“Walk to Bethlehem” is a 12 week journey from Concord, NC to Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus. We, as a congregation, began our journey on September 26th and by December 19th,we had gone a virtual trip to Bethlehem and back, just in time to celebrate Christ’s birth.  We got back early so we traveled to Bethlehem, PA and back, then to the beach and back.  Then we had a few miles left so we had a parade downtown to celebrate!

This program was to encourage every member to become more physically active, but it also encouraged spiritual growth by focusing on weekly Bible verses, devotions, and prayer. As we walked, we prayed for our neighborhood, our city, our state, and then all the other locations we journeyed through as well.

Although the program is called “ Walk to Bethlehem”, all forms of physical activities count as miles. Swimming, biking, walking, running, Yoga, aerobic exercise, and using a pedometer to log our steps counted toward the goal. For non-walking activities such as aerobics and yoga, received 1 mile of credit for every 20 minutes of participation. For those using a pedometer to count their steps, 2000 steps = 1 mile.

Here are some tips for the journey:

• If you have not exercised recently, check with your physician before getting started.
• Wear good supportive shoes with good grip on the bottom and arch support.
• Walk in the cool of the day (early morning or late evening) during the warm months.
• Walk in the warmer hours in the fall to avoid the cooler temperatures and darkness.
• Wear bright reflective clothing if walking early or late in the day.
• Carry a cell phone for emergencies.
• Hydrate before and after exercise.
• Wear sunscreen on exposed areas.
• Dress appropriately, layers in cooler weather, fabrics that wick sweat away in the heat of summer.

Warm up your muscles BEFORE stretching (cold muscles are strained when stretched before warm-up).

Know your target heart rate (a chart will be provided for you). ***Some medications (especially blood pressure medications) may prevent you from reaching your target heart rate. If you have questions or concerns about this check with your physician.

YOU DID IT!!!!