First stop on our pilgrimage: Columbus, OH

Since I have not yet received any updates yet on how many miles our pilgrimage has covered, I chose a nice holy number "777," and measured where we've landed based on that, to give you an idea of what we can do here on this pilgrimage blog. Since I am assuming we will fly from New York, we need to start accruing our miles in that direction--Northeast. (I'll land us in Western Europe so we can do a bit of walking around there to make up the miles that we would be spending walking over the Atlantic. Though, if we were more faithful disciples, perhaps we could just walk across the Atlantic en route to Jerusalem) As it goes, I'll have us walk some distance on other continents too to make up the miles--the UM church is growing more quickly in countries in Africa and the "Global South," so perhap our pilgrimage should take us there on the way to Jerusalem as well. But, since we typically think of pilgrimages from Europe, we will walk some there first. In any case....

Our 777 mile trek northeast of our starting point in Muskogee takes us to the Eastern metropolitan area of Columbas, Ohio, in the West Ohio Conference. The West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church is composed of 58 counties in Ohio. More than 1,200 congregations with almost 250,000 members live, work and witness here.
In addition to congregations, the United Methodist Church has integrated itself into the heart and culture of Ohio. Many related institutions — hospitals, colleges, seminaries, retirement communities, a children's home, and mission facilities -- have been built here with a strong commitment to the redemption and healing of individuals and society. Ohio is historically "Methodist Country." The Methodists are as prevalent there as the Baptists are in Oklahoma! Ohio is the home to 2 United Methodist Seminaries. One of which, Methodist Theological School of Ohio (Methesco) is located right here in Columbas (actually in Delaware, OH).

As we sojourn toward Jerusalem, perhaps we could stop in and check out the ministry of our brothers and sisters at Peace United Methodist Church, in Pickerington--a suburb of Columbus. It looks like this church offers numerous Bible studies, and a "WAVE" program on Wednesday nights (Wednesdays Are Valuable Evenings). The youth have a "challenge Sunday" this coming Sunday at another area church. There are also several services to choose from on Sunday mornings.