A Gift that Will Keep on Giving!
Late
last year I was nominated to take part in a clergy Holy Land Pilgrimage
sponsored by the Knights Templar, an arm of the Masonic Order. This
group offers clergy immersion experiences in the Holy Land as a way to
enhance and renew their ministry. Originally the nomination was for
2012, but as it turned out, the nomination was moved up to 2011. So, I
am excited to announce that I will be travelling with clergy from all
over the country to the Holy Land from February 7 - 17, 2011. Wayne
Robbins, the stepson of our longtime member, the late Richard Taylor,
submitted my nomination and to him I will be forever grateful. In
preparation for the trip, I have been reading up on the various places
we will be visiting and my plan is to help you feel like you are part of
the trip as well. Over the next month I will be sharing information
with you about the sites we will visit and how they fit into our story
of faith. My prayer is that not only will this be a growth-filled
experience for me, but also one that helps us as a church move toward
the vision and mission God has planted in our hearts.
A
surprise Going Away - Bon Voyage party was held on Sunday,
February 6th. Since it was an NCC event, you know there was
delicious food!
02-08-2011
As most of you know, Rev. Patty has left for her trip to Israel.
Her flight has landed in Tel Aviv and her day has begun (even though it
is technically evening there).
On the Pilgrim's way to the hotel, they will make a stop in the ancient port city of Joppa to view the home of Simon the Tanner.
At
the hotel, they will have an Orientation Dinner at which Rev. Patty
will meet more of her fellow travelers. They will then have the
rest of night to relax and adjust to the time difference before heading
out for a full day tomorrow!
02-09-2011 As we begin our Wednesday, Rev. Patty's day is more than half-way over already!
The
Pilgrims started their day heading north along the coast to Caesarea -
built by Herod the Great. It was in Caesarea that Peter was
imprisoned for two years.
The
group has already visited the Crusader's fortress and Roman ruins;
moved on to Mt. Carmel to visit the Carmelite monastery; and had lunch
at Megiddo before visiting the ancient chariot city of King Solomon and
Ahab.
They are now driving to Mt. Tabor where they will go to the top of the mountain to see the Church of the Transfiguration.
Rev.
Patty and the rest of the Pilgrims will then travel to the Sea of
Galilee where they will check into their hotel in Tiberias, and will
have dinner.
2/10/2011 Talk about a full day!
Rev.
Patty and the other pilgrims started their day visiting the traditional
site of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount by climbing the Mount of the
Beatitudes. They then continued on to Tabgha - the site of the
Miracle of the Loaves and Fish; and also to the center of Jesus'
ministry in Galilee by visiting Capernaum.
The
group forged on to the town of Gergesa (Kursi) - where Jesus healed two
demon possessed men and the demons joined a herd of pigs and rushed
down into the Sea of Galilee.
Enjoying
a St. Peter fish meal together before taking a boat ride on the Sea of
Galilee to Tiberias was next on the agenda. The exciting end of
the day will be the opportunity to visit the site of the baptism on the
Jordan River and to have that experience themselves. They will
also see an ancient boat from the time of Jesus.
This evening, the pilgrims will spend the night in Tiberias in a Kibbutz, which in Hebrew means "communal settlement".
Day
2 adventures in the Holy Land. Boat ride on the sea of Galilee, a lunch
of St. Peters fish, reaffirming my baptism in the Jordan. And NCC can
you find something interesting in the picture of the Jordan River
sign??? And yes I offered all your prayers to the Jordan. "God I give my
heart to you. Wash me and make me new!" More later. Tomorrow on the
Jerusalem. Shalom.
A
picture is worth 1000 words. Day 3 - Church of the Annunciation, the
Church of Joseph, the group, first view of Jerusalem and so much more!
Yeah EGYPT!!!!
Day
3 for the pilgrims has been a busy one. They were up early to
drive to Cana of Galiliee where Jesus performed his first miracle.
Rev. Patty and the group then continued on to Nazareth to visit the
Church of the Annunciation, Joseph's Workshop and Mary's Well.
Heading to Beit She'an, they were able to see the excavations and visit
the Roman Theater. They also stopped in Ein Karem, the traditional
birthplace of St. John the Baptist. They were awarded with their
first views of Jerusalem - as the following email will show. The
Pilgrims will be spending the weekend in Jerusalem.
2/12/2011: Another amazing day. Mount of Olives, the garden,
Chapel of the Ascension, Bethlehem and the Shepherds field and the
church of the Nativity. Lots of walking!Tomorrow a slow day to explore
Old Jerusalem. Blessings and Shalom.
