Urban Peace Work Trip

First Christian Church of Oakland offers youth groups (and adult volunteer groups) an amazing week-long experience: work trip (or mission trip) meets justice immersion meets spiritual connection time, all in an urban setting!

Visiting groups will experience opportunities to work with amazing groups in the city--they might get to plant trees in deforested west Oakland or help on an urban farm or serve meals to the homeless or help with an after-school program for at-risk kids as well as helping First Christian Church of Oakland transform its facility for use as the Oakland Peace Center, serving the whole community to help end the cycle of violence in the city of Oakland.

Groups will get to experience vital, multicultural worship and maybe attend a community yoga class or neighborhood spoken word event ("Holla back!"). The week might include an optional day trip to Angel Island, a BEAUTIFUL place to hike and picnic, with a museum to the island's history as "the Ellis Island of the West," where immigrants to the United States from Asia languished for months before often being returned to their homelands.

Evenings will include speakers, films and interactive events that will help the group reflect on where Jesus is in their work, the work of the community, and in issues of injustice they witness. During the week, the group might get to share a potluck hosted by First Christian Church--our way of sharing hospitality and gratitude.

First Christian Church of Oakland is a large facility that provides plenty of space for work groups large and small, including ample kitchen space for food preparation. Showers are not available on site, but they are available at the nearby YMCA.

For details, availability, and costs involved, please contact fccoakland@gmail.com. Please write "Urban Peace Work Trip " in the subject line for a prompt response.

For a sample schedule, please click here.

For fees and services, please click here.

For other great and inspiring ways to "Get Dirty For Jesus," visit the Disciples Home Mission Volunteers In Mission.