join us on mission


As a church, we strategically chose to plant ourselves in the middle of Erie, PA, where the median household income is less than $11,000 per year, one of the poorest zip-codes in the nation. Poverty is the breeding ground for addiction and brokenness so we aim to help seek and save the lost by meeting the ongoing needs of residents with love and grace.


By the end of these mission trips, attendees will be trained in societal issues and evangelism by engaging in service projects and other opportunities where we are able to build relationships. This trip will be fun, but also challenging, with an emphasis on how to grow in our personal walks with God and serve together as the body of Christ. 


We offer mission experiences to church youth and multi-generational groups during the summer

as well as Spring Break options for college student ministries and young adults. 



Please fill out this form for more information regarding our mission trips.

Partnering with the local church


Any short-term mission trip is only as valuable as the organization's ability to keep the work going after the team has returned home. The work of The Cross | Erie serves the community in the heat of the summer as well as the dead of winter. The efforts your team contributes will have an impact to a local church continuing all year long as we provide a community to support faith and encourage ongoing discipleship.


We invite you to join us as we follow the words of Jesus spoken in John 12:26, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

Summer missions


We have youth or multi generational summer mission trips that will challenge and encourage your church or group! 


Our vision is to give you a picture of serving the marginalized people within our communities in an authentic environment. Everything that we do is designed to challenge your current perspectives and replace them with a gospel lens. 


July 20 - July 25

Cost and expenses


Everything that you need for the trip is included except transportation. Participants will receive a t-shirt, prizes, and gifts. There is no need for any other expenses but groups have often supplemented the trip after with trips to Waldameer or gifts to ministries that they have served.


The cost of the trip is $350 with $100 due within 30 days of registration, and the remaining balance due June 1st.

Check out our video


LOADING PLAYER…

Spring break missions


As a church, we have close ties and connections to Northwestern PA Cru, one of the college ministries in Erie. In the Spring of 2019 we chose to partner with them in order to show college students a different kind on ministry. 


This mission trip is designed to break down students' current perceptions and barriers toward marginalized communities, while putting them in situations that will test and push them. Even though the trip was exhausting and challenging for many attendees, they walked away with an authentic boldness that overflowed into ministry.


Our Spring Break Missions are an amped-up version of the summer mission because everyone attending will be adults and able to navigate a few more difficult situations. 


There will be opportunities to build better relationships and evangelize to the marginalized community. If your team wants to, we will also be able to send students to a local college to do initiative evangelism. 

What does the mission week look like?


Being a church in such an impoverished community means that we have close relationships with many services that serve the people that worship with us. Our mission trips partner with these organizations to give them something more than just referrals. Your groups may be restoring blighted properties with Our West Bayfront (see us in the news), facilitating vacation Bible school and building relationships with families in transitional housing with Erie United Methodist Alliance, or working on community projects with ServErie.


Evenings are filled with fun activities to build relationships among the participants. Some examples of activities that we do are minor league baseball games, beach nights, or other sight seeing in Erie. Every night is concluded with worship and small group discussions.




SCHEDULE:


Sunday


5 pm: Arrival for worship with The Cross | Erie

6 pm: Dinner with the church

7 pm: Cleaning up and moving in

8 pm: Orientation

9 pm: Large Group Gathering

10 pm: Church Group Time

11 pm: Lights out



Monday-Thursday


7:30 am: Breakfast

8 am: Clean up/lunch packing/personal devotionals

9 am: Depart to work sites with lunches

3 pm: Return from work, showers, snacks

4:30 pm: Adult leader meeting

5:30 pm: Dinner

6:30 pm: Evening Activity

9 pm: Large Group Gathering

10 pm: Church Group Time

11 pm: Lights Out


Friday


7:30 am: Breakfast

8 am: Clean up/packing up/personal devotionals

9 am: Good byes and depart