Living Simply

We Catholic Urban Project missionaries in Flint have a week under our belts now, and we can't have imagined a more satisfying introduction to this faith-filled summer of service and simple living. We're doing all of this in pursuit of deeper Catholic faith -- to grow with each other in our relationships with Christ. And so Christ has been at the forefront of everything we've done together, including our opening retreat with CUP's Ypsilanti missionaries, our daily recitations of morning and night prayer, and door-to-door outreach to people on our neighborhood.

Despite being merely a week into the program, it's hard to write concisely about everything we've so far experienced. Each one of has so far served at local non-profit organizations, helped clean the rectory basement, and worked to fix up a house. Those experiences will continue throughout the next eight weeks, but there's still more to come, including a children's camp, among other plans. Blessings and challenges await along the way.

There are five of us here, living in the rectory at St. Michael's Catholic Church. Nick is our site director; he coordinates service opportunities and lends calm, confident leadership to our crew. The remaining four of us come from all over the country: Mikayla, a student from North Dakota State University; James, a student from Washtenaw Community College, an hour south of Flint; Michelle, from Gonzaga University, way out west in Washington; and me, Greg. I've just finished my degree at Central Michigan University. Each one of us is excited about the weeks ahead.

Expect future posts to detail our service experiences, to describe how we encounter Christ throughout the summer, and to tell the stories of some of the people we meet. We'll also write about community life, as we have fun together, encourage each other, and battle the Michigan heat and humidity.

This is Catholic Urban Project, Flint-style.