The Old City of Jerusalem

Well, the pedometer logged 22,500 steps or 11 miles today.  And YES, everyone made the trek.  What a great experience on so many levels. 

First, of course, the religious and spiritual significance of the sites was tremendous.  We walked the Via Dolorosa (The Way of Tears) which was Jesus pathway to the cross.  We visited stations all along the way hearing scripture and lessons from Ken and Andy (another of our teachers).  The morning walk culminated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre--the traditional location of the crucifixion, tomb, and resurrection of Jesus.  We saw the Upper Room and The Church of St. Peter Gallicantu (location of Jesus' imprisonment, trial, and of Peter's denial of Christ.  We sang the doxology together in the Church of St. Anne (Mary's mother).  We heard The Lord's Prayer sung in St. Peter Gallicantu.  Most certainly, this day was a mountaintop experience that we will long cherish and remember. 

Early in the morning, we also visited the Temple Mount--now the home of the El-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.  Non-Muslims are no longer allowed to enter these buildings, but we observed faithful Muslims as they approached their holy shrines.  We spoke of the struggles that have taken place throughout history to lay claim to the Temple Mount. 

The Old City also offers much excitement as vendors and small shops vie for tourist dollars.  I have to say that more shopping also happened today.  People from all over the world, speaking many languages, and following many different faith paths find Jerusalem to be a center for worship.  Today, it was one for us. 

Congratulations to all of our group who braved a difficult day physcially to visit all the sites and fulfill the goal of their pilgrmage.  Weather (as on all other days of our trip) was flawless.  Health was good.  Tomorrow is our last day.  We will visit the Mount of Olives and complete our visit to the holy sites of Jerusalem. Please pray for strength and for traveling blessings as we look toward home.

Jerusalem at Last

The Desert

Today, we visited the desert area around the Dead Sea.  First, a cable car ride up to the mountain fortress at Masada where 1st century Jews killed themselves rather than submit to Roman armies.  We then drove back along the shore of the Dead Sea to Qumran--the cave dwellings where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947.  After lunch--a fun stop at a beach area where some members of the group swam, floated, and mud-bathed in the salty waters of the Dead Sea.  Finally, we visited Jericho, a 10,000 year old city. We shared Bible stories related to the areas visited.  The land truly does make the stories come alive.

Tomorrow will be an emotional day as we walk the stations of the cross in Jerusalem.  Continue to pray for our safe travel and spiritual growth.  Blessings to you all from Bethlehem.

A Day of Diversity

A visit to one of the Herodian--one of masterpiece palaces of Herod the Great.  Lots of learning at a huge model of 1st century Jerusalem.  Awe at the sight of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book.  Inspiration as we joined thousands of other pilgrims in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and visited the grotto containing the celebrated location of the birth of Jesus.  What an amazing sight!

Today also included some shopping and our best meal so far--some home cooking Palestinian style.  Weather absolutely glorious.  Tiredness weighing on some but all healthy and making 100 percent of sights.  We have a great group and are getting to know each other better each day.  Blessings to you all from Bethlehem.

Arrived in Bethlehem

Great day today.  Began with boat ride across Sea of Galilee--lots of singing and dancing and fun.  This was followed by a long bus ride south towards Bethlehem.  We visited many Biblical sites along the way.  Perhaps the highlight was a baptismal park along the Jordan River.  Cooper actually got to baptize one of our friends from NC in the Jordan.  Ken helped us celebrate a remembrance of our baptisms.  It was a special time.  The Israel Museum and Church of the Nativity are scheduled for tomorrow.  We are all looking forward to a good night's sleep and another full day tomorrow.

20,000 Steps

SSenior pastor, Ken Dunivant's pedometer registered 20,000 steps today.  That's about 8 miles.  That walking took us to landmark churches and archaeological sites on the north shore of the Sea of Galillee today.  From the ancient old testament city of Nazor to the beautiful Chapel of the Beatitudes, we covered over 1000 years of history and many of the stories found in the Bible.  The group enjoyed St. Peter's Fish (tilapia) for lunch on the banks of the Sea.  It was a warm day that felt more like September than November.  We have been blessed with such glorious weather every day of our trip. 

We are a little tired tonight, but it is a great kind of tired.  We learned so much from our teachers Dr. Charles Page, Dr. Ken Dunivant, and Dr. Andy Pearson (from Tennessee).  Tomorrow morning, we ride a boat acoress the Sea of Galillee, visit a couple of additional sites, and then turn our buses towards Jerusalem. 

We had a moment of silence on our bus this evening as we remembered FUMCT.s All Saints services held today. Please know that we are thinking of you all but having a joyful and very educational experience here. Please continue your prayers as we travel tomorrow.

By the Beautiful Sea

Two beautiful bodies of water today.  First, the deep blue Med.  Surely no other body of water is that deep blue.  We began today at Caesarea Maritima---an incredible ancient city on the Mediterranean Sea--a beautiful amphitheater, hippodrome, and ancient harbor used during the reign of Herod and beyond.  Almost everyone wnted to dip a toe in the Med.  The warm sun and cool breeze were amazing.  In contrast, we then drove to Megiddo (Valley of Megiddo or Har Megiddo or Armagedon).  Revelation tells us that the final battle will be fought in the Jezreel Valley near this site.
After lunch near Nazareth, we had a very brief visit to Sephoris (Zippori).  Though not mentioned in the Bible, this city is only 3 miles from Nazareth. It is very likely that Joseph and Jesus worked as stonemasons in this city.  There is a beautiful mosaic floor here that contains the "Mona Lisa" of Galilee. 
Our final destination of the day was The Church of the Anunciation in Nazareth--celebrating the site where Mary was visited by an angel who informed her that she would bear a son.  The church was built in 1968 and bears incredible mosaic artworks from countries around the world.  Most depict Madonna and child in the style and ethnicity of their native land.  During our time there, a mass was being celebrated and there was beautiful and worshipful music.  What a way to end a busy day!

All participants on the trip are well and enjoying our adventure.  Tonight and tomorrow evenings, we are staying in a kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Gallilee.  Tomorrow, we will tour around the Sea of Galilee. 

Please keep us in your prayers -------- and ROLL TIDE ROLL!