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| click here for an overview of the tour and the organization I will be going with |
In August, I came home from a week of vacation to a congregation that had been very busy while I was away. After preaching a summer sermon series called "The Way - Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus," and exploring what we can learn from the different locations Jesus traveled to during his ministry, a wonderful woman came up with the idea of sending me to the Holy Land to see these locations for myself. The idea spread and the next Sunday while I was away they announced the idea to the church and took donations. They had enough money by the end of the day to send me to Israel, so after some plotting with my sister, the plans were set and when I arrived home and finished preaching the following Sunday they completely surprised me with an 8 day tour of Israel. In one month I will be walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
I have often shared that one of the regrets of my life was not taking this trip when my grandmother invited me to go with her more than 25 years ago. I was young and foolish and missed out on a trip of a lifetime... but Faith Church is helping me redeem that moment and make the trip myself. I will not only be thinking of my grandmother during this trip, but the people of Faith Church and so I wanted to try and find a way to share the experience with them. That is why I am am turning here to share about my journey. It is my hope that each day I will be able to share a picture and some thoughts about where we walked that day. Let's hope I can work through all the technology to make that happen!
Today the trip seems more real than ever because I received my itinerary, name badge and luggage tag. So at long last... here is the list of dates and places I will be visiting.
January 28 - Travel Day leaving from JFK in New York at 11:50 PM
January 29 - Arrive in Tel-Aviv and check into the Royal Plaza Hotel in Tiberias
January 30 - Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Mt of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Peter's house and ancient synagogue and the Baptismal site.
January 31 - Cana, Nazareth, Meggido, Caesarea and check in at the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem.
February 1 - Qumran, Jericho, and the Mt of Olives
February 2 - Bethlehem, Shepherd's field, Garden of Gethsemane, Mt Zion, Upper room and night tour of Jerusalem.
February 3 - Masada and the Dead Sea
February 4 - Western Wall, Teaching Steps, Pool of Bethseda, Via Dolorasa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and an evening at the Israel Museum and Dead Sea Scroll tour.
February 5 - Ein Kerem and the Garden Tomb and back to the Tel-Aviv Airport for a flight home.
February 6 - Arrive in New York at 6:00 AM.
I haven't read the study guide or the Bargil Pixner books my sister bought when she took this trip and told me I should read before I go but I will and as I do I will share in more detail about the places I will be visiting and what I hope to see or experience.
There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to Faith Church for making this all possible. I hope that by taking you with me (so to say) you will be able to share in the blessing you have given to me.
What a way to begin the New Year!
Shalom!
