Sea to Sea

Purpose

• Promotes ending the cycle of Poverty, one person, one family, one business, one community at a time
• Challenges church members to get involved in helping marginalized persons locally and globally.
• Partners with people and agencies in transforming lives worldwide.
• Raises funds to provide hope and help to the poor of the world.
• Celebrates common history of the RCA and CRC

Goals

• To encourage a prayer initiative among the cyclists and church members for the needs of the poor worldwide.
• To raise funds to help marginalized peoples locally and globally
• To advance the visions and missions efforts of the church communities
• To participate in service projects along the route
• Encourages large non-denominational churches with Reformed roots to participate
• Empower local churches and denominations to help marginalized persons

When and where?

• In 2013, late June to late August, bike for 9-10 adventurous weeks from the west coast to the east coast
• The trip can be broken into three, 2, 3 and 4-week legs
• Actual route still to be determined.
• To make this an international event part of the tour will go through both Canada and the US.
• the goal is to encourage every Christian Reformed and Reformed Church congregation and ministry to be involved in this event.
• with over 2000 churches and ministries in the US and in Canada, the goal is to have 250 cyclists .
• each cyclist to be endorsed by their home church.

Local Participation

• volunteers at welcoming churches/campsites
• churches plan smaller scale bike-a-thons for casual cyclists of all ages
• local group organizes, funds, and promotes a Sunday rally with CRC & RCA folk and the cross-country bike troupe

Route

• pass through as many cities with CRC & RCA churches as possible
• as the troupe moves across the continent, local groups host Sunday rallies in cities with high concentration of CRC&RCA churches
• ride for six days, rest on Sunday

Anticipated Outcomes

• greater sense of unity within the CRC & RCA in the US and Canada
• enhanced passion for engaging in church ministry work transforming lives and communities
• recognition of the power of prayer
• advancing the goals of the churches mission and vision
• more than $1.7 million raised to support the work of agencies to alleviate poverty by ending the cycle of Poverty, one person, one family, one business, one community at a time

How will money be allocated?

• 35% of funds raised be designated for local church programs working with marginalized persons.
• 25% Partners Worldwide, and 15% CRWRC, 15%RCA Global Missions, 10% DRS,
• Funds to be administered by the staff of CRC Foundation.
• The steering committee will recommend to the respective denominations a strategy for distributions of funds based on inclusiveness, collaboration and specific poverty alleviation strategies.

Why another Bike Tour?

• Success of both 2005 and 2008
• 2005 raised $1 million for new church plants and expanded existing ones in Canada
• Built a greater sense of unity throughout Canada and the CRC
• 2008 raised $1.5 million
• 60 community grants enabled local churches to respond to needs of the poor and extend programs.

More information will be added to the website as time progresses and as more specific information is available.
For any additional questions email seatosea2013@gmail.com