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S.L.A.M. 2026 Information

As we prioritize young people and find ways to empower students and adults to participate in works of justice and love in our community, the Greater Northwest Area continues its work of empowering youth groups to come together for a collaborative service and learning trip to the Yakama Reservation with our partners at SLAM Trips.

Why Do This Together?

We believe serving with SLAM Trips is a great way to live out our shared values of eliminating racism service and learning trip that has been intentionally created with a decolonized mindset with relationship building at its core.

As a cohort of UMC churches, we hope to (1) connect congregations across our GNW area, (2) empower churches with fewer resources, and (3) provide meaningful resources & pre-trip materials. We aim to support you and your team for a meaningful, healthy, and transformational journey: before, during, and after the trip.

The Greater Northwest Area UMC Youth have June 28 – July 3 blocked out as we come together to learn and serve together!

If your group needs to sign up for another date, we would love to connect with you, still! Fill out this form. We have resources and trainings to help your team prepare and be connected to work of our conferences, together!

3 Phases

We hope these 3 phases will help you orient yourself to timelines and expectations as you help organize your team and work with our GNW team!

Phase 1: Learn More & Assemble Your Team

Phase 2: Register with Deposit & Roster

  • 1. Send in your deposit. Use the information below to send payment to secure your spots. ($100 deposit for each student and adult).
    *This is first come, first serve, but we ask for payments to be sent by April 17 so that we can honor our Yakama hosts.

  • 2. Submit a Roster using the GNW UMC Step 2 Registration & Roster form HERE.
  • 3. Distribute paperwork to your students and adults to fill out in time for the May 1 deadline.
  • 4. Download the Trip Leader forms (insurance, background checks, etc.) and fill them out in time for the May 1 deadline.
  • 5. If you are seeking scholarship support, be sure to connect with your Annual Conference representative.
  • 6. Ensure you’re getting your team’s logistics lined up (travel, car rentals if needed, etc.)

Phase 3: Final Paperwork & Pretrip Work

  • 1. Submit your final paperwork using the GNW UMC Step 3 Final Paperwork form HERE (Deadline is May 1).
  • 2. Send in your final payments. Use the information below to send payment to secure your spots (Deadline is May 15).
  • 3. Prepare with your team: Go through one of the curriculums provided to you. There are two 4-week curriculum options for you to go through with your students.
  • 4. Prepare as a GNW group: Be sure to attend the GNW Group meetings for adult leaders, and an all-participant call. Dates TBD.

Some Important Details

  • Dates: There is 1 week reserved for the GNW UMC trips: June 28 – July 3. Other dates are available to sign-up with SLAM Trips. 
    *Please note: if you sign up for the GNW week, all registration is done through the GNW UMC. If you sign up for another week, while we want to support you, all registration will go through SLAM Trips, directly.

  • Where: The trip takes place on the Yakama Reservation, WA. Lodging details have not been published by SLAM Trips, but we will be in a church with access to showers on or near the Reservation.
  • What You’ll Do: The trip is designed to have a balance of learning (cultural) and service (manual labor). Throughout the week, you’ll have a worksite – typically assisting elders with things like cleanup around their homes, with opportunities to meet and connect with them – as well as cultural events like trips to the cultural center, evening activities, and a “Rez tour”.
  • Cost: The cost of the trip is $450/person (not including your travel to and from).
    There is a $100/person deposit due 4/17.
    Final payments are due by 5/15.
    Deposits are non-refundable, but transferrable to other participants.
    The cost of the trip covers food, lodging, and supplies. All extra money not used during the summer goes towards Mending Wings year-round ministry and work with students on the reservation.
  • Scholarships: Some scholarship funds are available (A variety exist through the annual conference, the Western Jurisdiction, and for BIPOC students). We’ll provide additional details upon your submission of the interest form. We encourage you to begin your fundraising efforts in your community, now! It can be a great chance to let your community be a part of this trip and show their support for your students!
  • Adults: For Safe Sanctuary purposes, you will need at least 2 adults.

  • Adults From Other Churches: If you’re an adult that is interested in attending S.L.A.M. Trips, but does not have youth at your church, we would love to connect about the possibility of you joining us for one of our GNW weeks.

  • Age: We recognize youth group begins at different age groups. This trip is ideal for students that have had experience with youth group. Depending on your church and individuals, these may be students that have completed 6th grade and older (please note, you’ll see S.L.A.M. allows on their website for incoming 6th graders). You know your students and their maturity levels – if you have questions about this, don’t hesitate to reach out to your GNW Team (emails below).

    If you are considering this trip and have students going into 6th grade, anyone younger, or young adults that are 18-22 at the time of the trip, you must communicate with your GNW Team member (emails below) to discuss requirements and limitations.

  • LGBTQ+ Note: We recognize that attending trips with students or leaders that are Trans or identify as queer requires careful attention when selecting a trip where your students can thrive. Our hosts work with us to ensure there is a safe space and that we make the necessary accommodations for your student to be safe and their authentic selves. Part of the week involves going to community spaces on the Yakama Reservation that may reflect a more conservative perspective and may not be inclusive, however, as trip coordinators along with our S.L.A.M. Trips hosts, we will work with you towards providing a safe space.

  • Pre-Trip Meetings: As a GNW Team, we’ll organize pre-trip conversations and curriculum for all participants as well as information, training, and pre-trip conversations for adult leaders. These dates and times are listed below.

  • Payments: To honor our S.L.A.M. Trips hosts and the numerous funding sources we receive and alleviate confusion, we are working with them to pay as a group. All money will be collected and dispersed by the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference. They will be using a designated fund, and so be sure to include THIS FORM with every payment.

    Make all checks are payable to “OR-ID Treasurer”.

    Please add the following to the Memo Line: “SLAM Trips – [church name]”.
    Mail your checks to:

    Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference
    ATTN: Treasurer
    1505 SW 18th Avenue
    Portland, OR 97201

Forms

There are 4 sets of forms that need to be filled out during this process.
NOTE: These forms are for those participating in the GNW Weeks and contain additional forms for UMC-related purposes. Do not download forms from SLAM Trips directly.

  • Trip Roster (Send a roster when you send deposit, and send updated roster along with your other forms) – [DOWNLOAD]
    Please note: due to space restrictions, after securing spots with your deposits any additions to your team require approval.

  • Trip Leader Forms (for your whole church) – deadline to submit: May 1 [ DOWNLOAD]

  • Adult Forms – deadline to submit: May 1 [DOWNLOAD]

  • Youth Forms – deadline to submit: May 1 [DOWNLOAD]

  • Payment Voucher – include this with any payments sent in [DOWNLOAD]

Pre-Trip Meetings

As we prepare for this trip, together, we celebrate our opportunity to learn and connect before we arrive on the Yakama Reservation. Your participation in these are vital to a meaningful trip and in supporting our students leading up to and during the trip.

These will occur over Zoom. Participation is expected.

  • 1. Leader Orientation & Conversation (Trip Leaders & Adults): TBD – Mid-week Evening

  • 2. Student & Leader Meeting with SLAM Trips Leader (Trip Leader, Adults, and Students): TBD – Saturday

  • 3. Final Leader Check-In (Trip Leader, and Adults): TBD – about 2 weeks before the trip

Greater Northwest UMC Coordinators

QUESTIONS?

If you’re part of the UMC in the Greater Northwest Area, we encourage you to first reach out your annual conference representative. If you still want to learn more, we recommend you check out S.L.A.M. Trips website (www.slamtrips.com).