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.