Grace Cathedral
Tuesday, July 11 – Tuesday, July 18
This summer, Grace Cathedral is leading a Racial Justice Youth Pilgrimage.
Pilgrims will experience how justice has been fought for and continues to be fought for in the US and how important faith has been for so many of those involved in the fight. We will meet with the local community and spiritual leaders who will guide us in our journey. The things we see and experience will be challenging, inspiring, and life-changing.
Highlights include:
- First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, home to one of the oldest African American congregations in the U.S. and a stop on the Underground Railroad;
- Dexter King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. began his ministry;
- The sites founded by Bryan Stevenson (“Just Mercy”) and his organization, the Equal Justice Initiative, in Montgomery, Alabama.
We will also explore the culture, community and natural beauty of the places we visit, with plans to:
- Meet with youth from St. Francis Episcopal Church, Macon, for a cookout and sleepover;
- Kayak with youth from St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (and sea turtles!) on Skidaway Island, Savannah;
- Try famed local dishes in Montgomery, Savannah and Atlanta.
A Powerful Bonding Experience
This pilgrimage will be a powerful bonding experience for our youth, allowing them to form lifelong connections with each other and the members of the youth groups we will visit. It will give participants a vision of the work they can do in our church and our society. We are excited to offer this pilgrimage to our youth and inspired by their commitment to making the world a better place for all. As emerging leaders of our church, they are the changemakers of today and tomorrow.
Fees and Requirements for Participation
Grace Cathedral is supporting a significant portion of the costs for this trip; two-thirds of the trip will be covered by Grace.
The participant cost of the pilgrimage for youth from Grace Cathedral is $800 per person or one-third of the total cost of the pilgrimage per person. The cathedral will meet additional costs, paying $1600 per pilgrim.
Additional scholarships are available.
Fees and What's Included
The fee will be all-inclusive, covering all airfares and other transport, meals, accommodation, and activities. We recommend participants bring additional spending money.
50% of this fee is required as a refundable deposit by March 16, with the remainder to be paid by May 31. Payments can be made by check to Grace Cathedral.
Fundraising for the Trip
Grace Cathedral is supporting a significant portion of the costs for this trip; two-thirds of the trip will be covered by Grace funds and by fundraising activity undertaken by the youth group. It is a requirement pilgrims attend the following fundraising activities:
- Sunday, February 19: Pancake Making for the Congregation
- Sunday, April 9: Easter Art and Craft table (participants are required to make or bake items for this event, with a craft workshop offered on March 5).
Please email Steph McNally with any further questions about the pilgrimage. Thank you!
Support the Pilgrimage
Central to our mission of inclusivity, it is important that all youth in the Grace community who want to go on this pilgrimage can participate. Your gift today makes this trip possible.