Update on the July Gathering

The July Gathering of SoBoPilgrims was held on Sunday afternoon, July 17th at Carole Woodward’s beautiful lakeside home in Clarkesville. We had a smaller group for a couple of reasons; vacation and sickness mainly. But those who were able to come had a great time. Several took the time to take a ride with Russell on Carolyn’s pontoon boat and found out that he is quite the wild captain. We had hats overboard three times. Thankfully Winston Harrell was aboard with experience at water rescue!

After the lake outings we retired to the house for the hamburger and hot dog cookout. Picnics are great but we were very pleased that this one was at Carole’s house for a pretty intense thunderstorm came up right as we were preparing to cook. Still, Paul and Jim proved to be pretty good at flipping the meat and everyone claimed the meal a success.

After dinner, as usual, we gathered together to study Day 5 for our tour. On this day we will leave the beauty of Tiberius, on the Sea of Galilee, and head almost directly West toward the Mediterranean Sea. Our ultimate goal for the day will be to arrive in Jerusalem but we will be taking the long way across the infamous Valley of Armageddon and up the Seaside Mountain to Mount Carmel. The pictures taken from Mr. Carmel that we saw were almost as spectacular as the biblical story that makes it famous. You can just imagine Elijah the prophet confronting the ministers of Baal to show their god to be real, taunting them through the day. “Maybe he (Baal) is sleeping and must be awakened” he says to them before praying to God to consume his water drenched sacrifice and having a consuming fire devour it all. We all agreed that this will be a day of spectacular scenery when touring.

Once again we enjoyed sharing the wonderful research of the places we will visit gathered by Mike Koch. Unfortunately Mike and Doris were among those on vacation and so Jim shared from his writings. A copy of the material is attached to the e-mail. One of the very interesting stories is told of Napoleon who, when on his conquest of the area came to this same view overlooking the Valley of Armageddon stated that it was the perfect place for the battle to end all battles. Surely we will view the prophesy of end times in Revelation with new awe as we consider it in context of this visit.

From the magnificent seaside mountains to the mountaintop city of Jerusalem we will travel. Along the way we will consider the kingdom of Israel under the reign of King David and Saul. Among several stops we will see King David’s tomb, and view Mount Zion, the wonderful symbol of New Testament grace. As we enter Jerusalem we will stop at the Upper Room where Jesus had his last Passover meal with the Disciples. This night will be our first of four in Jerusalem. From the city we will take all of our tours until we return.

For our August gathering we will discuss the first day of our time here exploring the “old city.” The description from ACTS says:
We will begin the day at the Western Wall. Tread on the sacred ground of the Temple Mount and see the Dome of the Rock. Walk the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross), and visit the Pool of Bethesda and St. Anne's Church. Proceed to the Antonia Fortress where the crown of thorns was placed on Jesus' head and take time at the Stations of the Cross for prayer and reflection. Enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Visit the House of Caiaphas, where Peter denied Jesus.

Our August Gathering has been set for Wednesday the 18th at 5:30pm. Angela Lewis has reserved the poolside deck near her residence at Edgewood Townhomes. Set your calendar now so you won’t miss it. Details for the gathering will be coming, as usual, just prior to the program.

Please remember a couple of our pilgrims who are having health issues in prayer; Larry Davis was unable to join us at the July gathering because of surgery at Duke. Roberta McCrowell continues to battle with physical limitations that are hindering her mobility. We pray that they will both get healthy soon so that there will be no limitations for them on the trip!

I continue to remind you that there is still room for more pilgrims! We are almost at twenty-five and the bus will hold between 30 and 40. Don’t leave any of your close friends that are interested in going behind. Final registration without late penalty is early October. We would love to have a bus full of the fun-loving SoBoPilgrims!

Interesting articles in Christianity Today

Pilgrims,
April's Christianity Today had two articles specifically relevant to our trip to the Holy Land, specifically around the Sea of Galilee. The articles are available online, but without the pictures. I'm planning to bring the magazine so that we can share them tomorrow night at the June meeting.

Here's a link to the articles: (click on the title)
The Jesus Trail:

The Jesus Boat:

I was very pleased to notice that the author of the article about "the Jesus Trail" is a Professor of Religion at Roanoke College, where our daughter Sarah attends. I have sent him an e-mail to see if he would be available to come speak to us about his trips and study. I'll let you know what I hear from him.

Rejoice Always!

May 21st, 2010

Dear Fellow Pilgrims,

I’ve been working to set the date for the June gathering. Many of you have sent me e-mail to let me know what your vacation calendar looks like for the summer, as requested at the last meeting and on the Blog. The results show that June is a very busy time for us! In fact, the week that interrupts the fewest plans is the very first week. So we will plan our get-together on Wednesday, June 2nd, at 5:30 PM. We had no volunteers to gather at a home this month so we will plan right now to meet in the 1st Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. Kitchen facilities are available, but the cover dish plan has worked well so far. Let’s stick with that for June.

The second day of touring for us will focus on sites around the Sea of Galilee. We spent some time during our May discussion to talk about this area of Israel. On this day we will visit the hills overlooking the Sea where Jesus is thought to have given the beautiful Sermon on the Mount, and Tabgha, the site where he fed the multitudes with just a few loaves and fish. (see John, chapter 6) In the afternoon we will actually take a boat across the Sea to visit Capernaum, and go to the Jordan River where Jesus may have been baptized. One of our discussions at the gathering will be about the spiritual significance of baptism, and what a “renewal of baptismal vows” might mean to us while at the Jordan.

Please plan to come prepared to set a time for our July meeting. There are a couple of special considerations that we should keep in mind. One is the proposal made at our April meeting that we should plan a picnic during the summer. Several of our pilgrims have boats they have graciously offered to share. The other is that some of our travelers cannot join us for these meetings on weeknights but would like to get to know the folks planning to travel. A weekend gathering would give us more time for a nice picnic and give these persons a chance to meet with us and “catch up” on our plans and materials. I would therefore like to propose that we meet in July on Sunday afternoon, July 18th. Please consider this and come prepared to agree, or offer another time for us to meet. We’ll determine other specifics about the place and picnic arrangements as well. If you cannot join us for the June meeting then e-mail me your response about the July proposal.

One last thing, I’ve received several positive comments about the materials that we’ve shared at the meetings about the places we are visiting. You’ve also let me know that it helps to have digital copies of these available in our GoogleDocs folder on the Internet. Some have not been able to collect materials from the early gatherings. I am trying to get more copies of these materials so that I can make them available to you. I’ll let you know as I make progress.

Till next time...Rejoice Always

Notes from our May Gathering

Overview of May Gathering

On Tuesday, May 11th , we had a wonderful second gathering of Pilgrims at Mark and Carol Foster’s home. What a beautiful place to meet. I noticed many of the pilgrims taking a tour of the house to ‘ooh and aah” at the art and artifacts that Carol and Mark have collected through the years and arranged so creatively. Once again the cover dish was more a feast than a pickin with plenty for everyone. More good news! We welcomed several new friends to the meeting who have learned of our Pilgrimage and considering joining us. Thanks to all for making these get-togethers such a success.

Before starting with the overview of the tour we were to cover I took some time to review the list of people that have signed up, and those still expressing interest. The last registration count that I got from ACTS last Friday shows that 16 of us have sent in their registration forms. We’re over half way to our goal of having at least thirty to fill the tour bus. This is wonderful. And there are still 23 others on the list that are still interested but had not registered by the time ACTS sent me the list. So I’m very hopeful that our goal will be reached if not exceeded. Another component of this list is to see how room sharing options are coming along. Obviously couples are registering together for rooms. Others are planning to room together and registering with this in mind. Still, several have registered looking for a roommate. ACTS informs me of the “singletons” and we can begin now to try to make appropriate connections. Contact me if you are in the later group and we can begin this process.

The subjects of the tour discussion focused on the first day of our touring as we move from Tel-Aviv to the area around the Sea of Galilee. We began the discussion by projecting Google Earth on a big screen and showing the nation of Israel. We will be landing in Tel-Aviv and spending a night there to recover from jet-lag. The first stage of our journey will be from Tel-Aviv to the Sea of Galilee where we will stay 2 nights in the city of Tiberius. On the way to Tiberius we will visit the ruins of Jericho and the Mount of Temptation that we studied in April. And we will make stops at Nazareth, and Cana before we arrive at our destination. We followed this path on Google Earth. I am including a picture of the region on this posting so that you can see the North-East direction that we are traveling. If you have access to the Internet you will want to download and view the area on Google Earth. There are wonderful pictures that others have taken, and descriptions of the areas linked to a variety of websites. The program is free. You can find it at http://earth.google.com.

Mike and Jim took some time to review the research that they had done on Nazareth, Cana, and Tiberius. All three are mostly found in scripture in the New Testament. This area is actually where Jesus spent most of his life. Mary and Joseph both lived in Nazareth. The angels that announced Jesus conception visited them there before they traveled to Bethlehem for the Roman census. They fled Bethlehem to Egypt to avoid Herod’s terrible wrath, an attempt to kill the baby Messiah. But they returned to Nazareth after a few years and Jesus grew up there. His first miracle, turning the water into wine at a wedding feast, was at Cana. Though there are some disagreements about the exact place that these events occurred most have a church or temple at a location that claims to be the spot. We will review the stories as we visit the sites.

Tiberius has always been a popular city. It was built on the Sea of Galilee and has attracted tourist, not all seeking vacation, for centuries. There is much history dating back to the early Roman Empire and earlier that is available here. We will be very happy to spend time at this wondrous city. Next month we will study more about the landmarks around the Sea of Galilee that it is built on. One that is very interesting is a story about an ancient boat that was found. It is exactly the type of boat that is thought Jesus would have been sleeping on when the mighty storm came upon the disciples. It is now known as “The Jesus Boat.” There is a great story on YouTube about it. Connect at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66BKA9bWjHI. This is part one of two. Other video and stories about the Jesus Boat are also on YouTube. Christianity Today had a good story on this as well. This article can be found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/aprilweb-only/26-41.0.html. Perhaps we can visit the museum to learn more about this archeological wonder.

As usual there were handouts related to the places we are visiting. I have uploaded these documents to the SoBo Pilgrim Holy Land folder in Google Docs. You will be getting an invitation to view and download these documents soon after getting this message.

We did not reach consensus about where and when to have the next meeting for there is many vacations planned during June. Please e-mail to me your vacation schedule and I will look for the week that has the fewest conflicts. We may choose a Saturday in June and July to try to include some of our folks who work each weeknight. We anticipate that the July meeting will be held as a picnic at Buggs Island Lake. I would like to have your vacation schedule by the end of May so that we can make this decision as soon as possible!

Thanks again to the Fosters for hosting our gathering. Till next time!

May Gathering is next Tuesday night

May 7, 2010

Our second study group gathering will be next Tuesday, May 11th, at Carol and Mark Foster’s house in South Boston. Let me know if you need an address. There is a change in the plans. We will be meeting at 6:00 PM rather than 5:30. Plans for dinner this time are the same as last, cover dish. It worked out very well as all the bases were covered; salad, main course, desserts, etc, and everyone had plenty to eat! There is talk of a picnic at the lake for the June meeting so we will be having some variety in the future.

Last month we started our study of the places we are touring with a look at the ancient city of Jericho. We couldn’t complete a study of our first day’s tour because we had several travel issues to take care of. So this month we will continue the first day’s tour with a study of The Mount of Temptation, Nazareth, Cana of Galilee, and Tiberias. On the trip we will actually be staying in Tiberias for two nights as we visit the areas around the Sea of Galilee.

I’ve received information from ACTS (our travel tour group) that more of you have registered. That’s good! Betty Ann has written that she is excited for us that the study groups are going so well. Please be sure to send me any specific questions that you have about the travel arrangements. I will get in touch with her and try to have answers by Tuesday night. One big reminder to pass on, May 1st was only a deadline for an early registration discount. There is still plenty of time to register for the trip. We are excited for all of you that are going and talking with friends to get them to go with you. Don’t forget to send me their e-mail information so that I can add them to the contact list.

I’m looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday night! Remember that we have changed the time to 6:00 pm! Early thanks to Mark and Carol for hosting us!

Rejoice Always,

1st Monthly Gathering a Success

On Tuesday, April 20th, we held our first monthly gathering at Paul and Kay Nichols home. It was a big success. We had over 15 of our pilgrims attend! Everyone brought a delicious cover dish so there was plenty of food; appetizers, salad, main course, and desert. The evening was beautiful so there was the option to eat outside or in.

After dinner we gathered in the den to take care of business! First order was to review the travel plans. Several had not yet registered so we reviewed the registration form. Then we discussed tips for traveling overnight, packing bags, and dealing with foreign currency. We also discussed Passports. If you don't have one its time to get one. Check closely to be sure that your passport date is good for at least three months after we are due to return.

Knowing that we would probably need to spend more time on travel tips at this meeting than most we prepared for a discussion of touring Jehrico only. Mike and Russell had some great information. Mike started by sharing about how important this part of the world, the Crossroads of Cultures, has been throughout history. He showed us a very interesting website tracing the major empires in history. Click here to take a look!

Then Russell shared about his trip to the ancient city of Jehrico when he went before. He suggested that we all get a notebook and put information that is shared during these meetings. Then he handed out some maps, pictures, and information to put in the first entry. If you couldn't be there, or didn't get a copy, just let us know and we can get it to you.

Before closing in prayer we talked about our May meeting. We've decided that the best time and place to meet could change from month to month so we won't set a regular plan. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, May 11th, 5:30 PM, at Mark and Carol Fosters home. Watch the e-mail to get the address. We will be discussing the other places that we will visit on the first tour day along with Jehrico.

Did you notice the new feature on the Blog? Pictures!! I got several good shots that I've added as a slideshow. We'll be collecting these at each of the meetings, and then on the trip. Feel free to share the Blog site with your friends and family so that they can keep up with our trip.

Till next time... Rejoice Always!

April Gathering is tomorrow night!

Good morning! One more day until our first gathering. Kay and I are excited to have this first dinner and discussion group at our house. It's going to be warm and hopefully the possibility of rain will remain further west so that we can take advantage of space in the yard as well as the house for dinner. We've heard from several of you, but not all, that you are coming. We hope everyone can make it. Remember, this is very casual. We'll be dining with paper plates and plastic forks and spoons. We want to set the precedent for convenience so that no one will hesitate to participate in these in the future. So plan to bring a simple cover dish meal or desert. We'll furnish drinks, ice, etc.

This first gathering will primarily focus on travel tips because the first two days of the trip will be involved in traveling from Raleigh-Durham Airport to Tel-Aviv. Several of us have not flown out of the country before so this will be a good time for those that have to give recommendations for traveling. Bring your passport if you have it because there have been some questions about what information from it is needed on ACTS registration form. We will also have other forms, like the Travel Insurance form, and discuss these.

ACTS has sent a second video for us to review. This one is from the Tourism Department of Israel. In order to get a sense of the study we will have for the future we will take a look at Jericho, one of the places we will tour on our first tour day. We have a plan for these studies now. I will review the places from their significance in the Old Testament. Jim Leudtke will teach us about them from the New Testament and Jesus day. Russell, who has taken this trip before, will give us a cultural and geographic perspective. And Mike Koch will talk about the places from a historic perspective. Tomorrow night Mike has a special website that shows the significance of the Middle East in all of the world powers of western culture. We're going to be very enlightened! In April we will be ready to really begin our study of the other places we'll visit on our first tour day.

We will also review the Blog that I'm using to keep folks up to date. I'm not sure how many of us have visited the Blog but only very few have registered as "friends." My goal is to use it as a repository for all of our journey, including the studies, so that our families, friends, Sunday-school classmates, and church may follow and participate in the experience if they want too. As we complete this pilgrimage we will then have a repository of stories, pictures, and even video to refer to. You may not have ever participated in a Blog before so we'll review how it works and you can then sign up with confidence if you want too!

Looking forward to tomorrow night. Please, I'll remind you once more, send me a response by e-mail or phone call to let us know if you are coming. We will have a better idea of how many to prepare for!

Dear Fellow Holy Land Travelers,

I trust that everyone had a great Easter. The time has now come to begin our preparations for the Holy Land Pilgrimage in earnest. In a couple of weeks we will begin our monthly gathering to study the places we are touring. This message will focus on details for the first gathering but I do have a reminder that requires some immediate attention.

People are beginning to register with ACTS for the trip. It is not required that you register this early but there is an “Early Registration Discount” of $100.00 if you register by May 1st. There is a registration deposit of $350.00 required. A copy of the brochure is available at church or I’ll send you one via e-mail if you let me know. Registration should be sent directly to ACTS and the information is on the flyer. ACTS sends me a copy of those who have registered each week.

Let me make a couple of notes about the registration application. First, if you haven’t yet determined who your roommate will be, and are not planning to pay extra for a single room, then put TBD in the blank for roommate name and check Assign me a Roommate. We will work with you to determine who this will be rather than have someone randomly assigned. When you get to the second column you should list 1st Pres. SoBo as your Travel Host, Feb. 10th, 2011 as your Departure Date, and Raleigh, NC as your Departure City. Check the Basic Program blank and add the other options if you want them. You can make this decision later. Remember, you do not pay for these now, you only send a check for the deposit at this time. Check your Passport now to be sure that it the dates will not expire until several months after our trip. If you don’t have a passport then you need to apply as soon as possible. ACTS can help with this. If you have questions then don’t hesitate to contact ACTS. They are very helpful. I will be happy to answer questions too if I can.

Now to the 1st Gathering! Kay and I are hosting the first gathering at our home. I’ve sent out an email with directions. Contact me if you didn’t get one. We will meet Tuesday, April 20th at 5:30pm and have fellowship, dinner, and the study of the first day’s tour. We’re hoping for a beautiful day so that we can eat both indoors and out on the porch. Everyone come casual and bring a cover dish. We’ll have coffee, tea, and a variety of soft-drinks. I’ve never yet been part of a cover dish where everyone wasn’t full with plenty left over. It’s like when Jesus fed the five thousand with loaves of bread and a few fish and they took up more than they started with when it was over. We can discuss where the June meeting will be and how to prepare for it during this fellowship.

After we eat we will gather in our den for the study of the first tour. I imagine that there will be quite a few travel details to review that may take some time but this is good for it will help us really get to know each other. That’s another reason we’re having these meetings. My experience is that traveling together on a tour like this creates very strong friendships and lasting memories. We will begin to build these early!

Some of us are already gathering resources for the study of our tours. We’ll be covering Old Testament references, New Testament references, interesting geographical issues, a historic review, cultural perspectives, and the contemporary significance of each place. (at least we’ll be trying to cover each of these. Looks like a tall order!) Finally, we want to begin praying for God’s blessing of the trip, and that His Will be done within each of us as we travel.

Meeting on the third Tuesday may not work for everyone. We will discuss other times for future gatherings. You may not be able to make every month’s gathering but hopefully we can find the right time to suit most of the group. I will keep a summary of our monthly study on the Blog.

Kay and I look forward to hosting this first gathering. We are excited about sharing this trip with each of you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

Travel Information from ACTS Presentation

Betty Ann from ACTS (Alpha Christian TourS, our Holy Land Pilgrimage Tour Group) met last night with a large number of persons that are interested in taking the Holy Land tour. She gave a wonderful presentation. We now have final cost information, a definite itinerary, and lots of questions answered about the trip. She gave us a brochure with details that is now available at church. I will have a digital copy available to download from the Blog soon. For now let me try to review some of the information:

• The trip will be held February 10 – 19th, 2011 and follow the schedule listed earlier in the blog. The good news is that the final cost is less than advertised earlier. Instead of $2,500.00 it is $2,375.00. We are flying out of Raleigh Durham Airport, to New York, and then overseas to Tel-Aviv. This price includes:
o Round Trip Airfare
o Deluxe Motor-Coach Transportation for each days tour
o Daily Breakfast and Dinner (Lunch and Snacks are on our own)
o Guided Sightseeing and Entrance Fees
o First Class Hotels
o Study Aids and Maps for our Gatherings
o Continuous Tour Services of ACTS
The price does not include several fees that are required by other agencies:
o Trip Gratuities - $69.00
o Taxes, visa fees, Handling fees, Immigration and border fees - $479.00
o A non-refundable administrative fee - $75.00
So the total basic price of the trip is known to be $2,998.00. Of course there are other expenses related to souvenirs, tips, etc. But these are up to you. The total basic price should be paid by October, 130 days before the trip.

• A $350.00 deposit is required for each person to be registered. All travelers who register by May 1, 2010 will receive a $100.00 Early Registration Discount. (That knocks the total down to $2,898.00!)
• These rates are for those planning to share a room at the hotel. Single rooms are available but there is an additional cost, listed in the registration form.
• Travel insurance is recommended. An information package about insurance is available at church. I can send you a copy if requested.
• The first question that was asked dealt with safety. Betty Ann stated that she has been traveling to Israel almost every year since she was five. She said that there are some very remote areas that have the clashes we see between Israelis and Palestinians on TV but we will not come close to these places. Where tourist visit are very safe. Both sides recognize that tourism is the biggest business they have and they are “not going to kill the golden goose.” Israel is internationally recognized as the most secure state in the world and they do a very good job of protecting tourist, particularly Americans. She said that ACTS takes tours there almost year-round and constantly watches for danger. If there is any risk they will cancel with a full refund of our money, or postpone the trip till the danger is gone. They have only had to cancel one trip in 2000. She feels safer there than in Washington DC or New York.
• Another question asked was about health services. She suggested that we check to see if our current health policy covers overseas trips. If not we should consider the travel insurance. She also noted that Israel has a wonderful health system that takes care of issues at very reasonable prices, and the doctors make house calls! (or hotel calls in our case!)
• Every traveler will need a passport. If you don’t have one then ACTS will help you get one. If you do have one you need to make sure that its expiration date is several months after we are due to return. I’m not sure why this is, but you need to check!
• We don’t need to worry about exchanging our money. Everyone there accepts American dollars. She did suggest however that we take some small denominations for the vendors might return change in Shekels (Israeli money.)
• There were questions about weather. We are traveling in their winter season but Israel is more like Florida than Virginia, usually pretty warm during the day but cool at night. A bigger issue is the terrain. We will be visiting the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, which is very warm. In the same day we will travel to Jerusalem up on a mountain where it will be much cooler. So we plan to dress in layers. She also said that there are no places requiring that we dress up. Casual is the order of the day. The holy sites only require that shoulders and knees be covered for men and women. Winter in Israel is the wet season. However, this is a desert so little rain is expected. This past trip Betty Ann was in Israel from January through March 18th and there were only two rainy days.
• One specific recommendation for dress was given; take a swim suit. There will be an opportunity for baptism or “renewing our baptism” in the Jordan River. We will also be taking a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee and some may think they need to try “walking on water.”
• During our trip we will only be staying in three hotels so we won’t usually be “living out of our suitcase.” All of the hotels are very nice. Internet access is available but may be costly at the hotel. Internet Café’s are close by.
• Many tourists use their cell phones there. ATT and Verizon are both available. However, you are advised to call your phone company to determine what extra charges you will incur if you use yours.
• Each day’s tour will begin early. Typically we rise at 6:00, breakfast around 7:00, and begin the tour by 8:00 AM. Usually we will be back at the hotel by 3:00 to 4:00. Dinner is planned for 7:00 to 7:30 PM. We travel by tour bus and are let off as close to the place we visit as possible so there is minimum walking. Our ACTS guide will accompany us at all times and will notify us of expected distances to be walked. One can stay on the tour bus if the activities are determined to be too strenuous.

Doesn’t this all sound wonderful? At the end of the presentation Betty Ann showed a 15 minute video describing this tour with wonderful pictures of the places we will visit. I have a copy that we can share as desired. Russell also asked her specifically what impact these trips had on her life. She responded, “Wow, no one has ever asked me that question!” and then after a pause she said, “I can honestly tell you that though I go every year I always come away with a sense of new discovery and wonder. I always come back to the United States longing for my next trip. It really is what you hear from others who have gone, a life changing experience.”

You may have other questions. Please e-mail me if you do and I will find an answer. Everyone who attended the session should have received a registration form. There are copies at church if you could not attend or have misplaced one. Again, ACTS is going to send me a digital copy and I will post it on the Blog or send a copy in e-mail if you request one. Our goal is to have thirty pilgrims in our group. So far we have about 20 that have said they plan to go so there is room for you to contact a friend and say, “C’mon with us, we’re going on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to the Holy Land.” Then you can hand them a brochure or give them the URL for our Blog, http://sobopilgrim.blogspot.com/.

Finally, let me invite you to our first monthly gathering. To prepare for the journey we are planning to get together once a month for dinner, fellowship, study of the places we will be touring (one tour day each month), travel tips, and prayer. The first one will be held on Tuesday, April 20th at 5:30 PM at the home of Paul and Kay Nichols. More details to come but plan now to attend.

Rejoice Always!

Time Change For 2nd Info. Session

There has been a change in the time for the second information meeting about the Holy Land Trip. It seems that there are many things going on at 1st Presbyterian church next Wednesday evening to prepare for Easter Sunday, and folks involved in these activities don't want to miss the presentation from Betty Ann at Alpha Christian TourS.

So we have asked her to come earlier, to the Wednesday night dinner at 5:30 PM, and give her presentation. This will give her adequate time before most of the music practice sessions and Bible Study begin that night. So plan to join us at the church at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 24th, for our Wednesday night dinner and Holy Land presentation. Directions to the church are listed on the Announcement Block on this Blog. Contact me if you have questions.

Please remember to contact the church office to make reservations if you plan to eat dinner. The menu includes grilled chicken parmesan, pasta, salad, dessert and drink, and the cost is $6.00 per person. . Reservations need to be made by Monday, March 22nd at 12 noon.

Update on Information Session and Plan for Gatherings

The second information session for the Holy Land Tour will be presented at First Presbyterian Church in South Boston on Wednesday March 24th at 7:30 PM. Mrs. Betty Ann Buckley from Alpha Christian TourS (ACTS) will review the plans for the tour, share pictures and videos from the trip from which she is just returning, discuss financial issues, and answer questions. We will also discuss the opportunity for travelers to meet each month to prepare for the journey, and review options to stay connected through the online Blog.



I am very excited to report that we already have over twenty persons that have expressed interest in this trip. Among us are singles and couples, young and mature, persons who attend 1st Presbyterian and many who do not. All of this is important because we want a diverse group that will recognize that this is a great opportunity for a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” I encourage you to talk to your friends and co-workers and encourage them to come with us. Send me their name, address, and e-mail, and I will put them on the information list so that they will get all the materials even if they cannot attend sessions.



Speaking of sessions, we now have initial plans for monthly gatherings to prepare for the trip. On the third Tuesday evening of each month through January 2011 we will gather at 6:00 PM for fellowship, dinner, information, and trip preparation. The information session will include a review of the place(s) we will visit during one day of our trip from Old Testament, Jesus’ day, New Testament, and geographic or historic importance. We feel that these sessions will not only help us develop a true appreciation of the places we are going to visit, but also help us get to know each other, and share travel tips. We will be surveying the group to determine who is interested in participating in these gatherings. Depending on the size of the group we will determine whether to meet in homes with a cover dish format for dinner, the church, or at a local restaurant with private dining options. Again, we will welcome folks who cannot travel with us but want to share the journey through these get-togethers. Mark your calendar now for the first gathering, Tuesday April 20th at 6:00 PM. We will announce the first gathering place at the 2nd Information Session.

Information Session #2

Good news everyone! Betty Ann from Alpha Christian TourS, Inc, the company that we are touring with in Israel, will be with us for a Second Information Session on Wednesday Evening, March 24th at 7:30 PM, at 1st Presbyterian Church. Betty Ann is actually in Israel right now conducting a tour and will be sharing video and pictures with us at this meeting. She will also be able to answer questions that we have related to the trip.

I anticipate that we will also have further discussion about how the group will plan to get together for spiritual preparation before the trip. This is a ten day trip with multiple locations that we will visit. There are ten more months, April 2010 through January 2011, before the trip. If we plan for one meeting per month (as suggested at the last meeting) then we have the perfect timing! Bring your ideas about this to the meeting. AND bring friends that you think would want to join us!

One more thing to note, and it's about this Blog. (I hope you are finding it useful) You can add comments to each posting. There is a place to click below each posting to make your comments specific to the posting itself. When you return to the Blog you will find that it lists a number of postings related, and you can click to see them. We'll review this at the March 24th meeting as well.

Rejoice Always!

First Information Session a Success!

The first information session about the trip to Israel was held at 1^st Presbyterian Church in South Boston on Wednesday, March 3rd was well attended. There were eleven folks who showed up and several others that had communicated through e-mail or telephone call that they were interested though they couldn’t attend last night. That’s a good start for this Pilgrimage. Praise the Lord!

We began the meeting with a discussion about our goals for the trip. To a person there was agreement that we view this trip as a spiritual journey. With this in mind we determined that we will make time to get together each month to study the places we will be visiting to understand their significance in Old Testament, during Jesus ministry, and in the history of the church. Several shared that they have been familiar with these places all their lives from Sunday School stories and sermons, but never had the perspective of them through the Middle East culture in which they exist, and they want that. Everyone spoke of the fact that they know persons who have taken this journey and each of them stated that they were changed in very positive ways from it. Seeing the places where Jesus performed his ministry is a gift that feeds the Spirit.

Here is our itinerary:

Day 1 and 2: Depart from Raleigh Durham Airport traveling to TelAviv. It’s a long trip so we will rest when we arrive.

Day 3: JERICHO/BEIT SHEAN/NAZARETH

See the ancient Tel of Jericho and the Mount of Temptation before traveling north through the Jordan Valley. Visit Beit Shean, the only Decapolis city in Israel.In Nazareth, visit the Church of the Annunciation. Travel to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed His first miracle, before arriving in Tiberias, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee for two overnights.

Day 4: GALILEE

Begin the day at the Mt. of Beatitudes listening again to The Sermon on the Mount. Visit Tabgha, the site of the famous miracle, and the Church of the Loaves and Fishes.Hear the words of Jesus to Peter, "feed My sheep," as you visit the Primacy of Peter Church. In the afternoon, see the 1st century boat before boarding a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Visit the Biblical city of Capernaum and see the old synagogue and the house of Peter's mother-inlaw. At the Jordan River take time to renew your baptismal vows.

Day 5: MT CARMEL/MEGIDDO/CAESAREA

Hear afresh the story of the prophet Elijah atop Mt. Carmel. Cross the Valley of Armageddon to visit Tel Megiddo. En route to Jerusalem visit the Crusader City at Caesarea and the ancient Roman Aqueduct. In the afternoon travel to Mt. Zion, visiting the Upper Room and King David’s Tomb.

Day 6: OLD CITY - JERUSALEM

Begin your day at the Western Wall. Tread on the sacred ground of the Temple Mount and see the Dome of the Rock. Walk the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross), and visit the Pool of Bethesda and St. Anne's Church. Proceed to the Antonia Fortress where the crown of thorns was placed on Jesus' head and take time at the Stations of the Cross for prayer and reflection. Enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Visit the House of Caiaphas, where Peter denied Jesus.

Day 7: MT of OLIVES/BETHLEHEM

The day begins standing on the Mt. of Olives overlooking the Kidron Valley and the walled city of Jerusalem. Walk the Palm Sunday path to the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations built over the Rock of Agony. This afternoon travel to Bethlehem and visit Shepherd’s Field where the angels first sang “Glory to God in the Highest.” Visit the Church of the Nativity and kneel at the star which marks the birth of our Savior. See the Chapel of the Innocence and the cave where St. Jerome translated the Scriptures.

Day 8: FREE DAY in JERUSALEM Or OPTIONAL DEAD SEA DAY/MASADA/QUMRAN

Enjoy a free day in Jerusalem or opt to travel to Herod’s ancient fortress of Masada, built high atop a mountain on the edge of the Dead Sea. This afternoon visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. End the day with time for relaxation along the shore of the Dead Sea (Optional, $49).

Day 9: BETHANY/DEPART

Enjoy a free morning in Jerusalem or opt to visit the Israel Museum (Optional, $25). This afternoon visit Bethany and the tomb of Lazarus. Worship at the Garden Tomb where your group can pray, sing and commune together. After a Farewell Dinner travel to TelAviv to board the overnight flight to the USA.

Day 10: Arrive home with a treasure of memories.

Wow, doesn’t that sound great! Remember, we are currently planning this trip for February of 2011.

Alpha Christian Tours, Inc. is the company that will be leading us on this tour. They could not be with us last night because they are currently leading a tour in Israel with my good friend, Rev. Kenny Newsome from Fairfax, VA. We are planning a second meeting at 1^st Presbyterian when they get back so that they can share pictures and stories from this trip (and others) and answer more questions that we may have. We think this meeting will be during the week of March 22 – 26^th, probably Wednesday the 24^th.

Stay tuned to this Blog. More information to come! Thanks to everyone who showed up for the first information meeting last night!

1st Information Meeting for Trip to Israel

The first interest meeting providing information about the trip to Israel will be held at First Presbyterian Church in South Boston on Wednesday, March 3rd at 6:30 PM. All who think they are interested in joining us for this trip are invited to join us for this meeting.

We will be talking about the dates and the places that we will be traveling too as well as have a conversation about what activities we will be planning to prepare. Our prayer is that this trip will be more than a vacation, that it will be a life-changing experience for everyone.

One doesn't have to be a member of First Presbyterian to join us for this experience. We invite anyone who wants to join us to come along.

There will be other meetings held giving more detail. This is a first meeting to get a sense of who is interested. I will be posting information on this Blog that will provide deadlines, costs, and (hopefully) some preparation materials for the group.

Getting Started

Good morning folks. This is my first attempt at trying a Blog and I'm doing it for two reasons. First, I want to use it to create better discipline for myself in Bible Study, and I know that preparing to teach (in some way) is the best way to learn. Second, I am working with my church to put together a trip to Israel as a spiritual journey, or a Pilgrimage, for next year. I am hopeful that this public discipline will help hold me accountable, and open the options for great information as we plan for the trip.

For this first entry I am focusing on getting the Blog Site set up. We'll see how it goes.

Rejoice Always!

The South Boston Pilgrim.