ICO Rural Ministry is different from many other mission opportunities for college students. Rather than traveling to a large urban area far from campus, ICORM teams travel short distances to rural communities, some of which have smaller populations than the student body at Grove City. ICORM is also defined by its emphasis on mentorship coupled with service. The students who sign up for the trip go to be poured into as much as they plan to be a blessing to the churches they serve.
This year, the CRM sent two teams of students to several churches in Western Pennsylvania. They returned with memories, newly formed friendships and lessons about what it looks like to be faithful in the place where God has called them – no matter how small. One trip headed south of Grove City. (You can check out a video of that trip here.) The other trip headed north.
ICO Rural Ministry (North)
North cohort leader, senior Nathan Striebel reflected on the ways that his experiences on the trip – even the ones that were less than glamorous - impacted his own personal relationship with God, “I’m grateful that I sprained both my ankles within the first three days of the trip! Up until that point, I was constantly preaching 1 Corinthians 1-2 along with Ephesians 4, but not taking them to heart. Put together, those two passages mean that God is not interested in us because of the strength and wisdom we have to offer Him… I preached these things for a few days, but I didn’t truly understand them or take them to heart. After spending Tuesday being physically carried around by a team member, I had no choice but to depend on my teammates and acknowledge my limitations,” Striebel said.
Striebel’s recognition of his dependence on God continued to be a theme he meditated on throughout the trip. He described how working with the other students and the pastors he met on the trip contributed to his conception of how he relates to Christ, “It was a great reminder that the status of my walk with God is not based on how well I manage to figure out what it means to abide in God or how well I manage to do it, but solely based on the death and resurrection of Jesus.”
Serving Alongside Local Ministries
Striebel’s team learned from pastors and lay leaders of four churches: Kane Community Methodist Church, Oil City Vineyard, Redeemer Anglican Church in Franklin Pa. and Coolspring Presbyterian Church in Mercer.
Striebel was encouraged by his team’s commitment to serving the church and expressed a hope that they will continue to foster the connections they made with each other and the churches they visited on the trip.
“I was surprised at how little leading I had to do! The team just needed a little bit of direction, and they were all gung-ho to serve.”
“I hope the friendships my teammates formed stay strong, and I hope the team members stay in touch with the pastors we visited. Most of the churches are close enough to visit on a Sunday, and the ministries we worked with are close enough to drive up on a weeknight and volunteer.”
During their trip, the North cohort volunteered their time to an after-school program, a food bank, and a clothing distribution center in Oil City, Pa. They also had the opportunity to lead worship at Kane Community Methodist Church.
He also learned about himself and about the people God chooses to serve His purpose during his time on the trip, “There is nowhere I would rather be than doing menial tasks along with other Christians who are serving out of the love and joy God has given them. God delights to work through people who love Him and are willing to be faithful and obedient – not the people who are well educated, wealthy, athletic, intelligent or great by any other obvious standard.”
Striebel is one of many students whose relationship with God has benefitted from his experience on an ICO trip. Going forward, the CRM hopes to continue to connect rural pastors with students so that they may learn from and serve each other as the body of Christ.
Emily Fox is a junior at Grove City College and a CRM Student Fellow. She grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and is studying English with minors in Writing and Digital Marketing at the college. Post-grad, she hopes to pursue a career in Public Relations.
