We started Day 4 of MRT 17 with a very early breakfast with the residents at Sunday Breakfast Mission. We then spent the morning at SBM sorting food donations into boxes:

And unloading food donations off of the truck:

We then said our goodbyes and hit the road. We stopped for lunch at a travel plaza where we met a friend:

And some students tried out working at a toll booth:

We then arrived at the Fawn Grove Compassion Center. This is a warehouse that collects and prepares boxes of clothes and crisis care kits (bags filled with toiletries and other essentials) to be sent all around the world. For those of you at LNC who have donated crisis care kits, this is where they are collected before being sent around the world to those in need.  Here is a map with a pin at every place they have sent clothes boxes and crisis care kits:

The students spent the remainder of the afternoon organizing and packing clothes into banana boxes:

We then hung out at the Fawn Grove Church of the Nazarene and had dinner there. 

We then had group time (as we have had every night this week). During group time we share random stories from the day, and God moments from the day. After that, we spend quiet time alone reflecting and journaling about our day. Since tonight was the last night we will be together for MRT 17, the students also took time to write encouraging notes to each other. 

It is always interesting at this point in the trip because students are getting tired, and have spent a lot of time with each other. But for the most part they have done a fantastic job working their hardest and they have had a great attitude. 

Here are some other candid shots from today:

For Day 3 of Elevate’s Missions Road Trip we traveled to the heart of Wilmington, Delaware to serve at Sunday Breakfast Mission. Sunday Breakfast Mission is a homeless shelter that has been serving and discipling countless people in Wilmington for over a century. (For those of you at the church who have participated in LNC’s Thanksgiving Box Giveaway, this is the organization that we partner with to get the food boxes). 

When we arrived we joined the residents on the women and children’s side for lunch. After lunch we were given a tour of the whole facility, and the students were given big picture view of some of the many ministries that SBM does. 

Today we worked specifically on the women’s side, so after the tour the team worked on giving a deep cleaning to the many chairs and tables in the gym. And then they cleaned the floors and walls of the gym. When we had finished with that we then cleaned the walls in all of the hallways on all 3 floors. 

After a short break the children’s director asked us to come up with a creative way to tell a bible story to the kids at the shelter using sheets and markers and paints. The students chose to do the parable of the Prodigal Son, and we worked together to work on a storyboard outline and then divided into pairs to work on each sheet. All of the students did a great job and it was neat to see their creativity come out. 

We were also asked to lead their evening chapel for the residents and evening guests. So, after dinner we worked on what we were going to do for that evening’s chapel. We had students lead worship, lead in prayer, and read scripture. Then I (Pastor Derek) gave the message. A special thing from that service is that one of our students debuted on the piano by playing with us in worship for the first time. 

After chapel we helped set up for the evening festivities that they had planned for the resident kids. To kick off the evening activities we then performed our telling the “the prodigal son” for the kids. After our performance we hung out and played with the kids and ate unhealthy snack food with them. 

Sunday Breakfast Mission is an amazing ministry and our team has been blessed with the experience of being able to be a part of it as we worked along with the residents, shared meals with them, played with their kids, and stay at the mission ourselves. 

Please continue to be in prayer as we finish up here in the morning and head out to our final location for MRT 17. 

Sorry about the lack of pictures in today’s recap, but reception is not great where we are staying. 

For day 2 of Elevate’s MRT 17 we served at Project Share in Carlisle, PA. Project Share is a food distribution ministry that ministers to hungry families in the community. 

We specifically helped with their distribution day. This is the day when needy people from all over the community come to fill shopping carts full of groceries for their families. The picture below is just part of the food line (the whole thing goes across a few different warehouse rooms). 

Our group helped fill bags of food:

They checked recently donated produce for quality:

Gave carts to people as they entered:

Passed out food on the line:

Helped people take the groceries to their cars:

And then quickly brought the carts back for the people at the beginning of the line:

Then we helped clean up. 

All of the students worked really hard and were very helpful and polite to everyone who came to get food.  I got this message from the Volunteer Coordinator at Project Share later in the day:

“Thank you so much for what your entire group has done today. We received many compliments about how friendly and hardworking your youth were.”

After we were done serving at Project Share we went to a mall for dinner and for the students to have some down time. Some of the girls took that opportunity to ride a panda through the mall. 

Here are some quotes from the students from day 2:

“It was an amazing experience” -Corbin

“I’ve realized how blessed I am” -Nathan

“Today I got to drive a panda” – Summer and Natalie 

“Some lady offered me her car” -Riley

“I will be seeing shopping carts in my dreams tonight” -Riley and Nathan

“Don’t flip your blizzard upside down for too long” -Sam

“This is the day that the Lord has made” -Ivory

“I barely got to wear my hat today” -Scott

Referring to what she learned from today: “Never judge anyone based on your assumptions. They could be from any city, any religion, any race, any family, but you will never know their situation unless you really take the time to get to know them.” -Dakota 

Other candid pics from today:

Today was the first day of Elevate’s Missions Road Trip 2017. These students picture above chose to spend their spring break serving others in the name of Jesus. 

Throughout the week I will be recapping each day for those of you back home who are interested in keeping up with what our students are doing 

Here is a little recap of today:

This morning we loaded up the church van, had prayer together, said our goodbyes, and left for our first stop for the week: The Harbor. The Harbor is a sober bar in Shippensburg, PA that ministers specifically to those dealing with addictions. When we arrived, Pastor Melissa, shared with the group the mission of The Harbor, and all of the amazing ministries that they do. She then gave us our job assignments for the afternoon. First, the group cleaned out and organized their storage closet. Here is a pic of some of them when it was finished:

Then the group cleaned out and organized their very full storage garage. Here is a picture of the stuff when it was all pulled out:

And here it is all cleaned and organized:

After the group finished with these projects we went upstairs to the apartments that were recently renevated for men to stay in who are in recovery and trying to get their life back on track. The 2 current tenants shared their stories with the group and how their addictions had taken them down a dark path. It was great for us to hear their stories and for us to see firsthand how the Harbor is making a huge difference for the Kingdom of God. 

We then got dinner and had some down time. Later in the evening we got to go back to the Harbor to hang out, play pool, and other games together. 

We ended our day sharing stories together from the day, and our “God Moments” from day. And then the students spent time journallig about their experiences. 

Today was a great kick off to the week. The students worked hard, got to hear some powerful stories, got to experience a very creative ministry, and bond together as a group. We are looking forward to what God has in store for us tomorrow! 

Blessings!

Pastor Derek

Here are some other candid shots from the day:

Elevate is serving at God’s Table THIS FRIDAY (April 7).

Meet at the Centenary United Methodist Church here in Laurel at 5:15pm.

Here is the church address: 200 W Market St, Laurel, DE 19956

Hope to see you there!

You can download the info packet HERE: MRT 17 info packet

Lent is a season that calls us to stop, reflect, and grow.  Lent is not about GROANING, it’s about GROWING. During this series we are going to be looking at different SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES that help us GROW in our faith.

Week #1: Fasting (March 1)

Week #2: Prayer (March 8)

Week #3: Studying and Meditating on God’s Word (March 15)

Week #4: Simplicity (March 22)

Week #5: Confession (March 29)

Week #6: Worship (April 5)

Week #7: Service (April 12)

It’s Missions Week here at LNC, and tonight (2/22) at Elevate we are discussing what it means to be a “Kingdom Builder”.  Hope to see you there!

Winter Retreat 2017 Recap Video:

 “Dr. Suess Rap Battle”

SNL Elevate Style