Junior High New York City Trip, December 2005

A description and some observaions on the trip follow. Also see the NYC 05 Photo Album.

About the Trip by adult leader Bill Burke Thirty kids and chaperones left FPC on a Friday night via Coach bus to NYC for the 2nd annual junior high Youth MInistry NYC trip. We stayed at the International Hostel on the Upper West side, twelve to a room, bunk bed-Horton Center style. We asked the kids to take with them a virtual tool box to be prepared for any fences that needed to be mended, as well as several specific scripture readings. Saturday morning off we went via subway surfing to the World Trade Center area, We then walked over to the Ferry to for the ride to the Ellis Island museum, where we took an audio guided tour and relived many early parts of our ancestry. After lunch on the island, we ferried back to the city, passing the Statue of Liberty. We then went back to subway surfing, heading uptown to 59th street and Central Park and Fifth Avenues. There we were entertained by street vendors, skyscrapers, musicians, etc. Then we walked a couple of miles south to the Empire State Building, where we encountered thousands of people in line (even though we already had tickets). So we proceeded to work on our patience and tolerance skills by singing Christmas carols in the lines waiting to get to the top and through security. The joy was the look on the New Yorker faces and the employees of the building as some of them even joined in as others glanced and felt our Joy. After supper we started the long walk back up to St.Patrick's Cathedral, where we rested and gazed in awe at this hugh church and elaborate setting. They closed St. Patrick at 9:30 so we headed across Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center and the NBC studio and some Seventh Avenue pastries to give us the energy to make it to 42nd street and Times Square. At this point the kids were as ready to collapse as the adults and off we went back subway surfing to the Hostel and a much needed nights rest. Sunday morning began with a great Breakfast at a greek dinner on Broadway and 101st. Along the way and all throughout the day we had spiritual time, reflection, and sharing. Sunday after breakfast we subway surfed down to Ground Zero and started a walking tour of the area and through the rebuilt buildings, and the children began to see the severity and reconstruction process. Later that morning we walked to St. Paul's Cathedral where we spent a couple of hours with some more reflection time and listened to a brief service. This was a pivotal point of the journey, as there were many emotional moments and pictures and history and even some comparisons to our own church. Finally our last subway surf brought us back to the hostel and our bus, and home we went, a large group of youth and adults made a lot closer by a great experience.

Observations and Comments Goals for the Trip by adult leader Dave Holigan Introduce the middle school kids to the idea of living in a caring, Christian community Get the kids out of their "comfort zone" of a suburban middle class community while keeping them safe Introduce them to the infinite variety of human forms and personalities Give them a tie back to the roots of the people that formed this country and the bravery it took to come to the USA Gain an appreciation of the meaning of caring for those in need Show them a "big church" and a "small church" and how they all fit in Christianity Youth Comments by Shannon The New York trip was really a great way to bond with our group. We learned that Billy's a poet, and who's afraid of what, and what people order for breakfast! More importantly, this trip brought us all closer together in a friendly and religious way. It helped us bond over our pasts and what our futures will be like. It was a wonderful learning experience while also serving as a vacation trip. Both my parents were chaperones so I can't tell you of the feeling of being away from them, but this really pushed some people's boundaries. Most of us had never been on a coach bus before and we had a blast riding to New York and back! It was a laborious walk to all the monuments and historical landmarks but it was well worth it to know that we could say we've been there with some of our best friends. It was just one of the many great experiences the youth ministry provides and it's fantastic to be able to go with them. Youth Comments by Amber I think that the trip to New York helps us see through the eyes of other people. It shows us different religions and connects us with the ones around us. It is a time to learn the history of our country, as well as our own. We learn about our friends, and get to know them more. We get time off to just enjoy the scenery and everyone's company. We get to see all of God's land and the places where we worship him. We see what happens in the world through Ground Zero. It is amazing and you learn so much from the trip.