Trips & Experiences
Fellowship, Faith & Community are important at Grace.
Trips and unique experiences are a key part of building deep community and faith.
Two keys make these trips deeply impactful:
Trips and unique experiences are a key part of building deep community and faith.
Two keys make these trips deeply impactful:
- Involve as many generations as possible.
- Choose a unique setting that is doable, fascinating, and inspires deep reflection and great conversations.
Wilderness Trips:
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non-wilderness experiences at Grace:Trip to South Africa:
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What if a Wilderness Trip doesn't interest me?
First - know that hesitation, fear, and disinterest is common. A Wilderness experience is unique and not something many have done.
BUT if you don't go now you may never have this experience. AND the unique setting and format is worth breaking out of your comfort zone. PLUS this is more doable than you may realize. Talk to those who have gone before.
9th graders - especially consider:
BUT if you don't go now you may never have this experience. AND the unique setting and format is worth breaking out of your comfort zone. PLUS this is more doable than you may realize. Talk to those who have gone before.
9th graders - especially consider:
- Most other events/activities you are likely to be able to do another time. This experience with your parents and classmates is not possible to do another time.
- It is significant when parent(s) go along but it is NOT necessary.
- When health and other conflicts make it impossible to go - there are other significant opportunities the summer after 9th grade.
Porkies Trip
Join a variety of ages on a hike into Upper Michigan's Porcupine Mountains and overnight in a cabin or take your tent. This is an experience for all ages - whoever can hike!
Crossways Camping Ministries
Crossways has three sites - Waypost, Imago Dei Village, and Pine Lake.
Crossways also has both summer programs and weekend retreats throughout the year.
There are Family programs, Grandparent/Kids programs, age specific programs (children, youth, adults), and Waypost Week for grades 1-12
See more at: Crossways Camping Ministries
Crossways also has both summer programs and weekend retreats throughout the year.
There are Family programs, Grandparent/Kids programs, age specific programs (children, youth, adults), and Waypost Week for grades 1-12
See more at: Crossways Camping Ministries
Why Grace connects with God's creation?
Several resources inspire and guide Grace to offer trips and experiences:
Many sources emphasize the importance of outdoor adventure:
- Lutheran Outdoor Ministries encourages, educates, equips and empowers bold and faithful outdoor ministry in the Church and world
- the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America provides strong background and support for outdoor ministries
- The ELCA has 132 outdoor ministry organizations in 32 different states
- A few camps in particular are great resources for Grace:
- Crossways Camping Ministries - and its three sites right in our synod
- Christikon Bible Camp in southern Montana
- Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota
- Holden Village in state of Washington
- Flathead Bible Camp in western Montana
- Sugar Creek Bible Camp in southwest Wisconsin
- many other camps - find them here
- Richard Louv and especially his book, Last Child in the Woods and his Nature Principle are a great inspiration.
- The Four Keys on the weekly "Taking Faith Home" insert and used in our Milestone Ministry guide our conversation and devotion.
Many sources emphasize the importance of outdoor adventure:
- seven ways the outdoors make us healthier from Huffington Post
- Ten Reasons Why Adventure Travel Is Good for You from the official travel blog of Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund
- Mental health benefits of outdoor adventures for youth from Harvard's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
- The mental and physical benefits of outdoor adventures for adults from Terrapin Adventures
- Results of two studies on "Mental Health Benefits of Outdoor Adventures" from Journal of Adolescence
- Outside Magazine on benefits of outdoor adventures
- The English Outdoor Council has much about values and benefits of outdoor recreation and outdoor learning on its website
- the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts emphasizes the benefits of outdoor adventure