Pilgrimage 2021 — a life-changing weekend event filled with amazing artists, thought provoking speakers, and inspiring youth leadership — recently took place during the second weekend in November.
Attendees joined both virtually and in-person (with restrictions and requirements related to preventing the spread of COVID-19). The event followed a similar schedule as years past with four general sessions: Friday Evening, Saturday Morning, Saturday Evening and Sunday Morning. Opportunities to serve others through missions were offered on Saturday afternoon, to include meal packing with Rise Against Hunger.
Ben Adams and Dr. Donna Coltrane Battle served as keynote speakers during the Pilgrimage 2021 event.
Ben, pastor at First on Chatham in Cary, NC, shared a message on Friday Evening. Dr. Donna provided a message on Saturday Morning, Saturday Evening and Sunday Morning. NCC Pilgrimage is thankful for the leadership of both Ben and Donna. You can learn more about them here.
Pilgrimage 2021 offered new beginnings for NCC Pilgrimage: the first hybrid event (both in-person and virtual) and a new location, the Rocky Mount Event Center.
Even with new beginnings, old and meaningful traditions continued at Pilgrimage 2021:
- Youth leadership powered the event with youth sharing their talents in the House Band, their stories of faith and their talents in the arts with song and dance. Youth leaders of the NC Conference also read scripture (both in English and in other languages) and introduced speakers.
- The Banner Processional, a procession of banners representing each church in attendance, took place on Sunday Morning as worship began.
- Holy Communion and a Love Feast connected all attendees in remembrance of the love of Christ.
Close to 2,000 youth and their adult leaders joined together to study and celebrate the teachings of Matthew 25, which is the basis for a four-year theme: God In Unexpected Places. For more information on the event theme, which drives programming and worship, visit nccpilgrimage.org/2021/theme.
There are many ways to engage with Pilgrimage 2021 and to learn more about the weekend:
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Web Story
View a web story recap of Pilgrimage 2021.
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Watch Sessions
Download the NC Conference App to view the Pilgrimage 2021 sessions.
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View Photos
View photos of the event.
The Pilgrimage Ministry Team prays a prayer of thanks and celebration for the youth leadership, powerful messages and shared fellowship that took place at Pilgrimage 2021.
Pilgrimage has been creating a space for thousands of United Methodist youth (6th – 12th grades) and their mentors to gather for over 25 years. Pilgrimage is a life-changing weekend event filled with amazing artists, thought provoking speakers, and inspiring youth leadership – all bearing witness to the transforming love of Christ. The weekend event is for students and adult student leaders looking for a weekend worship experience that calls everyone to a new or stronger faith in Jesus, challenging everyone to share God’s love in word and action.
For more information on NCC Pilgrimage, visit nccpilgrimage.org.