This nine-day pilgrimage explores the legacy of Christian resistance in Nazi Germany and the history of the Protestant reformation, with a special focus on the life, witness, and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Through visits to historic sites, memorials, and neighborhoods connected to Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church, pilgrims will engage both the history of resistance and contemporary issues of justice in Berlin and beyond, equipping them to be leaders for justice in their own context. Weaving in sites and stories related to Martin Luther, participants will grapple with the challenges of reforming systems, structures, and organizations. Schedule may be adjusted for efficiency and guide availability. This trip is made possible through a Thriving Congregations grant from the Lilly Endowment.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is available from Trawick International while completing your registration or until 48 hours before departure.

1. You should be able to walk, with luggage, for up to half a mile on uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones.

2. On most days, you will be out of the hotel between 9am and 5pm, with breaks along the way and some free time to rest.

3. You should be able to walk 12,000 steps per day and stand while listening to our professional guides

4. You should be able to sleep in hotels located in city centers, which may have road noise. Air conditioning in Europe is less effective than in the US and may not cool your room as much as you're used to back home.

5. You should, after a brief orientation, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.

We depart Charlotte at 9:57am on DL5052 to JFK, connecting to DL92 to Berlin, departing at 5:50pm and arriving at 7:55am on June 10. Flight schedule subject to change per the airline.

We arrive in Berlin this morning and begin with an orientation tour of the city, either by bus or on foot. After lunch (included) we’ll pause for opening worship and reflections. In the afternoon, visit the Topography of Terror Museum, located on the site of the former SS headquarters. Dinner is included. Overnight at Generator Berlin Alexanderplatz, Berlin. Students will be accommodated in private 4-bed dormitory rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Leaders and church partners will be in double occupancy rooms with en-suite bath.

Today, we travel about 45 minutes north of Berlin to the Sachsenhausen Memorial Center, a former concentration camp used by the Nazis for political prisoners, including clergy and members of the resistance. We’ll spend 2-3 hours onsite with time for lunch at the museum café (on your own). Returning to Berlin, we’ll visit the German Resistance Memorial Center, highlighting the courageous efforts of individuals and groups who resisted the regime. Dinner (included) and overnight at Generator Berlin Alexanderplatz, Berlin.

Our morning begins with a walking tour of the Grunewald neighborhood, where the Bonhoeffer family lived, followed by a guided visit to the Bonhoeffer House. Our time there will include a lecture and discussion with a local Bonhoeffer expert. After lunch (included), we may visit the State Archives to view Bonhoeffer’s papers, or you may opt to give the group free time in Berlin for personal exploration. Dinner (included) and overnight at Generator Berlin Alexanderplatz, Berlin.

This morning we’ll join Berlin City Mission for a social justice tour, learning how contemporary ministries address poverty and exclusion. After the tour, enjoy (lunch on your own) and a free afternoon to explore some of Berlin’s highlights like the Checkpoint Charlie Museum, Berlin Wall Memorial, or any of the five museums on Museum Island. Dinner (on your own) and overnight at Generator Berlin Alexanderplatz, Berlin.

We begin at Zion Church, where the Confessing Church movement gathered and which housed a resistance printing press. We will join them for morning worship then meet with their clergy to learn more about the contemporary ministry of the congregation. After lunch (included) we’ll have a walking tour of the Sophienstrasse neighborhood and Sophie Church to further explore the Confessing Church’s witness. Enjoy a bit of free time in the late afternoon before dinner (on your own) on your last night in Berlin.

We’ll depart Berlin this morning and make a two-hour drive to Wittenberg. This university town is where Martin Luther wrote his ninety-five theses, launching the Protestant Reformation. Once we arrive in Wittenberg we will take a walking tour of the town including Lutherhaus and All Saints’ Church. We’ll have lunch together (included) and a bit of time to relax before dinner (included). Overnight at Martha's Hotel, Wittenberg.

Today we will explore the Wittenberg Castle Church and its famous door, along with the castle tower next door. We will contemplate Luther’s context and perhaps sing a few lines from ‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” After lunch (on your own ) you will have free time to further explore the city. In the evening we will regather for closing worship and a celebratory closing dinner (included). Overnight at Martha's Hotel, Wittenberg.

We will have an early morning departure from Wittenberg to the Berlin airport. We travel on DL93 from Berlin to New York (JFK), departing at 9:50am. You arrive in New York at 12:51pm and connect to DL 5067, departing at 4:15pm and arriving in Charlotte at 6:46pm. Flight schedule subject to change per the airline.