Milwaukee 2009
Dates: June 5 – August 1, 2009
Cost: $2,500
Housing:
You will live in a dorm style room at City on a Hill, an urban ministry near downtown. City on a Hill is a security-locked building and keys are needed to operate the elevators. You will live with two to four other fellow students, and there are shared bathrooms.
The City
Milwaukee bills itself as, "The Genuine American City." And what could be more genuinely American than being home to Harley Davidson motorcycles? But more than being a manufacturing center, Milwaukee is a city steeped in both Old World tradition and culture brought by the many German, Polish, Irish, and English immigrants that arrived in the late 19th and early 20th century. Adding new vibrancy to the city are more recent migrations including, African-Americans who migrated to Milwaukee from the south in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, to the more recent immigration of Hispanic people groups and Milwaukee’s fastest growing population segment, those from Southeast Asia. In fact, Milwaukee is home to over 20,000 Hmong and Laotian people.
Reflective of that fact, Milwaukee has also become known as the "City of Festivals." Every year on Milwaukee’s lakefront, festivals celebrating Milwaukee’s ethnic diversity go on all summer long — including Irish Fest, Arab World Fest, African World Fest, Festa Italiana, Mexican Fiesta, and many others — complete with ethnic food, entertainment and fireworks.
Yet despite the celebrations of diversity that Milwaukee enjoys, it remains a troubled city. In many ways the city is a city of contrasts: exciting ethnic diversity, but real racial tension. In fact, the LA Times rated Milwaukee as the most segregated city in the nation. It is a city of art and culture, boasting one of the most beautiful art museums in the nation and dotted with classic mansions from Milwaukee’s day of glory, but having many and widespread areas of poverty and despair. The 2000 census reported that over 40% of children in Milwaukee live below the poverty level, ranking it fourth in the nation. It is in this environment that we will seek to minister God’s grace this summer.
More: The Project • The Ministry Sites • Two Tracks (The Training) • The Fun
The Project
During the fast-paced eight-week project we will seek to grow together and learn about a variety of topics: team building, reconciliation, eangelism, justice, leadership and service. You will experience worship and fellowship with other cultures and get a vision of who God is through the eyes of the people of the city. Your hands-on ministry time may be working with children in tutoring and mentoring programs, the homeless, or possibly a work project at a local church or home. You will work hard serving people while forming bonds with your fellow students living in Christian community.
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The Ministry Sites: TBA
Two Tracks
Milwaukee summer project offers a unique opportunity to choose between two different tracks:
1. Full-Time Ministry Track
- Day-time Job: volunteer work at various ministry sites, ex: running a day camp at a youth center for inner city children, feeding the homeless, painting or repairing local churches, women’s shelter.
- Take-home Pay: a small stipend.
- Benefits: unforgettable experience in full-time urban ministry working alongside the heroes of the inner city; a chance to make a difference among America’s poor.
2. Workplace Ministry Track
- Day-time Job: a part-time summer job in Milwaukee (anything from McDonald’s to something in your field of study) including opportunities to share the gospel with your co-workers.
- Take home Pay: whatever you receive as salary from your job.
- Benefits: invaluable experience reaching your co-workers in the marketplace; a chance to impact the business world with the gospel.
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The Fun
When it’s time to take a break from our busy ministry work, Milwaukee has got tons of fun stuff to do:
- Ethnic festivals on the lakefront almost every week.
- Summerfest music festival on the lakefront.
- Catch a Brewers game at Miller Park rain or shine with the new retractable roof.
- Miss the beach? Catch some sun and play volleyball at Bradford Beach on Milwaukee’s lakefront.
- Art is your thing? Milwaukee’s art museum is a must see!
Catch a show at the Pabst Theater.
- Take a factory tour at Harley Davidson.
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