Mission and Vision Statement

Progressive Pilgrimage provides global travel opportunities that stimulate the intellect, enrich the spirit, and build relationships among people of different religions and cultures. Our vision is to inspire Christians to become more engaged citizens, more faithful disciples, and more thoughtful neighbors, shaping God’s peaceable kingdom on earth today.

One of the true joys of travel is the chance to interact with people of diverse languages, faiths, traditions, and political views. Progressive Pilgrimage strives to provide authentic encounters that honor the worldview of those whom we meet, without imposing our own views upon them.

Led by PC(USA) Pastor

Each pilgrimage is thoughtfully planned by Rev. Heather Prince Doss, an ordained PC(USA) pastor, whose call to this ministry is validated by the Presbytery of Northern New England.

A pilgrimage is, by definition, a spiritual trip. The pilgrim takes his or her faith (however large or small it may be) on the road to encounter the holy in the places where people have been encountering the holy for generations. All of our tours offer opportunities to pray, worship, meditate, and reflect. Since each tour is built to your group’s needs, you determine how much time is offered for spiritual reflection.

Spiritual and
Educational Resources

We support all of our pilgrimages with spiritual and educational resources to help you prepare well and have a meaningful travel experience. We typically provide a series of short articles, a longer suggested reading list, recommendations for group study, and a customized journal to use during the trip. We also equip our spiritual guides with liturgies and worship resources appropriate to the journey.

You can download a sample of our educational materials here and view some of our recommended readings here.

Private Small Groups

Progressive Pilgrimage specializes in working with smaller groups to plan a personalized itinerary based on your church’s interest and passion. We often work with two or more smaller churches to plan a joint-trip, but your group will not be combined with another group you do not know. We have worked with very small groups before, and are happy to again, but most trips have a minimum of 16 participants.

Customized Itineraries

At Progressive Pilgrimage, we do not offer a list of tours from which you must select. Instead, we are committed to customized educational and spiritual journeys that meet the needs and priorities of your group. Our discernment process starts with a conversation with the trip leader, normally a pastor or educator. We discern your group’s interests and call to pilgrimage, then work together to shape an itinerary that enriches the faith life of each participant. If you’d like to begin this conversation:

Please click here to schedule a call with Eric.

About
Heather and Eric

Rev. Heather Prince Doss

I am a born traveler, literally. I was born abroad to military parents, and a love for the world has never gotten out of my bones. This love has carried me all over the United States, to Central America, Europe, Southern Africa, the Middle East, and even to the Presbyterian United Nations Office as a lowly intern. The same love has motivated my ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA) where I served as a parish pastor for over 16 years. My current call is planning and leading pilgrimages for Progressive Pilgrimage. With a bachelor’s degree in history and a Master of Divinity, I bring expertise in theology, spirituality, religious history, and biblical studies. I look forward to sharing my love of the world with you!

Eric H. Doss

I am not a born traveler, having only been as far as Canada before meeting Heather. Since Heather convinced me to visit the Holy Land in 2005, I’ve been hooked! I have Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in history, and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership. Before working for Progressive Pilgrimage full-time, I spent my career in academic publishing, teaching, and organizational consulting. I spend my time now in discernment conversations with group leaders, handling our sales and marketing, and assisting with trip logistics.