June 1-5, 2026 | Black Mountain, NC
A Mission Trip On A Mission
This June, RISE Youth Ministry will return to the Black Mountain, North Carolina, area to help those whose lives were uprooted on Black Mountain with the historic flooding from Hurricane Helene in 2024 and otherwise dealing with poverty. Our teens have one goal in mind: to serve others as Jesus did. Servio Deo translates to “serving God’ and this trip allows our teens to fulfill that calling.
The Details
This year’s mission trip is open to students currently in 7th-12th grade. Young adults and adults are also welcome and encouraged to attend! To count as an adult chaperone, you must be 21 years of age or older. Those that graduated HS last year but have not yet reached 21 may contact Michaela Miller to inquire about being a Work Crew member.
COST: $540 (with options for payment plans and scholarships available)
If you are unable to pay at this time, please contact Michaela Miller at mmiller@stmatthewtn.org.
Registration will remain open until Monday, April 20, or until all spots are filled. *Spots are limited and are first-come, first-served!
There will be a mandatory meeting for students, parents, and chaperones to go over important information about the trip. This meeting will be scheduled in May. All those who register will be given information about the meetings once scheduled. If you cannot make this meeting you will need to contact Michaela Miller.
Chaperone vehicles will be used throughout the week to travel to and from Black Mountain, NC, and transport participants to work sites.
We will be staying at the Black Mountain YMCA for the week. Additional details to be shared at the information meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Servio Deo means “Serving God.” It is our annual mission trip by our youth ministry program. It is a special opportunity to open to let our youth focus on serving God and serving others. It’ll consist of a rhythm between service projects, sacraments, evening programs with games, and small group discussions. There will also be opportunities throughout to build friendships, faith, and your love for life as you serve others.
Schedule will be released as the week gets closer.
Every worksite is different. There is a chance we may be split up into different groups (never without a Saint Matthew Chaperone). If this happens, teens will likely be divided by grades.
If you attended last years trip, we will be serving the same community. Many of the worksites will be determined closer to the trip so we can maximize our impact. We will be doing some work helping those with food insecurity. We may be doing additional hurricane and flooding cleanup and rebuilding. You may get dirty, you may be working out in the sun or in a house. You could be painting, or cleaning up debris. More details will be shared at the Mandatory meeting as the needs are ever-changing. We have a team to review worksites in advance to ensure the projects are a good match for Saint Matthew participants.
There is absolutely no way we’d be able to go on a mission trip if it wasn’t for our amazing chaperones! As a chaperone, you’ll not only help us caravan to North Carolina and back, but you’ll also get the opportunity to truly participate in the experience with the teens. You’ll be at worksites, evening programs, meals, Mass, walking and guiding our group. The specific responsibilities day to day will look different: Tuesday, perhaps you’ll become the designated DJ; Wednesday might require some creative thinking on how to get kids to talk; Thursday, possibly keeping a joyful spirit of service; Friday, probably rolling kids out of bed; The possibilities are vast. If you have any specific questions regarding this, please let us know and contact Michaela at mmiller@stmatthewtn.org.
Chaperones must be 21 or older and cleared through the diocese’s safe environment program. Rules and expectations of these adults will be communicated towards the beginning of the week. We must abide by Diocesan and organizational guidelines to ensure we keep an appropriate student to chaperone ratio.
If your student volunteered at the Pancake Breakfast in February, they are automatically eligible for a scholarship. Additional opportunities may arise and will be shared as we get closer to the mission trip. These will not be advertised, so make sure to contact Michael for more information. There is also a spot on the application you may check if you would like to discuss scholarships or financial assistance.