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Trip Dates: June 29 – July 13, 2027 Hiking Dates: June 30 – July 12, 2027
A 2-week pilgrimage along the Camino del Norte
Join us for a life-changing, pilgrimage experience!
For more information, contact Rev. Dr. Jake Myers (myersj@ctsnet.edu) or Rev. Sarah Colwill (scolwill@presbyphl.org)
Description
This pilgrimage follows the Camino del Norte, one of the oldest and least-traveled routes to Santiago, walked for centuries by pilgrims who hugged the northern coast to avoid Moorish-controlled roads further inland. Over 15 days you'll trace the Bay of Biscay west from the Basque Country into Galicia, ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the purported resting place of St. James the Apostle. You'll disconnect from the demands of ministry and journey inward toward a deeper awareness of yourself, your calling, and your faith.
As clergy, spiritual leaders, and preachers, you pour yourself out for others constantly. This pilgrimage is structured to pour back into you. Morning devotions and reflections will create space for spiritual growth. Evening group processing will give you room to name and integrate what's surfacing emotionally. Gentle stretching and restorative yoga will keep your body present and awake to the journey.
You'll be guided by an experienced preaching professors, walking 7–15 miles per day and staying in semi-private accommodations. The Camino del Norte runs along cliffs above the Bay of Biscay, through fishing villages, port cities turned cultural capitals, and the green mountains of Cantabria and Asturias. You'll begin in San Sebastián, before the route carries you through Bilbao, Santander, and the coastal towns of Asturias, tracing the shoreline west toward Galicia.
The final stretch brings you into Galicia for the last 100 kilometers, the section that earns you the official Compostela certificate upon arrival. Along the way you'll pass Playa de las Catedrales, the Cathedrals Beach, where sea arches carved into the cliffs only appear at low tide. In Santiago, you'll tour the Cathedral of St. James, attend the Pilgrim's Mass, and receive your Compostela, the Church's recognition that you made the walk.
Jake Myers
Wade P. Huie Jr. Associate Professor of Homiletics
Columbia Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Jake Myers has served on the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary for 10 years and currently serves as the Wade P. Huie, Jr. Associate Professor of Homiletics. He is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA). Jake is the author of dozens of scholarly essays and has authored or co-authored 7 books. His latest releases include: Stand-up Comedy, Theology, and Ethics (Bloomsbury, 2025); Preaching Philosophy: French Thought for Gospel Proclamation (Baylor University Press, 2025; and Stand-Up Preaching: Homiletical Insights from Contemporary Comedians (Cascade, 2022).
Jake has worked on staff in churches in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Jake is also known as The Preaching Doctor, where he provides virtual preaching consultations to pastors wanting to take their preaching to the next level and short-form videos to resource preachers on his YouTube channel. He is passionate about teaching preaching and loves sharing that excitement with others.
Jake is also a certified yoga instructor and loves being able to connect his mind, body, and spirit in his yoga practice. When he is not at the gym or yoga studio, Jake enjoys backpacking, scuba diving, rock climbing, and (poorly) playing his Ukelele. He is the proud father of Taylor, a 19-year-old student at the University of Hawaii, Nathan (16), and Max (13).
Itinerary
(June 29 – July 13)
Day 1: Arrive in San Sebastián
Day 2: San Sebastián to Zarautz
Day 3: Zarautz to Deba
Day 4: Deba to Markina-Xemein
Day 5: Markina-Xemein to Gernika
Day 6: Gernika to Lezama
Day 7: Lezama to Bilbao
Day 8: Rest Day
Day 9: Baamonde to A Roxica
Day 10: A Roxica to Sobrado do Monxes
Day 11: Sobrado do Monxes to Arzua
Day 12: Arzua to A Rua
Day 13: A Rua to Santiago de Compostela
Day 14: Return Home or Sightseeing in Santiago
Your Guides
Director of Lilly Initiatives
Presbytery of Philadelphia
Sarah Colwill
Rev. Sarah Colwill oversees our two Lilly Endowment-funded ministry initiatives. The first is a clergy care program, Cultivating Enough in the Care of Clergy, which promotes health and vitality in our pastors through opportunities for self-care, personal reflection, fellowship with colleagues, and equipping workshops. The second is a preaching initiative, Expanding the Pulpit, a two-track program for pastors to strengthen their preaching skills, and for lay leaders to encourage their voice in the pulpit.
Sarah has been with the Presbytery of Philadelphia since April, 2021. Prior to this call, she served in the bounds of the presbytery as pastor at Church on the Mall, campus minister at Drexel University, and associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Springfield (Flourtown). Sarah is encouraged to be resourcing and strengthening leadership in our congregations.
Her favorite forms of self-care are running, journaling, and playing with her dog, Bella. She lives in Lafayette Hill, and along with being a pastor, has the dual call of being a mother to her two (almost-grown) children, Nathan and Julia.
Applications will be accepted until November 15, 2026. After the application window closes, you will be contacted to schedule a 30-minute Zoom conversation with the program facilitators.
Psychotherapist
Denali Counseling, LLCDenali Green
Denali Green LPC, RPT-S is a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist & supervisor practicing in Atlanta, Georgia. In her practice, she works with children, adults, couples, parents, and families across the lifespan. She also collaborates with teachers and schools to support student emotional regulation, classroom connection, and learning. Her work is grounded in attachment-based and trauma-informed therapy, helping clients of all ages move beyond the impact of anxiety, trauma, divorce, and relational disconnection toward healthier, more secure sense of selves and relationships.
Denali has co-led multiple pilgrimages on the Camino de Santiago. Her open spirit, empathic energy, and bubbly personality support pilgrims from all walks of life to attend to the emotional, psychological, and spiritual lessons the Camino provides. She especially enjoys the way the Camino invites preachers to focus on lingering traumas, relationship struggles, and existential questions.
Denali is a passionate mother of Taylor (19), Nathan (16), and Max (13). She has fully embraced the mantle of soccer mom—minivan and all. When she is not helping children, parents, and couples in her therapy practice, she enjoys yoga, long walks with her dog Bella, and travel.
Program Fee
The total program fee is $1,999. A 50% non-refundable deposit is due at the time of acceptance, following interviews. All balances are due May 1, 2026. This preaching experience falls under the conference supported and fully funded by Expanding the Pulpit for those enrolled in the initiative.
Your Program Fee Includes:
14 nights’ accommodations in semi-private rooms
2 meals per day
Guided hiking from experienced pilgrims
Luggage transport from town-to-town during pilgrimage
Pilgrim’s credential
Facilitated morning devotions
Daily walking meditations
Evening group processing with team members
20-week customized training plan for physical preparation
Monthly Zoom meetings with leaders to prepare you for your pilgrimage
One-on-one sermon coaching
One-on-one therapy/coaching session
Airfare, transportation to/from airport
Visa (if needed)
Travel insurance (required)
Your Program Fee Does Not Include:
Snacks, laundry, personal bus or taxi use
Compostela fee (optional)
Optional activities (e.g. museums, tours, etc.)