Many PC(USA) congregations,
presbyteries and synods are engaging in mission through travel/study and service
with partner churches and organizations around the world. Mission trips are self-funded
and organized.
Through mission trips, team members:
- learn about the work and witness of local faith communities
- build relationships with area Christians, other people of
faith and with each other
- serve with members of the local community to meet local needs
- experience another context in which the Christian faith is practiced
- worship with local congregations
- reflect on the mission team experience in light of the gospel
Listen with new ears and see the world through new eyes!
U.S. Mission Site Opportunities
Information on mission site opportunities (for teams) within
the United States (other than disaster sites) is available from the National
Volunteers Office. Call (888) 728-7228 x5284 or visit
their Web site.
Individual Volunteers
Individuals interested in volunteering for mission service
in the United States or around the world should contact: Mission Service Recruitment,
(888) 728-7228, x2530, or send
an email. You can also view mission opportunities
online. Be
sure to check mission service as one of your interests.
Mission Trip Opportunities: How do we decide our destination?
Deciding on your mission trip destination is a discernment process. We encourage
you to think of the mission trip, not as an end in itself, but as one step in
a journey of deeper engagement in the global mission of the church. The questions
below will help your group in the discernment process of selecting a destination,
but are not a substitute for prayer.
As people of faith, we are called to walk
by faith. Mission is never our mission, but God's mission. God graciously invites
us to participate in what God is already doing in this world that God so loved.
So, prayerfully consider your responses to the questions below, not worrying
about money or any other obstacle, being open to God's Spirit.
Size of your group:
The size of your group may limit some possibilities. Most sites can handle
12-15. Others can handle up to 25. A very few can handle over 25. It's a good
idea to limit the size of the group in any event so that each person has more
of an opportunity to interact with members of the community you are visiting
and so that your church group is more cohesive. Our experience indicates that
larger mission groups tend to stay more within their own group have less interaction
with the community they are visiting. This tendency is particularly true for
youth groups.
Composition of your group:
Be sure that the site can accommodate the make-up of your
particular group. Many
sites can accommodate youth and adult intergenerational groups. Some may also
able to handle family groups. Some sites are less advisable for youth groups
due to environmental conditions and realities or the nature of service projects:
for example, areas experiencing conflict or war, as in the Sudan, and some of
the reconstruction projects after a disaster. Youth is here defined as ages 15-17
(senior high). Middle school youth groups (ages 12-14) may want to concentrate
on sites in the United States.
Objectives of your trip:
Your mission trip should allow for opportunities to:
- learn about the community (culture, political, economic and social realities);
- learn about the church in that place (forms of worship and religious expression;
challenges to the church and joys of the church in that place);
- learn about PC(USA) involvement in mission and ministry in that place;
- build relationships with members of the local church and community.
Some sites provide service opportunities as well, such as:
- clean-up and/or construction after natural disasters;
- construction or repair work on churches, church camps, homes for pastors;
- digging and planting in reforestation and development projects;
- leading Vacation Bible Schools or similar activities with local churches;
- medical training or service (limited to a very few sites where legal and
requested).
Please remember that Presbyterians do mission in partnership. Hearing
the voice of the community is always an important part of any mission experience. Service
projects should be identified by the partner church or organization according
to their priorities rather than your group’s priorities. Further,
the PC(USA) understands mission to be with others and not doing for others. In
most cases, PC(USA) groups work with members of the local church or community.
Your congregation’s connections:
Consider some of the following questions to identify long-term potential relationships
between your church and the church in other communities and countries:
Congregational,
Presbytery or Synod Connections?
- Does your presbytery or synod have an international
presbytery partnership with a presbytery or other church body in another country?
- Do you have a sister congregation?
Find out where your existing mission
commitments are and build on those! Where partnerships exist you are likely to
find potential speakers and other resources to assist your group's preparation
for your trip.
PC(USA)
Mission Worker Connections?
- Does your congregation receive Mission Connections
letters from a particular mission worker?
- Does your congregation have members
who are former PC(USA) mission workers?
- Has your congregation hosted a PC(USA) mission worker as a speaker?
These
existing connections between your congregation and PC(USA) mission workers can
spark interest within the congregation for a visit to the site in which they
serve. Profiles of mission workers and their letters
are available online.
Caution: Please understand that not all PC(USA) mission
workers have responsibilities for hosting visiting groups. However, if there
is a particular mission worker you would like to visit as part of your trip,
it is very likely that arrangements can be made.
Mission Funding Priorities?
- Does your congregation fund mission programs or
projects through the Extra Commitment Opportunities?
- Does your congregation or
presbytery financially support particular PC(USA) mission workers?
A mission trip
would be an opportunity to see firsthand the ongoing ministry you are supporting.
Mission or outreach at the local level:
- What are your congregation's outreach ministries locally? E.g., children's
ministries (daycare, tutoring, etc.); hunger (soup kitchens or food pantries,
etc.); international students.
- Does your congregation or community include people from other countries?
Where are they from?
These "natural" links between your congregation and local community
to the larger world can form a good basis for deciding to focus on a particular
country or region for an international mission trip and further global mission
involvement.
Practical considerations for international travel:
- Is it politically (safe) and financially feasible to visit a particular country?
- Are hosts able to schedule your visit at a time when your group is free to
travel?
Additional resources:
This three-part resource is available through Presbyterian Distribution Services
for your use in planning your mission trip.
When God's People Travel Together: A Trip Leader's Planning Manual
by Debby
D. Vial
This resource helps trip leaders plan a successful mission
trip by providing guidelines and procedures to follow before, during and after
the journey.
PDS #7027099009 • $9.95
When God's People Travel Together Volume II: Reflecting and Acting on Mission
Trip Experiences 2000
Methods and tools for facilitating the group's processing and
reflection on trip experiences in light of the gospel; prompts for individual
and group journaling about experiences; integration of experiences into daily
life; follow-up activities for after the trip.
PDS #7027099022 • $9.95
When God's People Travel Together Volume III: Bible Studies for Mission
Through Bible stories and contemporary examples, participants
in this study will hear God's call to mission, discover what mission is and the
importance of partnership in mission, and learn how one's life is transformed
through active discipleship. Each
of the five sessions includes discussion questions and conversation starters.
PDS #7440099083 • $4.95
Order these or other Presbyterian resources.
For more information, contact the Mission Service Recruitment
Office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at (888) 728-7228
x2530 or send
us an email. |
