Mission-minded learning beyond the classroom
Building Faith Through Christian Fellowship at Alterna
While Spring Break conjures images of Disney World or Florida beaches, many EC students took a different approach this year. Partnered with Alterna, a Danish Christian boarding school and missions organization, Eastern Christian offered a week long trip to Denmark, designed to give an opportunity for cultural and historical immersion and learning with a Christ centered basis. Seven EC students attended the trip, with the goal of having a Proverbs 27:17 (“as iron sharpens iron”) opportunity. They fellowshipped with similarly aged Danish students who were attending Alterna and training for global missions trips.
Exploring Denmark’s Christian History and Heritage
The journey began with a day trip from Copenhagen to Malmö, Sweden, where students explored historic sites like the city’s main square, charming old town streets, and St. Petri Church. They also enjoyed local cuisine, including authentic Swedish meatballs, before returning to Denmark.
From there, the group traveled to Hillerød and settled into life at Alterna School, where they were warmly welcomed by Danish host students. Over the next several days, students fully immersed themselves in the rhythm of the school, participating in classes, shared meals, personal reflection time, and even daily cleaning routines.
A major highlight was visiting Frederiksborg Castle and later exploring Helsingør, where students toured the historic setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Kronborg Castle, along with several historic churches. These experiences gave students a deeper understanding of Denmark’s Christian history and a direct connection to their classrooms back home.
Mission-Minded Learning Beyond the Classroom
Students also engaged in hands-on learning through specialized tracks, including music and worship, leadership development, and service opportunities such as caring for the elderly and helping serve meals to the homeless. Students didn’t learn just in theory, but through direct experience. Crucially, the daily rhythms of the trip emphasized faith formation in the ordinary moments of the day.
Equally impactful were the relationships formed. From being hosted in a Danish home to worshiping together in chapel, students experienced genuine community and shared faith in a powerful way.
EC’s partnership with Alterna is a testament to our shared vision of participating in God’s redemptive work. While this trip was not an explicit mission trip, it was mission minded and provided students with an opportunity to develop their faith and to fellowship with Danish brothers and sisters in Christ, all against the backdrop of a historically Christian, culturally rich nation.