Common Ground
Metro and Rural Youth for Service and Understanding
A rural immersion and hosting experience for Metro and Rural Youth
An opportunity for youth to impact people's lives and change the world through...
- the pairing of metro and rural youth groups
- rural immersion
- Bible study and discussion
- service projects
- homestays
- breaking down stereotypes
- farm visits and adventures
- addressing rural just issues
- new friendships
- ...and lots of time for community building, good food, and just hanging out!
Your Common Ground experience may include:
- eating (or cooking!) a hearty breakfast of farm fresh eggs and bacon
- accompanied by the warm hospitality of a host family
- fixing up an old barn
- helping with farm chores like gathering eggs or feeding hogs
- exploring rural justice issues through Bible study and discusion
- discussing diversity issues with immigrants new to South West Minnesota
- gathering under a star-lit sky around a bonfire for worship and singing
- experience God in the prairie wind
- kicking up the dust at a barn dance
So, your from the city? What's in it for you:
- impact people's lives by doing service projects
- experience rural hospitality
- participate in farm life
- begin friendships with youth who live in a culture different from your own
- share stories unique to your life
- expand your youth ministry vision
- have the opportunity to tailor your rural immersion adventures to fit your needs and interests
- enrich your congregation's mission by sharing your discoveries when you return home
So, your from the country? What's in it for you:
- share your way of life
- teach metro youth about where their food - and other products - come from
- work side by side with metro youth in your community to impact people's lives through Christian service
- begin friendships with youth who live in a culture different from your own
- hear the stories of urban and suburban youth
- expand your youth ministry vision
- have the opportunity to tailor your hosting experience to fit your congregation's gifts and interests
Costs
Visiting Youth - $295 per person
Visitng Adults - 1 adult for every 5 youth is free!
Hosting Youth - $45 per person
Hosting Adults - 1 adult for every 5 youth is free!
We require 10 visiting youth to do a 5-day Common Ground experience
Prices include meals, lodging, programming and a Common Ground t-shirt. Participant costs are subsidized by our sponsors and take into consideration hosting expenses
Weekend Immersions are also available
Rural Immersion Weekend - $70 per person
We require 10 people to do a rural immersion weekend
For more information about sharing Common Ground, please contact:
Rev. Juanita Harberts
507-360-7582
jharbert@frontiernet.net
This program made possible by grants and support from:
Shalom Hill Farm
ELCA Domestic Hunger Grant
SW MN Synod Women of the ELCA
John P. & Eleanor R. Yackel Foundation