ALDERSGATE UMC YOUTH MISSION TRIP POLICY
The purpose of Aldersgate’s youth ministry program is to build a strong and intimate community of disciples. One of the ways we achieve this goal is through intensive, week-long service trips during the summer. Our goal is not to provide mission trips for youth; our goal is to create a vibrant youth program through the transformation mission trips help to make happen. Past experience and best practices from other leading congregations demonstrate that rigorous expectations produce both growing youth programs and more successful service trips.
In addition, successful service trips require participants to have a high level of trust for one another. Such trust is critical for the group’s safety, fellowship and spiritual development. It is important that youth, who wish to participate in a mission trip, build a relationship of trust with those around them. In order to accomplish this, mission trip participants need to be a regular part of the youth community prior to the summer service trips.
The mission trips for the summer of 2009 will be: Jeremiah Project, Carolina Cross Connection, and Highland Support Project (Guatemala).
Please read the following:
· Mission trip participants must be active in either of the Aldersgate youth ministries: youth group or Sunday School.
· Mission trip participants may not miss more than 2 sessions between November 2, 2008 and December 31, 2008, and no more than 5 between January 8, 2009 and May 31, 2009.
· Mission trip participants must also attend the mission team training sessions that are held in the spring.
· Mission trip fundraising is not mandatory. Those that participate in fundraising efforts will receive credit towards the cost of their trip.
(PDF version of policy for download)