Every spring break, Belmont students have the opportunity to serve on a mission trip with Belmont on Mission. One type of trip that Belmont on Mission has to offer is an Immersion trip. Immersion trips are a chance to be immersed in a local culture and to grow in understanding of the cares and concerns of communities here in the United States. Students will have the opportunity to see what God is doing through local churches and ministries, and join them in awareness and mission.
This March, students will join with Door Ministries in Denver and Atlanta as they discover new and exciting opportunities for outreach and reflection in two growing cities. The DOOR Network is a faith-based nonprofit that works throughout the nation to cultivate flourishing communities. They are “dedicated to providing life-changing experiences for our participants rooted in relationship and solidarity with local communities and neighborhoods.”
As a unique opportunity to learn and serve, Door’s Atlanta and Denver programming helps groups to spend time serving with a variety of local agencies and ministries and learning through evening speakers and activities. The experience is about more than preparing a meal at a soup kitchen or playing with children at a day camp. It is an opportunity to work alongside local community members, to learn from local leaders, and to listen to the stories of neighbors, clients, and churches.
The Atlanta experience is centered around the question “who is our neighbor?” Door uses teaching from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as other writers and theologians, to look at this question in biblical context. Students will learn about the role of Atlanta in the Civil Rights movement, and even get the chance to visit the King Center to see how, today, Atlanta remains one of the greatest centers of social justice, activism, and human rights.
The Denver experience will give students the opportunity to gain a better understanding and broader perspective on the roots of problems plaguing the Denver area like poverty, police brutality, and low performing schools. Students with work with various agencies that Door has connected with in order to best serve the community, and “make a change to bring heaven to earth, through love and justice.”
Door’s mission to open the door for individuals and groups to “encounter the city through the eyes, ears, and heart of God” is perfect for any student wishing to learn more about his or her place in God’s Kingdom. If you have any questions about the DOOR Network, or upcoming Immersion trips, please reach out!