We have been in talks with a few churches who are already interested in coming to NYC to help and they have had some questions. They might be the same questions you have had about making the trip. So hopefully this blog post will answer some of your questions. I will say that the top 2 things people keep asking about are "how much will it cost" and "what will we be doing"?
How Much Will It Cost?
This depends on many things. You more than likely will book your flight through your favorite airline, but know that there are many airlines to consider. Becky and I like flying SouthWest because they have some great prices (especially coming from Dallas). Of course, prices fluctuate throughout the year and even throughout the week.
Housing is the other major cost in coming to NYC. Like plane tickets, depending on what time of year you travel, even which day of the week, can be a factor in price. There are plenty of hotels to choose from when coming to the Big Apple. If you reserve a hotel a little further away from your destination but don't mind taking the subway, your options are near endless. Hotel rooms that can accommodate 4 people, can range from $179 to...the sky's the limit.
Our local association (www.MNYBA.org) has some great low-cost housing options. The 5th floor of their Manhattan Office is dedicated to housing mission groups. The women's dorm has 24 beds and the men's dorm has 22 beds. They fill up quick in the summer and is mainly for college aged groups in the month of March. The 3rd floor has a large kitchen and a dining area so you will be about to cook your own food. You'll probably want to eat out at some of the great local cuisine that is available in NYC, but since you'll be in charge of providing your own food just know that there is a great kitchen in the building and an actual grocery store (www.traderjoes.com) around the corner.
Kevin Cabe works as the partnership coordinator at MNYBA and he can tell you about prices and availability. I talked to him a few days ago and he was excited to hear that more groups might be coming to help NYC. If you are interested in coming, then please let Kevin know as soon as possible to reserve your group's spot in MNYBA housing. He also helps mission teams find hotel accommodations if that's the route you'd prefer. Kevin can be reached at the MNYBA office at (212) 580-0655 ext. 4 and his email is kcabe@mnyba.org. Here's a few pictures of the 3rd and 5th floors that he told me to show everybody.
Don't forget to bring your "extra spending money" when you come NYC. Souvenirs are available everywhere. I think its like $18/person to take the cruise to the Statue of Liberty. To go to the top of the Empire State Building is $32/person. Extra things like that will of course be extra. Also, an unlimited Subway Metro card is $31/week.
What Will We Be Doing?
Our current strategy is simply meeting individuals and taking surveys to get to know the area and the people. We are in need of believers to come and help spread the gospel. We are praying that we would be able to lead some to Christ and then begin a Bible study... and grow from there. Our main tool has been our survey at this point. If your group is very good at something else in particular please let me know. However, what we need are people who are willing to start conversations in the neighborhood with the goal of presenting the Gospel and letting local people know that we will soon start a Bible study and eventually a new church. We can provide Gospel tracts and surveys.
Our needs will change as we began to grow. Next Summer we will probably plan some community events and outreaches, but for the rest of this year we are simply putting our focus on meeting individuals. We are looking for teams of 4-12 people who are willing to share their testimony at the drop of a hat. College groups welcomed. Adult small groups are welcomed. Youth groups are welcomed. Senior adults are welcomed. I'm serious, lets talk about your group coming. Let's work together and lead New York to faith in Christ. We are also in need of finding a person of peace in the neighborhood that can connect us to the community.
Vision Trip
Maybe the leadership of your team would want to come on a vision trip to NYC and help plan a trip made specifically for your group and our church. We would encourage that. Those trips are much easier to plan and facilitate, and can lead to more effective ministry for the future. We are hoping to schedule a few churches to come on vision trips this Fall/Winter and then begin bringing groups in Late Winter early Spring as well as next Summer. Please email me at jordansauceda@hotmail.com to start the conversation. Feel free to ask me anything.
Please Pray That The Lord Of The Harvest Would Send Out His Laborers,
Jordan Sauceda
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