You will get your first taste of service-learning during StreetFest, a one day service experience which is a component of Quest. StreetFest partners Calvin students with over 50 community agencies, organizations and churches in several Grand Rapids neighborhoods. More than contributing to work that is already being done in Grand Rapids, StreetFest strengthens ongoing partnerships, partnerships in which Calvin students continue to serve.
Participate in StreetFest
- Students - Apply to be a StreetFest leader
- Staff & Faculty - Apply to be a StreetFest mentor
- Drivers - Complete the driver authorization process
- Grand Rapids Community - Host Calvin students at your agency
StreetFest Over the Years
A fun perk about StreetFest is that you'll get an awesome t-shirt with the years theme on it. Here are some of our previous themes.
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Reflections on StreetFest 2009 theme: “Walk Humbly”
Although in the same sentence as “do justice” and “love mercy” (Micah 6:8), “walk humbly” is not met with the same enthusiasm. God doesn’t gives us the option of walking humbly, he commands us to. The hope for StreetFest is that this idea of walking humbly will be explored and that students, faculty, and staff will commit to a new way of seeing and participating in this world.
Walking can be powerful- it was the pace from which Christ administered his love on the least of these in society. If we are to emulate Christ we must also walk- walk in order to notice the details of God’s creation, walk to create opportunities for meaningful conversations, but most importantly walk to be in stride with those who are struggling.
Humility can be applied many ways as well. First, as we walk through life we must be humble before Christ. Our savior left heaven to die for this spoiled world. He lived with prostitutes, prisoners, non-Christians, and by doing so showed that they were just as deserving of his attention and saving as anyone else. We must respect that this was Christ’s focus, and be humbled by the knowledge that we weren’t necessarily the type of people that were on the top of God’s list to see.
We also must be humble before others. Too often we elevate, spiritually, people with a well-rounded Christian education, people who have clear criminal records, those who attend fancy churches, and people who are gifted with the ability to thoughtfully articulate themselves. As we (should) know, none of these things make a person closer to God. Instead we should be humbled that the people we “serve” are just as connected to God as we are.
