Civil Rights Pilgrimage
Vestavia Hills Baptist Church
September 2025-April 2026
An Immersive Spiritual Journey Through Birmingham’s Civil Rights Heritage
Our purpose: For residents of Alabama to embark on a spiritual pilgrimage to significant Civil Rights locations connected to houses of faith. This journey offers participants the opportunity to engage historical sites, the Spirit of God, one another, and personal stories while fostering spiritual formation.
Why a pilgrimage? A pilgrimage is more than a trip; it is a sacred journey to places where the Spirit of God has been profoundly experienced. This pilgrimage invites participants to reflect on the intersections of faith, justice, and community.
Participants: This pilgrimage is open to adults committed to exploring Birmingham’s Civil Rights history through a faith-based lens within a yearlong covenant group experience. The group will be limited to 12 participants to ensure a reflective and intimate experience.
2025-2026 Pilgrimage Guides
Beth McGinnis
Sharon Repp
Beth McGinnis and Sharon Repp. Beth and Sharon participated in our 2024-2025 Exploratory Civil Rights Pilgrimage and will bring both professional and personal training and experiences to their role as pilgrimage guides.
The pilgrimage begins with a series of preparatory gatherings to build community and set the spiritual tone for the journey. Four weekly Sunday Night Small Groups will be held at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church at 4 pm. These meetings will begin on September 7th.
Getting Ready to Go on Pilgrimage
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Why are we going on pilgrimage?
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What is a pilgrimage? [Read - The Soul of a Pilgrim: 8 Practices for the Journey Within by Christine Valters Painter]
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Establish group norms and spiritual commitments
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Teaching foundational content on important events, people and places to help context for our pilgrimage locations.
Going on Pilgrimage
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Going on Pilgrimage ***
Most pilgrimage days will be on the first Saturday morning of the month.
During the pilgrimage experience, the group will also step aside for a couple of debriefing meetings.
October 4 - Civil Rights Institute – Birmingham
November 1- Bethel Baptist Church and Dynamite Hill Tours
November 2 - Step Aside Day – VHBC @ 4:00 pm
December 6 - Civil Rights Walking Tour of Birmingham
January 11 - Temple Beth-El Tour
January 25 – Step Aside Day – VHBC @ 4:00 pm
February 6 - 16th Street Baptist Church and Tour of Gaston Motel
March 7 - Day Trip to Montgomery - Visit Legacy Sites, enjoy lunch together, and tour Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.
Next Steps Retreat – April 10-11 (Friday Night to Saturday morning)
Purpose: To process the pilgrimage experience and discern personal next steps. Participants will reflect on how the journey has shaped their faith and commitment to justice.