Second Annual Pilgrimage to the U.S. Southern Border

We’re excited to share this upcoming event hosted by The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ, Heartland Conference United Church of Christ, and Plymouth Church United Church of Christ!

Join the Second Annual Pilgrimage to the U.S. Southern Border on January 13-19th, 2025.  The all-inclusive cost of this 6-day international pilgrimage: $1,596. Let the narrative of fear be replaced by relationships empowered with love.

Register Here

What can I expect to see and do while on this pilgrimage?

On Monday, we will visit and have lunch at the world-renowned Heard Museum of Indigenous Culture in Phoenix, before driving to our Green Valley, Arizona lodging.

Early Tuesday, we will travel through the Douglas Port of Entry into Mexico and spend a full day at Frontera de Cristo, a mission of the Presbyterian Church USA, in partnership with the UCC and other denominations, where borders are seen as places for encounter, compassion, and the sharing of culture.

After a morning of quiet conversations, rest, and reflection on Wednesday, we will visit two “borderland” towns; we’ll walk along the border wall, eat with citizens who live in these towns, do some shopping, visit an Audubon center learning about the native species of plants, animals and especially birds. After a dinner at the culturally divergent restaurant, Velvet Elvis, we’ll return to our resort lodging, perhaps dipping into the heated outdoor pool before evening blessings and bedtime.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we will gather with other persons from across the United States and Canada, at the annual event called Commonground on the Border. A mission of The Good Shepherd, United Church of Christ congregation, Commonground… brings together persons who have similar questions to the ones we all have about immigration. Through field trips, workshops, speakers, and conversations we will learn and process new information; by engaging music, writing, and the visual arts, pilgrims find common ground at this three-day event and find joy and celebration in the midst of confronting the humanitarian tragedies of immigration. This year’s keynote speaker is international Civil Rights icon, Dolores Huerta, a friend and co-worker of Cesar Chavez, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

Sunday, prior to our departure from home, we will worship at The Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, founding church of the Sanctuary Movement. These are some of the things you will do on this pilgrimage.

PLEASE NOTICE: High School students, under 18 years old, are welcome to participate in this event if they are accompanied and registered by a Custodial Parent/Legal Guardian.

For a full information packet including itenarary, speaker bios, field trip and class session options, and more, please contact: Rev Brenda Grauer pilgrimagebjg2024@gmail.com or Cell: 216 533 5546.