Next Step Ministries

A Guide to Staying Safe this Summer

Next Step Ministries is called to short-term missions that collide with long term community development. This means, meaningful construction projects, high energy and engaging worship, serving alongside community members, and providing tools for our volunteers to take the mission back to their homes.

During these trying times with Covid-19, it has clearly become difficult to meet in groups and travel. Next Step has and continues to make changes to make sure all of our trips are safe and maintain safe social distancing requirements. We are constantly reviewing the policies of the states where you will be departing from, but also the locations you’ll be serving in. 

To this end, Next Step needs your help to make sure we can serve in a healthy and safe way. This will include taking responsibility for our own health, being receptive and flexible to new ways of serving in our communities, and being resourceful when it comes to implementing real and lasting change both spiritually and socially.

Step 1: Being Responsible For Our Own Health 

It is Next Step’s policy for the Summer of 2021 that all participants having any symptoms  of COVID-19 (based on the current CDC guidelines) or have been directly exposed to someone that has tested positive for COVID-19, must be tested and shown to be negative before being able to participate and serve in any of our partnering communities. It is imperative that we do all we can on a personal level to not be part of the problematic spread of the disease, and continue to be a light of Christ in the lives of the community members we serve.

Step 2: Being Receptive To New Ways Of Serving.

Next Step is doing everything we can do to find ways to keep all participants and partnering community members safe. This means being flexible to new ways of doing things, which may entail and are not necessarily limited to the following changes: 

• Wearing all proper safety protection while on site (e.g. gloves, masks, protective glasses, etc.) 
• Changing the ways we interact with community members on site (e.g. no shaking of hands, hugs, etc.)
• Working within a smaller work crew, which in turn enables us to have plenty of extra space to keep a safe distance. 
• The housing that we stay at might change to accommodate the teams that are serving the week you’re there. 

Ultimately, being flexible with last minute changes. Since March many of us have had to adapt with policies changing by the minute. Summer 2021 will probably be much of the same. Please know that being flexible with change is a great way to serve the team.

Step 3: Being Resourceful When It Comes To Meeting In Large Groups

God has called Christians to come together to commune, pray and worship. However, in this uncertain and trying time, Next Step has chosen to take the opportunity to get creative with our resources to serve in each community while still maintaining social distancing recommendations. This means smaller amounts of volunteers for each community trip to ensure safe distancing, while also wearing proper attire while cooking and food prep (mask, gloves, etc.), maintaining safe distancing during meals and worship, etc.  

Next Step Ministries is doing everything it can to make sure that we continue to lead short-term mission trips in responsible ways that will not jeopardize anyone’s health, moving forward to share the love of God within all our community partnerships. 

As you begin to look into partnering with Next Step to do missions and you have any questions at all, please call us toll free at 866-534-2009 or email us at missions@nextstepministries.com