Plans for Youth/Young Adult
Quest 2025
programs are underway!

We are seeking adult leaders, young adults, and youth! For questions or for more current information, contact Tracy Ortlieb at tortlieb@fumcnorthville.org.
____________________________________
____________________________________

CELEBRATING 2024 Quest! Opportunities included both local and lodging (retreat style) experiences to expand our comfort zones and grow in faith! Our experiences included:

•  TWO wonderful days of Empowerment! Thanks to all that volunteered! Spring Break, March 25 & 26 – Act Local – Join us for  outreach to do good right here in our own community, one day or two. On Monday, we will partner with the Living and Learning Center of Northville and likely do grounds clean-up for their spring farming program. Later we will shift to help out the City of Northville around the River Front. On Tuesday, we will meet at the church and accomplish projects that need a little extra TLC to make FUMC Northville shine (inside and out if weather permits). Cost is just $10.00 to participate.
• June 23-27  MMDC (Midwest Mission Distribution Center) Pawnee, IL, where they send tangible resources to those in need to make an intangible difference in their lives through hope and empowerment.: Our multi-gen group is so grateful for this opportunity to serve at Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Pawnee IL,  in June.  While there, we assembled Home Care Kit buckets (flood or disaster recovery), and Personal Dignity Kit tote bags (hygiene). We also built and finished School Desks made from repurposed bleachers (education support for rural countries),  worked on sewing machines (economic relief for countries without electricity), and repaired donated bicycles (provides needed transportation to work or school).  We felt EMPOWERED by God to empower others near and far in their needs and hopes.  Thank you to all in the congregation that supported us in our fund raising throughout the year and for your prayers for us. If you have questions or interests, contact tortlieb@fumcnorthville.org.
• July 16, 3pm Give 365 Huron River – our Multi-gen group that partnered with Give 365 in Ann Arbor to clean up the Huron River!   We were able to DO GOOD in God’s beautiful creation empowering one another to remove 119.6 lbs. of trash from the water ways. Though we were extremely limited on where we could paddle this year, working together and with God’s help we felt the spirit and the ripples of hope.  If you’re curious about joining us for future events, contact tortlieb@fumcnorthville.org
• July 20 – 21 (Sat-Sun) Weekend In the D: Our Weekend in the D crew worked down at Cass Social Services.  Our team assembled beds and closets for the new Fox Family center (for the unhoused) scheduled to open soon, did landscape work around a four family unit town home in the neighborhood,  did a deep clean on the Scott Building kitchen where they prepare three meals a day, 365 days of the year for residents, had dinner and ice cream in the community, and lodged and worshiped with the Cass Congregation at Cass UMC.  It was a fabulous weekend filled with God moments of empowerment!  Thanks to all that participated or supported our efforts!  For questions or to learn about other opportunities contact tortlieb@fumcnorthville.org (Youth/Young Adult Director) or have2run@gmail.com (Sat. in the D coordinator, Al Johnson).
• Each Seasonal/Monthly dates for Saturday in the D  A Family mission opportunity (youth with parent or age 18+): Volunteer with our church to be in service in Detroit with partner organizations (Cass Social Svc, Brightmore, Motown, Noah, etc)!  Typical events run from 9am to 2pm, but you can come for just the morning.  To express interest or sign up with parent email aljohnson619@gmail.com or text/call: 734-718-2183 

---

Prior Summer Mission Trips/Events

 MissionQuest 2023 – TRUTH! Celebrating our outreach… and learning, “Bend, Don’t Break!”

Summer 2023  Youth Mission Quest! We had multiple opportunities including two events with lodging and “retreat” style experiences to expand our comfort zones and grow in faith!

• June 19-23  God’s Country Co-op Parish in the Upper Peninsula: We traveled to explore the beauty of northern Michigan, Lake Superior and the Tahquamenon River, while offering our service to those less fortunate in this impoverished area. We learned new skills, worked as a team, and grew in our faith and relationship with one another!  What a fabulous week!
• June 28, 2:30 arrival, Give 365 Huron River – We couldn’t be discouraged by two reschedulings due to air quality from Canadian fires or thunderstorms – we eventually shifted to a cleean-up of the Rouge River and removed many bags of garbage from our natural water right here in Hines Park!
• July 16-19 Motown Mission Experience: We lodged in Detroit at Calvary UMC and had a wonderful time connecting with the community. We offered our labor at an urban farm, doing home repairs, and landscape projects for Bags to Butterflies (organization supporting released incarcerated women). Thanks to all that supported our efforts via volunteering, prayer, or fund raising!

March 29 and 30, Spring Break ACT LOCAL! Our team of youth and adults (17 volunteers & the mayor) were able to tackle projects at the church and in the community. We had a great time doing good together:

• Clean up of The Path and storm damage to trees on church property,
• College connect – we sent Easter gift cards to 60 young adults
• Designed and created a Mosaic art installation for The Path
• City of Northville trash and landscape clean up of down town
• Mill Race village trash and landscape clean up

Summer 2022 HOPE

Youth Mission Quest! We had multiple opportunities including two events with lodging and “retreat” style experiences to expand our comfort zones and find our HOPE!

• June 21 Give 365 Huron River – Thanks to all that participated!  We cleaned 133.3 lbs of trash out of the Huron River!  What a great way to spread HOPE!
• July 15-17 Youth Mission Quest trip to Howell Nature Center : Thanks to all our youth and adults that participated in the Howell Nature Center retreat and mission trip!  We had a wonderful time helping to upgrade their Beaver Habitat and the Frog Ponds! We also had loads of fun through games and fellowship, and had opportunities to learn during our Cultural Connnect event at the HNC Global Village! What a great weekend!
• August 3-6 Mission Quest trip to Lake Michigan, Pentwater MI : We had a fabulous time connecting with nature, people, and God!  Three projects kept us working hard to help the UMC Camp and Mears State Park where we interacted with people from all around the country! We were able to feed our hope, and recycle it for others too! Thanks to all that participated or supported these efforts to do good!

2022 Spring Break April 1-3: Youth Mission Quest! THANKS to all who helped over break! 

• • Friday, April 1: Motown Mission Day, What a fabulous day with Motown Mission, Rippling Hope and the Stopel Block Club and community garden!  We met and worked with the lovely residents on their new raised beds for the 2022 growing season!
  • Saturday, April 2: Eco Projects of repurposing and reclaiming, assisting our fund raisers!
  • Sunday, April 3 Servant Sunday – Cinnamon Rolls & Reclaimed wood art fund raising + College Connect & Civic Concern, Thank you to all! We raised about $300 for youth missions, created 50 College Connect cards and had a great morning of putting our HOPE into action!

2021 – Living Waters

• God’s Country Cooperative Parish – We returned from the Upper Peninsula multi-generational travel MissionQuest trip! Thanks to all who helped make this a possibility and those who participated. Lots of touching moments, sweat, water and laughter made it a trip to remember! Activities included repairs at three homes, delivering food and free appliances to low income families, assisting and sorting in the Church Mouse (local free store), repairs to a local church and the mission center, visiting both upper and lower Tahquamenon Falls, Lake Superior, Whitefish Point and more!
• Huron River 365 GIVE – What a great Canoe and clean-up effort! The FUMC team cleaned 130lbs of trash from the river and shore line (setting a new record for our partners), and connected with nature and each other!
• Motown Mission drop-in days: We had three great days of projects, Detroit connections, relationships, sun, heat, dirt, bugs, rain, and more flooding! They were productive days full of great memories. Big thanks to all who gave their time and talents to make it happen!

2020 (Covid-19 impacted plans):

• Hogar Metodista – Costa Rica: Our international trip and partnership took a change to the plan when Covid-19 impacted the world. Since we had to cancel the trip, we instead supported our partners in Costa Rica by raising funds and sending so that they might still have the monetary support needed to continue their mission.
• Motown Mission: While a week long trip was not possible, Motown was able to create some social distanced safe partner projects for our youth.  We spent three drop-in days painting houses, building porch steps, improving and maintaining local gardens and clearing overgrown and debri ridden alleys to improve local safety.
• Howell Nature Center: Partnering with this local refuge, we combined a retreat and service to help us connect with nature and God.

2019:

• Greensky Hill Indian Church: A week long travel trip with our partners at Greensky Hill to do much needed work on this historic state site and to help prepare for and implement their annual children’s Heritage Camp.
• Motown Mission: Partnering and lodging for a week with Motown and other Detroit based organizations – working to change the face of blight in our community.