IMPORTANT INFO AND NUMBERS

Urban Mission Administrative Office740.282.8010

Ashley Steele, Executive Director740.632.8937 (cell)

Bud Lindgren, Facilities Director740.282.2911

JOSHUA House740.282.6794

Emergencies911

Steubenville Police740.282.5353

Steubenville Fire Department740.282.3636

Hospital:

Trinity Medical Center West

Emergency Dept740.264.8010

Patient Info740.264.8296

General740.264.8000

Poison Hotline740.283.7283

January 2017

Dear JOSHUA Work Team member,

Greetings from the Urban Mission! We are delighted to hear of your interest in the JOSHUA program and are anxiously awaiting your arrival this summer.

This year’s JOSHUA theme is all about “possibility.” We know our God is a God of possibilities and we believe God is doing impossible things in our midst at the Urban Mission.

As you serve alongside the staff at the JOSHUA program this summer, you will have numerous opportunities to speak words of life and healing and possibility into the community surrounding you. You will be using your hands and hearts to convey a message that, with God all things are possible.

We have compiled this handbook as a tool for you to use as you prepare yourself for a mission experience like no other. Please be sure to read it in its entirety as we have recently made some changes.

Please know we are praying for you and your teammates.

May God bless you as your prepare your heart, soul and mind for the JOSHUA program.

See you this summer!

In Christ,

Rev. Ashley Steele

Executive Director

WELCOME JOSHUA TEAM

ABOUT JOSHUA…

Quick Facts

JOSHUA Weekly Schedule

JOSHUA Program Fees

The Communities We Serve

PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP

The Communities We Serve

Mission Opportunities

JOSHUA Program Accommodations

JOSHUA House Rules

Safe Sanctuaries Policy

Worksite Rules

Safety Policy

FORMS

Leader Checklist

Personal Information

Participant Liability Release

Emergency Medical Information

Program Roster

T-Shirt Order Form

Covenant Agreement

Individual Packing List

Skills Assessment Form

Planning Your Week

RECREATION, FOOD, HOUSING

“Fun Day” Options

Area Attractions

QUICK FACTS ABOUT

THEJOSHUA PROGRAM

The JOSHUA (Journeys of Service Helping Upper Appalachia)program is a ministry of Urban Mission Ministries, Inc. ( an ecumenical Christian social service agency founded by the United Methodist Church in 1959 in Steubenville, OH.

The Urban Mission exists to serve as a concrete witness of Jesus by serving the needs of the poor and disadvantaged.

It does this by:

  • Supplying groceries and meals for all who do not have sufficient or adequate food;
  • Providing temporary shelter for homeless families through the Hutton House;
  • Providing leadership development and programming in and for the African American community through the Neighborhood Community Development Center;
  • Improving the housing of low-income households through the JOSHUA program;
  • Providing spiritual care through weekly bible studies and Mission Rejoice worship services.

The JOSHUAProgram was established in the summer of 1990 as a work mission program sponsored by the Urban Mission.

It began as a dream of several concerned pastors, professors, and community members who observed the deteriorating conditions of houses and property in the Steubenville area. Together they established an experience for youth and adults, who would come from various parts of the country to help make a difference in the living conditions of low-income community members.

What developed was the ministry of JOSHUA. Numerous adult and youth teams from all over the country have come to participate in JOSHUA over the years. Each team brings their own contribution of money, equipment, materials, and talents to work on their assigned projects.

Homes have been scraped and painted, community parks have been rejuvenated, handicap ramps have been built, and windows replaced. There has been clean up and restoration after flooding, porches repaired, insulation and dry wall installed, and many other accomplishments and projects.

JOSHUA groups stay in the “JOSHUA” House, a converted convent. This house has space for groups of 60 people, which includes comfortable sleeping rooms, a kitchen, dining room, showers, and restroom facilities. This opens the opportunities for work teams to come to share in the JOSHUA program year round.

Below is a sample schedule of what your week with JOSHUA will look like.

Sunday / 3-5 pm / 5pm / 6pm / 7pm / 8pm / 9pm / 11 pm
Arrival at JOSHUA House / JOSHUA staff meets with group leaders / Dinner
(if group has not already stopped for dinner) / Walking or driving tour of area / Devotions and Reflections / Showers / Lights Out
Monday / 6:30 - 8 am / 8:30-9:30 am / 9:30 am -4:30 pm / 5-6
pm / 6-7 pm / 7 pm / 8 pm / 9 pm / 11 pm
Rise and Shine, Devotions / Breakfast at Host Church (Monday only) / Work day with lunch break at noon / Cleanup and inventory of supplies needed for next day / Dinner / Devotions and Reflections / Free time (fellowship, singing, playing, etc.) / Showers / Lights Out
Tuesday / 6:30 - 8 am / 8:30 am –
4:30 pm / 5-6 pm / 6-7 pm / 7 pm / 8 pm / 9 pm / 11 pm
Rise and Shine, Devotions, Breakfast / Work day with lunch break at noon / Cleanup and inventory of supplies / Dinner / Devotions and Reflections / Free Time / Showers / Lights Out
Wednesday / 6:30 - 8 am / 8:30 am -12 pm / 1 pm-6:00 pm / 6-7 pm / 7 pm / 8 pm / 9 pm / 11 pm
Rise and Shine, Devotions, Breakfast / Work day with lunch break at noon / Fun Day
(if desired-options can be found in the recreation section of the Handbook.) / Dinner / Devotions and Reflections / Free Time / Showers / Lights Out
Thursday / 6:30 - 8 am / 8:30 am -4:30 pm / 5-6
pm / 6-7 pm / 7 pm / 8 pm / 9 pm / 11 pm
Rise and Shine, Devotions, Breakfast / Work day with lunch break at noon / Cleanup and inventory of supplies needed for next day / Farewell Dinner at Host Church
(Thursday Only) / Worship at Host Church
Group picture
Group shares experiences
T-shirts distributed / Free Time / Showers / Lights Out
Friday / 6:30 - 8 am / 8:30 am -12 pm / 1 pm
Rise and Shine, Devotions, Breakfast / Work day with lunch break at noon / Group Packs up to leave.

JOSHUA PROGRAM FEES

PROGRAM / LENGTH OF STAY / ADMINISTRATIVE FEE / PER PERSON
FEE
Retreat / Day Only / $75
Retreat / Overnight / $75 / $20
(Per Person
Per Night)
JOSHUA Work Camp / 1 week / $1,000 / $180 without meals (includes t-shirt)
$200 with meals
(includes t-shirt)
JOSHUA Work Camp / Weekend / $200 / $50
(Per Person-Per Night)

The Administrative Fee includes all materials for projects. It is non-refundable; however, it may be transferred to another date within one year if cancelled prior to arrival date. Cancellations of ministry dates must be received at least 60 days prior to scheduled mission’s trip. Cancellations within 60 days may be subject to a 25% cancellation fee.

Dates are reserved upon receipt of a group’s Registration form and Administrative fee. Final payment including all “per person fees” for your group should be brought with you upon arrival at the JOSHUA House.

Checks must be payable to: Urban Mission JOSHUA Program. We request that all “per person fees” be included in a single check from the group to the Urban Mission JOSHUA Program upon arrival.

“Per person” fees will be determined on whether a group prefers to have their meals provided by the JOSHUA program or by their group.

The following options* are provided to your group for your 2016 stay:

  • Option One: The Urban Mission will provide all lunches and dinners for the group. (The group is responsible for breakfast.) Choosing this option will result in an additional $20 per person (total cost per person = $200). Groups will eat at the worksite for lunch and at the JOSHUA House for dinner.
  • Option Two: Groups can bring their own food and provide their own breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. Many times a group brings a few cooks to help prepare and serve each meal.

Please notify us of your option at least four weeks before your arrival.

Groups are expected to clean the house at the end of their stay. If this is not completed to the satisfaction of the JOSHUA House Supervisor a $25.00 fee will be charged.

*Please note: Meal options must be chosen for the entire group. Meaning each work group must decide as a mission team whether the group will choose option one or option two. At this time we are unable to accommodate individual requests.

THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE

Appalachia

The JOSHUA program is located in the Upper Ohio Valley of Appalachia. The Appalachian region is unique in its geography as well as culture. Below is a helpful link for information regarding Appalachia and its people.

Steubenville, OH

Steubenville, Ohio is located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio. It is the county seat of Jefferson County and is largely considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State area (only 30 minutes away.)

Bezaliel (Bezaleel) Wells and James Ross were the founders of the city. Wells, a government surveyor born in Baltimore, received about a thousand acres of land west of the Ohio River, and Ross, a lawyer from Pittsburgh, owned acreage north of his. The two men were responsible for the layout of the city.

Steubenville was platted as a town in 1797, immediately after the creation of Jefferson County. It was built on the site of Fort Steuben which was erected in 1786-1787 and named in honor of Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. Steubenville received a city charter in 1851.

Steubenville was once a thriving community, one of many located along a 30-mile stretch of the Ohio River from Weirton in the north to Wheeling in the south.

Steelmaking began as early as 1817 in Steubenville. In 1851, LaBelle Iron Works was established and soon became a leading nail factory. From 1875 to 1920 the US steel industry experienced explosive growth, making the Ohio Valley (and Steubenville) a world leader, as production expanded from 380,000 to 60 million tons annually.

Steel mills in the Steubenville area employed tens of thousands of workers. In addition, thousands of others went underground in the mines that dotted the hills to the east, south and west to dig out coal that ultimately powered the blast furnaces.

During its heyday, in the period of the 1940's-60's, Steubenville was popularly known as "Little Chicago," a nickname that, on the one hand, evoked the city's prolific industry and downtown bustle, while on the other hand suggested Steubenville's reputation for crime, gambling, and corruption.

This nickname was short lived. In the 1970's and 1980's almost all the mills and mines in the area had shut down. The industrial collapse led to Steubenville’s sharp decline. Its population peaked in the 1940's at nearly 40,000, but had already fallen to 31,000 by 1970.

The fall since then has been truly precipitous. Steubenville lost a higher percentage of its population between 1980 and 2000 than any other urban area in America. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 19,329 with an unemployment rate of 10.4 percent.

The slump has meant a big growth in poverty and hunger. In 2012, Steubenville’s median household income was $33,000, well below the state and national median of $48,000 and $52,700, respectively. Currently one in five individuals living in Steubenville, live in poverty.

But hope remains.

Resiliency and tenacity are traits ingrained in the souls of those who call Steubenville their home.

They are survivors – having overcome the shadows of their past.

They are victors – finding freedom in new life, a fresh start.

Today, Steubenville is a city working to find its identity.

When visiting Steubenville, one will see it lives up to its name as the City of Murals because of over 25 murals in the downtown area. It is also the home of Franciscan University, Eastern Gateway Community College, and Old Fort Steuben.

Steubenville is also the birthplace of legendary singer and actor Dean Martin, actress, producer and director Traci Lords, television commentator Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, and Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Rollie Fingers.

JOSHUA PROGRAM MISSION

OPPORTUNITIES

The following is a list of mission opportunities available to your group this summer:

Home Repair Mission Opportunities

  • Painting exterior and interior of homes
  • Dry walling
  • Plumbing
  • Decking
  • Building stairs
  • Building wheelchair ramps
  • Demolition
  • Yard work/landscaping

Home repair opportunities are chosen with the following in mind:

  • Has the individual applied through the JOSHUA program?
  • Is the applicant a homeowner?
  • Does the work requested fit within the scope of the JOSHUA program?
  • Are there any safety concerns with the work requested?
  • Are there any safety concerns with the job site?
  • Is the work site within reasonable traveling distance of the JOSHUA House?’

Once a homeowner has submitted their application, a JOSHUA staff member will visit each possible work site to assess the current state of the home, scope of work, and supply needs. Mission opportunities will then be assigned to a JOSHUA team based on the skills andexperience level of the group.

(See next page for additional mission opportunities…)

Community Outreach Mission Opportunities

-Gardening through the local community’s Unity Garden

-Community clean up through the local government’s Parks and Recreation Board

-Serving alongside church leaders at community Vacation Bible Schools

If a group expresses interest in completing a community outreach mission opportunity during their stay with the JOSHUA program, JOSHUA staff members will contact the individuals and groups responsible for implementing these programs throughout the community and make arrangements on the group’s behalf.

Urban Mission-Mission Opportunities

-Preparing and serving meals through the Urban Mission’s Unity Kitchen

-Packing and distributing food bags through Urban Mission Food Pantry

-Hosting a community picnic for local residents

-Mission Rejoice Worship Service (Saturday service and meal)

Because the Urban Mission serves a six county radius and is open six days a week, there is always some type of ministry to get involved with. If a JOSHUA group is interested in working alongside Urban Mission staff and volunteers for one of the opportunities above, JOSHUA staff members will make arrangements with Urban Mission staff on the group’s behalf.

JOSHUA PROGRAM ACCOMMODATIONS

  • The JOSHUA House, located at 249 South 7th Street in Steubenville, OH, includes 10 bedrooms furnished with fans, bunk beds & mattresses. Up to 45 people can be housed at the same time. There is one bedroom located on the first floor that can accommodate someone with stair restrictions.
  • The JOSHUA House includes a fully functioning kitchen furnished with cooking utensils, pots, pans, dishes, silverware, a mixer, a microwave, a crockpot, a toaster, two stoves, and two refrigerators and freezers. Two large trash cans are available for waste.
  • There are two dining rooms located on the first floor and additional dining spaces in the sitting/gathering rooms. Chairs and tables are provided.
  • There are two sitting/gathering rooms with couches, a television, a DVD player, board games, etc.
  • There is Wifi available at the JOSHUA House
  • There are bathroom facilities located on each floor of the JOSHUA House, but two large restrooms (one for males, one for females) are located in the basement. Each restroom has five showers, sinks and toilet stalls.
  • Groups are encouraged to bring all linens (bed & kitchen & bath), pillows, food, trash bags (45 gallon), cleaning supplies, and toilet paper and personal items.
  • An updated fire alarm system was installed last year to maintain city safety standards. This system includes wiring to each room and a fire escape with access from each level.
  • There is ample parking in the lot adjacent to the JOSHUA House.
  • A large dumpster is available for all waste to be discarded at the end of a group’s stay.
  • The JOSHUA House is secured with a coded lock pad on the back door. The group will be given the access code at the beginning of the work week. This code is changed periodically for security purposes.

JOSHUA HOUSE RULES

  1. Curfew is 10:00 PM. All group members must be inside of the house by this time. Group leaders should do a check to make sure everyone is present. Lights out and quiet by 11:00 PM.
  1. Please stagger shower times. Adults and youth will have separate showering times.
  1. Men are not permitted to be in the women's room for any reason and vice-versa.
  1. Respect the JOSHUA property as if it were your own.
  1. JOSHUA House is a smoke free and alcohol free facility. Possession or consumption of either will result in immediate dismissal from the program. You will be sent home at your own expense.
  1. No screaming, yelling, running or horseplay in the house.
  1. Parking must be in designated lot.
  1. Please clean the JOSHUA house before leaving. A $25 clean up fee will be assessed if cleaning checklists (listed in JOSHUA House) are not complete.
  1. If going for a walk, go in groups of no less than four people and let the adults know what time you are going to be back.
  1. Only adults are to answer doors or phone.

OUR SAFE SANCTUARIES POLICY

Safe Sanctuaries practices ensure a higher level of safety for children and youth in our ministries and also protect the adults who work with young people. If your church or group has not yet begun to address these issues, we strongly urge you to bring this need and these resources to the attention of your leadership.