Why Take The Chicago Urban Plunge?

People - The Bible begins in the garden, but ends in the city. God loves people. The city is all about God's people, either needing or proclaiming His message of love through Jesus Christ.

People of the World - There is not a more ethnically diverse area in the midwest than Chicago. The opportunity to touch people who could in turn touch the world is unmatched.

Opportunities - How do you see the needs of approximately eight million people that live in the greater Chicagoland area? The apostle Paul calls such opportunities in the city of Ephesus a "great door of effective work" that was opened up to him.

Exposure - See firsthand the many unique ministries based in Chicago. From storefront churches to mega-churches, from traditional church ministries to innovative needs-based ministries, Chicago offers a wide range of ministries to expose you to God's vision for Christ's kingdom.

Impact - The Urban Plunge is designed to move your group to consider a life involved with urban missions. Watch God touch their lives through the experiences of each day and throughout the week.

Accommodations

To help you get the most out of your mission trip, the following facilities are available for your use:

• 35 innerspring mattresses (girls and guys dorms will be set up in classrooms);    
• group meeting/worship rooms equipped as a multi-media lounge;    
• a gym for volleyball or basketball;    
• a full service kitchen for cooking and eating meals;    
• men's and women's bathrooms with showers.

More information, guidelines and a housing form will be sent upon request.

Ministry Sites and Activities

Urban Plunge Trips are custom built to meet the specific goals and interests of the Mission Team and the FCC Church community. Trips usually consist of 3 days of ministry with First Christian Church of Chicago and the Ashburn neighborhood, and a day or two of involvment at other sites. It is recommended that Urban Plunge trips include Sunday morning, so that you group may have an opportunity to meet and mingle with the FCC family.

Below are an assortment of activities that might be part of a Mission Teams week.

• Plan and conduct sports, arts, VBS, or others camps, or outreach events to the Ashburn children or neighborhood.
• Help Ashburn neighbors, through Helping Hands 4 Homes, with building maintance and repair projects.
• Learn how to "read" neighborhoods, and go on a prayer-walk through the church's Ashburn community.     
• Conduct a "Random Acts of Kindness" project within the Ashburn neighborhood, either at a park, within a neighborhood zone, or at the local mall.
• Visit By The Hands Ministry of Moody Church, at the Cabrini Greens housing projects, to assist with their children's ministries.     
• Volunteer at Lionel Hampton, a Chicago Public School, to help with student tutoring.     
• Meet and worship with members of  New Hope Christian Missionary Baptist Church, an African-American gospel congregation.    
• Spend 3-hours   sorting food donations and preparing orders as part of volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, for all of the Foodbanks in Chicago area.
• Plan, purchase, and prepare meals for residents of Breakthrough Urban Ministries.     
• Volunteer at the Storehouse of World Vision Chicago.     
• Explore and understand the difference between the Downtown area of Chicago's Loop, and the "Uptown" neighborhoods of Chicago.     
• Experience public transportation with a $5 Fun Pass on the CTA.     
• Do the "Ethnic Food Tour" - a day spent snacking on ethnic foods throughout the city.

A Typical Week:

Saturday: Arrival

Sunday: Worship with the First Christian Church family; spend the afternoon exploring the city through an Ethnic Food Tour

Monday: Plan, prepare, and serve lunch at Breakthrough Urban Ministries; participate in FCC's Prayer Group or do a neighborhood Prayer Walk

Tuesday, Thursday: Serve the residents of the FCC community through Helping Hands 4 Homes during the day; host a Bible or Sports camp in the late afternoon or evening

Wednesday: Add an early morning shift to your midweek schedule so you can prepare food for distribution to Chicago food pantries at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, or spend the morning volunteering at Lionel Hampton school as a tutor

Friday: Free day  for seeing the city

Saturday: Departure