This year, Crossways entered into an exciting partnership with Mount Carmel Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Crossways and Mount Carmel are working cooperatively to create a place where youth groups or adults can gather and stay while experiencing diversity in Milwaukee and reaching out to those in need.

Who Can Stay
Grace Place is equipped to handle adult and/or youth groups with up to 18-20 participants.  Grace Place is primarily used as a home base for groups participating in service work in the Milwaukee area, but we would welcome groups planning their own retreats or meetings for church councils, men's/women's groups, staff retreats, etc.

Servant Opportunities
Crossways will work with groups to create programs at Grace Place that will meet the goals of congregational organizers. Servant opportunities, connecting with inner-city partner congregations, in-house Bible studies or long-range planning, sight-seeing, etc. are all potential program uses of Grace Place.

Here’s a list of the places we have worked with thus far:

• Easter Seals of Southeast Wisconsin

• Milwaukee Rescue Mission

• Hope House

• Seedfolks Youth Ministry

• Alice’s Garden

• Serenity Inn

• Partner churches of local congregations

Lodging at Grace Place
Grace Place a house that is owned and maintained by Mount Carmel Lutheran Church on the corner of Center Street and 86th Ave and next door to the church.  The house boasts comfortable accommodations in a safe neighborhood.  It is equipped with 5 bedrooms (18 single beds with 10 in lower bunks), 2 1/2 baths, full kitchen with microwave and dishwasher, large living room/meeting area, and a full basement with spacious recreation space. Linen service is not available. For larger groups, Mount Carmel has a full commercial kitchen next door available for use. (Cots for up to an additional 6 people are also available.) 

Click here for a photo tour of the facilities.

About Milwaukee

• Population
  Milwaukee has a population of 699,186 and an area covering nearly 96 square miles. It's the 22nd-largest city in the country. The four-county metropolitan area (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties) has a population of 1.6 million.

• Cultural Diversity
  The 2006 U.S. Census revealed a rich blend of ethnic groups, comprised of 61% Caucasian, 26% African-American, 11% Hispanic and 3% Asian

• Poverty
  One in four or 26% percent of all Milwaukee residents live in poverty, making it the 7th poorest city in the country.  In Milwaukee, more than 62,000 of those living in poverty were children - 41.3% of all the children in the city. That poverty rate for children ranks the city fourth in the nation, tied with Miami.

• Employment
  Milwaukee County's unemployment rate is 8.1%.  In 2007, for the employed population 16 years and older, the leading industries in Milwaukee County were Educational services, and health care, and social assistance, 24 percent, and Manufacturing, 17 percent.

• Income
  The median income of households in Milwaukee County was $42,790.  Median household income in Milwaukee has fallen 15% between 2000 and 2006.

Booking
We are currently handling all booking and questions about Grace Place through our Imago Dei Village site.  Contact Mike or Dara at 715-823-2902 for info.