UPDATE: The Walk to Bethlehem was a success! We had 106 parishioners plus 154 students from the school walking program participate. They walked a grand total of 7,390 miles and the distance from Evansville to Bethlehem is 6,923 miles with the route we took. Congratulations to everyone who participated.
Walk to Bethlehem
Passport
Record your miles on the weekly log. Remember that 20
minutes of an aerobic activity or praying equals 1 mile. Place the
appropriate log section in the backpack on the Health Ministry bulletin board
after Mass every weekend. Turn the form over if you need more room to write.
STUDENTS: Do not include the miles you walk in the school morning walking program. We will obtain those miles from the school. Include all of your other activities.
If you did not sign up during the registration period, you may still join in the walk. Pick up a passport on the bulletin board or call the parish nurse for more information.
Extra Passports can be found on the bulletin board in church.
Walk To Bethlehem
Did you know that the word “walking” is mentioned 247 times in the Bible?
Regular walking “can prevent depression, lengthen lifespan, lower stress
levels, relieve arthritis and back pain, strengthen muscles, bones and
joints, and improve sleep” (aarp.org/health/fitness/walking). Along with
inactivity, the turmoil of our busy lives can unbalance us unless we center
ourselves in prayer.
To improve our physical and spiritual health, as well as our global and
cultural awareness, Good Shepherd’s Health Ministry Team is promoting an
imaginary walk from Evansville to Bethlehem.
Families and individuals are encouraged to sign up and receive
their “passport” for this 12-week program. You will keep a weekly account of
how many miles you walk (or 20 minutes of aerobic activity equals 1 mile).
For those unable to participate due to a disability or physical limitation,
you may accumulate miles by your physical/occupational therapy sessions,
armchair exercises, or praying for those who are walking.
You will need to drop your weekly account log in the backpack by the Health
Ministry bulletin board after Mass each weekend. These will be tallied to
monitor our progress and the results will be posted on the bulletin board.
Also, check the board each week to find our current location on the map, read
about the geography and culture of the area, and pick up the weekly devotion
page.
During your walk or activity, you are encouraged to focus on the weekly
scripture devotion page, your prayer concerns, or the needs of the people and
communities where you are “walking”. Additional ideas include:
- invite a friend or neighbor to join you,
- plan exercise activities as a family,
- walk one lap around the mall before shopping, or
- in lieu of Christmas gifts, ask family members to pledge money to a
charity or mission if you meet your goals.
Students can also include their participation in the school walking program,
and any sports activities such as cross country, etc. To keep everyone
motivated, there will be random drawings for prizes!
Sign up for this inspiring adventure and receive your “passport” after Masses
the weekends of September 20-21, or September 27-28. We will begin our
program on September 29 and end in Bethlehem on December 21; just in time to
rest a few days before the birth of Jesus. The distance between Evansville
and Bethlehem is approximately 6,385 miles as the crow flies. Let’s see if
the parishioners of Good Shepherd can go the distance.
