Come join us for a life-changing civil rights pilgrimage!
Confronted with the long-reaching effects of racism, America is being racked with upheaval and unrest. Many are asking, “How do we respond as Christians to the injustices we see today?” The challenges in our country are complex and deeply rooted; however, we believe the Church, as a witness to the character of the God we follow, has a responsibility to confront evil and injustice in all its forms.
The conviction that God calls Christians to confront injustice has guided the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation into underserved communities for more than 60 years. The foundation endeavors to be an example and to provide resources that equip and empower Christians to pursue biblical justice and reconciliation in their communities.
Long before justice was trending and missional was a word, Dr. John Perkins was boldly pioneering a new movement in Christian culture. In 1976, he published Let Justice Roll Down, a manifesto inspired by his own experience growing up in Mississippi and forged through suffering and imprisonment. Let Justice Roll Down, named by Christianity Today as one of the Top 25 most important books of the 21st Century, serves as a blueprint for the Church to begin to reclaim an ancient commitment to social justice.
Today, the Perkins Foundation is committed to investing in the lives of leaders, pastors, Sunday school groups, associations, companies, clubs and anyone interested in learning. They have found the best way to help Christian leaders reclaim a commitment to social justice is by inviting them to Jackson, Mississippi for a Perkins Justice Pilgrimage. This Pilgrimage includes life-changing dialogue, engaging Bible study and immersive learning experiences about reconciliation and justice, a spiritual pilgrimage that embraces our past and insists that our “now” is not separate from our “then.”
The Perkins Justice Pilgrimage includes personal time with Dr. Perkins, the Perkins family, and other civil rights and Christian community leaders. During this Pilgrimage, you will visit historic landmarks in Mississippi and beyond that helped shape the theology of Dr. Perkins and the Perkins Foundation. This will be a life-changing experience for all who participate!
The John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation is located at: 1831 Robinson St., Jackson, MS 39209. Participants should plan to arrive no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
This region is serviced by the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN). Departing flights should be scheduled after 12 p.m. on Sunday, December 3.
Activity Level:
All participants should be in good health and able to walk moderate distances to fully participate and experience the sightseeing opportunities included in this tour.
Pilgrimage Includes:
• Four nights lodging
• All meals beginning with dinner on Wednesday, November 29
• Leaders from the Perkins Foundation to lead tour, Bible study and engaging dialogue
• Entrance fees to museums and other sites
Not Included in Pilgrimage Package:
• Transportation to/from Jackson, Mississippi. The Perkins Foundation is located at 1831 Robinson Street, Jackson, Mississippi.
• Personal incidentals
Member, Spouse & Friends of CMDA $1,420
All meals are included beginning with dinner on Wednesday, November 29.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations and requests for refund must be submitted in writing to the Christian Medical & Dental Associations Attention Kim Hodge P.O. Box 7500 Bristol, TN 37621-7500 or email kim.hodge@cmda.org
Cancellation charges will be assessed as follows:
Before or on September 1:
$100 per person
September 2 – November 8:
$300 per person
Four nights lodging is included with registration. Lodging arranged by the Perkins Foundation.
Drs. John and Vera Mae Perkins
The John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation for Justice, Reconciliation & Community Development (JVMPF) is a non-profit organization that teaches and promotes the principles of Christian Community development and racial reconciliation. It was founded in Pasadena, California in February 1983 by Drs. John M. and Vera Mae Perkins and a few friends and supporters. In 1998 it moved to Jackson, Mississippi to begin its work in the economically and physically deteriorating West Jackson community.
Through years of experience among the poor, Dr. John Perkins recognized that the problems encountered by those living in West Jackson and similar communities cannot be solved without strong commitment and risky actions on the part of ordinary Christians with heroic faith. He observed that most creative long-term solutions to the problems of the poor came from grass-roots and church-based efforts of people who saw themselves as the replacements, the agents of Jesus here on earth and in their own neighborhoods and communities.
The John and Vera Mae Perkins philosophy is a community development concept. It wasn’t developed in a classroom, nor formulated by those foreign to the poor community. Our Biblical principles are practical and evolved from years of living and working among families living in our target area. In rural Mississippi, John Perkins first developed this philosophy. He, his wife, Dr. Vera Mae Perkins, and their children have lived out this philosophy for more than 61 years.
V. Elizabeth Perkins, Co-President; Program & Missions Coordinator
When Elizabeth shares her excitement for God’s call on her life, she says, “Looking back over my life I see how God’s hand has brought me to this time and place. This represents not only where we are in our own lives, but where we want to take others as well.” Whether she is guiding you through the intricacies of establishing and managing your own foundation or helping you establish a youth ministry or mentoring program, Elizabeth brings passion and purpose to your mission. Elizabeth has spent time in Africa ministering and serving with the Navigators. Her goal is simple yet profound: Helping next generations encounter & follow Jesus to bless a broken world.
Tentative Itinerary
The intent of the Pilgrimage is to visit each of the sites listed below. Sites closed because of weather, renovation or other unforeseen circumstances will not be visited. The tour guide is given the freedom to use his/her discretion to choose the day and the order sites are visited.
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Arrive at the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation by 5:00 p.m. for dinner at the Foundation located at 1831 Robinson Street, Jackson, Mississippi. Overnight stay at Perkins Foundation.
Thursday, November 30, 2023
After breakfast, we will travel to Birmingham. Professor Ron Potter will lead a devotional on biblical pilgrimage. In Birmingham, we will tour Kelly Ingram Park and 16th Street Baptist Church. In the afternoon, we will travel to Montgomery, where we will visit the Montgomery Riverfront, have dinner and spend the night.
Friday, December 1, 2023
After breakfast, Professor Potter will continue his devotional on biblical pilgrimage. We will visit Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, Equal Justice Initiative Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the The Legacy Museum. After lunch, we will travel to Selma, where we will walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. That afternoon, we will travel back to Jackson, with a stop for dinner along the way. Overnight stay at Perkins Foundation.
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Today we will explore Mississippi’s journey in civil rights. Following breakfast, our journey will begin with a Bible study and discussion led by Dr. John Perkins, followed by visits to Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. Overnight stay at Perkins Foundation.
Sunday, December 3, 2023
The morning’s Bible study on biblical justice will be led by Pastor Phil and Marcia Reed. The final session of this pilgrimage will be a discussion led by Elizabeth Perkins, Professor Ron Potter, Pastor Phil and Marcia Reed.
Kim Hodge
kim.hodge@cmda.org
(423) 844-1063
Mail:
CMDA
Attn: Kim Hodge
PO Box 7500
Bristol, TN 37621
