Middle School Mission Trip to
St. Louis
Details:
Location: St. Louis, MO
Dates: Friday, July 25 - Sunday, August 3, 2025
Sunday, July 27: Depart Onalaska 8am
Monday through Thursday, serve in St. Louis
Friday, August 1: 7–9am: Breakfast, Building Cleanup and Send-Off
Arrive home to Ona by dinner time Friday night, July 26
Total cost (approximated): $800
What do we do on a Mission Trip?
There are multiple purposes for a mission trip. Primarily it is an opportunity for kids to learn about God’s gift of generosity. We are called to serve our neighbor.
A summer mission trip provides opportunities for service AND an experience of fellowship with their confirmation classmates. Getting away together has the power to grow relationships like few other programs. A middle school mission trip meets our core values as 1) All are Welcome, 2) We Build Community and 3) We Serve Our Neighbor.
Specifically, here’s what happens on a mission trip:
In St. Louis, our group will serve in a variety of ways, tangibly meeting the needs of a diverse community. YouthWorks partners with a number of organizations to come alongside those experiencing homelessness, local children, and the elderly. We may find ourselves preparing meals, beautifying houses, shooting hoops, sorting clothes or spending time with community residents. YouthWorks has partnered with this community since 2002.
Fundraising opportunities:
Middle school youth have several fundraising opportunities to help reduce mission trip costs…
A long tradition…
First Lutheran has a long tradition of summer servant trips for youth and adults alike! The servant trips this summer are built on trips taken over the past several years...
In 2008 youth in grades 6-12 served in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
In 2009 three trips originated from First Lutheran:
Middle school served in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
High school went to the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, Louisiana. These youth participated with over 36,000 other high school youth to help get New Orleans back on her feet after Hurricane Katrina.
An age diverse group of adults and youth served in Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota
In 2010 our middle school youth served in St. Louis, Missouri and our high school youth served in Birmingham, Alabama.
In 2011 our middle school youth served in Duluth, MN and our high school youth served in Washington D.C.
In 2012 our middle school youth served in Chicago, IL and our high school youth joined ELCA youth from all over the country at the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans, LA.
In 2014 the middle school youth served in Cincinnati, Ohio and our high school youth served in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
In 2015 our middle school youth served in Louisville, KY, and our high school youth headed to Detroit for the National Youth Gathering.
In 2016 we had three trips: our middle school youth served in the Quad Cities of Iowa, and our high school youth served in Cortez, CO and Mingo County in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.
In 2017 our middle school youth served in Kansas City, MO, and our high school youth served at the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.
In 2018 our middle school youth served in Indianapolis and our high school youth joined ELCA youth from all over the country at the ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, TX.
In 2019 our middle school youth served in Duluth, MN and our high school youth served in San Francisco, CA.
In 2020 our middle and high school trip to Niagara Falls was cancelled due to COVID.
In 2022 our middle and high school youth served in Bayou Le Batre, AL.
In 2024 our middle school youth served in Rapid City, SD. Our high school youth headed to New Orleans for the ELCA Youth Gathering.
Servant hearts have been opened on these trips. Lives have been changed. Our church is changing as a result. Come serve with us at First Lutheran in Onalaska!
Questions about the trip? Connect with Pastor Stanton…
