Youth ministry
Pilgrimage:
Not just another backpacking trip

By Danny Parkins & Bob Hayes

What do a 70-year-old retired pastor and a 17- year-old high school senior have in common? For us, it was participating in "Pilgrimage," a Holston Conference youth event held Sept. 23-25 in cooperation with Wilderness Trail in Troutdale, Va. Here's how we describe our experience:

Bob: Last February, Youth Coordinator Dan Gray invited me to go with the conference youth on a two-day, 15-mile backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. He told me they were calling the event "Pilgrimage" and that it would involve both a physical challenge and an opportunity for spiritual growth. I readily agreed and decided to invite my teenage friend Danny Parkins to go with us.

Danny: I have known Bob all of my life. He baptized me when I was a baby. We often go hiking together. I've been on several backpacking trips with the Boy Scouts and decided this Pilgrimage would be pretty cool.

Bob: I do a lot of day hikes, but backpacking was something new. I wondered how I'd get along carrying a 40-pound pack, but I was eager to accept the challenge. Danny and I drove to the Wilderness Trail lodge on Friday afternoon. We met Mary Wood who provided us with the necessary equipment and accompanied us on the hike. Dan Gray was there also along with four other youth: C. J. Burtner from Christ UMC and Spencer Ratliff, Lauren Baylor, and Meghan Wheeler from Cokesbury UMC, all from Knoxville District.

Danny: I really enjoyed meeting new friends who, like me, are trying to discover God's plan for their lives. Dan asked us to choose the name of a Christian saint and to think about that person during the pilgrimage. I chose Andrew.

Bob: Before we began our hike, we fashioned a large cross of sticks bound together with cord. One of us carried it at the head of our procession during the entire journey. The cross was a constant reminder that we were on a spiritual journey as well as a physical one.

Danny: Once I got pretty winded as we were climbing a steep hill. The person in front of me was carrying the cross. It reminded me that God is always before me providing strength beyond my own.

Bob: During our devotional periods, Dan shared some of the writings of Christian pilgrims from the past. Often our spoken words led to long periods of meditative silence. I liked that.

Danny: So did I. I thought this would be a backpacking trip with a few devotionals thrown in, but it turned out to be much more God-centered than I imagined. I liked the fact that we all participated in the devotionals, and I loved the quiet times when we could pray silently, admire the beauty of God's creation, or even fall asleep in God's arms.

Bob: We struggled somewhat with the heavy packs, but we all made it to Damascus UMC where Pastor Jane Ayers shared the sacrament with us and served most welcome refreshments.

Danny: To me, the physical struggle reflected our daily spiritual struggle. I was reminded that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Bob: Danny and I both recommend "Pilgrimage" to anyone who enjoys a challenge and seeks a closer walk with God.

Danny Parkins is a member at Fairview UMC, Maryville District. The Rev. Bob Hayes recently retired from an eight-year stint as chaplain at Asbury Place at Maryville. For more information about Pilgrimage, visit youthpilgrimage.holston.org or call the youth office at (423) 928-2156.

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