2008 Streetfest

It all starts at StreetFest, Calvin's annual three-day service orientation for incoming students. When first-year students climb off the buses and put their muscle into stocking food pantries, planting gardens or cleaning streets they get their first taste of the Calvin service-learning experience. StreetFest partners Calvin students and their faculty and staff mentors with over 50 community agencies, organizations and churches in several Grand Rapids neighborhoods. Three days of practical chores in the wider community do more than expose Calvin students to the wider world. StreetFest also strengthens these ongoing partnerships, partnerships in which Calvin students continue to serve.

StreetFest is a small taste of service-learning during first year students' orientation experience at Calvin. Students may work alongside agencies like the Inner City Christian Federation building sheds, sort clothes at Degage Ministries, accompany residents from the Heartland Health Care to the John Ball Park Zoo, or plant a rain garden with the West Michigan Environmental Action Council.   Wherever they go during StreetFest, new Calvin students contribute to work that is already being done in Grand Rapids.   Service-learning is not limited by these places and we want you to know there is more out there.   If you have an interest in a certain area, we can find somewhere for you to serve and learn!

"They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations."

--Isaiah 61:4, NIV

The words of this year’s theme, “Renew. Revive. Restore.” are adapted from the phrase “Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle.”  This theme emphasizes not only the importance of environmental stewardship and care for the physical world but a care for others and the community. Unlike the words of the recycling slogan, in which each word has a different meaning,  the words of this year’s StreetFest theme each have the same focus with only slight nuances.
One of the key commitments in the mission statement of Calvin College is to “Do God’s work in God’s world.”
Together these words are an invitation to pay attention to and participate in God’s restorative work, which is moving us toward the renewed Kingdom where right relationship with God, creation, others and self is realized.