St. Louis, March 20^th 2017

Dear Friends,

We write to you from St. Louis, where we arrived just a few days ago. In just over two months from now (May 26-29) our Pilgrimage of Trust will begin.

In actual fact, it’s already started. Many people in St. Louis have already entered into the spirit of the Pilgrimage. Since last September there have been “evenings of trust” all over the city and region: times of prayer followed by conversation on what is required in order to build trust. Many more of these evenings will take place in the coming weeks.

An article that appeared recently in the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” will give you an idea of some of the expectations and hopes that we have heard in the last months:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/tony-messenger/messenger-unity-sparked-by-jewish-cemetery-vandalism-sets-stage-for/article_86d17247-ebd8-5b96-9164-e3a6108ca054.html

St. Louis University, which will host the Pilgrimage, is providing us with some wonderful spaces for the prayers that will be at the heart of our Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday afternoon, there will be a number of inspiring workshops on social questions, art, music and the spiritual life. Here are few examples:

“Faith Lessons Learned in Ferguson” (led by Rev Starsky Wilson, who was the co-chair of the Ferguson Commission) and who continues to play a major role in the search for justice and change in StTa. Louis.

“Holding Up Your Corner: Talking About Race in Your Community”, led by Pastor Willis Johnson, and by Nicki Reinhardt-Swierk from the Center for Empowerment. Both are in Ferguson.

“Gospel without words”: with a mime artist.

The “Walk of Trust” through part of the city on Sunday afternoon will involve people of all generations and backgrounds.

Registration is now open: www.pilgrimageoftruststl.com

The cost (45 US dollars, meals included, except dinner on Friday evening) has been kept as low as possible. We encourage you to register in April and to get the word out to others.

The Pilgrimage of Trust in St. Louis connects well with the theme that is at the heart of all the weekly meetings at Taizé in 2017: “Together, Opening Paths of Hope”.

We are grateful for the opportunity to search “together” with you on ways to do this today.

Hoping to see you in St. Louis.

Brothers John and Emile