Welcome...

From Brett:
Welcome to the website of the School of the Pilgrim! The School of the Pilgrim offers people an opportunity to leave the "religion of the rush hour" by re-introducing the ancient and contemporary practice of pilgrimage to further our spiritual growth and development.

At the School of the Pilgrim we are invested in exploring the way that the life of faith--individually and collectively--is an ongoing and all-encompassing journey most often revealed in intentional pilgrimages. The companion on this holy trek is the Holy One, who leads us in re-discovering the meaningfulness of our past, teaches us to live with wonder wherever we may be today, and directs our attention to the hope before us in the future.

Pilgrimage in the Holy Land: From Sinai to Tabor

The School of the Pilgrim is eager to announce our first pilgrimage! April 10-21, 2010, "From Sinai to Tabor". We will begin in the Negev, following Abraham and Sarah's path, going to Mt. Sinai, a place of great interest among those who know the stories of Moses, Elijah, and the people of Israel; going up to Nazareth and hiking Mt. Tabor, the Mount of Transfiguration. We will conclude our pilgrimage with a service project in Bethlehem, and a few days in Jerusalem, visiting holy sites and discussing modern day religious and secular politics with Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Costs will be approximately $2,500 per person, inclusive of air fare, lodging, ground transportation, and food. Please contact Brett at Brett @schoolofthepilgrim.com, if you are interested! Hurry! Space is limited.

Sinai Wanderings

Dr. Henry Carse has invited the School of the Pilgrim pilgrims to come on a Sinai wilderness pilgrimage this November, roughly Nov. 13-23, 2010. This will include days of hiking, some jeep riding, and three days on camel back, along with a trip to historic St. Catherine's of the Sinai Monastery. Stay tuned for more information in the upcoming newsletter.

SlideShow

The School of the Pilgrim has just created a slideshow to introduce our vision and work. You can download and view the slideshow by clicking here.

We have made a copy of script of this slideshow available for those who may not be able to hear the audio portion. You can download and read the script while watch the the slides. This script is available by clicking here.

Anniversaries: Non-Profit Status and Validated Ministry

An anniversary or two: Two years ago, the School of the Pilgrim became a religious non-profit (501c3). One year ago, we were made a validated ministry of the Presbyterian Church USA on July 15, 2008.


Facebook

The School of the Pilgrim is now on Facebook, a popular social networking website. Visit our Facebook entry by clicking here.

Twitter

The School of the Pilgrim is now on Twitter, a popular social networking website. Go to Twitter, and look for "pilgrimman".

"Youth on Pilgrimage: Becoming a Pilgrim People " Accepted for Publication!

Church Publishing Group, based in New York City, the official publisher of the U.S. Episcopal Church, is going to be the official publisher of the new book, "Practicing Pilgrimage: Being and Becoming a Pilgrim Church". This book is a "how-to" book or manual that will enable youth groups to bring ancient and contemporary pilgrimage practices into the lives of young people. Look for the publication of the book in 2010!

Additional Activities :

• New and Expanded List of Resources and Links! Click on "Resources and Links" where you will find an expanded list of resources--including other books, music, and movies--along with new links to other pilgrimage sites in the world!

• A New Side Bar: Destinations! Check out the list of pilgrimage sites there are around the world. In recent editions of National Geographic Magazine and U.S. News and World Report, there was a listing of "sacred sites". We took that list and expanded it, hoping to stir interest in all the places where there is a "thin membrane" between the mundane and the Holy.
  
  
• The Church Divinity School of the Divinity awarded the School of the Pilgrim funding to help support the School of the Pilgrim retreat at the Gray Center in Canton, Mississippi Nov. 7-9, 2008, and in support of our website in publicizing the event and all other activities of the School of the Pilgrim.
  
  
• Fundraising: As always, thanks to those people who have already responded with a generous support of the School of the Pilgrim in 2008. We now have a new credit-card link through "justgive.org" on the "Contribution" page for those who would like to contribute to the ongoing growth of the School of the Pilgrim. Click here to go to the "Donation" site for donation information!
  

• Many thanks to our friend Jaqui Tutt from New Zealand, whose photographs from Santiago de Compestela in Spain now grace the side bar images on the right side of this website.
  
  
• Additions and changes to Upcoming Activities! We've added a new option for a pilgrimage event, and also have provided a list of charges for School of the Pilgrim events.
  
  
• Interested in working with the School of the Pilgrim? We are soon going to offer a position as an office assistant. Contact me if interested by going to the "Contact Page" if you or someone you know is interested!