It's a difficult time in society.  Division seems endless and grace is hard to find.  The world appears to have given up on waiting for the church to have a meaningful and relevant response.  It's not too late.  As you seek to know God more, you'll find that His heart is in the margins.  He hasn't given up on the troubles we're experiencing, and He hasn't given up on His church.  

Come.  Spend the summer with us.  Engage fully.  Get uncomfortable.  Learn.  Then go.  Take what you've learned to your campus, your community, your family and your friends.  The world doesn't need an institution to change it.  It needs people like you and me.  We are the church.  Get out there and speak truth and freedom, love without bounds, and reclaim the Gospel.

Greensboro Urban Project (GUPY, for short) is a 6-week residential experience in an under-resourced community in Greensboro, NC.  During the program, you will live, serve, and generally "do life" in the community.  One of your major projects will be leading a summer day camp for kids in the neighborhood.  Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to learn from leaders and organizations who are engaging issues of injustice in the city.  As a team, we'll explore issues of race, economics, justice, family, activism and purpose, all while developing a practical framework for understanding Christ's heart for the marginalized.  

What does the "Y" stand for in GUPY?  Y'all, of course!  We're in the south!  Seriously, though, the acronym GUP just doesn't sound very exciting, so the Greensboro Urban Project got the nickname GUPY a long time ago.  It's quirky, but we love it.  This summer, jump out of the boat and swim with the GUPY's!  

Dates:  June 23-August 5, 2017

Cost:  $1,000 (all expenses included -- meals, housing, excursions, etc.).  You are highly encouraged to invite your friends, family and church community to contribute towards your experience this summer.  All gifts are tax-deductible.  **Note:  Participants are also able to fundraise additional funds to be paid as a stipend if desired.

Housing:  Participants will stay with families from a local congregation who live in the neighborhood.  Pairs of students will share a room and have access to shared space in the home (kitchen, bathroom, living room, laundry).  

The third largest city in North Carolina, Greensboro has a unique and storied racial history.  The sit-in movement of 1960 was birthed in our downtown, and there have been numerous other civil rights era events that our community is still healing from.  Greensboro is home to 6 colleges and universities and the county is home to the largest refugee population in the state of NC.  The city is incredibly diverse, making it an ideal location for cross-cultural exploration.  

We will spend our time in the city, while also focusing a large portion of our time in the Glenwood neighborhood.  The oldest planned community in Greensboro, Glenwood fell victim to a stripping of resources as a result of "white flight" and in some ways, has struggled to find it's footing.  The community has a significant number of rental properties, many of which are not well maintained.  The neighborhood poverty rate is more than double that of the city.  In contrast with the challenges the neighborhood faces, there is a growing sense of pride in the community.  Individuals and organizations in the community have worked hard over the last decade to see resources and joy restored, and we're beginning to see the fruit of that.  The sense of community present in Glenwood is incredible.  A summer spent in Glenwood provides a personal experience with the challenges and joys of a neighborhood in transition.

"My understanding of race and bias and all the things happening so explosively in our country today would have been profoundly different without GUPY, and I see that in conversations with my family and how difficult it is to get them to realize that systemic problems of rasicm are real and not to be ignored." - David, UNC-Greensboro

"GUPY is an awesome way to experience intentional, missional living in a bold faith community. It will challenge your faith, broaden your horizons, and draw you closer to Christ by allowing you to experience living out the Gospel in a neighborhood that needs Christ's love tremendously. GUPY is not an easy commitment, but falling in love with the neighborhood and sharing life with your neighbors and fellow Guppies will be a life changing and rewarding experience." - Victoria, UNC-Chapel Hill

"The conversations we had during GUPY about race, social justice, privilege, and serving the urban poor without compromising their dignity - while challenging - reframed my world view and enabled me to truly love and serve people." - Courtney, Elon University

"It is so easy to be in your own world with your own friends. It is hugely important to study under people who have deep roots and a big heart for their geographic location and literal neighbors.  This experience opened my eyes to what being engaged with your community could mean. And forced me to wrestle with scripture to really question comfortable theology." - Allen, Virginia Tech

"Though I told God to use me as He saw fit to minister, I realized that statement was not entirely true.  I actually wanted to do big exploits for God every day.  I wanted to reach out to the unreachable and be stretched, but also be seen.  That's when God really started to stretch me, and show me the main ministry assignment that He had in mind for me.  It was to minister to my heart.  After all, I wasn't bringing light to Glenwood and saving the masses.  God had been there way before me."  - Lisa, UNC-Greensboro