YMlink on Mission: Huntsville

What is YMLink on Mission

With YM Link on Mission your students will work each day on homes in the community of Huntsville, AL or Birmingham, AL to complete projects of painting, minor repairs, and building projects during the day and experience worship services at night.  Students will be divided up into crews of 10-12 students and given specific tasks and job responsibilities to be fulfilled on their job site. Through their daily interactions with other students from different churches, their homeowner, and the people in their neighborhood students will learn how to:

• Build deeper relationships with one another
• Share their testimony with confidence
• Become active servants and missionaries in their own community
• Grow spiritually
• Endure patience and flexibility

About the project-location, date, time, and cost

Huntsville:
Date: May 31-June 4
Location: Jackson Way Baptist Church
Registration: 11:00am to 12:00pm  – May 31
Cost: $100
The deadline to register is April 1.

The deadline to complete the individual application/background check/waiver form is May 6.

• • Form for individuals age 17 and under: https://alsbom.wufoo.com/forms/zv6uet602yqi4d/
    
  • Form for individuals age 18 and over: https://alsbom.wufoo.com/forms/z1t3n6xn0hggtc0/

Final payment is due May 17.

Brief description of the work day (crews and roles), Schedule, Gospel conversation training, Crew Chief Description, Crew Encourager Description, Driver, and City Encounter (we will provide a list of things to do in Birmingham)

Description of Work Day:

Crews will be divided up amongst students and adult participants. Crews will divide up students from different churches for each project. Breakfast will be served at the lodging facility we are staying at from 6:30am to 7am. At 7am we will circle up and have a great send off followed by prayer. Participants will then load up into a bus that is designated for their team. Upon arrival students will work on their project site till 4:30pm with breaks and lunch throughout the day. Participants will head back home where they will have time to prepare for dinner and worship that night.

YMLINK ON MISSION SCHEDULE

Gospel Convo Training: Participants will have the opportunity to attend a training on how to share their faith. During the course of a workday students will be encouraged to have Gospel Conversations with the people they may encounter.

Church Crew Chief Description: A Crew Chief is an adult 21 or older with construction expertise. They are responsible for leading and supervising a crew of 10-12 students and adults to complete their assigned tasks (i.e. painting or re-roofing a home). Crew Chiefs are selected by the Construction Coordinator and assigned to their work site based on their application, skills and ministry sites available.

 CREW ENCOURAGERS: The Crew Encourager at a construction project serves as an assistant to the Crew Chief, works with the Crew Reporter to ensure accurate evangelism information is gathered and encourages the crew in their ministry tasks. The Crew Encourager position is not discounted, but volunteers will be selected by the Project Coordinator based on applications. The Project Coordinator will contact volunteers, if selected, to plan for the project.

DRIVER: Crews will be transported to ministry sites by Drivers supplied by each church. Know the driving ability and record of those who you designate as drivers. We ask churches to use the vehicles you bring for transportation to the ministry sites during the project. We want to use only safe, qualified drivers. The safety of all students should be a priority.

City Encounter: Student Pastors (Group Leaders) will need to plan a City Encounter for your students. The Huntsville project will be Saturday as you leave and head home and the Birmingham project will be on Friday. Please see the schedule for times. This is a great opportunity to get your group together and talk about the week. This can be as easy as going to a park or going to play Top Golf.

What to bring/not bring list (include dress code for work site)

DRESS CODE Please remember that this is a mission experience. Participants are on mission at all times: at ministry sites and at the lodging facility. Participants should make a special effort to wear clothes that are modest and appropriate for the work to which we have been called. How we dress is an important part of our witness.

• Sleeved shirts are to be worn by all participants at all times (no spaghetti straps or midriffs—this includes dresses) at the work sites, the lodging facility, and on the way to and from the showers. If the sleeves are torn off the shirt, it no longer meets the code. Participants will not be allowed to work if not dressed according to the dress code.
• Long pants must be worn at the construction work sites. Pants made of heavy cloth, like denim, are preferred.
• Shorts are acceptable at the lodging facility. Shorts should be fingertip length. No short shorts.
• Participants are to be fully dressed in accordance with this dress code any time they are outside their assigned room at the lodging facility. Shorts or long pants and a sleeved shirt is required in hallways, in worship, and en route to showers and restrooms.
• Yoga pants, tights, and leggings are not pants. These may not be worn outside your assigned sleeping room unless layered underneath a modest length dress or skirt. They will not be allowed on the work site.
• Durable shoes with closed toes must be worn at all work sites. Sandals are not acceptable. Shoes or boots with heavy soles are recommended for construction projects.
• Always wear shoes outside of rooms.

EACH PARTICIPANT SHOULD BRING

• Water Bottle
• Air mattress (twin size only)
• Safety Goggles
• Work Gloves
• Bible
• Camera
• Facial Tissues
• Hat or Visor
• Insect Repellent
• Light Jacket
• Lip Balm
• Mirror
• Pen or Pencil
• Pillow
• Plastic Bags for Dirty Clothing
• Rain Jacket/Umbrella
• Shorts (fingertip length)
• Sleeping Bag/Bedding
• Socks and Underwear
• Sturdy Shoes or Work Boots
• Sunglasses
• Towels and Washcloths
• Sturdy Clothing (long pants are required for work sites)
• Personal Toiletries (Comb, Soap, Toothbrush, Deodorant, etc.)
• Personal Family Health Insurance Card (if you have coverage)
• T-shirts with Sleeves (guys and girls – no midriff tops; girls – no tops with spaghetti straps, including dresses)

How to promote your trip in your church? (resource ideas: make a half page insert for youth pastors to insert in their bulletin, promotional video, pre-project study)

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR GROUP

Orientation Meeting – Invite parents, adult leaders, and students to join in a time of fellowship that previews the project. You might choose to plan a meeting that provides information on other summer events as well.

Parent/Participant Meeting – Approximately two or three weeks before departure, bring together participants and parents to handle logistics (such as receiving Participant Forms and discussing itinerary, supplies, and spending money), answer questions and pray for the project.

Debriefing – Once back home, consider having a meeting for everyone who has been involved in the project. This is the time to share testimonies, photos, and experiences from the trip.

 General questions

1. Ages who can participate? (7th-12th grade)
2.  Adult chaperones needed?  1 adult for every 12 students
3. Transportation? you need to be able to provide a bus/van that will transport the number of participants you bring
4. What will the lodging facilities be like?  Sleep on the floor, shower trailers, etc.
5. How are crews developed? Entire youth group will not be on the same crew. Project coordinator will develop a crew list.
6. What does the cost cover? Food, lodging, t-shirt, etc. Basically will cover everything except for your free time with City Encounter.
7. How long will I be working at the site? Leaving at 7am for the job site and leaving the returning back to lodge at 4:30pm

Steps to a successful event:

1. Promote your trip- insert in bulletin, promotional video, newsletters, update church website, social media
2. Provide participants with info and forms about the trip including important deadlines.
3. Prayer- Organize a prayer team in your church to begin praying now for participants
4. Stay in contact with your project coordinator and be looking out for important emails and reminders as the trip approaches!