SOJOURN TO BETHLEHEM

Celebrate Christmas with the Palestinian Church

The world teaches us that hope comes from power.
Bethlehem tells a different story.

Join Christians from around the world in the city of Jesus' birth to learn from Palestinian Christians, celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem, and rediscover the good news of Christ as God's answer to violence, fear, and division.

Dec 27th - 31st
Bethlehem, Palestine

Bear witness to our shared hope as we seek Christ at the checkpoint.
An Incredible Opportunity

Stand with us. Celebrate with us.

Spend this Christmas with Palestinian Christians, families and churches.

This photo is from the early 1900s as pilgrims and local Christians gathered in Bethlehem for Christmas.

Highlights

  • Tour the Holy Land

    Walk the streets of Bethlehem and Jerusalem through the eyes of Christians whose roots in this land stretch back nearly two thousand years — a living, breathing community whose presence is both ancient and urgent.

  • Learn from Palestinian Theologians

    Sit under the teachings of theologians and pastors with distinct experiences in rootedness, justice, and peacemaking — voices that have been absent from global theological conversations for far too long.

  • Experience Traditional Palestinian Foods

    Share in the flavors and traditions that Palestinian families have passed down for generations — let the table become a place of encounter, hospitality, and connection.

  • Stand in Solidarity with Us

    See the seperation wall.

    Pass through a checkpoint.

    Bear witness to the realities of occupation.

  • Christmas in Bethlehem

    There is no place on earth quite like Bethlehem at Christmas. Experience the celebration of Christ's birth in the very city where it happened, surrounded by a community that has carried this joy through centuries of change.

Register Now 
Your Trip

This schedule is subject to change as we finalize details, but we wanted to give you a sense of how our time together will unfold.

We will also be offering an optional full-Christmas package (Dec 23 - 26). Details to come.

Optional Christmas Package

Dec 23 — 26

More details to come.

Visit the Holy Sites.

Celebrate Christmas in the place where it all started.

Day Trips in Bethlehem and Hebron

Witness the realities on the ground.

Day 1

Dec 27 — Sunday

Attend a local church.

Worship alongside Palestinian Christians.


Opening Ceremony & Session

Dinner at venue.

Dismissal: Community activities

Day 2

Dec 28 — Monday

First full day

Breakfast & networking.

Morning: Conference sessions.

Lunch around Bethlehem

Community activities.

Afternoon: Conference sessions.

Dismissal - Community activities.

Day 3

Dec 29 — Tuesday

Second Full day

Breakfast & networking.

Tours.

Lunch around Bethlehem.

Afternoon: Conference sessions/

Dismissal - Community Activities.

Day 4

Dec 30— Wednesday

Third Full day

Breakfast & Networking.

Morning: Conference sessions.

Lunch around Bethlehem

Community activities.

Afternoon: Conference sessions.

Dismissal - Community activities.

Day 5

Dec 31 — Thursday

The Last day

Breakfast & Networking.

Morning sessions

Closing Session

Frequently Asked Questions

More coming soon

  • Christ at the Checkpoint is a global conference hosted by Palestinian Christians that invites the global Church to engage with Palestine through the lens of the Gospel. For more than fifteen years, CATC has brought together Christians from around the world to learn, worship, build relationships, and explore what faithful discipleship looks like at “the checkpoint.”

  • Room and board (which includes breakfast and dinner; lunch is on your own) will be $90 per person or $60 per person for double occupancy. Registrants can reserve their room and board through the registration form when they purchase their conference ticket.

  • Thousands from around the world have visited Bethlehem for our conference over the years. Like any international travel, it requires awareness, and we work closely with trusted local partners to ensure participants are well supported. We also believe in being honest: military occupation can create uncertainties beyond our control. But we live here with our families, and we would not invite you if we did not believe it was worthwhile and reasonably safe.

  • No. In fact, many Palestinian Christians will tell you the opposite. One of the deepest challenges facing our community is isolation. Your presence is one of the most powerful expressions of solidarity and relationship you can offer. It is deeply meaningful to us when you come to listen, learn, worship, share meals, and build friendships.

  • For many visitors, the process is quite straightforward. Travelers from countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and most European nations do not typically need a traditional tourist visa to visit Bethlehem. Instead, they must obtain an ETA-IL (Electronic Travel Authorization) before traveling. Most applications are processed online and approved quickly. If you are traveling on a passport from another country, entry requirements may differ, and we encourage you to check the latest requirements before making travel plans.

  • Christmas in Bethlehem is unlike anywhere else in the world. The city comes alive with lights, music, services, processions, and pilgrims from around the globe. There is something deeply moving about encountering the Gospel once again through the eyes of the community that has carried the story of Jesus in this place for millenia.

  • Absolutely. Christ at the Checkpoint is designed for people at many different stages of learning and engagement. Some participants have spent years studying the region; others are attending because they sense there is more to understand and want to listen, learn, and ask honest questions.