St Marks Teens on Pilgrimage

St Marks currently enjoys 3 teen groups in its youth ministry: "Rite 13," "Journey to Adulthood" (aka J2A), and "Young Adults in Church" (aka YAC). At 4 am, Monday, July 6, the middle group, J2A, gathered at BWI airport for the launch of its pilgrimage.

A "pilgrimage" is not like a mission trip nor is it like a vacation trip. Pilgrimage is one of the ancient, classic spiritual disciplines found not only in Christianity, but in most religions. Pilgrimages serve as a powerful metaphor: one hopes to foster a spiritual journey within oneself by making a physical journey through time and space. The purpose is to spark a spiritual awakening, deepening, or renewal. Although we celebrate the life of Christ here at home, we hope by changing our literal perspective in space to see Christ in a new way at another place.

As Psalm 84 puts it:

4 Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way.

5 Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.

6 They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.

Our J2A group has been working toward this pilgrimage for

two years, learning, preparing, planning, studying and fund-raising.

Finally -- at last!! -- they gathered at 4 am, Monday, July 6, at BWI to fly to Belize.

In a brief service of prayer, they were given a cross (a replica of the St Marks altar cross) and a journal for their daily reflections. After we blessed, commissioned and charged them, goodbye kisses were exchanged, parents headed home, and our band of pilgrims headed for the departure gate.

Among their aspirations, they hope to keep us updated with "daily blog entries," which will be posted here on this site. Keep checking back!

Read their journal entries over the course of their pilgrimage through the links below:

Pilgrimage entries:
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1
Departure

The Lord be with them and with you!