We are excited to be taking a group of 8 High School students to Minnesota for a 12-day bicycle and music ministry tour. See below for helpful information, important dates, and to learn about this life-changing Mission Immersion.  
Basic Information
What is Spoke Folk: Spoke Folk is a ministry passionate about living and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Each 12-day tour consists of up to 30 High School youth (up to 8 from OSL) and 10 adult counselors. These people, from different places all over the country, encourage one another, grow in faith together, and become like family on tour. 

Dates: July 29-August 9, 2020

Location: Minnesota. Spoke Folk rotates the host church in Minnesota each year. We will pass along the host church and itinerary when it becomes available. 

Limited spots available: OSL is limited to 8 High School Youth. There is an upper limit of students from one congregation on a tour because of the limited size of each tour, the importance of a balance of new and veteran Spoke Folkers, and to allow for a variety of youth from all across the country.

Who can attend: Any Our Savior’s Lutheran youth currently in High School and who will be 15 years old by July 28, 2020. 

Total Cost: $350. A non-refundable deposit of $25 due when you register with OSL and an additional non-refundable deposit of $75 due when John connects you to the Spoke Folk registration.

Deadline to Register: November 15 (if spots are still available and you register after Nov 15 the cost will go up to $400 with non-refundable deposits of $75 due to OSL and $75 due to Spoke Folk)

Summer Trip Meeting: November 17 at 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall for Parents/Caring Adults and Students. Please contact John when you register if you will be unable to make it to this meeting.

Fundraising Opportunities: Hy-Vee Card Sales, Silent Auction, the Envelope Fundraiser, attending youth group, and other opportunities. See additional information below.

Questions: See below or contact John Schomberg at [email protected] or 605-336-2942 ext. 35.

Description of Your 12-Day Tour
Training: Each tour begins at a home church, where the group completes four days of training. During training, the group practices music, prepares puppet shows and skits, takes training bike rides, and begins to bond as a group. After these four days, the tour is ready to share their program with the congregations they visit and the love of Jesus with the people they meet.

On the road: Once on the road, the tour bikes around 40 miles each day to a new host church. Support vans transport luggage and equipment and provide snacks and water support. While participants typically bike in small groups, the entire tour eats a picnic lunch together halfway through the day.

In the evening: Each night, the tour shares their music program with the host congregation. After the performance and spending time in fellowship with the congregation, the tour takes time for worship and discipleship training focused on four spiritual habits (prayer, being in the Word, alone time with God, and engaging in a discipleship relationship). This happens through large group devotions, small group “family time,” and individual time with the Lord.

After Spoke Folk: Although a Spoke Folk tour ends after just 12 short days when the tour arrives back at the home church, the community of Spoke Folk continues off tour. Lifelong friendships that encourage faith in God are often formed through Spoke Folk. We hope you’ll consider joining us on an upcoming tour.       
Registration
How to Register: Click on the button below to register electronically. Paper registrations can be picked up at the Youth Information Center in the Gathering Place or the Youth room. Paper copies can be turned in with the deposit to John or Nicole. Once you have turned in your registration to OSL, John will give instructions about how to register with Spoke Folk. 
PLEASE DO NOT register directly through the Spoke Folk Website until you have registered with OSL and John has sent you the link.  
Costs and Payment Deadlines
Cost Breakdown
  • $325 for Spoke Folk Tour
  • $25 to help with OSL transportation
  • Youth will be responsible for two meals while traveling
  • Youth will be responsible for bringing a bicycle.
  • Any multi-speed bike will work. If you have the choice between a mountain bike and a hybrid/road bike, we recommend the hybrid or road bike option as the tires create less friction on the road and easier biking. Single-speed bikes are not allowed or desirable on Spoke Folk. 
  • Spoke Folk does have a limited number of bikes you can rent. That info is available when you register with Spoke Folk.
  • Youth are responsible for money for extra snacks, souvenirs, etc.

Payment Deadlines
  • A non-refundable payment of $25 is due to OSL when you register
  • An additional non-refundable payment of $75 is due to Spoke Folk when you register with Spoke Folk.
  • The first payment of $125 is due to OSL March 29 (equaling a total of $225)
  • Final payment of $125 is due to OSL April 29 (equaling the final total of $350)
  • If you withdraw from the trip after March 29, you will still be responsible for 50% of the trip cost
  • If you withdraw from the trip after April 29, you will still be responsible for the full amount
Frequently Asked Questions about Spoke Folk
Is the biking difficult?  Biking on Spoke Folk is not as difficult as you may think. We have lots of time each day to complete the ride, you are always with at least one other person if not a group, and stops along the way are part of the fun on Spoke Folk.
Where do we sleep?  Each night after the program and after some small group time and devotionals, we camp out on the church floor using sleeping bags, air mattresses, camping pads, etc.
How do we carry our luggage and instruments?  There are 2 large vans and a trailer that haul the equipment and luggage from church to church. They also serve as biking support, handing out bananas, refilling water bottles, and picking up any bikers that need a break.
What if I'm not a musician or a great singer?  You don’t need to be! For those that are less musically inclined, you will still be part of the large group choir singing during the program, but there’s no obligation to play an instrument or sing a solo if you don’t want to. Lots of people without any musical experience go on Spoke Folk every year.
How do I get my bike to/from tour or what if I don't have a bike?  If you have your own bike OSL will help you get it to tour. If you do not own a bike or don’t wish to ship it, Spoke Folk has a limited number of rental bikes that can be rented for $100.
Do I need biking specific clothing and an expensive road bike?  If your resources allow, bike shorts/jerseys are nice to have since they are designed with biking in mind. They are not required, as long as you have shorts and a t-shirt, you’re good to go! As for the bike, any multi-speed bike will work. If you have the choice between a mountain bike and a hybrid/road bike, we recommend the hybrid or road bike option as the tires create less friction on the road and easier biking. Single-speed bikes are not allowed or desirable on Spoke Folk.
How do meals work, and how are dietary restrictions handled on a Spoke Folk tour?  Through the first few days of tour, Spoke Folk is providing all the meals and will work with anyone with dietary restrictions to make sure they are fed. Once on the road, the churches provide breakfast and dinner while Spoke Folk continues to provide lunch at the stops along the bike rides. The food coordinator on your tour will work with you if a church hasn’t provided something you can eat.
Do Spoke Folkers shower?  Each church may have a different solution for showering. Some have access to a local YMCA or community pool. Others arrange for host showers at nearby congregation members’ homes. Most of the time, Spoke Folkers throw on their swimsuit and shower in the church parking lot with a garden hose. It’s cold but after a long day of biking on a hot day, it….is still cold. But it’s the fastest way to get 20-40 people showered and has been a Spoke Folk tradition since the beginning!
What if I'm not a believer?  Anyone ages 15-20 is welcome on Spoke Folk. Our main focus is to encourage and grow Jesus followers into disciples both on and off of tour. If you aren’t quite sure what you believe, that’s ok. You’ll be surrounded by an accepting and loving community that will encourage you in your faith.
What if I'm hurt on Spoke Folk?  As a requirement for going on Spoke Folk, you must provide proof of health insurance and a liability waiver which also grants permission for Spoke Folk to seek medical attention if needed. It’s rare and the more common issues might include mild dehydration or heat stroke. Our counselors and specifically our medical coordinator remind everyone on tour to hydrate throughout the day, to stretch, to apply sunscreen and to get sleep to avoid these issues. There are 2 support vans that are available to pick someone up along the bike ride if any medical issue arises.
Fundraising
We will have many opportunities for youth to participate in fundraising for our summer trips. We believe that with full participation each youth cover a large portion or even the entire cost of the trip.

  • HyVee Card Sales – Each youth will be assigned a Sunday to sell Hy-Vee Cards at the Youth Information Center. We will sell from 9:45 AM to 11:15 AM, and we require that each youth have a caring adult with them. The youth and adult will help a youth board member to sell cards as well as answer questions about upcoming youth ministry events. Each youth will receive $40 in their account for an hour and a half of service. If you are not able to serve during the Sunday assigned, you may switch with another youth or let John know so that other youth can have the opportunity to serve an additional shift.
  • Silent Auction – Dates for the auction are set for February 22 – March 8. The last day will end with a meal and a show on Sunday, March 8 from 5-8 PM. We ask that each household contributes items valued at least $200 in total value. These can be donations from a business or homemade items (woodworking, quilts, and small business items). We do ask that items be new! If you donate items to the silent auction, you will receive a percentage of the money raised. If you work shifts or serve in other roles supporting the auction the percentage will be increased. Last year we made almost $15,000 because of the youth's hard work.
  • Youth Group – Every time a youth attends Middle School Sunday Morning or Youth Group (MSYG or HSYG) after Nov 17, youth will earn $5 toward their account. 
  • Envelope Fundraiser – At the end of March through much of April, our Envelopes will go up in the windows by the Celebrate Center. They will be numbered 1-150. The number on the outside of the envelope is the amount of money a person puts inside the envelope. If we were to collect all 150 envelopes, we would raise over $11,000! This money will be evenly distributed among trip participants.
  • Other fundraisers – We will have additional personal opportunities such as Pampered Chef available. Additionally, Spoke Folk will provide another opportunity to fundraise.  
Spoke Folk Promotional Video