Participant Information
What to Bring
Below Is a listing of some supplies you will need on an Urban Immersion Service Retreat.
- Sleeping bag and pillow.
- Older clothes and comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Participants will likely get dirty at their volunteer service sites.
- Bibles.
- Books, games, videos, etc. for free time (the retreat center does have a TV/VCR)
- Swim suit and towel (during the summer) for swimming at one of the Twin Cities' many nearby lakes. Occasionally, some volunteer sites have a children's swimming activity that retreat participants help supervise.
Staff Expectations
Below Is a listing of some of the basic expectations staff have of all group leaders/chaperones and participants during an Urban Immersion Service Retreat.
- All retreat participants must be at least 12 years old at the time of the retreat.
- Each group is expected to provide at least one adult leader for every five youth attending the retreat. This ratio must be maintained at all times during the retreat.
- Retreat staff members do not accompany or transport groups to volunteer service sites. Therefore, all groups must provide a vehicle and a driver for every 5 to 7 participants in their group. This ratio is necessary to ensure that service group sites are small and that everyone has transportation to their assigned volunteer service site. No buses, please.
- All adult leaders are expected to provide their group with supervision. Retreat staff do not stay overnight and do not attend volunteer service sites with groups. Retreat staff members also are not responsible for discipline. Group adult leaders are responsible for supervising group participants, most importantly while at their assigned volunteer site and at night. Groups or participants that exhibit repeated inappropriate or destructive behavior may be asked to leave the retreat early.
- All retreats start at 7:00 p.m. on the night prior to the first day of volunteer service. Groups are asked to arrive at 6:30 p.m. Though we understand that some groups are traveling great distances, we do not allow groups to begin a retreat late. Leaders may need to take youth out of school early if they are traveling a long distance for a weekend retreat.
Free-Time Activities
Below Is a listing of some activities retreat-goers may want to participate in during their free time.
- Some tourist sites in the Twin Cities include the Mall of America, ValleyFair, Como Zoo, the Minnesota Zoo, Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, Uptown shopping and restaurants, Minnehaha Falls, and Metrodome professional sporting events. It is interesting to contrast some of the volunteer service experiences with these popular tourist destinations. Retreat staff have a list of some of the rates for these tourist sites. Group leaders, however, are responsible for coordinating all free-time activity.
- If a group wishes to incorporate daily service or song into its retreat experience, we ask that group members be responsible for supplies, planning, and implementation. Retreat staff do provide daily devotional materials.
- Groups may choose to take part in an evening worship service at a nearby church. Retreat staff maintain a list of churches from a variety of denominations.
