Through her role at New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, Pastor Clara at First Congregational in Albuquerque will be walking a “pilgrimage for our shared home” with other IPL staff members from Carlsbad to Santa Fe in January. It will be a 25-day walk and she will participate in about 15 days total. The walkers will arrive on February 5th at the New Mexico State Capitol for Climate Action Day. “This walk is born out of the incredible urgency we feel to take bold and symbolic action for our shared home in light of the terrible climate policies at the federal level and the stranglehold of oil and gas interests in our state politics.” You can read more about it here.
Read MoreNew Mexico Pilgrimage for Unity is becoming Pilgrimage for Unity. Our transition - similar with the rest of the world - is evolving into something new!
In 2020 we shifted from an annual group pilgrimage of three days and 50 miles in New Mexico to three pilgrimages-in-place, designed and executed independently by individuals or small groups. Two years later, we offer a rhythm of self directed pilgrimages without geographic identification:
a week-long pilgrimage leading up to Pentecost;
a three-day pilgrimage of gratitude in November;
a week-long pilgrimage for the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity celebrated throughout January 18-25.
These individually designed pilgrimages begin and conclude with communal engagement via Zoom; fresh resources are available for encouragement during each pilgrimage period.
Read MoreThere are many ways we can be on a “pilgrimage.” You don’t have to be in top shape and able to walk long distances. Pilgrimage can describe any journey or process when we seek intentionally to experience and be transformed by the Holy while undertaking or living through experiences that can feel far from Holy! They are experiences that take us out of our comfort zones, knock us off balance, require us to sacrifice or endure great losses, make hard choices, function while out of control and vulnerable, invite us to entrust our wellbeing to strangers or even to God who feels absent.
Read MoreWe had a great Pilgrimage to Batworld last night. Some of us met here at the Phoenix Batcave (near 40th St. & Camelback), hosted by Scottsdale UCC, and another group met at a bat bridge in north Tucson. Wonderfully valuable & vitally important creatures, yet very misunderstood.
Read MoreWe invite you to plan with your families, church friends, or youth groups to find a bat colony location near you and gather around dusk on Friday, June 24, to be pilgrims, visitors and learners to the BatWorld. If that night doesn’t work for you, choose another.
But…why BATS?!
Read MoreWe had some expected sadness when decided to cancel the event, but almost immediately it was followed was a explosion of new ideas and creativity around this theme. We immediately sensed God was doing a new thing, and leading us to a format that, rather than focusing ourselves on one trip at one time, that we were being led to empower multiple ways that many people and churches could experience and explore the meaning of Pilgrimage.
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