Sunday, June 29-Friday, July 4, 2025

Youth in grades 8-11 will take a mission trip to Asheville, N.C., from Sunday, June 29 to Friday, July 4, 2025. Partnering with Youth Mission Co, this trip will help us deepen our faith through serving others in projects addressing homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity, as well as through worship, evening programs, and community-building activities. This experience is designed to provide youth with valuable insights into social justice and opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Join others in an experience designed to help deepen and strengthen your faith while serving, learning, worshiping, and spending time with one another.

If you’d like to be part of this group, you must:

  • Be in grade eight through 11 during the 2024-25 school year
  • Attend at least three youth Bible studies during the 2024-25 year (Sunday morning)
  • Attend at least three youth group meetings during the 2024-25 year (Sunday evening)

Registration consists of three elements, due by February 16, 2025. All three elements must be received before a participant can be given a spot.

  • A written registration form completed by the young person and submitted in person.
  • A $300 deposit toward the $600 fee.
  • An online registration form completed by the parent/guardian.

There are 15 spots for youth which will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. We will maintain a waiting list once the spots are filled.

 

All youth and adult participants will sign and abide by a community covenant. Parents of youth participating in the trip will also sign the covenant. Everyone will be expected abide by this covenant and to demonstrate respect for one another other and the people and places we visit during the trip.

Work will range from physical labor to visits to playing games with children to sharing a meal with unhoused people. In the evenings, we will reconvene after showers and dinner to explore and debrief our daily experiences. We will close our time together with worship led by Asheville Youth Mission.

This is an outline to help you prepare and plan.

Fee for each youth participant: $600
Additional costs include money for food on the way to and from Asheville, and spending money for free afternoon in the city.

A $300 deposit is due Sunday, February 16, 2025. The final payment is due Sunday, March 30, 2025.

For the trip to take place, a minimum of eight youth participants and two adult chaperones are required. The trip can accommodate up to 15 youth and three adult chaperones, ensuring a ratio of one adult for every five youth. This structure is designed to provide sufficient supervision and create a meaningful, engaging experience for all participants.

Sunday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m.—youth and leader meeting to review expectations and sign covenants.

Sunday, March 30—final payment is due. If you have any questions regarding payments, please feel free to contact Caroline Harris by email or phone, 804.288.2867. Make your check payable to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and write Youth Mission Trip on the memo line.

Sunday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m.—youth, parents, and leaders meeting

Sunday, June 22 at 10 a.m.—youth, parents, and leaders receive a blessing during 10 a.m. service.

Sunday, June 22—group departs for Asheville.

Friday, July 4—group returns.

Important links

Youth Registration Form

The youth registration form is to be printed and completed by hand, and the young person is expected to to bring the completed form to the church office in person by February 16.

 

ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM

The online registration form is for the parent/guardian to complete by February 16.

 

Information sheet

The information sheet is a print-friendly summary of the information on this page.