Exploring Global Church Partnership With the Christian Congregational Churches of Mexico: A Service Trip Especially for Youth and Young Adults
When: July 5, 2008, 
Where: 300 Weybosset Street
Providence,  Rhode Island

Contact:  Beneficent Congregational Church
Phone:   401-331-9844
Email:  office@beneficentchurch.org

Join with others from across the U. S. in a ten-day immersion experience and service trip in Mexico. Participants will have opportunities to explore and reflect on matters of the global church, faith, group dynamics, cross-cultural communication, values, personal and social identity, politics, effects of globalization, and other important issues.

U. S. participants will meet and interact with people in two different churches: one, a vibrant and growing congregation located in downtown Mazatlán, a city of over 300,000 people, known for its beautiful Pacific Ocean beaches; and the second, a small congregation in a poor community on the outskirts of Mazatlán, Villas del Sol.

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Saturday, 7/5/08: Fly from U. S. airport andarrive in Mazatlán around11:30 a.m. Experience Mexican church hospitality, lunch and an orientation at the downtown Congregational Church. Tour the downtown area and hike to thetop of a lighthouse overlooking the city.Get a good night's sleep!

Sunday, 7/6:Participate in a lively worshipservice with song lyricsprojected onto a large screen,headphones through which tohear simultaneous Englishtranslation of the Spanishservice, and music enhancedby members of a small youthorchestra.Attend an education class after worship. After lunch, explore some tourist attractions.

Monday, 7/7 – Friday, 7/11:Travel from the Christian Congregational Church in downtown Mazatlán to Villas del Sol. Work as international partners to construct classroom space that will house the growing ministries of the church on the outskirts of the city.

Saturday, 7/12:Engage in leisure activities with children, youth and families of the Christian Congregational Churches of Mexico.

Sunday, 7/13:Worship with the Congregational Church in Villas del Sol as the work of our hands is dedicated to God's glory and to the furthering of God's mission. Enjoy an afternoon of free time in small groups.

Monday, 7/14: Return to the U. S. The trip will be led by Diane Christopherson, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Diane has worked as a youth director, campus minister, adjunct faculty member, and intentional interim minister. For five years she served as the chairperson of the Commission for Church in Society and World Mission of the Michigan Conference UCC, and for six years served on the Wider Church Ministries board of the UCC. She has led immersion trips for young people in rural and urban areas of the U. S. and in Honduras, Haiti and Mexico.