Pilgrimage Manual - Christ Church Pomfret

Pilgrimage Manual
© 1997-2009
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
Durham, NC
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................... 1
Planning a Pilgrimage .............................................................................................. 2
Summary of Pilgrimage Opportunities ....................................................................... 8
Suggested Guidelines for Pilgrimage ....................................................................... 13
Pilgrimage Activity Ideas ........................................................................................ 16
Budget Planning Worksheet.................................................................................... 22
Fundraising Tips & Ideas ........................................................................................ 29
Pilgrimage Plan Countdown Calendar – Sample ........................................................ 34
Prayers for Pilgrims ................................................................................................ 36
Pilgrimage Reflection ............................................................................................. 40
Sample Release Form ............................................................................................ 44
Sample Information Form....................................................................................... 45
Resources for Pilgrimage: Background Reading & Study ........................................... 46
Sample J2A Pilgrimage ........................................................................................... 49
Sample Schedule & Activities in NYC ....................................................................... 55
Sample Activities: Nightwatch in NYC ...................................................................... 66
The Pilgrimage Manual was originally developed by David Crean, with the assistance of Amanda Millay Hughes. Additional
suggestions by Donna Hicks, St. Philip’s, Durham, NC and Tina Currin, Church of the Good Shepherd, Lookout Mountain, TN
Updates and additions, April 2006 by Tracey E. Herzer
Planning a Pilgrimage
Happy are they whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on the pilgrim’s way. (Psalm 84:5)
From the time of the very early Church until today, Christians have made pilgrimage to holy
places as a part of their discipline and life of faith. Long before the notion of vacations,
holidays, and mission trips, individuals within the Christian tradition set out to see the places
where our Lord and his saints walked, slept, prayed and preached the Good News. Individuals
confront the struggles of travel in unknown territory, as well as all the demands of living as a
pilgrim community for the time of the journey. In the midst of all these tasks entail, there is the
possibility of tremendous joy and laughter and growth… and the chance to meet our Lord in
new and deeply personal ways that are sometimes surprising.
Pilgrimage has become a central feature of the Journey to Adulthood program. At the end of
the fourth year, the J2A class travels to a “distant land” in search of God and their own
destinies. Preparing for this trip takes tremendous amounts of time and energy. Planning,
fundraising, filling out applications for passports and medical releases, as well as learning about
the travel destination, all takes time, but it is time well spent. The task of raising money is
especially meaningful and important, because it allows young people the opportunity to see
firsthand how very difficult it can be to earn enough money for something they deeply desire.
Whatever else they may feel about the religious or emotional significance of such a journey, for
most of them this will be the first time in their lives that they have traveled across the ocean or
across the country without parents or schoolteachers. Something about all of these dynamics
rolled together creates an atmosphere in which God can move in new and exciting ways.
WHAT IS A PILGRIMAGE?
1.
Pilgrimage is not a vacation or a sightseeing tour or a mission trip. Vacations create time
for relaxation and refreshment. Sightseeing tours are a time for taking in the wonders of
a distant land and culture. Mission trips are principally a chance to share in spreading
the Gospel. Pilgrimage is all of that and more – it is time we set aside to journey in the
footsteps of the faithful Christians who have gone before us. By mindfully walking in
their footsteps, we put ourselves in touch with our tradition, our roots, our God.
2.
Pilgrimage is a time for seeking and finding God in new ways. Once normal activities,
relationships, and obligations which sustain our day-to-day lives are removed,
individuals are free to look again at their understanding of God and their need for God’s
grace and presence in their lives. It is important to note here that every moment of
pilgrimage does not have to be meaningful, nor should it be. There must be time for
play, laughter, quiet, and rest. But somehow, even in the lighthearted activities which
enhance our relationships, there is something afoot. God is moving in the hearts of
these pilgrims in ways which are undeniable.
3.
The blessings of pilgrimage can take time. It is not always while we are on pilgrimage
that its true effects show. Certainly the very fact that we are away for two weeks (a
good time frame for pilgrimage) helps. This is long enough for even a free spirit to begin
to long for familiar food and the comfort of their own bed. But what happens on
pilgrimage has to be processed in the life to which we all must return. Some pilgrims
may say very little while traveling and even in the weeks and months that follow, but
time will show that the long-term effects are profound. It is not only a trip that will
never be forgotten: it is a journey which changes lives.
2 TIPS FOR CHOOSING A LOCATION
•
Choose your pilgrimage site wisely!!
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Use existing organizations such as St. George’s College in Jerusalem or Ceile De in
Glendalough, Ireland. Both of these organizations have worked with young people on
pilgrimage and have experience with the special concerns of teenagers. (See list of
possible sites in “Summary of Pilgrimage Opportunities” which follows). If none of these
options appeals to you, ask your clergy for help. It may be that they know of other
organizations or have personal contacts in foreign countries which can help you find the
place to which God is calling your J2A group.
•
If you plan to do your own pilgrimage you will need to find a site. While
overseas locations can be very exciting, they can also be cost-prohibitive for many
congregations. It is not necessary to go overseas to find a good pilgrimage site.
However, if at all possible, the site should be some distance from your community so
there is a sense of adventure in going to it. You want to find a site that has significance
as a place where people have encountered God. For example:
o
Monasteries or Convents in the surrounding region or a couple of states over.
These might be Episcopal, Roman Catholic or Orthodox. Contact them to see if
they would be open to a group of youth pilgrims.
o
Retreat Centers – Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or other
denominations. You want a place where they host spiritual retreats and can
provide some outdoor space (perhaps for hiking), chapel space, etc
o
Cathedrals, especially if they are in a city where there are other things you can
connect to it. Some cathedrals have a broader mission and would be interested
in working with you; others are just churches and may not be open to this type
of experience. Talk with their clergy and see.
o
Churches that have a reputation for something significant regarding holiness:
not just doing good things, but being a place, a people where God is found.
o
Other “Holy Places” – These might be places which Native Americans view as
sacred, a series of churches that have sacred art worth exploring, a place where
other Christians visit because there is something special there, even a place
sacred to another faith group (allowing you to explore what is different about
finding God and encountering Christ and what is different, for example, about
being Jewish or Muslim and being Christian)
o
Places in nature – One J2A group used the model of a Native American “Vision
Quest” for their pilgrimage. You can take the group on an outdoor camping
experience, hiking the mountains, canoeing down a river, tenting in a meadow.
Create a cathedral under the trees. Search for the sacredness in water. Explore
praying the Jesus prayer or chanting to the rhythm of walking. Invite the young
people to develop ways to honor the sacredness of God’s creation.
3 If you do not go to a more traditional pilgrimage site, you will need to give more careful
thought as to how you will create the pilgrimage experience so that it is not just a hiking trip or
a visit to the city. Create experiences in which the young people can encounter the risen Lord
and then reflect on that experience. Search for local people who help expose your group to
interesting people and stories, to new and different places, to new and different experiences.
The idea is to put young people into sacred places, into relationship with holy people: to give
them enough time there to absorb it, then to invite them to reflect on their experience.
REMEMBER: Where you do it is not as important as how you do it.
If you decide to design your own pilgrimage, prayerfully consider the following suggestions. The
details of a trip like this are mind-boggling, so form a committee of 4-6 people who are willing
to share in the task.
Here are some details that must be considered:
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Travel arrangements: airplane tickets, flights, costs, etc.
•
Ground transportation: Van rentals, buses, trains, etc. Tourist agents can often find
vans and drivers for you. Some companies provide guided tours; others will simply go
where you tell them to go, a third option is “silent guides.” They will provide the itinerary,
but no lectures or comments along the way. Be very clear about what you want and need.
If you’re not careful you could end up with a French-speaking tour guide in England!
•
Accommodations: When considering what accommodations you wish to use,
remember that hotel/motel/B&Bs are the worst choice! Church basements,
religious youth facilities, even monasteries and convents are better. Sleeping on mats on a
basement floor is greatly preferable to double beds in hotel rooms. Sacrifice luxury for
togetherness. Be a family – think of the time as an extended camping trip!
•
Be sure to ask about the shower and bathroom facilities. It is best to have two
showers and two toilets available to use: one for males, one for females. (Three may be
even better, depending on the size of your group – this would allow one shower and toilet
for the use of the adults.)
•
Avoid eating most of your meals in restaurants. First, the cost adds up very quickly!
Second, there is little community-building. As much as possible, the gathering and
preparation of food should be the shared responsibility of all. Cooking, meals, cleanup,
even grocery shopping and carrying food home can all be part of the learning process.
•
Determine what you will need to bring along. Sheets, pillowcases, sleeping bags,
towels, flashlights, journals, etc.
•
Local contact person: It can be an invaluable resource to have a willing and able
individual waiting for you when you land, someone who can make contacts for you and
set up meetings, lectures, visits to secret or lesser-known sites, etc. A local person may be
able to find a dance for the young people to attend, or a play or a concert. If nothing else,
a local person will know where the nearest bathrooms, drug stores, and police may be
found in an emergency – not to mention an ice cream shop on a hot afternoon! ☺
4 •
Program itinerary: If you develop the program yourselves, you will need to set up a
reasonable (though demanding) itinerary.


Program should begin early in the day. Allow time in the morning to make
breakfast and bag lunches and then head out. Plan the days so that everyone is
busy but not racing from place to place. Remember to be back at home base by
6:00 p.m. to begin preparing dinner. Dinner at 7:30 or 8:00 is acceptable and
allows for a full day.
Build in several night activities, including midnight Eucharists, night walks,
candlelit prayer times, and other, more playful activities. Young people will stay
up very late no matter what you do – you might as well use the time to be
together and involved with each other rather than simply shouting, Lights out!
•
Remember that chaperones will tire before the young people do! Each chaperone
should be encouraged to take one day off and one evening off. Sleep. Read. Go for a
walk. Take a long shower. Go out for a nice lunch. Rejuvenate!
•
Send for information packets from any and all sites, departments of tourism,
commerce, etc. This is a good activity for the youth themselves. Plan a research outing
at a local public library. Magazines, textbooks, travelogs all hold clues on where to get
more information. Also, ask the librarian or search the Internet.
•
Ask a travel agent about little-known sites and wonders.
•
Plan a good bit of activity for each day. Boredom can be a great enemy in this work
and poor planning of the itinerary is usually the key problem. Allow for two days off in a
trip of 14 days. However, even on those days, some provision must be made for a place
to be, to relax, and to play.
•
Discourage tourist shopping. Limit spending money to approximately $50 per young
person. Remind youth that from this trip they will bring home things of the heart. A stone,
a prayer, a postcard will mean more to them than a trinket from a tourist shop.
•
Bring along decks of cards and other playful supplies. A “magic bag” can be a
great help. Pack the bag with cards, candy, gum, stationery, first aid kits, breath mints,
extra toiletries, crayons, puzzles, extra batteries, Walkman, film, even an extra camera…
and more! Oh, yes, and a magic trick or two if you know one. Leave home with it jammed
full of emergency resources and magic. It will be virtually empty when you return. Remind
young people that waiting around can be a real drag if the group isn’t prepared. Invite the
young people to bring one trick or skill or game or song to entertain the whole group in
the event of a long wait.
•
Planning the program:

Be Intentional – It is not enough to take youth from place to place, cameras in
hand, doing a sort of “Look & See” at each site – you will need more than that.

Offer some Teachable Moments – tell the pilgrims some of the history or
spiritual significance of a place. Giving them some background will help them
understand more about what they see and connect it to their spiritual lives.

Build in activities which reinforce the site and the spirit of the
5 
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pilgrimage. For example, in Ireland, we prayed Rounds – an ancient prayer
form in which the group stands in a line and circles the holy site seven times
while praying or singing. We hiked to remind ourselves that the pilgrim’s way
requires endurance. We climbed a mountain in order to demonstrate that
sometimes God will call us to persevere and find the path all at the same time!
We threw stones (symbols of the cares of our hearts) into the Lower Lake at
Glendalough as a way to visualize God’s all-consuming love and care for us.
Every evening should include process time and prayers. This is the time
to use songs, skits, icons, and prayers to reinforce and retell the day’s stories.
Use repetition. We said Morning Prayer each day; toasted the chefs at every
meal, sang the same grace every night over and over until all the plates were full
and ready to be served. It hardly matters what the rituals are, but on a long trip,
they become a source of comfort and familiarity in a strange land.
•
Cost Control: We recommend setting a ceiling on an all-inclusive cost per person for the
entire trip. Setting a ceiling motivates you to negotiate for better airline costs and work at
convincing people that the pilgrims will be all right on plain but solid foods. Do everything
in your power to keep the costs down! Because this will be a repeated process, with a
new group getting ready every two years, keeping the costs down will make the next
pilgrimage easier to embrace. Prior to 1997, a J2A group at St. Philip’s (Durham, NC)
traveled to Jerusalem for $2,300 for each pilgrim. It was a lot of money to raise. Our
Ireland trip came in at $1,650, but we easily could have spent a lot more! But again, this
is not a luxury vacation; this is a PILGRIMAGE.
•
Inform parents early. Allow for about a year of discussion. Parents need a lot of time to
ask questions and raise concerns – remember that they are still working on their own
separation issues as their child grows. They will also need time to raise their part of the
cost. In addition, parental fears will surface over time. When presenting the plan to
parents, try to have all the itinerary information in place and a ball park cost estimate –
with about a 10% margin for error! Remind parents that their son or daughter will
need a valid passport and a picture ID if the travel itinerary requires them.
•
You will need church cheerleaders. Anyone who has been on a pilgrimage is your
best choice, of course. But others who understand the ideas of the program and can
celebrate the notion of taking young people on this holy journey will need to raise their
voices and help support all the effort necessary to make this possible. Bulletin boards,
notes in the church newsletter, references to the site in sermons all help enormously.
•
Choose chaperones wisely. Remember, chaperones will need to be easygoing, reliable
and willing to have next to no privacy for two weeks. They won’t get enough sleep, so
resiliency and good health are key… and a hearty laugh goes a long way!
o An older person (over 65) has accompanied us on each pilgrimage. These folks
bring a valuable wisdom and joy to this work. In bringing along an older member
the community, we break down some of the stereotypes which fuel a
“generation gap” and we open up lifelong dialogues between young and old. It
also helps teach the group how to watch and care for the needs of all group
members.

Determine who is in charge. Someone has to have full responsibility. The
demands and strain of this sort of travel are extremely stressful, and power
struggles become even more difficult. Someone needs to be given the
6 
responsibility and right to draw hard-and-fast lines, and all chaperones need to
agree to this in advance! Someone needs to be able to act quickly, make difficult
decisions, assign tasks, and generally keep folks on track with the full support of
all adult chaperones.
One chaperone for every five or six pilgrims is a good guideline.
•
Fund Raising:
o Plan, Plan, Plan!!!
o Design a fund-raising scheme. Estimate the amounts you can reasonably
expect from each event. Talk to someone in your parish or community who really
knows about fundraising to find out realistic expectations.
o Ask for the support of clergy. This is both in spirit and in deed. Clergy can be
an enormous help in holding up the vision of pilgrimage. They can also help to
raise the last thousand dollars, if all else fails.
o Begin early and do it well. See the section on Fund-Raising.
•
Investigate your church’s insurance coverage. All participants and parents need to
understand in advance, the liability limitations of the sponsoring church. If you need to
rent or drive a van, be certain you have adequate insurance and the proper
documentation (an international driver’s license). Health insurance for every participant is
strongly encouraged. Short-term policy riders can be found – investigate availability and
cost. Remember that all of this takes time and may take many, many phone calls, so start
early!
No matter where you go, how well you plan, how many young people travel together, no
matter what, it is important to remember that God is at work in the hearts of pilgrims. Our
hearts are set on the pilgrim’s way. We pray God’s grace and mercy as you choose, prepare and
travel. Godspeed on your journey. May God bless your hearts.
Copyright © 1996 by Amanda Millay Hughes and David E. Crean. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Updated 2006 by Tracey E. Herzer
7 Summary of Pilgrimage Opportunities
While many holy places welcome adult pilgrims, teenage pilgrims are sometimes another
matter. Pilgrimages must be carefully planned in order to include activities that nurture hearts
and spirits, but also physical activities to channel excess energy. The following places either
have existing programs for young people or are preparing programs suitable for young people
who have been through the Journey to Adulthood experience. In many instances, they will
waive the lower age limit (usually 17) for pilgrims. It is advisable to make reservations for these
sites at least one year ahead.
Go to http://www.leaderresources.org/ to post your own questions about Pilgrimage or read
about sites other groups have visited. If you have a small group, or want to consider combining
your trip with other J2A groups, you can post a message to contact other J2A groups in your
area. If you need help finding nearby groups, call us and we can do a zip code search for you.
In addition, there are some professional companies that may be able to help you:
AGENCIES TO HELP YOU PLAN (OR PLAN FOR YOU!)
Wonder Voyage
972-355-1712
www.wondervoyage.com
Shawn Small and the rest of his team plan specialty trips such as “Expozure Weekend” which is
somewhat based on themes from the “Survivor” reality TV show – including games, team
building, etc. In addition to more traditional pilgrimages, he also offers spiritual trips with
themes such as “The Purpose Journey” and “The Via Crucis (The Way of the Cross)”.
Worldwide Pilgrimage Ministries
800-260-5104
www.wwpilgrimages.org
Donna Tuten is the manager for Worldwide Pilgrimages in Jacksonville, FL. This company has
mission relationships with the Diocese of Jerusalem, The Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul
and St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Capetown, South Africa. They have previously led J2A
pilgrimages to Germany, Greece and England. Be sure to emphasize that you want a
“pilgrimage” and not just a tourist experience – double check proposed itineraries to be sure
there is enough quiet space.
Spiritual Travels
www.spiritualtravels.info
Lori Erickson has been a travel writer for more than twenty years and is also ordained as a
deacon in the Episcopal Church. She has written several books, including The Joy of Pilgrimage
and she writes a great blog called “The Holy Rover” at http://www.spiritualtravels.info/blog/. If
you’re interested in contacting Lori for information about different pilgrimage sites and
opportunities, email her at erickson.lori@gmail.com
Casterbridge
800-522-2398
www.casterbridgetours.com
Casterbridge has more than 30 years experience in all aspects of group travel and they have
several options for all different denominational histories. They have specialized J2A pilgrimage
itineraries and many J2A groups have used them. They offer both domestic and foreign
destination plans and can help you with in-person or over-the-phone planning.
8 PILGRIMAGE LOCATIONS TO CONSIDER
United States
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco – A vibrant parish with many innovative programs, including
inner-city outreach programs. Grace is home to Labyrinth Project – a labyrinth built into the
floor with guidance on how to walk and pray the labyrinth – a great spiritual experience for the
pilgrims and a natural forum for spiritual reflection. No lodging is available at the cathedral, but
the staff can provide you with some ideas of where to stay. 415-749-6328.
www.gracecathedral.org
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City – The cathedral supports
many ecological projects which could be included in your pilgrimage. There are several J2A
congregations in the city, which you could visit; for example, Trinity Wall Street and Old St.
Paul’s, where Washington came for a service immediately after being sworn in as the first US
President. The Cloister Museum in upper Manhattan is a wonderful and spiritually peaceful place
to visit, or you might contact one of the city’s monastic communities (see the Rite-13 lesson
plan, “Prayer 10: Religious Orders and Communities” for names and addresses). The cathedral
would provide a forum for spiritual reflection. One program specifically directed toward young
people is Nightwatch, an all-night vigil conducted by the staff which provides an incredible
spiritual experience. No accommodations are available at the cathedral, but the staff will
provide the sponsoring congregation with ideas about where to stay. 212-316-7540.
www.stjohndivine.org
Washington National Cathedral, Washington, DC – The National Cathedral offers sacred
space for worship, reflection, and learning; and the city offers many opportunities for mission
and outreach, and for visiting spaces sacred to worshipers of other faiths. Washington is a city
that focuses not only on past deeds of people of faith and dedication, as commemorated in
monument and museum, but also on the future, as seen in legislative action on Capitol Hill. No
accommodations are available at the cathedral, but the staff can help you with ideas about
where to stay, like the nearby National 4-H Youth Conference Center. 202-537-5728
www.cathedral.org
The Missions of Northern New Mexico – The pilgrims could fly to Albuquerque and would
take a coach tour of these missions. In addition, the pilgrims would see some of the areas of
outstanding natural beauty in this part of the country and visit some of the sites holy to the
Navajo. The pilgrims could end up with time at Ghost Ranch, a Presbyterian Retreat Center, or
just plan a trip there (Ghost Ranch is a pilgrimage destination for numerous J2A groups).
Contact info: Ghost Ranch, HC77, Box 11, Abique, NM 87510, phone 505-685-4333, fax 505685-4519. www.ghostranch.org
Religious Orders – Look at the Rite 13 Lesson on Religious Order (Pray Without Ceasing)
which lists Episcopal orders and contact information. Check for websites to get updated
information. Many religious orders have retreat houses which provide inexpensive
accommodations. Many orders are now quite used to J2A pilgrims and are glad to help you plan
how you might interact with and learn about their life and ministry as well as find things to do
in the neighborhood. Feel free to inquire whether a monk or nun might be available to serve as
your spiritual guide (offer to pay a fee for this service as orders depend on these offerings in
support of their ministry).
9 Native American Spirituality
St. Stephen’s Church, Phoenix, Arizona – St. Stephen’s has a newly-constructed spiritual
retreat facility on its property. From this place, pilgrims can travel by bus to the Navajo
reservation to explore Native-American spirituality and the role of the Episcopal Church in
Navajoland. Another enjoyable and deeply spiritual experience would be a side trip by bus to
the Grand Canyon. Contact the Rev. David E. Bailey, Rector, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church,
2310 North 56th St., Phoenix, AZ 85008, phone 602-840-0437, fax 602-840-4586.
http://www.ststephens.org/retreat.html
Black Hills, South Dakota – Borderlands Education & Spiritual Center – located in the
heart of Lakota sacred land. Contact person is the Rev. Linda J. Kramer, 605-574-4746 who
knows a lot about J2A and has hosted many J2A groups. Pilgrimage experiences here include
labyrinth walks, Vision Quest activities, daily liturgies, etc.
http://www.borderlandsranch.org/
The Holy Land
St. George’s College, Jerusalem There is a well-organized program for young people run for
12 days each summer. The program includes lectures and visits to Bethlehem, Nazareth, the
Sea of Galilee, and Caesarea. Accommodations and meals are available at the College. Because
of limited space and a short time frame, it is advisable to make reservations at least two years
in advance. Contact Henry R. Carse, Director of Special Programs, St. George’s College, PO Box
1248, Jerusalem 91000, Israel, phone 011-972-2-626-4705, fax 011-972-2-626-4703.
http://www.stgeorgescollegejerusalem.org/html/descriptions/youth.html (You may
also wish to contact The Rev. Mason Wilson, North American Regional Committee, St. George’s
College, , 105 Stuyvesant Road, Asheville, NC 28803-3115, phone 704-274-9665, fax 704-2779461.)
France
The Taizé Community in Taizé, France – This famous ecumenical center in the Burgundy
region has long been noted for its youth ministry. The pilgrims would engage in a regular
program of work, exercise, worship, prayer, and spiritual reflection. Accommodations are in
tents on the grounds of the community. Food is provided. The pilgrims would have the
opportunity to meet with young people from all over the world. There is a regular schedule of
buses to the site from London. Contact the Taizé Community, Taizé 71250 France, phone 01133-85-503-030, fax 011-33-85-503-015 or http://www.taize.fr/. There is also a house of the
Taizé Community at 413 W. 48th St., New York, NY 10036-1225, phone 212-246-0029.
*NOTE: You should be aware that Taizé has several disadvantages. First, there are
literally thousands of young people at Taizé at any given time and your group will
meld into the larger group. They will primarily have a Taizé experience rather than a
J2A pilgrimage experience. Second, the European youth mostly arrive on their own
and un-chaperoned. Since alcohol is available to youth as well as adults from 10:00
am to 2:00 am, there will be many youth drinking into all hours of the night. So you
will need to be prepared to chaperone your youth and to make sure your youth are
prepared to have boundaries enforced with them and their interactions with the other
youth. (e.g., European boys can be very aggressive in approaching American girls
and you may need to intervene). The counter balance to this is that your teens will
meet people from all over the world and the experience of worshiping with thousands
of people is profound. But it will be hard to have a cohesive pilgrimage experience
10 unless maybe you add several days after Taizé to process the experience with your
youth.
Ireland
The Center for Celtic Spirituality (Céile Dé) Pilgrims will spend time at two sites:
Glendalough, just south of Dublin, and on one of the Aran Islands off the west coast.
Christianity in Ireland dates back to the fifth century, and the pilgrims would explore this rich
heritage through trips to such holy places as St. Kevin’s Cell and the Monastic City. There are
ample opportunities for physical exercise. Accommodations are simple and the pilgrims would
be expected to do much of the food preparation. Contact the Rev. Marcus Losack, Center for
Celtic Spirituality (Ceile De Teoranta), Castlekevin, Annamoe, County Wicklow, Ireland, phone
011-353-404-45-595. Or contact Irish Tourist Board via their website at
http://www.ireland.ie/
Scotland
Iona This lonely island off the Scottish coast offers a one-week spiritual experience for young
people. The island has been a source of Christianity since the sixth century when St. Columba
founded a monastery there. It was the base for the Christianization of northern England and
Scotland. The pilgrims help with the building program on the island. Meals and Lodging are
provided. Contact Ms. Sue Morrison, Booking Secretary, The Iona Community, Iona Abbey, Isle
of Iona, Argyll PA76 6SN, Scotland, phone 011-44-1681-700-404. http://www.iona.org.uk/
For a pilgrimage tour guide to Ireland, Scotland, or Wales, please contact Sister Cintra
Pemberton, a religious sister in the Episcopal Order of St. Helene. Sister Cintra is nationally
recognized for conducting retreats and pilgrimages specializing in Celtic spirituality. Sister Cintra
Pemberton, OSH, Exploration of Celtic Spirituality, 134 E. 28th Street, New York, NY 100168156; Phone: 212-725-6435; Fax: 212-779-4009 www.osh.org/pilgrimages
England
Canterbury Cathedral – The cradle of Anglicanism, Canterbury offers a well-developed
program for young people tracing the historical roots of our faith. Many day trips are available
to such places as the site where St. Augustine landed in 497. Contact Canterbury Cathedral,
Lambeth Palace, London, England SE1 7JU, phone 0171-928-8282. http://www.canterburycathedral.org/
Coventry Cathedral – The well-known programs of international reconciliation would form the
focus for a pilgrimage at this site. The cathedral offers many outreach programs in and around
this industrial city which are undertaken in the company of young people from other countries.
Opportunities for spiritual reflection are provided at the cathedral. Accommodations are
available nearby at the J.F. Kennedy International Center. Contact: Coventry Cathedral, 23
Davenport Rd., Coventry, West Midlands, England CV5 6PW.
http://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/
Norwich Cathedral – The cathedral can provide a center for spiritual reflection and worship.
Some of the sites that could be visited from here are the Shrine of the Lady Julian, Ely
Cathedral, Walsingham, Little Gidding, and Cambridge. Accommodations may be arranged
through the cathedral. Contact Norwich Cathedral, Norfolk, England, NR3 1SB.
http://www.cathedral.org.uk/
11 Salisbury Cathedral – This, arguably the most beautiful of all the English cathedrals, likewise
provides a center for spiritual reflection and worship. Pilgrims might be invited to read the
lessons at Evensong. There are several options for accommodations which can be arranged
through the cathedral. Other sites to be visited include Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Bemerton
(where George Herbert was the vicar), and Winchester Cathedral. The diocese has a seaside
camp at Poole for recreation. Contact Salisbury Cathedral, 71 The Close, Salisbury Wilts,
England SP1 2ER. http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/
It is possible, of course, to link pilgrimage sites. For example, a week in Canterbury and another
week at Taizé would provide a rich experience. A week at Coventry and another at Salisbury
would show two cathedrals with totally different ministries. A pilgrimage to Iona which would
follow the missionary trail to Durham and Lindisfarne and then on to York would be yet another
alternative. We have not mentioned the riches of London; a pilgrimage to England should
include, at the very least, one day in London visiting Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s
Cathedral. It is possible to recreate the old pilgrimage path made famous by Geoffrey Chaucer
and travel from London to Canterbury, staying in churches or schools along the way.
Copyright © 1996 by David E. Crean and J2A Youth Pilgrimages. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updated: April 2006
12 Suggested Guidelines for Pilgrimage
The following guidelines have been adapted from St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Durham, NC –
the church that originally developed J2A. We recommend that the basic form of these
guidelines be followed and that the Vestry or other governing body of the congregation formally
adopt and endorse any guidelines you use.
Choice of Site
•
Shortly after the program begins in the first year, the leaders of the J2A class will, in
consultation with the class members, parents and clergy, identify a potential site and itinerary
for pilgrimage. Final decisions on the site and itinerary will be made no later than nine months
prior to the departure date. At most sites it is advisable to make reservations at least one year
ahead.
•
The selected site and itinerary should conform largely to the following definitions:
1 a journey, esp. a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious
devotion; 2 any long journey, especially one undertaken as a quest or act of devotion
(Webster’s Dictionary)
3 the practice, common to most world religions, of journeying to a holy place or sacred
shrine to obtain special blessings from God or as an act of devotion, penance, or
thanksgiving (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church).
•
Once the site is selected, the leaders will work with appropriate people to develop a
budget. This preliminary budget will be presented to the governing body of the church for its
endorsement.
•
The J2A leaders and clergy should have parent/teen meeting to offer a detailed itinerary
(including facilities, other leaders, rationale, budget, etc.) that has been approved by the
Vestry
A Word about the Cost of Pilgrimage
As you plan, please keep in mind that this is not the time to planning the dream “once-in-alifetime” kind of trip. We have heard of many churches whose budgets for pilgrimage often
reach $2000-$3000 per person, which seems to us a bit inappropriate for pilgrimage.
Remember that early pilgrims simply walked away from their daily lives for a while and went
only as far as they could walk. They walked the hill in Lourdes on their knees, and did not retire
for the night at the local Holiday Inn. In as much as is possible and practical for your group, try
to keep the accommodations and activities simple, maybe even occasionally austere. You are
carving out some empty space in their lives to encounter God… don’t rush to fill up that empty
space with sensory overload.
How to Fund your Pilgrimage
Once you have an idea of the cost, you need to immediately start thinking about fundraising.
Some churches even begin fundraising before plans are completed because they know money
will be needed eventually. Our suggestion is that you split the fees for pilgrimage in the
13 following way:
•
•
•
One-third by the parents of the pilgrims
One-third by the congregation as a whole (primarily through in-house fund raising
outside of the congregation’s operating budget)
One-third by the pilgrims themselves – working individually or as a group
These divisions may be modified as needed, but our idea was that by dividing the responsibility
in this manner, everyone has a vested interest in the success of pilgrimage.
•
No young person should be denied participation in the pilgrimage because of difficult
financial circumstances. But likewise, no young person should be given the total amount
needed. When they contribute to the funds, they are more invested in the trip. If a family has
trouble with either the parent’s or pilgrim’s portion, J2A leaders (with the help of clergy) can
look for creative ways to raise the funds. Perhaps the teen can work in the church office,
clean, do yard work, etc.
•
Any monies raised for a given pilgrimage and left over at the conclusion of that
pilgrimage will be deposited in a J2A Pilgrimage Fund for use in the next pilgrimage.
•
The J2A leaders are responsible for keeping a full account of all pilgrimage monies
raised and spent (including receipts). A full accounting will be presented to the church’s
governing board within three months after their return.
•
The J2A leaders are responsible for ensuring that all funds are collected in advance. In
no case will the church advance funds for these purposes.
Adult Supervision
The number of adult chaperones should conform to the guidelines laid down by the local
diocese or regional office. These guidelines generally require one adult of the same gender for
every four to five young people, and a minimum of two adults of each gender. Additional
chaperones may be taken at the discretion of the J2A leaders in order to conform to these
guidelines.
The costs for adult chaperones can be discussed and decided by the church’s governing board
and J2A leaders – chaperones can pay their own way, but some churches try to cover at least
part of the chaperone’s expenses as a show of support for these adults who represent the
larger congregation.
Chaperones must have taken the sexual misconduct training of the diocese, synod, presbytery
or conference in which the congregation is located. If there are no denominational requirements
or training programs, we strongly urge you to conduct a training session anyway.
LeaderResources has consultants available to provide training, or can suggest ways for you to
find trainers. Please call us at 1-800-941-2218. Also, we recommend reading Better Safe
Than Sued by Jack Crabtree and then discussing it with all chaperones. The book is available
from LeaderResources ($16.95 + s/h).
Persons eligible to be chaperones include:
• the leaders of the current J2A class
• the leaders who taught these young people during their Rite 13 years
14 •
•
people who have previously taught Rite 13, J2A or YAC
other church members, provided that no parent of a pilgrim will accompany the young
people on their pilgrimage. The spouse of a chaperone may be eligible to accompany
the pilgrimage with the understanding that no special housing accommodations will be
made.
Eligibility
Only those young persons who are active members of the J2A group are eligible for the
pilgrimage. Younger or older siblings of pilgrims are not eligible to accompany the pilgrimage,
unless they themselves are active members of the J2A group.
The children of a chaperone may accompany the pilgrimage provided that:
• leaving them behind would constitute family hardship
• the matter is discussed with the whole J2A group and receives the support of the group
• the chaperone assumes full responsibility for raising the cost of the trip for that child or
children with the understanding that no special housing accommodations will be made.
Discipline
The rules and norms governing discipline on the pilgrimage will conform to those governing
youth events in the local Episcopal diocese or other denominational governing body. All
participants must, in addition, comply with the guidelines and/or the community covenants
provided by the host or other sponsoring organization. Other rules and norms consistent with
paragraphs above may be set by the leaders in consultation with the group. Any young person
on the pilgrimage who flagrantly violates the above provisions may, at the discretion of the
leaders, be sent home at their own expense.
Other
•
Each pilgrim must have a release signed by his or her parents or legal guardian.
•
We suggest that you prepare an itinerary as soon as possible. It can always be updated,
but providing a clear outline of the pilgrimage to the parents and group members can
alleviate some fear and uncertainty. Make sure each parent has the final itinerary and
emergency numbers before you leave. Also make sure the chaperones have several
emergency numbers for each young person (parents’ home and work numbers, plus a
relative or friend). See the Sample Information Form at the back of this manual.
Adapted from the Guidelines for J2A Pilgrimages adopted by the Vestry of St. Philip’s Church,
Durham, NC. These guidelines may be reproduced for use in the local congregation and
adapted as necessary.
Revised: April 2006
15 Pilgrimage Activity Ideas
Can You Really Have Fun Finding God?
To be on pilgrimage is to move into a world where the dividing line between past and
present, between this world and the next, between what we call sacred and what we call
secular, dissolves. The outward journey is also a journey inwards. We have to be
prepared to let go of the accustomed patterns and controls that we impose on our daily
lives, and instead to be ready to be open to what lies beyond and what is most often
expressed in symbol, image, poetry.1
Introduction
When the day arrives, and we finally embark on the Journey to Adulthood pilgrimage, everyone is
filled to the brim with that mix of anticipation and dread, excitement, and fear, hope, and
trepidation that make us so wonderfully human. Chances are, parents, clergy, and all members of
the congregation have said prayers for us, given us suggestions about things to see, and handed
us a few extra dollars for a cup of coffee, or an ice cream cone from a remembered shop on
some forgotten road in the territory we are headed for. Pilgrimage is a time of great anticipation
and longing. It is a time to seek the holy in one another and in the landscape of the saints who
have gone before us. It is also a time of great fun, laughter, and general enjoyment of God and
God’s people!
The following activities are merely a few suggestions for ways that you and your group might
enhance the experience and enliven your dialogue as you wander through the holy land chosen
for your pilgrimage. Some of these activities will come naturally to your group. Some will be a
stretch of imagination and willingness. Most of all, remember that these are merely suggestions
designed to help you begin to imagine ways to make your pilgrimage not merely holy and
meaningful, but also filled with laughter – a time to go forth into the world rejoicing in the power
of God’s spirit!
Morning Prayers and Evening Songs
For many youth groups, prayers are a regular part of the group’s life. If you have always
included prayer rituals in your group, continue to do so on pilgrimage – even if it means getting
up earlier or staying up later! Choose prayer forms that are short and in some way represent
the traditional prayers of the land you are visiting. A quick visit to the library or your local
bookseller should help you find prayers that resonate with the spirit of the place you are
visiting. The Jesus Prayer, St. Patrick’s Breastplate, litanies with a simple call and response, all
can help set the tone for the pilgrimage as you repeat them every morning and evening. Make
copies ahead of time so that every member of the group has their own “Pilgrimage Prayer
Book”, or ask the congregation to invest in a small travel-size Book of Common Prayer (or other
denominational worship book) for each member of the group.
Be creative! Remember to adjust the language as needed so that the prayers are meaningful
for young people. You might even ask them to help you write prayers along the way. Encourage
the members of your group to take a turn leading the prayers. Remember to pray, every day,
for the people we have left behind in order to come away on this pilgrimage.
1
Esther de Waal, in Michael Rodgers and Marcus Losack, Glendalough: A Celtic Pilgrimage, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania: Morehouse Publishing, 1996, page 9.
16 Use the power of repetition! Choose a particular prayer or song or combination to become
your very own pilgrim grace before meals. Think of Taize chants or other simple, elegant, and
sing-able melodies to help your group feel more confident on the journey. On pilgrimage, every
day is filled with new ideas and sites and insights, and it can be a real comfort to repeat a
simple prayer or sing a familiar song day after day. You might even write your own – or change
lyrics to be more appropriate to your journey. Again, think of the cultural flavor of your holy
landscape and choose accordingly.
Remember to pray every day for eyes and hearts to understand what you are
seeing! One of the challenges of pilgrimage lies in finding ways to incorporate all the newfound information about God and God’s people. As the pilgrimage progresses, don’t forget to
ask for grace to understand and the opportunity to incorporate everything you are learning. On
a pilgrimage to Ireland, one group began with loosely structured morning prayers and song
time on the banks of the river. By the third day, a small section of St. Patrick’s breastplate
became a sort of benediction for the prayers:
Christ before me - Christ behind me - Christ beside me
Now and always - Now and always - Amen.
Pray that God will give you hearts and minds and bodies that understand all that is happening
around you and all that has happened in the past.
Try new ways of worshiping (e.g. by joining the community you are visiting) and then reflect on
that experience. Do not try to do too much or get too fancy. Trying to do an elaborate service
in an unfamiliar setting is a setup for disaster. Simplicity is the hallmark of pilgrims. Some of the
most powerful worship experiences are simply sitting in silence in a Cathedral for fifteen
minutes after the Compline service. Or celebrating a Eucharist on the top of the mountain you
just climbed, using the bread and wine you bought in the village below. Or singing as you walk
from one village to the next.
What did you see? What did you learn? What does any of it mean?
One task of adult pilgrimage leaders is to help make sense of it all. This can be difficult since
often the sights, sounds and lessons are new to you, as well as to the youth. Here are some
suggestions to help: Set aside an hour each day, preferably the same time every day, when
pilgrims can reflect on the experiences they have during the day, share these with the group,
and join in prayer. New brain research tells us that quiet reflection is a key factor for moving
experiences into long-term memory.
Every pilgrim should bring along a journal – perhaps one given to them in the
Commissioning service. Not all young people will write in it, but provide time each day to at
least record the day’s events. Perhaps after dinner, sitting around the table, leaders walk
through the sites, scenes, and stories from the day by asking the group what they saw that
day. “Where did we go? What did we see?” Remind young people that it is hard to keep track
of everything they have seen, so at least write down the place, names and the key saints and
stories.
•
Bring along glue sticks, crayons, scissors and tape. Encourage the youth group to keep
all the tiny mementos they pick up though the day in their journal books, and to express their
feelings through drawings or small collages.
•
•
Teach them how to write a haiku or cinquain – a cinquain is a five-line poetic form
invented by Adelaide Crapsey, consisting of two, four, six, eight, and two syllables,
17 respectively. The original form functions as an American equivalent to the Japanese Haiku.
We will be using a modified form, in which the lines are prescribed by parts of speech rather
than syllable counts. For more information and examples of other poetic forms, see: Poetry
Handbook: A Dictionary of Terms, 4th edition. Babette Deutsch. Barnes & Noble, New York,
1974.
Line
Line
Line
Line
Line
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Sample:
ONE WORD: a noun – person, place or thing
TWO WORDS: two adjectives – modifies or describes the noun
THREE WORDS: three adverbs – modifies verb or adjective
ONE VERB: verb – an action word
ONE WORD: a synonym of the noun in Line One or the noun again
Bird
Lost, alone
Quietly, reverently
Seeking
Pilgrims
After everyone has written a poem, have participants read them aloud. Or have the group
members submit their poems, have a leader read them aloud, and then guess who created
each poem. It might also be fun to have the group work together to write a poem for Jesus.
One pilgrim group to Costa Rica taught the cinquain form as a one-time exercise. It was so
successful that the group did it every single night of their pilgrimage and then read several of
the cinquians to the congregation at home.
•
Play “The Best Part of the Day” game – Ask each member of the group to share the best
moment of the day, best site, best story, best sounds. And if there are no BEST stories...go
ahead and tell the WORST! Just remember that in the telling, we learn. Something about
wrapping words around our experience helps to make sense of it and to make it last.
•
Leaders should be willing both to listen and to offer statements of meaning. It can be
very difficult to understand the practices of viewing, venerating, and kissing icons, if a leader
doesn’t suggest that these images are just like family photographs to some. Kissing a picture
of your grandmother doesn’t seem nearly as odd an idea as kissing a gold-leafed picture of St.
Peter. But it really is the same thing. In addition, if you have built trust along the way,
chances are good your group will have its own insights into the meaning of icons. On a
pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a weary young pilgrim said that when they saw people kissing
the lips on the icons (sometimes even through glass), they were reminded of how much God
loves all of us – all these people calling out, kissing God. It must be pretty wild to be God! ☺
Leaders can help to facilitate discussions, but should also be mindful that the young people
themselves are seeing things they may have never imagined before. Our willingness to try
may encourage them and help to break down the feeling that everything we don’t understand
is merely strange or stupid.
•
In addition, religious practices vary so greatly from place to place that leaders may
literally have to open the door for young people or they will think themselves locked out. Bow
through a humility door, take off shoes to pray in an oratory, make the sign of the cross at a
doorway and then on your own body – all as signals to young people that it is not bad to try
out new ideas and new practices while you are on pilgrimage. Who knows? Both you and the
18 young people in your care may come home with a new set of devotional practices that enrich
you for the rest of your lives.
Above all else, keep talking and declare silent time to reflect
Talk and talk and talk some more. Just because you’re on pilgrimage doesn’t mean that all
conversations have to be on “holy” topics! All topics can be holy if you intentionally bring the
mind that was in Christ Jesus into the conversation! Jesus loved to gather with his friends and
eat a meal and tell stories. Keep talking – talk about everything, anything, memories, hopes,
dreams, feelings.
But don’t forget that sometimes silence changes the world. Try having a midnight Eucharist.
Walk to the site you have chosen, with the help of your guides, and maintain holy silence on
the way. Agree to spend ten minutes in the morning, every single day, silently listening for the
morning greetings of God. If you are able to get away from city lights, gather the group and a
couple of blankets. Choose a clear night to go outside, lie down on the ground, and watch the
stars. You have to see a shooting star before you can speak. Silent time can be healing, helpful,
and magical. It allows pilgrims to reflect on their experience and to listen for the voice of God.
Act it out!
• Make a three-dimensional map of the city of Jerusalem with sleeping bags and a
blanket, with cups and saucers.
• Break the group into threes or fours to retell the stories of the saints in pantomime skits.
• St. Kevin stood in the water to pray – ask if you can stand in the water and pray.
Sometimes, of course, local authorities won’t allow such things, but you won’t know if
you don’t ask.
• Build a shrine for your pilgrimage out of found objects, soda containers, and candles.
Sometimes being silly is good spirituality.
• Reenact your baptism.
• Play Bible trivia with leading questions, offering chocolate as a reward.
• Try this game: “Best Pilgrim in the World”. Break the group into teams of five or six. Ask
a question. The team must answer in complete sentences, but each member can only
say one word, and they must speak in turn. So if the question were something like
“Who founded the monastic city of Glendalough, Ireland?” -- the answer will go
something like:
The... city... of... Glendalough... was... founded...
by. . …………(uh-oh, we’re to someone who doesn’t know the answer! So, he
blushes and changes the sentence structure, hoping that another team member
will know)
a... man... named... Saint... (another hesitation, but it’s okay!) KEVIN!
The idea is that the best pilgrim in the world isn’t just one lonely overachiever, but all of
us working together, listening to one another.
Find the Pearl of Great Price
Encourage young people to find something. Not buy it or make it, but find it. . . a stone, a leaf,
a coin on the street. Send them in search of something that will remind them of this trip forever
and ever.
Can You Do This?
19 Pilgrimage can entail a lot of waiting – waiting for the bus, for lunch, for the guide. Before the
trip, ask each pilgrim to bring a trick: something amazing that they know how to do. One
pilgrim brought the ability to pop his mouth to the tune of “Green Acres”. Others have brought
card tricks. Another could do ten cartwheels in a row. Who needs TV or CDs when you have
entertainment like this?
Physical Challenges
Do your best to build in some physical challenge for the group: climb a mountain; rent and ride
bikes as your mode of transportation; rent canoes to travel one part of the distance you have to
cover one day; or walk two miles to the cathedral instead of riding the bus. Be imaginative.
Remember, spirituality is all about all that we are. Don’t assume that young people will want to
see and do the same things that an adult group would be interested in. Let them run. Race up
the hills, roll down them, play “Duck-Duck-Goose”. Play hide-and-seek with flashlights. All the
games you know will come in handy on a pilgrimage. If you don’t know any, consult New
Games for the Whole Family2 – a wonderful resource for silly, safe, serious, and physical games.
Free Time
Particularly important to the success of the pilgrimage is time spent just having fun. Don’t try to
do too much in one day, or fill every day with lots of activities, or present long lectures on
whatever the adults think the young people need to know! If all activities on the pilgrimage are
deadly serious, the pilgrimage itself will quickly become deadly. Make sure you build free time
into your pilgrimage schedule – time for naps, shopping3, searching, and playing.
But having said that, remember that young people have a lot more stamina than adults (not all
adults, and not all teens, of course, but you get the idea!). This means that when the leaders
are ready for sleep at midnight, the young people will be wide awake. Plan at least a handful of
late-night activities: a twilight tour of the city, a midnight Eucharist in the ruins of a church. Ask
your guides in advance and along the way for suggestions. Are there any youth groups in the
area you’re visiting? Invite them to come to dinner if your accommodations will allow for it. If
not, ask if you can join them for an evening, or go out for an inexpensive meal together. You
don’t have to have a completely “night-owl” schedule, but since young people really do enjoy
the night, why not join them and structure activities for them that can only take place in the
dark? As much as possible, allow for free time to be safe and only minimally structured. Latenight gatherings will require that leaders rotate late-night duty, but it will be worth it. Some of
the best conversations happen in the wee hours of the morning.
Plan a Closing Liturgy
Whenever you leave a place, think about the way you will leave it. For leaders who have done a
lot of work in the church or in camps, the rule of thumb is to leave it better than you found it.
That’s a good place to begin, but there’s more. Leave a blessing – notes for the next group who
will use the space, or prayers in every doorway, asking God to meet the next pilgrims who pass
2
3
Dale N. Lefevre, New Games for the Whole Family, Perigree, 1988.
Do not let the pilgrimage become simply a shopping trip with spiritual overtones. The pilgrims should
each have $50 in pocket money – no more. Remember that the pilgrimage is a spiritual journey – not just another
trip. Try to avoid touristy things to do. If you have to do touristy visits, use your imagination to make them
meaningful.
20 through the space. And if possible, hold a Eucharist celebration that the young people design
and lead with the help of clergy. However, don’t disrespect the local customs: in some parts of
the world, it would be considered offensive for a group like this to celebrate communion outside
the local sanctuaries. At the same time, a small group gathered in a hotel room to say the final
prayers of the journey can be truly memorable and a teachable moment about the nature of
faith and faithfulness in a foreign land.
Other Ideas
These suggestions will open up even more ideas for you and your young people. Here are a few
guidelines to consider as you plan activities for your pilgrims. Ask yourself some of these
questions as you ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit. The ideas are virtually limitless!
How can we have fun today?
What would happen if we....
How can we bring all these experiences together into our day-to-day lives?
What are we hoping for?
The answer is always the same: we are all hoping that God will meet you on this journey and
change your life. Relax with your young people. Be young yourself and have fun! May God bless
you on your joyous journey!
© 1998 Amanda Millay Hughes and David E. Crean. Used with permission.
Updated April 2006
21 Budget Planning Worksheet
Expenses
It’s always traumatic trying to develop a budget for a pilgrimage for young people, especially if
it’s the first time you’re planning one.
• The first secret for a successful budget process is to plan ahead. Try to get the
initial planning underway as soon as possible. We suggest that this take place at or near
the beginning of the first year of J2A.
• The second secret is to get everyone on board right from the start – this includes
the church leadership, the parents, and the young people themselves. There should be
no secrets and no surprises. Remember, too, that you are planning a trip which will
change the young people’s lives. Leave as little as possible to chance.
With this in mind, the following scheme is suggested to help you plan. The whole process has
been broken down into what is hoped are comprehensible steps. You may not wish to follow
this procedure in its entirety; some of the steps can undoubtedly be skipped. After all, these are
simply guidelines, not something handed down on Mount Sinai. But these suggestions have
been assembled as a guide by people who have experience in this area, and it is with this in
mind that they are offered.
Budget about $60-75 per person per day for food, lodging, and incidental expenses like subway
fares, snacks, etc. To this, add the cost of round trip airfare, train fare, bus fare or automobile
expenses. And don’t forget to add 10% to help offset price increases and unexpected expenses.
If the pilgrims don’t spend all of the money, it can be saved in a designated interest bearing
account to help pay for future pilgrimages.
To give an idea of some actual costs: a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1993 broke down as follows:
airfare was $1,400; per diem costs (food, lodging, incidentals) were $61 at St. George’s
College; there were also $1,100 in unexpected costs, due mainly to an extra day in Jerusalem.
A pilgrimage to Ireland in 1995 had airfare at $700; per diem expenses of $65; unexpected
costs were about $500. For Russia in 1997, per diem costs ran about $144 per day; total cost
per pilgrim was $2,100.
Airfare
Arrange this through a travel agent. Sometimes the agency sponsoring the pilgrimage (e.g.
Teleios Foundation) will also book the flights, but you may wish to contact your local travel
agent or an agency that specializes in arranging pilgrimages, such as Sacred Places Travel or
World Wide Pilgrimage Ministries. This is probably the most expensive single item. The more
pilgrims in the party, of course, the better the price, but you can’t get much of a price break for
groups of less than fifteen. Remember that some people may have frequent flier miles – you
might want to check on this. The young people may certainly be able to earn them, and
probably should, especially for overseas trips. However, for the sake of community, don’t let
only a few kids use these to get tickets and definitely not to upgrade their seats, which would
separate them from the rest of the community.
Number of pilgrims _____ Airfare $ _____
22 Per Person
Total
Accommodations
Go for the least expensive accommodations you can find. Church basements, religious youth
facilities, youth hostels (in Europe), and even monasteries and convents are good choices.
Camping is sometimes an option. Regarding youth hostels, be warned that these might present
some problems: there are many unsupervised teenagers from many different cultures and the
other kids in the hostel may make it hard to build community among the pilgrims.
Number of nights _____
Approximate cost(s) per night $ _____
Total
Per Person
Meals
Here again is a chance to build community. Eating out is expensive (even the cheapest lunch is
$3-5 per person), and the costs soon mount up. As much as possible, the quality of life in a
pilgrim family should be established and maintained by the shared responsibility of all members.
This means cooking meals (including shopping for the ingredients) and cleaning up afterward.
Depending on your accommodations, if you’re not providing your own meals, you may be able
to participate in the preparation of and clean-up after meals. However, a few meals eaten out
can be a special treat, and leaders need to take some extra money along for this purpose.
In terms of preparing meals, consider preparing meals with local foods interspersed with
occasional American snacks (e.g. popcorn, Coke, chocolate, etc.). “Comfort” foods really do
help when everything else is unfamiliar, and the leaders should equip themselves with plenty of
snacks. Bear in mind, too, the difficulties of shopping abroad, especially in a non-English
culture. You’ll need help, and this is where the host organization comes in.
Number of days _____
Approximate per diem cost(s) for meals $ _____
Total
Per Person
Local Transportation
This includes rail travel to the principal pilgrimage site, bus travel between sites or on
sightseeing excursions, etc. Here again, your travel agent should be able to assist you.
Remember to check on transportation to and from the airport, even with a strong host
organization.
Train travel $ _____ Taxi hire $ _____
23 Total
Per Person
Program Costs at Host Site
Very often, an organization that caters to pilgrims (e.g. St. George’s College, Jerusalem, or the
Taizé Community) will charge a registration fee for programs. This lump sum will, in these
instances, probably include accommodations, meals, and local transportation. Check with the
organization to see what is covered.
Program Costs $ _____
Total
Per Person
Contribution to Mission and Ministry of Host Site
Where the local organization does not charge a registration fee, it may be a courtesy to make a
contribution to support their mission and ministry. We recommend a minimum of $1,000, based
on a group of 15-20 pilgrims. One has to be very sensitive in this area, and finances should be
discussed with the host organization. In Costa Rica, for example, $1,000 is more like $15,000
for a church in the United States! A priest in Ireland said he would not accept a contribution of
more than $100. He said that money, for Americans, equals a kind of ownership and that taking
large donations always meant some kind of entanglement that he did not feel good about. He
indicated that he would rather have time, service work, and needed contributions of specific
items; he said that American dollars simply complicate the issues.
Contribution for Mission and Ministry $ _____
Total
Per Person
Local Guides
A local contact person is invaluable, especially when making a pilgrimage overseas. This person
can facilitate local transportation, make contacts, set up lectures or meetings, help in
emergencies, etc. Sometimes the local organization will provide such a person (in which case
this cost is included in a registration fee). At other times you can arrange to have a local
person, either through the local organization where the pilgrimage is taking place, or through
the travel agent that makes the bookings (e.g. World Wide Pilgrimage Ministries). In any case,
check into this. There may also be local coordinators, drivers, and others who perform services
(e.g. cleaning rooms, doing laundry, waiting tables, etc.). You may wish to provide a “purse” for
these. Check this out with your on-site person or organization.
24 Cost per day $ _____
Number of days _____
Total
Per Person
Professional Fees
Very often, the organization with whom you work in arranging the pilgrimage will charge a fee
for their professional services – identifying and making preliminary arrangements with the
pilgrimage site, arranging for local transportation, local guides, etc. This may be a lump sum or
may be based on the number of pilgrims in the group.
Professional services $ _____
Total
Per Person
Miscellaneous Fees and Expenses
This is the grab bag for anything and everything you did not think of earlier. You may choose to
include pocket money, in which case we recommend that you limit the amount each pilgrim
takes to $50 per person (the leaders need to take more to cope with unexpected emergencies).
Remember, this is a pilgrimage, not a shopping trip! It’s a good idea for the leaders to take
between $500 and $1,000 for extras, which can be anything from the most pragmatic needs
(e.g. toothpaste) to luxuries (e.g. an ice cream cone or lunch out). These should be in traveler’s
checks, preferably in the local currency. It’s also not a bad idea to have an American Express or
Visa card for worst-case scenarios (e.g. lost luggage, a missed flight, or a long layover). The
$50 pocket money for each pilgrim is not part of the fund raising effort. Remember, too, that
there may be optional costs and/or services (e.g. travel insurance, medical coverage) which
parents might appreciate having available.
Miscellaneous Expenses $ _____
Total
Per Person
Total
Having done your research, this is the final figure that you can come up with and which you can
present to the parents, church’s governing board, and other people. Remember, at least in the
preliminary stages, that this is only an approximate figure. As a rule of thumb, if you are going
overseas, it should not be much more than $2,000 per person for a 12-14 day pilgrimage. In
the United States, it will probably be less.
Grand Total
Grand Total per
Person
25 Budget Planning Worksheet
Income
Now that you know how much money you will need to raise for the pilgrimage, you need to
decide how to raise this money. Generally, we suggest that one-third be contributed by the
parents of the pilgrims, one-third by fund raising within the congregation, and the balance by
the young pilgrims themselves outside the church. This is important: having the young people
raise some of the money on their own gives them some sense of ownership of the pilgrimage.
Another decision that has to be made is how the leaders and chaperones will be funded: do
they raise all of their money, or does the church somehow support them? If the families of one
or more of the pilgrims cannot afford to pay their full allocation, what scholarship money might
be needed and where will this be raised? All of these decisions have to be negotiated with the
church’s governing board, the parents, the leaders or chaperones, and with the pilgrims.
Leaders and Chaperones
It’s probably best to begin with the leaders and chaperones. Remember, you will need one adult
of the same gender for every 4-5 young people. The main point here is the amount that each
leader is prepared to pay for the pilgrimage. Some may be able to afford to pay for their whole
ticket, and be willing to pay this amount, plus other costs as enumerated in the Expenses
section above. In some instances, it may be felt that the church needs to bear these costs. This
needs to be negotiated before going on to the rest.
Amount for each leader $ _____ Number of leaders (and chaperones) _____
Adult Leaders’ Share
•
•
•
•
Church’s Share
Parents
This is where the real negotiation takes place. The issues to be negotiated include:
What percentage of the cost to each pilgrim should be paid by their parents?
Which parents may be prepared to pay the full cost for their child(ren)?
Are there parents who cannot meet the full allocation, and what can they pay?
Are there parents who might contribute scholarship money to those less financially well-off?
The negotiation with parents can be complicated. One suggestion is for leaders to meet with the
primary clergyperson who, based on his or her knowledge of the congregation, can make a
determination of what is an equitable sum to come from the parents. We cannot stress too
highly the need for great sensitivity in this area.
Percent of total contributed by parents _____ Number of pilgrims _____
26 Total Contributed by
Parents
Individual Pilgrims
Now comes the question of what percentage of the total will be raised independently by the
pilgrims themselves outside the congregation. This is important. J2A Youth Pilgrimages
cannot stress too highly the necessity for this.
The amount raised by the pilgrims themselves needs to be more than just a token amount. It
will give the young people ownership of the pilgrimage like nothing else can, and this needs to
be stressed to the parents. While one cannot stop any parent from writing a check for this
amount, any such action should at the least be resisted if not actively discouraged.
Percent of total to be raised by pilgrims _____
Total to be Raised by
Individual Pilgrims
Scholarships
As has been pointed out above, not every pilgrim may be able to bear the full cost. In addition,
some of the leaders may also need scholarship money. Some of these may be solicited from
wealthy church members (It’s best to seek the clergy’s advice in this), but the bulk of the
scholarship money will almost certainly come from fund raising. The youth themselves should
raise some of the scholarship money, but none of them should know who is receiving aid – only
the clergy, and perhaps a leader, should have that information.
Number of scholarships needed _____
Total Scholarship
Money
Money Raised Within the Congregation
Finally, having decided how much money will come from parents, from individual pilgrims, and
from leaders, we can arrive at the figure to come from the church. There are two sources for
these funds: the core budget of the church or contributions from church organizations such as
the Episcopal Church Women, and from a fund raising campaign within the church. It has also
been our experience that there is always a shortfall that comes to light only at the very end of
the fund raising campaign. St. Philip’s, Durham has handled this with appeals by the clergy at
the announcement period on Sunday mornings. Once the church has carried out a pilgrimage,
there will probably be some money left over. This should be deposited in a Pilgrimage account
27 to be used for future pilgrimages. This will provide a further source of funds. It is this latter
amount which is key to a successful pilgrimage.
Percent of total raised in/contributed by church _____
Scholarships $ _____
Total from Church
Through Fund Raising
Contributed from
Budget
28 Fundraising Tips & Ideas
The pilgrimage is an essential component of the spiritual growth and formation of the young
people enrolled in the J2A part of The Journey to Adulthood program. As such, it is an essential
part of the mission of the congregation. Every effort should be made by the congregation to
enable the young people to participate in this pilgrimage and every assistance given to their
fund raising efforts.
Once you have determined the preliminary budget for your pilgrimage with the Budget Planning
Worksheet, you can then begin to plan your campaign to raise those funds. You should already
have determined, in consultation with the clergy, the parents, and the governing body of the
congregation, what allocations have been made toward the total pilgrimage budget – the shares
allocated to the parents, the pilgrims themselves, the leaders and chaperones, and anything
that the congregation is prepared to contribute from the central budget. The residual figure is
the amount that you will have to raise from the congregation and other sources.
•
Plan one BIG event, not millions of small events!
It’s best to plan one major event that will raise between one-third and two-thirds of the total.
The rest can then be raised through a number of events spread over the two-year planning
period. One important point: do not let the fund raising become an intolerable burden to either
the young people or the congregation. Don’t fritter away your time and energy on a succession
of events that each raise, at best, $100-$200. Think big. Ask someone who does fundraising for
a professional charity (local hospital, cancer research, etc.) to give you suggestions about what
works best.
“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door
will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and
for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running
over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back”
(Luke 6:38)
•
Involve LOTS of people!
Spread the burden (and the privilege) around. Get as many people involved in the enterprise as
you can. Needless to say, the bulk of the fund raising responsibilities will fall on the parents of
the pilgrims and on the pilgrims themselves. However, make an attempt to involve others.
Raising money for the first pilgrimage will be the most difficult. When the members of the
congregation have seen for themselves what effect the pilgrimage has had on the young
people, they will be more willing to give and to be more generous the second and third time
around. It has also been our experience that the young people in both the YAC and the Rite-13
groups will help those in J2A to raise the money – the YAC class because they know what It’s all
about; the Rite-13 class because they know someone will help them in the future.
•
Don’t target only parishioners!
If you are trying to raise the kind of money it will take to send your teens on pilgrimage, don’t
try to target only the people who attend your church. Involve your community if you have a car
29 wash, bake sale, or silent auction event. Who knows… you may even end up with some new
members!
•
Coordinate your plans with other church events
Don’t let your fundraising efforts conflict with others in the congregation. For example, don’t
enter into a major fundraising project during the annual stewardship campaign. Wait until that
campaign is over and then start your own. However, don’t let yourself be fobbed off with token
amounts of money just because you’re raising funds for young people.
•
Get your clergy on board
You will need your clergy’s support. If the primary clergyperson is seen to be solidly behind your
fund raising efforts, they will flourish. The clergy’s support should be seen in things such as
announcements in church on Sundays, something in writing in the church newsletter, being
present at the events themselves, or, preferably, being an active participant. If that type of
support is not forthcoming, it’s probably best to go back to the drawing board.
•
Don’t forget to say THANK YOU!
Some groups have thanked donors by sending postcards to all parishioners while on pilgrimage
or have carried with them the church directory and prayed for every family by name during
morning or evening prayers. At the very least, take lots of pictures and invite your parish to an
after-church reception where the kids can tell stories of what the pilgrimage meant to them.
As you publicize your fund raising efforts, stress repeatedly that this is a pilgrimage for which
you are seeking financial support – a journey to a holy place to find the Christ. It is not a fun
jaunt, nor is it a mission trip. It is a pilgrimage.
With this in mind, here are some suggestions for fund raisers that have been used successfully
in other congregations. The list is by no means exhaustive, and you may come up with other
ideas that work, or learn about new possibilities from other sources.
Episcopal Identity Items from LeaderResources
Episcopal congregations can order a wide range of items with the Episcopal shield and colors –
T-shirts, caps, keychains, flip flops, dog collars and leashes (the most popular item) and much
more. See the Fundraising section at www.LeaderResources.org. There is also a free
downloadable fundraising guide that helps you organize and manage a fundraising event.
[NOTE: We may be able to obtain similar items for other denominations or with your own logo
– call 800-941-2218 for information.]
Auction
This is practically guaranteed to raise big bucks. In fact, you can probably raise your entire
budget (exclusive of what you get from parents and pilgrims) with this one event. St. Philip’s in
Durham, North Carolina had an auction in 1996. St Philip’s is a moderate-sized parish with some
650 communicants and an annual budget of $350,000. Estimates in advance of the auction of
the money that would be raised ranged from $1,000 to $6,000. The final figure was close to
$18,000! (One pessimistic leader commented after the event, “Well, I guess I have to eat crow,
but I have to say this crow is mighty tasty!”)
Holding an auction has the advantage of involving almost the entire congregation (or
community!) and is thus a great community-building event.
30 Pilgrims and their families are encouraged to find different things that can be auctioned off.
Also, other parishioners may donate items that can be auctioned. Here are some examples:
• Someone offers the use of a weekend vacation home
• An attorney who agrees to draft one simple will
• Various kinds of culinary items (a catered, sit-down dinner for eight, a catered cocktail
party, desserts once a month for six months, etc.)
• Paintings or drawings of the church
• Someone to come take photographs of a family gathering – photos could be developed
and put into a special scrapbook
• A team of teenagers who will come clean out your garage on a Saturday of your
choosing
• Frequent Flier miles that can be auctioned off as a “Trip to Anywhere” – check the
individual program details for restrictions
• An evening of babysitting
To be successful, however, an auction takes some very careful organizing. Plan on four to six
months for planning and preparation. You will also need the following:
• an overall coordinator (pick a real dynamo for this – it’s critical!)
• an acquisitions committee to solicit contributions and arrange for their reception
• a publicity committee to publicize the event and prepare the auction brochure listing the
items that will be available
• a hospitality committee to make sure there are refreshments at the event
• a treasurer to keep track of receipts and profits
• an auctioneer (pick a realtor or someone in the congregation who’s something of a
celebrity);
• plenty of volunteers to set out items, especially for a silent auction (a silent auction is
one where items are bid for, not out loud but by writing down the bids on a sheet of
paper. Make sure that each item has a base price on it); serve refreshments; assist the
treasurer during the auction; help put together the auction brochure; staff the
admissions desk; set up and clean up; etc. (It’s a good idea to involve the young
pilgrims with this effort.)
The secret of a good service auction is for everyone to have fun while making lots of money.
It’s also perfectly permissible to charge admission to the auction. Remember, too, to see about
inviting the general public.
Garage or Yard Sale
Organizing a garage sale or a yard sale is generally a lot less work than an auction as outlined
above. However, you’ll probably raise a lot less money. In running this kind of endeavor, you
will still need volunteers to solicit contributions, price the various items, and generally help on
the day of the sale.
Christmas Tree, Greens, and Poinsettia Sales
Most religious-based charitable organizations raise some two-thirds of their annual income in
the three months from November to January – the so-called holiday season. We can learn from
them and plan to conduct the bulk of our pilgrimage fund raising during that period. This has
the added advantage of not conflicting with the congregation’s annual stewardship campaign.
This method usually brings in several hundred to over a thousand dollars, depending on the size
and resources of the congregation and the efficiency of the chair.
31 Most nurseries and wholesale suppliers will provide them at relatively low cost. You can decide
what the mark-up will be. Start taking orders just before or immediately after Thanksgiving, and
plan to have the materials and plants available at least two weeks before Christmas.
Other Horticultural Products
Bedding plants are another option for fundraising. You can sell pansies in October and
November (at least in the South), and geraniums, begonias, impatiens and other bedding plants
in the spring. The same principles apply to Christmas trees and poinsettias above. (One
suggestion: give a discount to people who order in advance; that way you’re not stuck with a
large inventory that you have to bribe people to take off your hands.)
Chili for Super Bowl Sunday
No one really wants to cook elaborate food for the Super Bowl (sometimes known as the Feast
of Exaltation of the Blessed Pigskin). Take advantage of this by taking orders for chili (with or
without meat) in advance of this important date (try Jane Brody’s recipe in the New York Times
Cookbook). The whole youth group – Rite-13, J2A, and YAC – can get together the Saturday
before the game and prepare the chili. (This, incidentally, is a great community-building activity;
order pizza at the end.) The chili can be available at church on Sunday for people to collect.
Make some extra for last-minute requests! If you have any left over, it can be consumed at the
youth group’s Super Bowl party.
Car Wash
Some congregations make quite a bit of money with this exercise. Do it when the weather is
warm and when the kids won’t mind getting thoroughly soaked. It can be carried on before,
after, or even during the Sunday services (one clergyperson of our acquaintance carried
communion out to the young people.)
Parents’ Night Out (during Advent)
With busy schedules, often the only time parents have to do their Christmas shopping is in the
evening. Unfortunately, this is also the time when children are crotchety, blood sugar is low,
and tempers are short. Spare both parents and children from a traumatic experience of having
to shop together. Have the parents drop the kids off at the church where the young people will
look after and entertain, and even feed them for two or three hours. This is another good
community-builder for your group, and it doesn’t have to be something that only the girls do.
Make sure you have plenty of videos and games on hand. Some adult supervision is also
necessary.
We also offered a Saturday program from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on the Saturday before
Christmas. Teens provided music, activities, games, Christmas videos and some simple crafts
for children under the age of 10 and we had LOTS of parents take us up on this, only too happy
to make generous donations to our cause, in exchange for a Saturday for running errands,
wrapping presents, etc.
Rent-a-Kid
Raking leaves is a chore. Mowing the grass is a chore. Planting bulbs and shrubs, or cleaning
gutters, or painting, are all chores. They can also be fun when done as a group activity, and
can help the pilgrims raise their funds.
Flock the Yard
32 Pink flamingos can be a lot of fun. Imagine if a flock of them settled in your yard. How much
would you pay to have them removed? Or suppose a flock of them settled on the church
property. How much would the church members (or the altar guild) pay per flamingo to get
them out? Flamingos may be ordered for about $1.50 each and can be ransomed for ten times
that amount (at least, that’s what St. Philip’s Cathedral in Atlanta found. They ordered them
from Artline, Inc., 600 North Kilbourn, Chicago, IL 60624; telephone 773-722-8100; fax 773722-6569). It’s a great activity and lots of laughs.
Bail the Bishop / Ransom the Rector (or other church bigwig!)
So the bishop or another important person in your denomination’s hierarchy is coming on his or
her annual visitation. How much would the congregation pay for him/her to actually get into the
church to do confirmation? That’s what one congregation in the Diocese of Alabama did. The
young people painted a refrigerator box to look like a jail and conned the bishop into it. A
bucket outside served as a receptacle for contributions from the congregation. (Note: Make
sure that both your bishop or church leader and your clergy are comfortable with
this, and have agreed to it well in advance.) A variation on this is Ransom the Vestry/
Governing Board. By the way…. yes, the bishop was eventually freed to do confirmation.
Concert or Dramatic Production
Music and drama are surefire ways to raise funds. Speak to the organist or choir director about
having a concert. It may be an organ concert or a choral concert. Musicians generally love to
showcase their talents outside of the Sunday liturgy and can be persuaded without too much
difficulty to provide a concert. An alternative is to have a drama in the church; a good idea,
particularly during Lent or Holy Week, is to have a reading of the Gospel of Mark. Charge
admission or have a free-will offering. In the interval, sell refreshments.
Become an Angel
Angels are popular and every endeavor needs angels, like those who invest in a Broadway play.
So, how about a lot of angels (what is the collective noun for angels)? This is what one parish
in the Diocese of Missouri did: Each parishioner joining the Angels contributes one dollar a week
in membership dues. In addition, the teens sold aprons and T-shirts emblazoned with an angel
logo (like the J2A Angel logo!!). In six months, this parish raised $4,000 from 70 Angels. You
can get J2A Angel logo T-shirts from LeaderResources, 800-941-2218.
33 Pilgrimage Plan Countdown Calendar – Sample
Time Left
Month
Activity
J2A class meets for the first time. Sometime during this month,
discuss some potential pilgrimage sites with the class. Start
planning ahead. Meet informally with the parents and solicit
their input about sites.
Have a dinner for all the participants, their parents, and the
leaders in The Journey to Adulthood program. While the J2A
kids are having their separate program, explain to the parents,
as part of the overall program, the rationale for pilgrimage.
Begin working on the budget.
Meet with the church’s governing board. Share ideas with them
about potential pilgrimage sites. Let them know that their input
is valuable. Meet again with the parents about site selection,
cost, etc. Start planning the first fund raiser.
Schedule the first fund raiser. (Selling poinsettias for Christmas,
Christmas trees, decorations is a good idea.)
Super Bowl Sunday is coming up. Taking orders for Super Bowl
chili earns some good dollars.
Start to firm up the pilgrimage site. Meet with parents to explain
the budgeting process (approximately one-third from the
parents; one-third from the church; one-third from the
participants themselves). Begin to get a rough, ballpark figure
for the cost. Share this with the church’s governing board.
Explain to the congregation, via the newsletter or some other
medium, why pilgrimage is important. Share with them the site
selected. Have the clergy preach a sermon, either this month or
next. Make sure that the congregation understands that the
clergy and church’s governing board are firmly behind this
project.
Try to get a speaker in to address the congregation, the
parents, and the participants about the choice of site.
Finalize the pilgrimage site. Start to firm up the budget. Share
information about the selected site with the congregation. Begin
to generate some enthusiasm.
21 months
September
20 months
October
19 months
November
18 months
December
17 months
January
16 months
February
15 months
March
14 months
April
13 months
May
12 months
June
Take a break – you deserve it.
11 months
July
Continue your break. Get some R&R.
10 months
August
8 months
October
Start thinking about gearing up for fund raising again. Begin
your planning for a major fall fund raiser. Involve the parents in
this. The more, the better.
Organize a fund raiser to raise some serious money. (One
suggestion is a service auction.) When the money for this has
come in, have the participants sit down and count it. Let them
get an idea of how much it is they’ve raised. Celebrate with a
pizza party.
34 7 months
November
Try another fund raiser. If any of the chaperons have not had
sexual misconduct training, arrange for them to take it as soon
as possible.
6 months
December
Whatever worked last December, do it again.
5 months
January
4 months
February
3 months
March
2 months
April
1 month
May
4 weeks
June
3 weeks
2 weeks
1 week
Whatever worked last January, do it again. Prepare a rough
draft of the itinerary.
Take a break from fund raising this month. If you haven’t
already, begin to make the arrangements for travel and
accommodations, if necessary.
Try a fund raiser in Lent/Holy Week. A dramatic reading of the
Gospel of Mark in the church might be an idea. Have the
congregation begin praying for the pilgrims on a regular basis.
If you’re going overseas, check with the group about passports.
If anyone doesn’t have one, have them get it now. See that all
passports are up to date. If you need visas, start the paperwork.
If you’ll need immunizations, set up the appointments.
Now is the time to see how far short of budget you are. If there
is a shortfall, have the clergy launch an appeal from the pulpit to
raise the needed funds. Advertise in the church newsletter.
Stress once again that this is not a holiday trip but a serious
pilgrimage. Firm up the itinerary if necessary.
Check once more on passports and visas. If you need more
money, this is probably your last chance. Have prayers for the
pilgrims included regularly in the Prayers of the People. Arrange
for the clergy to be present at the departure site.
Make sure all arrangements for the participants have been
made. Have the participants meet regularly to pray.
Use the J2A “Liturgy for Pilgrims” at the regular Sunday service
to send them on their way. Using the same liturgy, commission
the leaders. Hand out the airline tickets to all the participants.
(Collect them afterwards so that they don’t get lost!)
This is it! Distribute Valium to the parents. The night before the
pilgrims leave, arrange for a Eucharist to be held. Confirm that
the primary clergyperson has the date, the time and the place in
the calendar. Immediately before the pilgrims’ flight departs, in
the airport lounge or wherever, have a prayer meeting. Go in
peace to love and to meet the Lord.
35 Prayers for Pilgrims
Saint Thomas More once prayed: “The things, dear Lord, we pray for, give us the grace to labor
for.” Pilgrimage is something to be desired – more than much fine gold’ (Psalm 19:10), and is
therefore something to be both prayed for and labored for. The following prayers are provided
to help you structure the spiritual side of pilgrimage. Use them at planning meetings, at
meetings with the young pilgrims themselves, most particularly in the last few weeks before the
pilgrimage (when you should ask the whole congregation to hold the pilgrims in their prayers),
and during the pilgrimage.
Please see also the “Order for the Blessing of Young Pilgrims and Commissioning of Their Adult
Leaders” in the J2A materials. This service can provide a beautiful dedication of those who will
be going on the pilgrimage.
The “Prayer for Young Persons” is found on page 829 of The Book of Common Prayer, 1979. It
may be used at any time.
God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing
world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and
that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take
failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give
them strength to hold their faith in you and to keep alive their joy in your
creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect for Education is found on page 261 of The Book of Common Prayer, 1979. Use it to
pray in particular for the adult leaders and chaperones who will accompany the pilgrimage.
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom: Enlighten by your Holy Spirit
those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of
your truth, they may worship you and serve you from generation to
generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The following prayer is adapted from one written by Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), the noted
Christian apologist, writer, and mystic:
O Blessed Jesus Christ, You have invited all who carry heavy burdens to come to You:
Refresh us with Your presence and Your power. Quiet our understandings and give ease
to our hearts, by bringing us close to things infinite and eternal. Open to us the mind of
God, that in His light we may see light. And fulfill the calling of us to be Your servants,
by making us springs of strength and a joy to all whom we serve. Amen.
We suggest that this prayer be used at evening reflection sessions on the day’s pilgrimage.
Some questions to ask:
•
How have we been refreshed today by the “presence and power” of Jesus Christ?
•
What did we see today that was “infinite and eternal”?
•
How were we “springs of strength and a joy” to each other?
•
How did we live into God’s call to us?
•
How and where did we fall short?
36 This prayer is attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Use as is, or use the adaptation
that follows as a litany:
O Thou full of compassion, I commit and commend myself unto Thee, in whom I am,
and live, and know. Be Thou the goal of my pilgrimage, and my rest by the way. Let my
soul take refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts beneath the shadow of
Thy wings. Let my heart, this sea of restless waves, find peace in Thee, O God.
Leader
Response
O God, full of compassion,
I commit and commend myself to You.
I commit and commend myself to You.
Leader
Response
O God, in whom I am, and live, and know,
I commit and commend myself to You.
Leader
Response
O God, the goal of my pilgrimage, and my rest by the way,
I commit and commend myself to You.
Leader
Response
O God, let me find refuge from the noise and confusion of my thoughts.
I commit and commend myself to You.
Leader
Response
O God, let me hide beneath the shadow of Your wings.
I commit and commend myself to You.
Leader
Response
Let my restless heart find peace in You, O God.
I commit and commend myself to You, O my God. Amen.
This prayer was composed by the Roman statesman Boethius (c. 480-524) in a book called
Consolations. Like the Augustine prayer above, this can be read as is, or as a litany, or both:
O Father, give the spirit power to climb
To the fountain of all light, and be purified.
Break through the mists of earth, the weight of the clod,
Shine forth in splendor, Thou that art calm weather,
And quiet resting place for faithful souls.
To see Thee is the end and the beginning,
Thou carriest us, and Thou dost go before,
Thou art the journey, and the journey’s end.
Leader
To see God is the end and the beginning;
God carries us and God goes before us.
God is the journey, and the journey’s end.
Leader
Response
Father, give me the strength to search for you all of my life.
To see God is the end and the beginning;
God carries us and God goes before us.
God is the journey, and the journey’s end.
37 Leader
Response
Leader
Response
Leader
Response
Break through the sky, the clouds, the earth.
Break through our hearts and minds.
To see God is the end and the beginning;
God carries us and God goes before us.
God is the journey, and the journey’s end.
Be our light and our guide
And our quiet rest along the way.
To see God is the end and the beginning;
God carries us and God goes before us.
God is the journey, and the journey’s end.
O Father, give the spirit power to climb
To the fountain of all light, and be purified.
Break through the mists of earth, the weight of the clod,
Shine forth in splendor, Thou that art calm weather,
And quiet resting place for faithful souls.
To see Thee is the end and the beginning,
Thou carriest us, and Thou dost go before,
Thou art the journey, and the journey’s end. Amen.
Eric Milner-White (1884-1963) was at one time Dean of York. This prayer is adapted from one
written by him. The pronouns in italics, (like “them”) may be changed (to “us”) as desired.
Control them, O my God,
gently, pervasively, irresistibly, increasingly,
so that they walk their pilgrim way
steadily, and in a sure light;
so that they neither dally nor disobey,
nor slip aside, nor stand still, nor sink down.
Control them, O God,
by the pulse of Your Presence,
by Your brightness about them;
by the spur of spiritual longing
after Your holy praise,
after the image of Your Son;
so that they move onward and upward with a song
and melody in their hearts.
This prayer is by St. Richard of Chichester (c. 1197-1253). An adaptation for the musical
Godspell made it more recently popular. An adaptation is also found in The (Episcopal) Hymnal,
1982 #654.
Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which Thou hast given me,
For all the pains and insults which Thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
And follow Thee more nearly,
Day by day.
38 This final prayer is attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1552-1618):
Give me my scallop-shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My scrip of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation,
My gown of glory, hope’s true gage;
And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.
Based on
•
•
•
this prayer, consider giving each pilgrim a small satchel or other receptacle holding:
a scallop shell (“scallop-shell of quiet”),4
a walking stick (“staff of faith”),
a notebook (“scrip of joy”) with a psalm or the last five lines of St. Richard of
Chichester’s prayer inscribed in the notebook,
• a water bottle (“bottle of salvation”) or holy water bottle,
• a t-shirt (“gown of glory”)
• a compass (“hope’s true gage”)
It’s a small monetary investment, but one which makes this prayer and the pilgrimage more
tangible.
4
The scallop shell is the symbol of St. James the Apostle. Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the reputed
burial site of St. James, was one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Europe during the Middle Ages (and still is
today). The nearby sea shore abounds in scallop shells. Pilgrims in the Middle Ages would wear these in their hats,
hence the symbol of the scallop shell for pilgrims everywhere.
39 Pilgrimage Reflection
Fourteen Days in The Holy Land in 1993
Fourteen Days in Ireland in 1995
by Amanda Millay Hughes
After all the fundraising, after all the preparation for Confirmation and the celebration of this
sacrament, tickets have been purchased, copies of the itinerary handed out to parents, a list of
emergency phone numbers assembled, details and more details ironed out, the time arrives to
leave parents and onlookers behind and begin the pilgrimage. Leaving is hard, but the
excitement is overwhelming. Parents look on bemused and hopeful, while young people walk
down the pathway to a destination that they can barely imagine and an adventure that is
impossible to anticipate.
In 1993, St. Philip's sent eleven young people and three adults to St. George's College in
Jerusalem. The little we knew about what lay ahead of us was woven out of the memories of a
visit by Canon John Peterson, then dean of the college, who came eight months previously to
introduce the idea of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to a wary congregation. He assured parents of
safety. He described the heat and the tension of the country. By quiet and well-spoken
description, he evoked the holiness of the Holy City. He described the manger on which our
Lord Jesus might have been lain: a stone slab, worn by time and use. He explained that in
middle eastern culture, the innkeeper in the story of Jesus' nativity was not a bad man who
refused to give the young Mary and Joseph a room, but a true caretaker who recognized that
the inn would not be a suitable place for a woman about to give birth. It seems that in the inns
of Jesus' time, there were no individual rooms at all, but rather great open halls with ledges
where as many as twenty or thirty men, likely drunken and weary, would lie down side by side,
under blankets and skins to keep warm. There would have been no privacy, not even a quiet
corner. The offer of a stable, a manger, with animals nearby offering the warmth of their
bodies as small comfort, was a gracious gift.
This was but one of the many stories that Canon Peterson shared with us, but still, we did not
know what to expect. Our journey took us from the airport in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
to Miami, to Rome, and finally to Tel Aviv. We would be met at the airport in Tel Aviv by a
priest named Richard LeSueur. We had never met him, had no idea what he looked like, and
had to hope that a band of weary American young people would be recognizable to him. I
remember walking off the plane with the young people, a guitar, and the other two
chaperones: my father, Richard Hughes, and Donna Hicks, a parishioner at St. Philip's who had
been to the Holy Land once before and was a rich resource to us on the concerns of the
Palestinian community in Jerusalem. By the time we reached the college, we had been
traveling for a full twenty-four hours. We were exhausted. We had survived the first of our
fourteen days of pilgrimage.
After we had checked into the rooms at the college and settled in, dinner was served and we
all talked and listened at the first orientation meeting. The staff encouraged us to get to bed
and get some rest, as tomorrow would be a busy day. I suspect that first night brought the
discovery of the roof of the college as a place to hide, to look at the desert stars above the city
of Jerusalem – a place for the young people to go late at night to talk and laugh. If the young
people didn't find the roof that night, they did the next day, when we were given even more
information regarding the college. The laundry room was on the top floor with a door to the
roof. A washing machine was available to us, and a clothesline across the roof. Warnings were
40 offered to the youth that if they washed their clothes and hung them in the hot sun to dry,
they should know that the sun would bleach the colors out of the clothes over the course of a
day. None of us took the warning of the sun all that seriously the first day, but we would learn
soon to refill our water bottles in the morning and keep them with us at all times. We would
learn to wear our hats, to put sunscreen on our toes if we wore open-toed sandals, to sip
water even though we never felt thirsty. The desert sun can be cruel and unforgiving, the heat
unrelenting. Even though we were traveling from site to site in a large air-conditioned bus,
there were still days when we all felt exhausted by the heat; and on occasion we had to stop
to allow a young person to get a little air, or even to throw up by the side of the road. There
were other reasons why we had to stop. Military checkpoints on the highways meant a stop
while the driver of the bus spoke to the armed soldiers.
On our first day in Jerusalem, we went to Hezekiah's Tunnel. Dating back to the time of King
Hezekiah, the tunnel runs from the center of the city out to the wadi which surrounds it.
During times of invasion or attack, people in the city could get water from the tunnel without
leaving the city's protective wall. We were going to walk through it. Richard Le Sueur explained
to us that the water would be cold and would come up to our waist at times, and that we
would walk with our flashlights through the tunnel from the center of the city out to the well of
Salome. He explained that we should stay close to one another, and help one other through
the long trek under the city.
One by one, we climbed down into the hole in the wall that was the entrance to the tunnel.
The water was cold and clear. We lit our flashlights and walked. I wish I could say with
certainty how long it took. Twenty minutes? Thirty minutes? Maybe longer? It was a long way.
We needed to be careful with each step because the bottom was uneven. Step up, we would
hear, step down – advice from the people at the very front of the line. Our pilgrim group had
been joined by young people from all over the world: a total of 35 teenagers and our three
chaperones and three from the college made the trek. As we walked, the water grew deeper
until we were walking in ice cold, clear water up to our armpits. At times the tunnel is only
shoulder-width wide. At other times it is wide enough for two people to walk almost side by
side. The top of the tunnel varied in height from low enough to make us duck our heads to
high enough to be invisible when we pointed our flashlights up to the distant roof of stone. It
was pitch black. My father took up the rear, and did not bring a flashlight. Later he said he
walked most of the way in pitch darkness, able to see the lights a few steps ahead of him, but
his path through the water was not illuminated by the tiny beams of light in the darkness. He
said he was comforted by being able to see the lights, but they did not change his experience
of the close darkness.
When we emerged from the tunnel, we were met by a group of young Palestinians, no more
than ten or twelve years old. They pushed us down into the water of the open Well of Salome,
stole our flashlights, laughed at us and goaded us. Their push caused me to fall down into the
well, and I twisted my ankle, spraining it on the uneven bottom of the well. Everyone was
stunned, shaken, frightened. We rode back to the college in silence. What could we say? We
were in a foreign land, in a foreign culture. We were a long way from home.
I tell this story because it was the true beginning for us. We had been through a tunnel,
moving from one place to another. It was liminal time. We were neither in the city nor out of
the city. We were not in daylight, but it was not nighttime. We were strangers, and we were
suddenly allies in a place none of us understood. The task of pilgrimage had begun. We were
41 beginning to experience a whole new way of seeing the world and the history of our faith. We
were, at last, pilgrims. This new way of seeing would not provide easy understanding.
That night, after watching a high-production video of the Holy Land, we had our first evening
session of reflection. My foot was bandaged and elevated on a pillow and we began to talk
about what it means to be a pilgrim. We had discussed the whole notion of pilgrimage at
home, in the comfort of familiar surroundings, but suddenly the reality of how far away from
home we were erupted. Young women expressed their fear at having been playfully assaulted
by Palestinian boys. Representatives of the college apologized for the incident, took
responsibility for it, and assured us, as best they could, that we would not experience this
again. Strange food and strange smells stirred through our bodies. There were tears. There
were young people holding hands in the meeting, as though they had known each other since
infancy, holding on to someone who had suddenly become a friend, an ally on the pilgrim road.
Historically, pilgrimage has been the occupation of the young. Young men and women set out
away from home to make their way to the holy sites of the world. The goal was to stand where
the ancients had stood. To see, through the leaving of family and friends, something of the
passion of our Lord Jesus. The task of pilgrimage is to lay bare the heart, to allow the mystery
of the Spirit of God to move through you in ways that are not available to us in our own
homes. It is an ancient and sacred ritual that requires endurance, patience, tenacity, and
grace.
For the next twelve days we went from ruin to ruin. We visited Nazareth and the Sea of
Galilee. We went to the Red Sea, stripped off T-shirts and skirts and khakis to get to our
bathing suits beneath the clothes, and floated in the salt-filled sea. Floating on that water we
were floating on the lowest air/ground surface on earth, more than a thousand feet below sea
level. We sat up late in the night. We talked. We prayed. We laughed. We learned how to build
a community, and we learned how to be patient with one another’s weaknesses. For some, the
weakness was in the body. I hobbled from site to site. My father struggled to descend and
ascend the nearly endless stairs to the monastery in the wilderness. For others, the
weaknesses were apparent in getting used to the foreign culture. It was difficult for some to
learn to lower their voices – Americans are so loud. It was hard for them to remember that
shopkeepers in the Old City understand a fair amount of English, and that the off-hand critical
(though often humorous) comments of young people were readily understood by the man
selling the olive wood crosses and the T-shirts that proclaimed religious aphorisms in English.
But every evening we gathered to review what we had seen that day: to reflect on the calling
of Mary by name; to ponder the mystery of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the
thousands of tourists who descend like ancient pilgrims, only with a camera in hand, pushing
and shoving for a “Kodak moment” in front of the site where tradition tells us the cross was
placed on Golgotha. Every evening we laughed and talked and listened to the rhythm of hearts
beating a little differently. The changes are hard to describe, but the lessons are those of a
lifetime. We learned to look, to listen, to have eyes and ears ready for the Good News of God
in our lives at any and every moment.
Two years later, I escorted another group of pilgrims with other chaperones to Ireland. The
experience was completely different, but equally challenging. The parts of Ireland we visited –
Glendalough, Dublin, Monasterboice, and the Aran Islands – are not crime-ridden and politically
charged as the sites had been in the Holy Land. No military conflict erupted in the night as it
had in Nazareth, when a border skirmish began and bombers and helicopters woke us from our
42 sleep. Silence wrapped around us in Ireland. The weather was welcoming. The food was far
more palatable. In Jerusalem, meals were prepared for us by the staff of the college and the
hostel in Nazareth; in Ireland, we cooked for ourselves, three meals a day, virtually every day
of our pilgrimage. In Ireland we had no washing machine, so we washed our clothes by hand.
The Holy Land was vast and hot and dry. Glendalough is the green desert, lush and inviting.
The martyrdom of the Irish saints was an inner death to comfort, not the sort that enveloped
Bishop Pike in the wilderness around Jerusalem. Even the stark landscape of the Aran Islands
was more inviting than the expanse of wilderness that surrounds Jerusalem. In Ireland, things
looked familiar. In Jerusalem, everything was strange. But in Ireland, it was the people and the
land that whispered truths to us as we wandered across the valleys, meandered over twisting
roads in a tiny run-down bus, stood at the foot of High Crosses and wandered through the
dark passageway of New Grange. I was once again on Holy Pilgrimage, the other chaperones
were making their first such trip, and we traveled alone with only our group – this time no
other young people joined us. There were eleven in our group; those who accompanied us
were the Rev. Marcus Losack, the director of Ceile De, an ecumenical center for Celtic
Spirituality; and Kevin O’Kelly, a mountaineer from the Wicklow Mountains with a spirituality as
thick and deep as his black Irish hair and beard. We were joined on the Aran Island by Father
Dara Molly, a Celtic monk, and Tess Harper, a Dublin woman in her early thirties who had lived
the past ten years on the Island, trying to live out her faith in simplicity and honesty.
For all that we saw and experienced in both Ireland and Jerusalem, as I have reflected on the
experience, the most important work was done in the evenings, at meals, in the silence of the
mornings before we headed out to view another ruin. It was the time to reflect, to discuss, to
share that made each of these pilgrimages a success. Pilgrimage is a holy mystery. That is
certainly true. But to assume that merely visiting site after site without time to talk and reflect,
without structuring in daily prayers, singing, laughter, and conversation, is to miss the richness
that a living community of pilgrims can offer to one another. I offer these stories as a way for
youth leaders and chaperones to begin to imagine being engaged in this journey themselves,
being leaders and lovers of God in the midst of the hardship of pilgrimage. I offer them as tiny
tidbits of nourishment. In Ireland, we climbed the Wicklow mountains.
There was no path. We had to forge our way through heather up to our waists, watch every
step lest we put our weight down in a crevice between hidden rocks and fall. We had to find
our way. We had to find our own pilgrim path. Once in a while, as we climbed the steep side of
the mountain, one would find a small wild raspberry bush hidden under the heather, and call
out to the others. We would work our way across the rough terrain, gather for a moment,
share water and raspberries, and encourage each other to go on. It took us nearly seven hours
to climb the mountain, and another three to walk back down the path on the other side. I offer
these stories, not as a road map for your journey, but as tiny pieces of fruit found along the
way. May the Lord God bless you in your travels. And may God meet you every step of the
way.
Copyright © 1998 by Amanda Millay Hughes. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
43 Sample Release Form
RELEASE
The undersigned parent or legal guardian of _________________________________________,
a minor child, does hereby grant permission for said child to embark on a Pilgrimage to
_____________, on ___________________ (dates) with the J2A youth group and leaders.
This consent also includes specific permission hereby granted to the adult supervisors and
leaders of St. Philip’s Youth to make medical decisions with respect to the said minor child in the
event of accident or injury when parental consent shall be unavailable or when circumstances
shall require immediate medical decision, and to administer medication when required.
Dated this ________ day of _______________, ______
_________________________________________
Parent or legal guardian
Medical insurance information:
Company_____________________ Policy Number ______________________________
Notarized by:
44 Sample Information Form
Name of Pilgrim _______________________________
Name of Parent(s) ______________________________
Home address: _________________________________
Home phone: __________________________________
Work address: (1)_______________________________
Work phone: (1)_______________________________
Work address: (2)_______________________________
Work phone: (2)_______________________________
Other relative or friend to contact in case of emergency:___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Medical concerns: _________________________________________________________
Medicines taken: __________________________________________________________
Reason: ________________________________ Dose: _____________________
(Also see reference forms in Better Safe Than Sued by Jack Crabtree)
45 Resources for Pilgrimage: Background Reading & Study
If you’re going on pilgrimage, careful preparation is essential no matter where you will be
traveling. This applies equally to reading as much as possible on the place, or places, you will
be visiting, and reading about the act of pilgrimage itself. The following listing is a selection of
sources which can help the leaders, as well as the young pilgrims, to be thoroughly prepared
ahead of time. However, don’t let this reading become a burden. Also, remember that our God
of surprises is always waiting for you around the next corner.
General
Cousineau, Phil, Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred, Berkeley, CA
Conari Press, 1998.
A highly useful guidebook packed with great ideas such as tape recording local voices, music
and sound; asking people you meet contemplative questions; lighting a traveling candle, etc.
Suggests ways in which a pilgrimage can become a life-changing ritual that entails “a deepening
of focus, keen preparation, attention to the path below our feet and respect for the destination
at hand.”
Crabtree, Jack, Better Safe Than Sued: Keeping Out of Trouble in Youth Ministry, Loveland,
CO: Group Publishing, Inc., undated.
This is a must-have book for all those who work in youth ministry or church administration.
Safeguard youth from accidents and your congregation from lawsuits. The wisdom of this book
offers down-to-earth advice and guidance concerning screening volunteers, insurance coverage,
thorough safety planning, accident-proofing games, and designing safe trips and retreats.
Lynn, David and Kathy, Great Fundraising Ideas for Youth Groups and More Great Fundraising
Ideas for Youth Groups, Youth Specialties Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers.
Pawley, Margaret (ed.), Prayers for Pilgrims, London: SPCK/Triangle, 1991.
This is an excellent resource for any pilgrimage. Many of the prayers contained in this book may
be adapted for use by young pilgrims. A British publication, it is not widely available in the
United States, but it can be found (several copies were recently discovered in Trinity Bookstore,
New York).
Regalbuto, Robert J., A Guide to Monastic Guest Houses, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1998. This
guide to 80 Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) guest houses in the US and Canada offers
detailed information on rooms, meals, charges, architecture, points of interest, and directions. It
can be used to plan a pilgrimage or a shorter retreat experience.
Strommen, Merton P. and Charles Bruning, FaithTalk, Minneapolis, MN: Youth & Family
Institute.
FaithTalk is a set of 192 share cards that provide opportunities for in-depth conversation
between young people and their parents or other adults. It includes 48 cards in each of four
areas: Memories, Etchings, Values, and Actions. Perfect for your pilgrimage “kit bag.” Use
during long hours on the bus or as reflection starters at the end of the day.
Vest, Douglas C., On Pilgrimage, MA: Cowley Publications, 1998.
Vest explores the differences between sightseeing, vacationing, and pilgrimage, inviting us
along on pilgrimages he has made. He also helps you plan for pilgrimage—not only in the most
46 practical sense, with checklists and guides, but by preparing yourself for a change of place, and
opening yourself to new people and experiences. An excellent primer for anyone planning to
lead a pilgrimage.
Yolen, Jane, Sacred Places, New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1996 (illustrated by David Shannon).
This is a children’s book which is not really a children’s book. It covers sacred sites in places as
disparate as England, America, Australia, India, and Japan. The illustrations are great, and the
poetry is deeply moving.
Canterbury
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales (especially the Prologue).
The sine qua non of pilgrimage accounts, this really should be read by anyone going on
pilgrimage to Canterbury. If you don’t want to do battle with the Old English spelling, try the
Neville Coghill translation.
Shirley du Boulay, The Road to Canterbury, Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1994.
Join the author’s 130-mile journey along Pilgrim’s Way in the south of England. Includes
meditations on spirituality and pilgrimage in the contemporary world. This book can be used by
youth and their leaders to explore taking this pilgrimage route. It will provide leaders with
material they can use in planning the programmatic aspects of the pilgrimage.
Ireland/Celtic Christianity and Spirituality
Frederick Buechner, Brendan, HarperSanFrancisco, 1988.
A sequel to his Godric, this novel covers the life of the sixth-century Irish saint, Brendan
(Brendan the Navigator), whose lifelong search for the Terrestrial Paradise, Tir-na-n-Og, was
one of the most popular of all the medieval legends. This is a rich, and ribald, piece of writing.
Esther de Waal, God Under My Roof: Celtic Songs and Blessings, Orleans, Massachusetts:
Paraclete Press, 1984.
Esther de Waal, Every Earthly Blessing: Celebrating a Spirituality of Creation, Ann Arbor,
Michigan: Servant Publications, 1991.
Esther de Waal, The Celtic Way of Prayer: The Recovery of the Religious Imagination, New
York: Doubleday, 1999.
Esther de Waal is an expert in Benedictine and Celtic (pronounced with a hard “C,” like “keltic” )
spirituality as well as a noted pilgrimage leader. Anyone planning a pilgrimage to sites
associated with the Celtic Christians— Ireland, Iona, Lindisfarne—would be well advised to read
one or two of these
Cintra Pemberton, OSH, Soulfaring, Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1999.
Sister Cintra, a member of the Episcopal Order of St. Helena, has been leading groups of
pilgrims to Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, and Wales for many years. Soulfaring describes
the spirituality of 15 sacred Celtic sites, and offers an engaging history of pilgrimage tradition
from Celtic times to the present. This is a guide that is both spiritual and down to earth, offering
practical hints and embodying the spirit of these holy places.
Michael Rodgers and Marcus Losack, Glendalough: A Celtic Pilgrimage, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania: Morehouse Publishing, 1996.
If you are making a pilgrimage to Ireland, you will probably make your arrangements through
the Center for Celtic Spirituality of which Marcus is the founder. It would therefore be essential
47 to prepare for the pilgrimage by reading this book ahead of time so as to get the maximum out
of the experience.
Philip Sheldrake, Living Between Worlds: Place and Journey in Celtic Spirituality, Cambridge,
Massachusetts: Cowley Publications.
Again, a study of this highly scholarly book will deepen the appreciation of the Celts and their
spirituality.
Durham and Lindisfarne
Frederick Buechner, Godric, HarperSanFrancisco, 1983.
Buechner at his best. This fictional retelling of the life of the twelfth-century hermit and holy
man, Godric of Finchale, is almost essential reading to capture the flavor of that time. The book
was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the writing shows it—like W.B. Yeats writing prose.
This would be as good, and as enjoyable, for young pilgrims to read as for the leaders.
James W. Kennedy, Holy Island: A Lenten Pilgrimage to Lindisfarne, Cincinnati, Ohio: Forward
Movement Publications, 1997.
Dr. Kennedy was at one time the rector of Christ Church, Lexington, Kentucky and director of
Forward Movement Publications. This is a deeply spiritual account of Lindisfarne.
Jerusalem and the Holy Land
Herbert O’Driscoll, A Certain Life: Contemporary Meditations on the Way of Christ, New York:
Crossroad, 1980.
These brief meditations on incidents in the life of Jesus are based primarily in Jerusalem. These
could be read throughout the pilgrimage as well as providing an excellent preparation.
Salisbury
Susan Howatch, The “Starbridge” Novels ( Glittering Images; Glamorous Powers; Ultimate
Prizes; Scandalous Risks; Mystical Paths; Absolute Truths), New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 19871994.
Starbridge, in this extraordinary set of novels, is actually based on Salisbury. It thus paints a
powerful picture of this city and cathedral from about 1937 to the present day.
Edward Rutherfurd, Sarum: The Novel of England, New York: Ballantine, 1987.
There’s something about Salisbury which is quintessentially English. Perhaps this is the reason
for the fascination it has for recent novelists (another is Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth).
This book covers the history of Salisbury from Neolithic times to the present day. This would be
a good resource to assign to the young pilgrims making their pilgrimage to Salisbury.
Taizé
There are many publications about Taizé. If you plan on going there, you will be furnished with
a list of these. Brother Roger’s book, No Greater Love, is probably essential reading. Equally
essential is the music of Taizé; invest in several tapes and/or CDs. If you have a musician in the
group, consider ordering the musical settings of the Taizé chants. In the US, contact 413 West
48th St., New York, NY 10036-1225, phone 212-246-0029.
Revised: December 2004
48 Sample J2A Pilgrimage
Barefoot in New York:
A Template for a J2A Pilgrimage
Here is a model for what your J2A group might do during 10 days on pilgrimage. This template
takes as its subject a pilgrimage to New York City, but you should be able to adapt the format
to any destination. No template should be followed blindly: we offer you this to spark your
thinking, and we hope you adapt it to the needs and makeup of your specific group.
Why New York City?
We are using New York City as our example because, for those who have never been there, it is
a fairly daunting destination to plan for. One obvious disadvantage to New York is that it is a
busy, hectic place with many, many distractions that make it hard for pilgrims to focus on the
purpose of their trip. Creating opportunities for prayer and reflection requires careful thought.
On the other hand, if you can find God in The Big Apple you probably can find God anywhere!
The advantage of New York as a destination is that there are several sites “standing by,” ready
and willing to host you. There is also a significant, structured experience available—the
Nightwatch event at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (see additional material about
Nightwatch at the end of this section). You might spend a week in the city and end up with the
Nightwatch event, or you might begin with Nightwatch and stay for a week or so afterwards.
This outline assumes that you are starting with Nightwatch, but to end with it simply shift the
days around in the schedule.
Planning
As you plan for this pilgrimage, consider that it is as complicated an undertaking as a small
wedding, though probably somewhat less costly. The only way to stay on top of everything is to
start early and secure as much as you can as early as you can. This means booking sleeping
space, and figuring out how the group will travel, long before the event is more than a gleam
on the horizon. But since this is a J2A pilgrimage, and not a holiday trip which any may join at
the last moment, you should be very confident of the number of young people and leaders who
will be going.
Your J2A materials contain ample materials to help you prepare. Make good use of them,
engage the group and adult volunteers in a year-long game of pilgrimage-planning, and with
God’s help you will be able to go on this trip with your own heart ready for a pilgrimage, and
not worn down and anxious over not-yet-settled details.
Pick a theme for the journey, if at all possible including the youth in making this decision. Settle
on the theme as soon as you can, so you can begin gathering materials and resources that will
help focus on the theme. Research appropriate scriptures to be part of your Bible study times,
identify short devotional readings, hymns and songs, and some logo or graphic that the group
can use as a badge. Bring a minimal art supplies—a box of crayons/colored pencils, colored
paper, scissors, tape, glue—so they can be used to decorate the place where the group will
stay. Consider a “house gift” to bring to the host group or agency.
It might be very useful to bind the resource materials you will be taking with you into
pilgrimage journals for each member of your group. The journals could have all the hymns and
49 prayers you plan to use, and room for extras, Compline and any other services, and space for
the pilgrims to record their impressions and discoveries. Obtain permission before duplicating
hymns or readings—publishers are generally happy to grant permission for you to print “brief
excerpts,” but are much less happy if you go ahead and do it without permission.
Some themes you might consider are:
•
Christ in the City—finding Christ in the midst of the hustle and bustle of city life is a
good way to focus on how we find Christ, and make space for Christ, in the hustle and
bustle of our lives.
•
Building a life with Christ—look at how people have sought to make Christ an
integral part of their buildings and public spaces, and explore how we can build the
structure of our lives with Christ as integral to who we are and who we continue to
become.
•
Christ in political life—how is Christ present or absent in government actions, in the
lives of political leaders, and in public policy; and how Christ is present or absent in our
public lives.
•
Christians as people in the midst of American life—look at the people of this
country—immigrants, slaves, and native peoples—and how they came here, how they
live here, and how they become part of this country. Look at our place in this country as
children of God and as Christ-bearers—examine what it means to be part of both the
Church and our secular society.
Rituals
One way you can emphasize the difference between a pilgrimage and any other kind of trip is
by establishing rituals that the group observes throughout the journey. This is sacred time,
adorned with sacred actions. Ideally, these will have some connection with the traditions and
rituals the group has already established.
Observing these rituals is not a matter of catching people who neglect them and making them
feel foolish. It is a matter of reaffirming that we are on a special journey, and we act this way
to keep ourselves strong and focused.
Work out what is going to happen, and get the agreement of the group before you leave on the
pilgrimage. The youth may have some good ideas to contribute . . . or may point out an
essential flaw in the “good idea” you had.
•
It is important that the group have a wake up ritual. This might be singing a specific
song, such as “This is the day that the Lord has made.” Or the group could observe
silence (even early risers) until a certain hour, at which time the appointed “wakerupper” will use a versicle and response (such as V: This is the day that the Lord has
made. R: Let us rejoice and be glad in it!) that he or she leads until all are awake and
have responded. Or you might slowly strike a gong several times (remember to bring
one along!). Or you might play a specific CD.
•
How will you remind yourselves of God’s gracious gifts at mealtimes? Will you eat
simply, bringing food into the housing area and serving each other, or will you be eating
50 out? How will you give thanks for the food and God’s many gifts? What can you do that
you might not otherwise do? While planning, encourage the group to “push the
envelope.” Remind them that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience—a chance to try out
something new (or very old) and learn from it. Brainstorm ideas—at a fast food joint,
will you sing grace, or gathering in a circle, holding hands for a prayer? Encourage the
group to think of a way that is “sacred”—a way that really does give God thanks and, if
you are in public, a way that invites others into that thanksgiving. A song, sung gently
and prayerfully, can be powerful in a public context. Sung “camp-style,” it can be
offensive to other diners. Invite the group to reflect on how they can pray and invite
others into that prayer without turning them off.
•
In the evening, light candles or turn down the lights during your closing discussion and
liturgy. Practice the Examen: The Examen asks two questions: For what moment today
am I most grateful? For what moment today am I least grateful? These questions can
be restated, according to the situation: When did I feel most alive today? When did I
feel life draining out of me? When was I happiest/saddest today? What was today’s
high/low point? When did I give and receive the most/least love today? These questions
are all based on St. Ignatius’ Examen—what he called “consolations and desolations” in
The Spiritual Exercises. It teaches us to reflect openly and honestly on our lives.
Through reflecting on these questions we become aware of God’s presence and of the
ways in which we block, ignore, or fail to see God working with us. Sleeping with Bread:
Holding What Gives You Life by Dennis, Sheila, and Matthew Linn (Paulist Press) is
helpful in describing and expanding the practice of the Examen.
o Depending on your group, you can do the Examen entirely aloud or allow some
time for the youth to write in their journals.
•
Ask the group to observe the Great Silence—the time of silence monastics observe
from the end of their closing liturgy at night to the opening liturgy or ritual the next
morning. This is expecting a lot of the group, but explain the tradition to them and ask
them to commit to trying it. Remember to ask them to reflect on this experience each
morning or as part of the next evening’s reflection on the day. Ask a couple of the
following questions: What was this like for you? What did you experience? What did you
learn? What is the value of silence? Can you have silence in a noisy city? How can you
pray in the midst of a noisy silence? How does “natural” noise differ from our own noise
(TV, talking, etc.) in its impact on us? Is your experience of this time changing as the
pilgrimage progresses?
o
o
End with Compline or some other closing worship service—use candles and
leave them burning (in a safe place) for 30 minutes after the close of the service.
After the service no one says a word . . . if you absolutely must speak, whisper
very quietly or use hand signals (It’s amazing what you can communication
silently!). Trust us on this one—setting this as your “spiritual practice” for this
pilgrimage time serves two purposes: 1) the youth actually get some quiet time
with no reading, TV, etc.—time to reflect and pray; and, 2) you get to go to
sleep at a decent hour! If you like, you can play a CD with monastic chants,
Taizé music, or some other music the group will recognize as “holy.” Just make
sure it is quiet and sacred—nothing stimulating. After 30 minutes, a designated
youth leader blows out the candles.
(Is it necessary to mention that the Great Silence applies to the grownups, as
well? No sneaking off for late-night coffee and gossip in another room: you are
51 pilgrims, too.)
Where to Stay
Pilgrimage accommodations are available at several locations with varying costs and facilities.
Please make your reservations well in advance: six months to a year is not too far ahead. If the
site you contact is booked for the dates you want, ask if they can recommend an alternative.
Most of these places charge or ask for a donation of $50-65 per person, per night. Some will
suggest a lower rate for youth groups. Floor space at General Seminary and at a local church
will be much less costly (plan on a donation of about $10-15 per person, per night) but you
won’t have a bed and the bathroom accommodations will be minimal. So you might want to do
a combination of more and less costly accommodations. And remember that hotels in New York
City (which are not good pilgrimage accommodations anyway) are anywhere from $150-300+ a
night!
•
•
•
•
•
Trinity Church, Wall Street has three apartments in Neale House. One apartment
accommodates about 20 people (bedroom, living room, large conference room with
kitchen, 2 baths); the other two are smaller (bedroom, bath, living room) and would
accommodate about 10 people. It is located at 50 Fulton Place, east of Trinity Church
down at the lower tip of Manhattan. Call 212-602-0800 and ask for the Coordinator of
Neale House.
General Theological Seminary is in the Chelsea District of New York (south and
west), at 175 Ninth Avenue. They have floor space in a gym or classroom, with showers
in another campus building. Occasionally, some of their 22 double rooms and two small
apartments are available (unfortunately not in June). Call 212-243-5150 and ask for the
Director of Facilities, Elsa Gore, for floor space, or Michael Walsh, Housing Coordinator,
for the rooms.
House of the Redeemer is a former mansion converted into a retreat center with five
double and six single rooms. This facility is at 7 East 95th Street ( between Madison and
5th Avenue) on the east side of Central Park in upper Manhattan. Call 212-289-0399.
St. Hilda’s House at the Community of the Holy Spirit can house twenty guests in
fourteen single rooms, two double-bedded rooms and one twin-bedded room. Meals and
arrival dates are not available on Mondays. They are located at 621 West 113th Street (in
the Northern part of the Island of Manhattan) and can be reached at 212-932-8098; or
www.chssisters.org.
Leo House is managed by the Roman Catholic Sisters of St. Agnes and is very close to
General Seminary. It has sixty rooms and can house up to 100 people, BUT it is very
popular so you need to make a reservation FAR in advance. They have a breakfast
buffet daily (continental breakfast on Sunday) included in the room rate. You can call
them at 800-732-2438 or 212-929-1010.
You probably will be traveling by bus or subway a lot – dealing with cars in New York City is
expensive (parking can be as much as $25-50 a night). You can get a Seven-Day Metrocard
before you arrive. Call 1-800-METROCARD or buy it online at www.metrocard.citysearch.com
You can also get a One-Day pass or pay per ride.
Remember to plan for the cost of food and drinks. Again, it can be quite expensive. Fast food
restaurants tend to be closer to the prices you know at home but other prices may give you
“sticker shock.” If your accommodations have facilities to cook or offer meals, we suggest you
52 seriously consider taking advantage of that option. Otherwise, you will find that a lunch
consisting of a sandwich, drink and chips will cost $10-12 per person. The other advantage of
cooking and eating simply is that it helps keep the group in a pilgrimage mode. Pilgrims, in all
times and places, have generally sought to live simply, eat simple meals, and stay at simple
accommodations. It reinforces the concept that this is not a vacation and that the primary goal
of this trip is to seek the Christ in places where other Christians have known Christ.
Safety
New York City is generally safe these days. But it is a big city, so use common sense. The only
specific advice we’d give is that you take care if you are traveling after dark. Buses are a better
choice than the subway if the entry and exit points are in neighborhoods that have lots of
people around. About the lodging identified here:
•
•
•
Lower Manhattan empties out after 5 pm, so if you are staying at Neale House, you
might want to get yourselves back into the neighborhood before dark. There are lots of
restaurants and a grocery store across the street, and it is fine to walk around that area
to get dinner. The South Street Seaport Museum and shopping area is a couple of blocks
away and, when you need a shopping break (see below), you can go there at night
provided you stay in groups with an adult.
House of the Redeemer is on a quiet, empty street that can be rather unnerving at
night to those unfamiliar with the area. Talk with them about transportation, but you
might want to get yourselves into the House before dark. They will feed you dinner if
you arrange it in advance.
General Seminary is in an active area of Chelsea that is quite safe, even at night. You
can get a bus to drop you off a couple of blocks away and easily walk to the seminary at
night – esp. in a group.
In all of these cases, talk with the local folks when you book your housing and make sure you
ask about the safest way to travel at night. Also, check with them about other safety issues—
like fire exits and any special rules and regulations they may have. When you arrive, locate fire
extinguishers, make sure everyone knows where the fire exits are and that you check to make
sure they are operative! Remember the rule for hotels—locate the nearest fire exit, count the
number of doors, and make sure you can get to the exit in the dark.
Tour guides
When working with tour guides at a museum or elsewhere, remember that they are paid to
talk, not necessarily to notice whether anybody is listening. If you use a tour guide, it would be
helpful to tell the tour guide ahead of time that you just want a brief orientation and a few
things youth might like. Be prepared to intervene if the guide goes on and on (which happens
sometimes, even in youth-friendly places). Do not ever let a tour guide take over for more than
15-20 minutes.
Let the tour guide know that you are on pilgrimage, not a tourist group. Be clear that the youth
are not there to learn about their wonderful building or history—they are there to find God. If it
is a church, ask if their clergy will come and pray with the youth, as a group or individually at
the altar. Ask the tour guide or the church’s clergy if there are special sacred places they can
tell you about, or special ways the church helps show Christ to the world. Tell them about the
need to create opportunities for youth to encounter God and reflect on that experience. Ask
them for suggestions. Make sure everybody thanks them politely when it is time to leave.
53 54 Sample Schedule & Activities in NYC
Day 1: Getting There, Settling-in and Setting the Tone
This is your departure day. If you are doing Nightwatch, it will probably be the Thursday before
your Nightwatch event, and, depending on how far you have to go, most of it may be spent
traveling. Before you leave home, gather at the church (if that’s possible) and set off from there
together. Whether you meet at the church or elsewhere, have a short service that officially
marks the beginning of the pilgrimage. It can be simple, but should help to set the tone of the
trip. Invite parents, family members, and other members of the congregation to take part, and
involve the clergy (get this on their schedule early—around the time you book your
accommodations, to make sure that they can be present).
After you arrive at your destination, lug your stuff inside, drop it in a pile in the main room, and
make a prayer circle around it. Thank God for bringing you safely so far, and ask for
nourishment, enlightenment, and challenge. Then figure out who goes where (you should know
most of this from your planning conversations earlier in the year, and if you’re smart you’ll have
a map in hand showing who goes in what rooms).
Let people have a little time to explore the space and get out of traveling mode, and then
gather the group. Make sure everybody knows any basic health and safety rules (“never leave
that door unlocked” and especially “this is how you escape in case of a fire”) and deal with
housekeeping details—assign duties, set up a shower schedule, discuss issues/concerns (i.e.,
how much time does each person get in the bathroom?).
Keep the instructions clear and brief. Then move on to some activity that all are familiar with
from your regular group meetings (a sung round, a guessing game, something more active that
will not damage furniture). Then invite the group to create sacred space. The youth need to
decide how to decorate the space so it is theirs, how to set apart an area for gathering to pray,
how to keep before the group the theme of the pilgrimage.
When the decorations are done, you might want to do a modified “house blessing.” Move from
room to room, reading a Scripture passage and praying a blessing prayer for the people who
will eat, sleep, relax/recreate, wash themselves, or worship in that room or space. The Book of
Occasional Services • 1994 (Church Publishing, Inc.) has a Celebration for a Home (p. 148ff.)
that you can use as a model. You can also have a candle bearer lead the procession and, if you
like, incense to carry from room to room.
Then move into a time of discussion. Spend some time talking about how you will remind
yourselves that this is a pilgrimage. If you worked out some of these items beforehand, now is
the time to review them. Review what will happen in the next few days.
Now it will be time to organize for dinner. It might be a good idea to “eat in” the first night, if
you can. Keep it simple: pizza would be good. Or cook spaghetti or some other “infallible” meal,
if you have a kitchen. Observe your thanksgiving ritual before (and maybe after) the meal.
Have an activity planned for this first night after cleanup that, again, sets the tone. For
example, you might read from a book about pilgrimage and a story from scripture. Whatever it
is, it needs to invite the group into the pilgrimage experience and set the expectation that you
55 will be seeking God and will be asking God to find you. How do we seek God physically,
emotionally, spiritually, and among those who make our community? How do we recognize
God’s mighty acts? How will we know when we encounter the Christ this week?
Light a candle, turn down the lights, and close with the Examen or some other exercise that
enables everyone (youth and adults) to reflect on the day, and Compline or closing prayers.
(About candles: Make sure candles are acceptable in your lodging or ask about special
arrangements. It is best if you have a candle that is enclosed in a glass jar. And it is essential
that an adult sit with the candle—preferably in prayer to model what is expected of the youth.)
Day 2: The Cloisters and Nightwatch
Begin with your wake-up ritual, morning worship, dressing, and breakfast according to the
schedule you established. You will be due at the Cathedral for Nightwatch at 6:30 tonight, so
everyone needs to pack one night’s supply of clothes, modest sleep wear, and toiletries, and set
all that next to their sleeping bag and pillow, ready to be picked up later in the afternoon.
This might be a good day to go to the Cloisters Museum. During your planning for the trip,
call 212-650-2280 to make a reservation and to arrange for a tour. The tour is $6 per person; a
self-guided tour ($4) is an option, but the tour guide will make your job easier. The museum
has statues of pilgrims (like St. James) in traveling attire with pilgrim’s badges and other
symbols. You can talk with the museum’s education department ahead of time about what to
focus on during the tour—tell them about the J2A program, your pilgrimage, and your theme so
they can design something for you. Their tour is an hour long, which is a stretch for youth. But
is more likely to fit what your group is doing that the standard church or museum tour. This is
especially true if you pre-arrange the tour and help the tour guide understand what you are
there for.
When you call, ask them about suggested activities you can give the youth to do, and see if
they have a book about the Cloisters you can buy to help you prepare activities ahead of time.
The group tours are at 9:45 and 11:00 am; group self-tours are in the afternoon. There is no
restaurant on the grounds but a cafe nearby carries lunch fare (call 212-568-5323 to make sure
they’re still open as NYC restaurants tend to come and go quickly), or you could bring a picnic
and plan to eat in the park surrounding the museum.
After lunch (and some play in the park if the group needs to let off steam), invite the young
people to go back and do an activity you develop. Arrange this with the staff ahead of time—
the museum staff told us (off the record) that they are more likely to let you back in after lunch
if you have a structured activity for the youth. If they have a busy day, the Cloisters may be too
crowded, but they are reluctant to say “no” to a well-organized group.
Take the clue and be organized! For example, ask the group to identify one or two places they
want to visit again. Their assignment is to go there, sit quietly out of the way, and spend some
time drawing or writing about their selected item. One might want to sit at the feet of St. James
and write about what it might have been like to be on pilgrimage with him. Another might want
to spend time with the tapestries and see what they reveal. You’ll probably need to divide the
youth into small groups with one adult per group (which is also much more comfortable for the
museum staff!).
Head back to your lodgings in time to clean up (there are no showers at the Cathedral), eat,
56 collect your gear, and get to the Cathedral between 6:15-6:30 to register for Nightwatch and
stash your luggage. Do not let the young people explore the Cathedral on their own yet, or
even peek through the door. After you have registered and divested yourselves of luggage,
gather outside the Cathedral doors. Ask the youth to form a single line and walk, slowly and
widely spaced out (2 or 3 in the length of the aisle at a time), down the center aisle to the high
altar where a priest from the Cathedral (if you’ve arranged for one with the Nightwatch staff) or
a leader from your group welcomes and blesses each pilgrim by name. From there, direct them
to sit in the choir while the other pilgrims in your group are blessed, and then head for the
Nightwatch gathering spot. You may need to coordinate with 100 youth and adults from various
groups. If the groups are all arriving within a short time-frame, you may want to use several
priests to do the blessings. The Nightwatch staff might then meet you in the Cathedral and start
the program there.
The rest of the evening will be in the Cathedral staff’s hands. The only thing you need to do is
to check in with the other leaders to agree upon a closing ritual for the day. If you are on a J2A
Nightwatch (for J2A groups only), we strongly suggest The Great Silence as a way to end the
day even though we acknowledge that this can be hard to enforce when many disparate groups
are joined into one body. Ring a bell or gong several times or start a song to signal the start of
the closing ritual.
If you are on the J2A Nightwatch, get the names of the other J2A groups from the Nightwatch
Coordinator and contact the youth leaders ahead of time. That way you can coordinate efforts
in advance. If you are not on a J2A Nightwatch and, as sometimes happens, the larger group
takes a while to settle down, gather your group and sing Taizé chants or some other soft music
for awhile. That may help the other groups there settle down. If not, you may need to speak
with the other leaders as Nightwatch groups can get quite rowdy and go far into the night.
Day 3: Nightwatch/Late Nightwatch
You will be under the Nightwatch and Cathedral staff’s direction until 10 am. At that point, you
can give the young people an hour to roam on their own through the Cathedral, visit the
bookstore, or just sit and deal with sensory overload. Eat lunch in the neighborhood at one of
the restaurants on Amsterdam Avenue or Broadway, or make a picnic on the Cathedral close
(an enclosed park), near the remarkable fountain. After lunch, do some structured activity you
have worked out ahead of time. For example:
• There is a poet’s alcove where you can sit and write poems about your experience that
will be shared during the evening reflection and worship time.
• There is a huge crystal that you could gather around and reflect on time and creation:
When was this crystal formed? How was it formed? How do you see God in the crystal?
What does the crystal tell us about God? Why do you think there is a crystal in the
Cathedral?
• Sit and watch people come and go in the Cathedral (be discreet!). What do they do?
What impact does the Cathedral seem to have on them? Why do you think they came
here? What do you think they take away from this experience? Pray for a specific person
or couple or group as you observe. Ask God to speak to them. Watch what happens.
• Find a spot in the Cathedral that you feel drawn to. Sit there for 20 minutes and listen.
What do you hear Jesus saying to you? What do you say to him? Gather afterwards and
talk about your experience.
There are two ways to design these activities. You can call the Cathedral bookstore (212-2227200) to order The Living Cathedral ($9.95 + s/h) which is the book they recommend as the
most complete overview of the Cathedral. Another way is for some of your adults to stay with
57 the Nightwatch group during the morning while other leaders wander around and look at what
is there and design activities.
What you want to do is:
• Create reflective times for your group—give them time to slow down and absorb what is
happening around them and to them and to share what they discover.
• Encourage them to look for and identify Christ’s presence. Help them pray; help them
listen to God’s word and for God’s word to them.
Head back to your lodging in mid-afternoon. Some folks will want showers before dinner, and
some down time (including naps, since many may not have had much sleep the night before).
Short walks in the neighborhood in small groups would be good. A dinner planning and cooking
team might go shopping.
Have dinner and return to the Cathedral before the Late Nightwatch begins at 9 pm (or
whatever time Cathedral staff gave you). Again, you are under their care until the next
morning. And again, we recommend the Great Silence introduced by prayer, chants, and a
candle (in a jar with an adult in prayerful attendance), as a way to settle the group into a
restful night.
Day 4: A Sabbath Day
Stay for the 9 am or 11 am service at the Cathedral the next morning and then head back to
your lodgings for lunch. Some will want to take showers or just relax for a while. Set a specific
time for the group to reform after giving them some down time (set the amount according to
your group and its ability to manage unstructured time). Do not let them loose in the city—they
will probably want to go shopping, see a movie, or do something else that will draw them away
from the spirit of Pilgrimage.
When you are all together again, reflect on the time at the Cathedral. Do the Examen: What
were you most grateful for? Least grateful for? Ask what they learned. Ask where they saw
Christ present; where they experienced Christ present to them.
Talk about Sabbath time. What is Sabbath time? How did Christians over time live in Sabbath
time? (Tilden Edwards’ book, Sabbath Time, will give you the history of the concept of the
sabbath, and ideas for this discussion). Do a Bible study on it. Why is a time of rest important?
Why would God ask us to do that? Talk about what people usually do on Sundays, and how that
compares to what they do the rest of the week. What might they do to make the Sabbath holy?
To renew themselves? To become aware of and thankful for God’s creation?
Ask the group to think about and write down what they would like to do today to make this a
Sabbath time for themselves. After about 15 minutes, invite the pilgrims to share what they
have written. Form groups according to what they want to do and, wherever possible, let them
do what they feel would be Sabbath time for them. It might be to sleep, read a book, play
cards, or go for a walk. TV, movies, shopping, phone calls, and the Internet are not options,
except for brief check-ins with parents (you may want to ask the lodging folks to remove TVs or
at least stash them in a closet to remove temptation). Remind the group that it is rest, renewal,
and refreshment—in God’s presence—that are at the heart of Sabbath. Movies and shopping
don’t count. It needs to be something that is restful, and perhaps playful.
58 Group members will probably come up with lots of fun things they want to do that you can’t let
them do in New York (leaders must discuss this ahead of time, and be united about what is and
is not an acceptable activity). The inviolable rule is: an adult has to be with them (that usually
eliminates a lot of far-out stuff). And they will be asked to spend time in theological reflection of
their experience afterwards! Agree on a return time and send them forth....with an adult!
At the end of the day you will need to have dinner, ideally at a nice but inexpensive restaurant.
Chinese or Italian food often fills this bill. Or try an ethnic cuisine that is unfamiliar to your
group. When you make your reservation or, if reservations aren’t necessary, when you arrive,
ask the waiter to serve you slowly, explaining that you want to enjoy a leisurely meal. You may
want to reiterate that when you arrive even if you mentioned it when making reservations….be
precise: “We’d like to finish up about X:00” rather than letting the waiter guess about what you
mean by leisurely. If you don’t do this you may end up feeling “rushed” as the assumption is
often that New Yorkers want to eat and move out quickly! Some New York City waiters can be,
shall we say, challenging. So this is a good time to practice your assertive skills. Remember, you
are paying them for the meal and have the right to ask for what you want.
Before you leave for the restaurant, ask the young people to talk about how the group can
make this meal special and sacred. How can we celebrate the Lord’s Day at this table? What
can we do to be Christ at the table? How can we help ourselves be more aware of Christ’s
presence? What will we do about giving thanks? How will we interact with those who serve us?
With others we meet along the way? With others in the restaurant? What will we NOT want to
do? Why not? Listen and gradually urge the young people to make some choices. Keep coming
back to the question: How can we celebrate the Lord’s Day at this table? With luck, you’ll come
up with some interesting and neat ideas. Encourage the pilgrims to carry them out.
If you have not done so before during the life of your group, you might want to take this
opportunity to talk about norms and manners. Talk about what manners are and why we do
things in established ways. Talk about how manners help communicate respect for God’s
created beings. Talk about them as ways we help people belong to a group. Every group has
manners (norms), or ritualized ways of being together. The rules we follow at dinner
communicate something about us to each other and communicate something about us to
others. Informal settings call for one way of being together; formal settings another.
The youth will, most likely, not like the idea that rules at table making any difference. But the
reality is, it does make a difference. Good table manners communicate respect for the host(s),
respect for the food, respect for the other diners, and respect for those who prepared and serve
the meal. Formal table manners also make an occasion “special”—just like we use special ways
of gathering about God’s table. Ask the group to talk about how the Eucharistic gathering is
different from everyday meals. Encourage them to make this dinner special.
Many young people do not have a chance to learn formal table manners—so take the time to
review the basics: Stand at your chair until all are in place . . . caps off in buildings . . . start
eating only when the person appointed as host does . . . pass to the right. See how many
formal table manners they know. Ask the adults to add any they know. Then ask them to
practice this at the meal tonight. Later, reflect on that experience. How did it feel? How did it
make the meal different? Why? What happened? How did it impact us?
After dinner head back home. This is a good time for a fun night—games, songs, dances. Make
sure you don’t disturb the neighbors and plan to go out if you are in a monastic setting.
59 Sabbath is for recreation and play.
Close the day by reflecting on the Sabbath time. What was it like? What was restorative for
them? What did they learn about God? About themselves? What will they take home and use in
the future? At the end of the discussion, close with a time of prayer, giving thanks for what
you’ve experienced so far, and ask God to lead you into the next phase of your time together.
Days 5 and 6: Lower Manhattan
Start with the usual morning routine. Talk about what you will be doing the rest of your time in
New York City. Make a transition from the Cathedral to the City. If it’s a nice day head out for a
neighborhood walk (if the weather is poor, switch with another day’s indoor activity). Divide
into groups, with at least two adults in each group.
The goal of this walk is to see Jesus in the neighborhood. Each person needs his or her
pilgrimage journal for notes and sketches. The rule is that you walk alone and spread apart, but
always within view of one of the adults (one in front, one behind). Walk, watch, listen. Stop and
make notes or discuss what you are seeing. The front adult should lead the group wherever
he/she chooses (carry a map!), or according to a plan developed earlier. It would be nice if you
came upon a “surprise” (like a stand selling fried ice cream) that the leaders had discovered
earlier.
After an hour or so, head home or to an agreed upon meeting place (a nearby park would be
good; a local church would be good, too). Talk about what you saw. Where is Christ in the city?
Where do you think others have found Christ in the city in the past and where people now find
Christ in the city? What did you think/feel about what you saw? What do you think God calls us
to do in response to what we saw? What is the Christian thing to do? Where did you encounter
Christ in yourself? Frame your questions in terms of what you saw. You most likely will have
seen the homeless, the lost, the lonely, the sad . . . and the joyful, the helpful, the polite, the
loved and loving. You will also have seen extremes of consumption and privation— probably
over and over again! Engage the youth in discussion about whatever you saw.
Time for lunch. If appropriate, renew the conversation about manners and showing forth Christ.
These days are focused around Trinity Church, Wall Street. As part of your pre-trip
preparations, call them (212-602-0800) and work out what is available (including special
events) during your time on pilgrimage. And remember that Ground Zero is only a couple of
blocks away so you will want to spend some time there as well.
Trinity Church has a small museum and will conduct a tour of the church, although that isn’t
necessary or even always preferable. If you do want a tour, make sure you tell the tour guide
when you call to make arrangements (and again when you arrive) that this is a pilgrimage
group and that the tour can only be about 15-20 minutes and needs to focus on pilgrimage,
holy places, saints, etc. A bit of history goes a long ways with most young people. Encourage
them to be interactive and to pay attention to whether the youth are engaged. Most church
tour guides have a routine speech they give that can be quite boring—especially for youth.
There are several activities you can do at Trinity Church and vicinity, each of which will take
most of a morning or afternoon:
• Invite youth to wander (carefully) around the graveyard at Trinity after talking about
saints; ask them to identify a saint and to sit quietly next to the saint’s grave stone,
60 carrying on a conversation with them, seeing what that saint might be telling them.
Have them record their thoughts in their journal. Finish by walking to the Ground Zero
which is a few blocks away.
•
Arrange to have Trinity Church’s organist, Owen Burdick, do a presentation on the
organ—he has a great short explanation of the history and use of church music, and
talks about how, in its time, what we now call traditional was edgy and contemporary.
His program and style will engage youth and he can demonstrate some neat things with
the organ. Again, call in advance and talk with him about pilgrimage and ask him to help
you design a time that is spiritual rather than purely informative.
•
The Stock Exchange is just across the street from Trinity. While not a pilgrimage
destination (!) its proximity can provide an interesting contrast to the simple living
emphasized on pilgrimage and provoke some discussion about the contemporary focus
on money, getting rich quick, etc.
•
Make arrangements with Trinity to visit St. Paul’s, the church across the street from
Ground Zero. There’s plenty of display items to look at after which you can talk about
terrorism, Muslim-Christian relations, service ministries, etc. This is also the church
where George Washington went to worship immediately after his inauguration. Ask for
copies of the service they used in 1789. Invite the group to reflect on and then discuss
church-state relations when our country was young, and what they are today. Talk
about how public actions impact private citizens. Talk about their own public actions and
the impact those actions have on them and on others around them.
•
If you visit St. Paul’s in the morning, the afternoon would be good for a trip by ferry to
the Statue of Liberty. Yes, that’s a touristy thing to do. But after the tour, get the
group to focus on the “Give me your tired....” poem and continue the conversation you
started at St. Paul’s. What does this poem, this offer of hospitality and new hope, mean
to us as citizens? As Christians? Talk about America as a Christian nation—something that
was true, or at least assumed to be true, some years ago but is not true now. What
makes a nation Christian? How did Christianity impact the founding principles of our
nation? What does it mean to be Christian and a citizen? What happens if there is a
conflict between the two? Which do you choose (Christ over nation)? How do you
choose? What might be the impact of our choices? Did you ever have to make such a
choice or can you imagine a time when you might? What would you do? Why? Who
would you ask to help or support you? Why is it important for Christians to be involved in
politics? How can you be involved and remain true to your Christian values? When have
you had to make a tough decision in order to remain true to your Christian values? When
can you imagine that happening? What did you/will you do? How was Christ present with
you or how do you imagine Christ would be present?
•
If you wanted to continue this theme (especially if you made this the theme of your stay
in NYC), go to Ellis Island on another day and invite the youth to reflect on the
immigrant experience. Invite them to go around and pray for the individuals named or
pictured, giving thanks for what they brought, and for their descendants. Get the group
to talk about how their families came to the United States; if there are Native Americans
in the group, how their families were impacted by the immigrants. Get the group to talk
about Native Americans and what happened to them in the past and what is happening
now. What is the just and right thing in relationships between tribal culture and the
61 dominant American culture? Who “owns” the earth? How is ownership transferred?
What responsibility does the nation have toward those who lived here before the
immigrants arrived? What about the immigrants who came here as slaves? What is
justice for them? How do we live together in community? Where do you experience this
in your lives? Where do you expect you will encounter these dynamics in your future?
How can you, how will you be a Christ-bearer in situations where there is tension
between groups? What support do you need, how will you ask for that support, and who
might provide it?
•
Again, if you are continuing this theme, you might locate the African Burial Ground
and continue this discussion there. Look in the vicinity of Duane and Read Sts. near City
Hall where a graveyard has been unearthed (You can call the Burial Ground Project at
212-264-6949). Some New York churches have recently refurbished their ancient slave
galleries, where the slaves went to church while the masters sat in the pews below, as
memorials to Christians’ complicity in slavery. This would be a good time to talk about
racism, their experience of it (toward themselves or others), and their understanding of
God’s role in this reality of American life. How can they be Christ-bearers? What do they
need (skills, support, clarity of vision, charity, etc.) and how can they get what they
need in order to be Christ-bearers?
•
Neale House is also home to the Sisters of St. Margaret. Call the Sister in Charge (212619-2672) in advance and see if you can join them for at least one of their services. Ask
them to talk with the group about monastic life. Ask if you can see how they have made
their space sacred. Explain that you are on pilgrimage and ask them to suggest what
you might do—they are likely to be most helpful. Their primary ministry is the senior
center just across the street (you might be able to get meals here: ask). Perhaps they
could suggest a way for you to be a part of their ministry for a day. They might be
willing to join you for your morning or evening reflection times, etc. Or one of the sisters
might join you for one or more days. We encourage you to invite them into your lives,
as it is good for the youth to experience people in religious orders and will open up lots
of interesting conversations.
o
•
They may not suggest a fee for whatever they do with you, but please make as
generous a donation as you can. Monastic orders live on the generosity of
others. If you can’t give much at the time, you might see if the youth would be
interested in “adopting” the sisters for the next year and upholding them in
prayer, collecting money for their ministry, and sharing news of their ministry
with your congregation.
Go to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian which is
nearby (call 212-514-3705 for group reservations). Engage the group in conversation
about native peoples and their spirituality. If you call ahead you might be able to get a
staff member to talk with you about this. What are some of the symbols of spirituality
for Native Americans? How have they made use of Christian symbols? What realities do
these symbols “point to and participate in?” How do symbols come to have meaning for
people? What do native people value? How do indigenous cultures relate to the land, to
animals, to questions of life and death? How is this similar to/different from the
dominant American culture? The Christian Church? Invite the youth to select some
object they feel drawn to and to meditate on it for 15-20 minutes and then record their
experience in their journal. Talk about what they experienced. Where did they see
62 God/encounter Christ? What Word of God came to them in this context?
•
Spend several hours or a day at the General Theological Seminary (888-487-5649),
which is in the Chelsea section of the City. The seminary encloses an entire city block
and has a chapel and some limited green space you can use to sit and contemplate life,
pray, talk, etc. You can also attend chapel with the seminary community, set up a tour
of the campus, and a visit with GTS faculty or staff to discuss ministry, vocation to
ordination, life-long theological education, why people would go to seminary, etc. Staff
or senior students might also be willing to lead a retreat day, a morning, or a couple of
hours of discussion on a specific topic. If you are working with a faculty member, you
may need to help them understand how to work with youth—a seminary lecture is not
going to appeal to your group, but a dialogue with some experiential activity may.
•
Close each of these days with a time to reflect on your experiences. Do the Examen:
What were you most grateful for today? Least grateful? Ask where the group
experienced Christ’s presence. Give them time to journal. Ask them to write poems,
songs, stories to share with the group. Do Bible study on scriptures related to the
themes.
•
If painful things emerge (e.g., in the racism discussion or in seeing homeless and
hungry people) or wonderful things emerge (e.g., an act of love and grace they
observed or did) talk about those discoveries and provide a liturgical experience that
addresses the concern or the celebratory experience. This might be a time for
confession or a time to pray for victims. It might mean deciding to do something specific
and making the commitment to God in a worship context. It might mean creating a
celebration for whatever was discussed. Design worship according to the needs that
emerge. Start and close each day with your chosen service, prayer time, rituals, etc.
Day 7: Central Park
If it is nice out, today would be a good day to visit Central Park (if it is raining, switch this
design to another day). Pack lunches and head up to the Park. You might want to start at the
Planetarium and take in the show there first. This will set the stage for a day of being in God’s
creation. Get a guide book about the Park and chart out a path to do a meditation walk. This
means walking slowly, single-file and spaced out a bit, but always within sight of an adult
leader. You might have a leader, 4 youth, a leader, 4 youth, a leader, 4 youth and a leader at
the back of the procession. Each young person should have a “buddy” he or she is responsible
for sticking close to. But aside from necessary conversation, walk in silence, just taking in God’s
creation. Stop at various “stations” (much like a church procession). For example:
•
•
•
Stop at the area with the children’s statues, or another playground, and watch the
children play. Invite the youth (and adults ) to reflect on when they were children and
how God was with them. Ask them to record in their journals the names and stories
about people who were Christ-bearers to them in their childhood. Gather the group into
a circle and sing, reflect on a scripture passage, give thanks for your Christ-bearers,
invite God to send you as Christ-bearers, pray for the children you see, the children you
know (by name), and children everywhere.
Stop at the boat pond and watch the boats and people. Invite the group to write about
the gift of water, its value to us and how God has been like water for them. Gather the
group in a circle, sing, reflect on a scripture passage, give thanks for the gift of water.
Stop anywhere (when you’re tired) and gather around a tree. Invite the group to reflect
63 •
•
on trees as you did with the water above.
Stop wherever you see flowers or a beautiful rock or whatever you want to focus on,
celebrate and give thanks for. Do as above.
Locate other similar stopping points and design reflections on God’s creation, how God is
present to us in and through God’s creation, how we are present in the world as a
creature of God, etc.
The lower parts of Central Park are generally safe in the daytime. Nonetheless, please observe
the advice to keep an adult with each group of youth. You need to impress on your youth they
are never to go off by themselves in New York (or any other place, of course). It’s not that you
don’t trust them—It’s just that you are responsible for them and therefore need to be with
them.
Day 8 and onward:
If you will be in New York for a longer time, research additional sites and develop activities
connected with them. Get books about the city to identify possibilities. Call local churches to see
what they suggest. The trick is to avoid turning your pilgrimage into a tourist trip. As you can
see from the above, the way to prevent that is to:
•
•
•
•
Select a theme and build at least several days around that theme (you might do two
related themes if you run out of ideas on just one theme)
Go to a site, explore it, and then focus on one or two aspects to explore in depth
Include quiet time, reflection activities, discussions, and worship that focus on your
theme, site, focal points
Structure your day to start and end with prayer, and explore ways to be prayerful in the
midst of what you are doing—eating, walking, seeing, being
Some other sites or ideas you might consider:
• Pick several churches and ask the clergy to greet and bless each pilgrim as you arrive.
Ask if they can identify two people (preferably laity) who will talk with the group about
how they found God in and through the Christian community gathered at that church.
Walk from one church to another. Wear pilgrim’s badges; collect something from each
place. Some of the New York churches are spectacular—go to any one that appeals to
you and just let the youth look and experience the place. Some of the huge churches
(e.g., St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church) will
be especially powerful if the group’s main experience is of smaller churches.
• Visit the three Episcopal convents (St. Helena’s, St. Margaret’s and Community of the
Holy Spirit5) and ask each order if there is a sister available to spend some time with
you. They might tell you about their order and its ministry, lead a retreat, invite you to
join them for a meal (It’s often a silent meal at Holy Spirit—which would be a good
experience for the group), or ask you to join in their work. Work out something with
each order. St. Helena’s house in New York is very small and may not have anyone
available at all times. Perhaps one of the sisters can come in from their Mother House.
Again, in all cases make sure to pay for expenses the sisters incur and to make a
donation if they do not have a fee for their services.
5
St. Helena’s phone is 212-889-1124; fax is: 212-779-4009. The best time to call is between 6:00 pm and
7:30 pm. St. Margaret’s phone is 212-619-2672; best time to call is between 9:00 am and 12:00 noon or
evenings after 6:00 pm. Community of the Holy Spirit’s phone is: 212-932-8098.
64 Almost the last day:
Most groups will want to have at least an afternoon to explore the city as tourists, or to go
shopping. It is fine to schedule in some time to do this, but remember that the youth are not to
have large sums of money with which to load up on “stuff,” and that nobody ever goes
anywhere alone. This might just be a chance to walk around an area you want to explore.
Some of the youth may want to see Times Square (and the surrounding area, which has been
cleaned up enough that it is likely to disappoint those looking for the seedier elements once
there), or ride on the subway, or ascend the Empire State Building. You might also consider a
trip to Harlem (talk with some of the local churches or someone who knows the area to identify
interesting areas to see). If you didn’t visit the Statue of Liberty before, this might be a good
option. A walk up Fifth Avenue to window shop (you probably can’t afford to more than that!)
can yield some fascinating discoveries and can generate some conversation about
consumerism, money, simple living, etc.
After your fun time, spend the evening reflecting on the whole pilgrimage experience. Talk
about what you will take home with you and how you might share what you experienced with
parents, the congregation, and others (you’ll be working more on this after you get home).
Design your closing worship time to include references to the significant discoveries and
encounters of the week. Find ways to begin to say thank you to your hosts and goodbye to the
city.
The last day:
Start with your usual morning ritual. Eat and pack. Clean your living quarters. Carry out your
actions of thanks and farewell. Head for home.
When you arrive, have all the parents and as many other members of the congregation as
possible meet the train/bus/plane/cars. If possible, do not tell the young people that this will
happen as the welcome will have more impact if it is unexpected. Have a simple liturgy
prearranged that the welcomers are ready to lead—you can distribute it on the Sunday prior to
the group’s arrival so everyone has a copy. Alert the parents to the fact that there will be a
service so they do not plan to dash off as soon as they have retrieved their young person. Ask
the clergy to greet and bless each pilgrim in the company of his or her parent(s) or
guardian(s)—the pilgrim kneels, parents/guardians place their hands on the young person’s
shoulders, as in the Rite 13 ceremony. If the group is small, you can have the entire group join
in the laying on of hands. If the weather is nice, you can do this in the parking lot, or, you may
want to lead a procession of pilgrims with their luggage, families, and congregants into the
sanctuary.
Provide time for everyone to give thanks for the pilgrimage, for God’s presence, for the youth
and their leaders, and for their safe return. Close with whatever song has become significant for
the youth during the pilgrimage. Then encourage the pilgrims to say goodbye to each other
(remind them to get to each person)—perhaps by passing the peace. Leave for home. Take
yourself home and put your feet up.
65 Sample Activities: Nightwatch in NYC
Nightwatch and Late Nightwatch
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City
Nightwatch is an intense, one night experience of the Cathedral that includes time for
meeting and mixing, a program highlighting the ministry of the Cathedral, a private
demonstration of the Cathedral’s great organ, a candlelight meditation and Eucharist, and a
tour that traces the story of the Cathedral and Christian tradition as it is embodied in the
building. [NOTE: The church is being renovated after a fire so much of it will be closed off at
various times until Christmas 2008….call to check on the current status.]
Late Nightwatch is an option for the second night. After a day in the City, groups return to
the Cathedral for a tour of the high spaces, upper galleries, roof, and attic.
Nightwatch begins at 7:30 pm and ends at 10:00 am the following morning. The group is then
free until 6:15 pm when they return for dinner (or slightly later if you’re not eating at the
Cathedral) and the “high” tour. Bring your own food. Cooking facilities consist of a small room
with one stove and one refrigerator which you will share with up to 100 participants! So,
spaghetti or some other very simple meal is the most you can expect to cook and eat in that
space. Pizza by delivery is available and a small grocer is across the street. We recommend
sandwiches purchased prior to arriving and Danish for breakfast (coffee and tea are provided).
There is no soda machine so even drinks must be brought with you.
Bring comfortable clothes, sneakers (for gym floor), something modest to sleep in (you’re all
on the gym floor together), sleeping bag, pillow, and toiletries. And, if you play one, bring a
musical instrument.
Don’t bring valuables, electronic devices (Discmen, Walkmen, handheld games and the like
are a distraction and a potential target for theft!). LeaderResources recommends you bring one
CD Player (if you plan to use chants or music on CD to introduce the Great Silence) and keep it
with you at all times while at the Cathedral. No drugs or alcohol allowed.
There are NO showers. Bring a washcloth for use at the sink. You’ll probably be attending the
Cathedral service on Sunday morning (9 or 11 am service) but there is no need to “dress up.”
Slacks and a decent shirt with sneakers are fine. This is New York City, where tourists are
abundant and even the locals don’t dress up much anymore.
Standard Nightwatches are open to any size youth group combined to the maximum of 100
participants. An exclusive Nightwatch (like the J2A groups only Nightwatch6) requires a
minimum of 65 participants. There is one Nightwatch each summer that is open only to J2A
youth groups. Reservations are final when a deposit and completed reservation form are
6
The designated J2A Nightwatch is primarily for J2A pilgrimage groups or secondarily for those
on Urban Adventure. If you are on Urban Adventure your youth will be too young to qualify for the Late
Nightwatch which is only open the older age group. Also, we encourage you to join in observing the
Great Silence at the end of the day, both to avoid disturbing those on pilgrimage and to give your group
some peace and quiet at the end of the evening!
66 received (contact the Cathedral for the form)—you can’t reserve by phone.
The cost is $30 per person for one night and $44 for both nights, with one-half of the amount
due at registration. Deposits are non-refundable.
Nightwatch is only one part of a New York City pilgrimage. You can schedule it either the last
days (leaving for home after the service on Sunday morning—although that means traveling
without showers for a third day). Or you can start with Nightwatch. In the latter case we
strongly urge you to arrive the day before and spend the night at your “on-going” facility even
though that means moving in, and then out, and then back in again. It also means that you will
need to pay for that lodging for the two nights while you are at the Cathedral and you are only
using your lodging to store gear. However, the experience of other groups is that coming
directly to the Cathedral makes it difficult to get into a Pilgrimage spirit.
Also, remember that you, unlike more Nightwatch groups, will be carrying luggage for 10-14
days and not just two nights. If you have lodging elsewhere in the city, you can settle in, get a
gentle and restful start, have a place to escape to on Saturday afternoon (and take showers!)
before the Late Nightwatch, and have a place to stash all of your extra luggage.
Friday night will keep you up until about 2:00 am. So your group may want to nap, rest, and
refresh at your alternative lodgings on Saturday afternoon before heading back for the second
night. This might also solve the concern about food as the food preparation and eating area at
the Cathedral is so small. You can then eat before you arrive and just bring breakfast for
Saturday and Sunday mornings.
To make arrangements for Nightwatch contact the Director, Paul Johnson at 212-579-6210;
fax: 212- 579-6318; e-mail: PonyDealNY@aol.com. You need to make your reservations early
as Nightwatch tends to fill up quickly.
67