became an integral part of The Root Cellar's development.
I have come to the belief that God is only looking for his people to be available and willing to serve others. He takes care of the rest. Zach is a testament to this. His humility, willingness to serve others and generous heart sowed seeds that grew into impactful ministry. Over his time with us, Zach either has initiated or played an essential role in virtually every program, event or building maintenance project in the past 7 years.
He anchored our Friends and Neighbors Networks, which have grown and consistently create food security through friendships for more than 350 individuals. In recent years, we had desire to see neighborhood teens have the opportunity to work jobs and learn how to set goals. Through this effort, Zach came up with the idea for Lew Crew Lawn Care and Woodworking. His development of this program has produced more than 50 jobs for neighborhood teens.
He has taught English consistently, spent countless hours grinding and staining nearly every inch of concrete flooring, patched our old rubber roof, helped new asylum seekers find work, installed a security system, patched drywall, lead teens in building flower boxes, picnic tables and trashcans, and hatched the idea for MADNESS on a MISSION.
I could go on and on.
To say that he will be missed around here is a significant understatement. He remains our dear friend and a partner in our ministry to love this city and all the residents of the Tree Streets. Zach is part of the ever growing Root Cellar family. We are cheering him on, and excited for what God has in store for the Nolt family's next chapter - but he will be deeply missed on a day to day basis by our team and our neighbors.
Thank you, Zach, for a job well done and for showing all of us what it looks like to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.
Thank you for your faithful friendship to me, the rest of our team and to every neighbor that you encountered. Thank you for partnering with us and seeking first the Kingdom of God here in Lewiston.
I think the Apostle Paul sums up what I feel about Zach Nolt best.
" I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 1:3-6
Feel free to tell a story or drop a note for Zach and his family below.
