After the interruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the transition to a new youth minister, the youth of CHBC are returning to the mission field this summer. We are working with Praying Pelican, a short-term missions organization, to connect with a local church in the Washington, DC area and serve in a variety of missional capacities, from prayer, evangelism, and inviting local kids to the church's Vacation Bible School to food distribution, serving the elderly, and more.

While the work we will do will be worthwhile and helpful in itself with the Lord's blessing, another major focus is students' formation into Christ's likeness. So, while our trip will consist of many forms of service, we will especially focus on how we might integrate all of these activities into our lives in our home communities. To that end, we will do the following:

• learn about the doctrine of good works (what is the place of good works in the Christian life? What makes a work truly good?)
• discern how God is calling us to serve our neighbors, whether in a temporary capacity such as volunteering or in a permanent capacity through our future vocations
• connect to local organizations and explore local needs in order to see how we can continue to abound in good works in our home communities

Please pray with us for the students who will join, for the community and church we are going to serve, and for God to own our efforts by his Spirit in order to produce lasting fruit in the students' lives.

• Who? Rising 7th graders through rising college first-years
• When? Saturday, June 22 – Friday, June 28
• Where? The Washington, DC metro area. "Home base" will be First Baptist Church in Waldorf, MD.
• Cost? $500 per student, with fundraising opportunities available (including a bake sale, restaurant fundraiser, and individual support-raising resources)

Sunday, April 28: Bake Sale Fundraiser (before and after church)

• Sign up to donate baked goods.
• Sign up to staff the table on Sunday.

Wednesday, May 1: Restaurant Fundraiser (time TBD)

More details coming soon!

Wednesday, May 15: Introductory Team Meeting (5:30–7:00pm; CHBC Fireside Room)

We'll get to know one another as a team, hear about logistical preparations, check on fundraising progress, and pray for our ministry in the DC area. We expect all mission team members to participate in this meeting.

Saturday, June 22 – Friday, June 28: Mission Trip (Waldorf, MD)

Sunday, June 30: Debrief and Prayer Meeting (12:30–2pm; CHBC Fireside Room)

We'll debrief our experiences with one another, discern how God is calling each of us to serve his people and our communities back home, and pray together for our ministry in DC and ongoing ministry in Chapel Hill. We expect all mission team members to participate in this meeting.

1. Prayer: Please pray for the students, that they would grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ and discern how they might serve the Lord in their home communities and with their whole lives. Pray for our partner church and their ministry in their community, too.
2. Donations: The trip cost is not trivial. Should you have the means, it would be a great blessing to our students if you'd consider supporting them financially.
3. Chaperones: No mission trip is possible without adult volunteers. Would you consider joining your child (or students in your small group) on the trip this week? Chaperones will provide transportation to the students' work sites each day, supervision during service and free time, and prayerful encouragement and support. If you are interested in chaperoning, please contact Matt.
4. Drivers: A trip to the DC area isn't possible without drivers. We need a few folks with larger vehicles to transport students to and from DC and around the communities we'll be serving during the week. (Ideally, these would be the same as the chaperones.) If you're interested in helping in this capacity, please contact Matt.

While students are not required to raise support for the mission trip, we understand that it will be helpful for many to do so. Thus, we are coordinating three fundraising opportunities.

Restaurant Fundraiser: We are in the process of finalizing a partnership with Chick-fil-A to do a fundraiser at their Carraway Village location (101 Village Center Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27516). We will receive a portion of the revenue they collect on a certain day from those who say they are with the CHBC youth group. We are awaiting their confirmation of our fundraiser request. Funds raised will be used to offset the trip cost for those who need support.

Bake Sale Fundraiser: We are also planning a bake sale to be held at church on an upcoming Sunday. Trip participants will bring baked goods which we will then sell to church members. Proceeds will be used to offset the trip cost for those who need support.

• Sign up to donate baked goods for the sale.
• Sign up to serve at the bake sale.

Individual Support-Raising: Finally, we will provide resources (such as letter templates, recommended best practices, and other guidance) and coaching for anyone who chooses to raise support for part or all of the trip cost. Raising support will involve asking friends, neighbors, family, and other church members to partner with you financially. Individuals will raise their own funds and use them to offset the cost of the trip to themselves.

If even after these opportunities there are financial obstacles to participating in the trip, please contact Matt.