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Mission Reformation | Part 8 May 11, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. Day Last: Many Partings The morning brought the dissolution of our band. Each headed by their own way, some to other venues in the kingdom and others back to the hills. The troop dispersed as treasured friends, with many…

Mission Reformation | Part 7 May 10, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. Day Next. That we had to return to Edinburgh was not a surprise. It is a city that forces far greater than ours have sparred over down the centuries. By now we had come to embrace each other’s endearing…

Mission Reformation | Part 6 May 9, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. Today’s target is the village of St Andrews. St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, best known for sending St Patrick to Ireland to drive out the potatoes (okay, I made that part up). The town of St…

Mission Reformation | Part 5 May 8, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. Each trooper overcame the warren of fire doors in our quarters in timely fashion, and we mustered on the morn. By now the effects of the campaign were beginning to show. The permutations and combinations of mixing outerwear had…

Mission Reformation | Part 4 May 7, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. Day 4…or something. With Oban and Iona in submission, we strode out into the sunlight with an eye on the Highlands proper, the land of the Clans. Tina wrestled the coach apace whilst Mary reminded us of the colossal…

Mission Reformation | Part 3 May 6, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. The weather thus far has been unusually fair. But dawn broke over Oban covered by clouds and a cool sea air. Today’s target: the island of Iona. The infantry commandeered the ferry HMS “Clansman” for transport to our staging…

Mission Reformation | Part 2 May 5, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. The port of Oban was the next day’s goal with Stirling Castle as an intermediate target. Even though John Knox didn’t preach there, we stopped at Glengoyne Distillery en route. We split our forces into two groups and swarmed…

Mission Reformation May 4, 2025  |  Written by Second Deputy Friar Bill Broadhurst. The completely unauthorized Second Presbyterian invasion of Scotland goes on in bonnie fashion. We were apparently able to enter the country without notice of the Scots. In Edinburgh we were joined at muster with hardy ex parts from First Presbyterian Richmond. With…

Our Time Serving Together June 22, 2024  |  Written by Ellen Mikkelson and Kylie Young. Serving Abroad The time we had in the Dominican Republic was incredible. Not only were there extraordinary moments experienced within our group and with staff, but it was also really amazing to meet the kids and people who make up…

The Power of Presence and Embracing Every Moment June 21, 2024  |  Written by Ingrid Ellington. This trip has been such a good and refreshing time for me. To step away from all the stress and chaos and conflict from day-to-day life. To be surrounded by people who make me smile and laugh every single…

Connection Through Creation June 21, 2024  |  Written by Trevor Waters, Youth Participant. Traveling to the Dominican Republic for the Bibles & Bricks Mission Trip has always been a dream of mine. I’ve been excited to come here for so many years. But now that it was finally time, the nervousness and fear caught up…

Home Found Far Away June 20, 2024  |  Written by April Lewis, Chaperone. More years ago than I care to count, I was a fresh high school graduate and babe of eighteen going on my very first mission trip. It was 1998, and I spent three weeks working at an orphanage in the suburbs of…

Evidence of Salvific Work February 29, 2024  |  Written by Mia Copeland. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” – Isaiah 6:8 On the third day of the 2024 Medical Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic,…

Create, Choose Peace, Find Joy, Deepen Faith: Gals' Gathering Reflection January 22, 2024  |  Written by Christina Croteau. Winter Garden was the theme of our Gals’ Gathering women’s retreat this year. It seems a bit of an oxymoron to think of the snow we have on the ground as a stark contrast to the fresh,…

Working and Creating Together: ASP Youth Mission Trip June 30, 2023  |  Written by Ellen Mikkelson. I came on this trip for the first time this year to serve the people of Appalachia by rebuilding the homes of people who cannot do it themselves. However this experience has taught me more than just how to…

Closer Than Ever: ASP Youth Mission Trip June 30, 2023  |  Written by Cara Wardell. At the start of our week at ASP, I had never met some of the people in the group, but by our last night it felt like we’d really become a family. There were two other work crews at our…

Rebuilt Anew: ASP Youth Mission Trip June 29, 2023  |  Written by Kylie Young. Being on this mission trip has altered my perspective on many things. Two of which are: what it means to truly have a personal and spiritual relationship with the land and area around you, and, what it means to grow up…

What Makes a Home? ASP Youth Mission Trip June 28, 2023  |  Written by Trevor Waters. What makes a home? When I think of my home, I think of the place where I sleep, eat meals, and watch TV. But what really is a home? It’s a place of togetherness, a place of laughter, a…

Heading Home from the DR Medical Mission Trip March 1, 2023  |  Written by David Johnsen. Wednesday Evening 3/1/2023 The work of the mission teams continued like the two days before it. But the evening brought a special and poignant treat. We loaded into vans and cars and drove a couple miles down the road…

News & Thoughts from the DR Medical Mission Trip February 28, 2023  |  Written by David Johnsen. The sky is dark, the air is cool, the coffee is hot, the triangle clanged at 6:45 am—our day officially begins. Nathan continues his devotional theme drawing parallels from the creation story in Genesis with Jesus' ministry—today God separates…

Hola from San Juan de la Maguana February 24, 2023  |  Written by David Johnsen. This year SPC sent the largest delegation in their 20+ year history of Medical Mission trips to the DR.  Our group is comprised of a surgical team, a primary care/pharmacy barrio team, a prosthetics/orthotists team, a small construction team, and…

A Changed Life: DR Bibles & Bricks Youth Mission Trip July 16, 2022  |  Written by Sam Mikkelson. I have heard many times that mission trips change your life. Coming into this trip, I did not see how that could be possible at first. I felt as if I was missing out on experiences with…

Seeing God: DR Bibles & Bricks Youth Mission Trip July 14, 2022  |  Written by Philip Smith. This week has been so much more than I expected before going on this trip. Going from the comfort of home, with air conditioning, video games, and friends all around to hang out with was definitely a challenge,…

Full: DR Bibles & Bricks Youth Mission Trip July 13, 2022  |  Written by Christina Croteau. Pictured is Tyler Cox (our guesthouse host) and the VERY full pantry. This post is a thank you—from your 2PC Youth Mission Team and from Solid Rock International. Thank you to all who donated food and supplies to stock…

Finding Joy: DR Bibles & Bricks Youth Mission Trip July 11, 2022  |  Written by Silvia Wardell. Today was amazing and enriching from start to finish. We started with breakfast and a devotional with a local pastor and the Solid Rock International staff, then we split up to tackle some painting of the clinic and…

Travel Day Reflection: DR Bibles & Bricks Youth Mission Trip July 10, 2022  |  Written by Spencer Mullen. This was my first flight ever! The flight from Charlotte to Santo Domingo was pretty good, and the views as we were coming in were beautiful! As we approached our landing we were going pretty fast, but…

Saturday of Service at Family Service of Roanoke Valley June 23, 2022  |  Written by Ben Brannan. God in the Dirt On Sunday morning, putting on my robe, ready to walk into the Sanctuary, I realized I still had dirt underneath my fingernails. This dirt was from the day before—YUCK! I had taken 2 showers…