Back to our other home…

Our view from the plane as we landed in Minneapolis....

My first post from the Holy Land was entitled “Welcome Home”. This was in reference to the words of our guide, Yousef, who shared with us that the Holy Land is, in a way, home to all Christians. Yesterday, thirty-four pilgrims returned to their homes in the U.S. but this does not mean that our journey is over. Yes, we have pictures and treasures to share with our loved ones but we also have stories of what we have seen, experienced and learned and these will continue long after the jet-lag has worn off. I cannot speak for the rest of my group, but this trip was a pilgrimage for me. Aside from jet-lag, inwardly I feel renewed and refreshed, excited to share what I have experienced. So many aspects of scripture are now visually imprinted in my mind. I have visual images that will come to mind when I say prayers for peace in the world. There is no way this trip could not impact my life in ministry. In the next coming weeks I hope to add a bit more to this blog (pictures and more thoughts as things arise). But until then, here are some images from our last day in Jerusalem…

A very crowded market near the Damascus gate. The strawberries looked delicious!

Our final worship together at Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem

Climbing the 200 plus-some steps of the bell tower at Church of the Redeemer

When I created my blog, having never have been to the Holy Land, I drew a photo from online.

Now I have seen the city from the top of the bell tower and this picture was taken with my very own camera. The tower provides one of the best views of Jerusalem, a shared city and a memorable end to our time in the Holy Land.

Our fearless leaders, Mark, Yousef (our guide), Achmed (our driver), Diane, and Paul (director of music)

Confusing and yet, wonderful.

Those are two very different descriptive words of our experience here as we travel from place to place. Our last few days have been full of many things, some of which we do not understand. We could not visit the Holy Land without encountering or discussing the situation between Israel and Palestine. I do not write answers nor am I going to write that I understand but I write with an acknowledgment of how little I know about something deeply complex.

On Thursday in Jerusalem, we met with Rabbi Rob Kahn, an Israeli who shared with us how this situation taps deeply into his faith and his everyday life. Yesterday, we met with Reverend Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran, whose family has been Christian for many generations. He too shared how this situation deeply affects the life of those who are Palestinian.

We met with Rev. Rahab at the International Center of Bethlehem, a center he directs. Before meeting, we were introduced to this center which provides education and supports the art and culture in Bethlehem. It is a gathering place for those in the community Christian and even Muslim to share in the gifts of art God has given.

Our guide at the center was a woman by the name of Hiba, who is a Palestinian Christian. As the “scribe” for this group, there is no way that I can express what we have learned from these personal encounters as I type this post but I do know that each we have encountered have a hope for peace whatever that may look like. Hiba said something I will not forget, in regards to hostility, fear and un-acceptance of anyone’s neighbor she said this, “I think it’s about you, you put limits.” I, as a seminarian student, from the United States, can’t fully understand this, but Hiba is right, each of us make choices in our daily lives in how we treat our fellow human beings on this earth.

After visiting the International Center of Bethlehem, we visited the Church of the Nativity and then later had devotions at Shepherd’s field. Once again, at the Church of the Nativity, I encountered ornate, gilded works of art, encrusting this space. I have mentioned before that I don’t know quite what to do with this, but for now I will see it as an act of devotion by fellow Christians world-wide and over generations to mark that this event in this place was significant and holy. For me, the story of the birth Jesus resonated most as our group sang in the grottoes in Shepherd’s Field. These grottoes would have been what shepherds used in Jesus’ time to gather their sheep at the end of the night.

This may very well be my last post from the Holy Land and I thank you for journeying with us, taking in snippets of our pilgrimage. I thank my group who supported me in all aspects of being a “scribe” and I thank God for the opportunity to be experience scripture in such a way. Whether you ever come to the Holy Land or not, I hope that wherever you are you are able to connect to the book of our faith, The Bible and all the gifts God has given us within it. This can happen anywhere!

My prayer for you, from the 4th verse of “O Little Town of Bethlehem":

”O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

Oh, come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel!

As our journey is coming to a close soon, just two more days! I realize just how many pictures on this blog are of various types of stone structures. Well, even as I realize this, I must post a few more because today we visited some very significant stones. Today, among many other places we visited the Western Wall; you may be more familiar with its other name, the Wailing Wall.

The Western Wall is considered the holiest site in Judaism since this wall is the remains of the retaining wall of the Temple Mount, and a place to mourn the Second Temple which no longer stands. Although a holy site, visitors are allowed to visit and pray at this wall. I had an opportunity to do this.

I walked down towards the woman’s entrance (the wall is separated by gender) down to the wall passing persons seated in plastic chairs or standing with their Hebrew prayer book in hand. To be respectful I did not take pictures of those deep in prayer. But I can still show the prayers to you, you can literally see many of the prayers themselves, the exist on the hundreds (maybe thousands) of pieces of paper.

I waited until a space opened up and I unfolded the piece of paper where I penned my prayers earlier this morning. With one hand on the wall, I read through my prayers. On this piece of paper were prayers for my friends and fellow seminarians as they go through the assignment process this week, prayers for my family, all those I love and prayers for peace. Then I did as so many do and tucked my prayers with the hundreds, thousands of others in the cracks of the walls. There are so many prayers that as you push them into the cracks many shower to the ground at one's feet.

I think of the questions I typed last night. It is amazing how one can be moved by the holy places of another, even if one does not fully understand. Yesterday at the Mount of Olives I thought of the three monotheistic religions lifting their prayers to God at the same time. Today I felt very connected lifting my prayers to God silently as well as pushing them into the cracks of this these revered stones. I didn't wail at the wall but… well... to be honest, I did tear up as I read the names of loved ones I had penned on that piece of paper with the rest of my petitions, and that reaction surprised me.

Those moments at the wall will definitely be part of my pilgrimage story in the Holy Land…

Today was also filled with other journeys. To be truthful, today was two days rolled into one. Did I mention our wake-up call was at 5:30? Tomorrow we travel to Bethlehem before our last day in Jerusalem, but let me share with you a few more snippets from other parts of our day…

Today we walked the way of the cross…(carrying this olive cross that we passed around our group and gave to our guide a Palestinian Christian)

We visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Traveled beneath Jerusalem in the Western Wall Tunnel

St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda

We also visited the Dome of the Rock (the third holiest site for Islam, the Israeli Museum to see a model of Jerusalem and Yad Vashem, a remembrance of the Holocaust.

We ended our evening with Rabbi Rob Kahn, a U.S. native now living in Jerusalem and coordinator of an immersion experience for young adults from around the world here in Jerusalem.

More questions...

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings….” (Matthew 23:37) This is just a portion of the scripture read to us when we finally found ourselves in Jerusalem, viewing the city from the Mount of Olives. Within these verses Jesus weeps for Jerusalem and as we sat listening to Kristina read, behind us was the Dominus Flevit Chapel. Dominus Flevit means “Jesus wept”. This chapel marks the spot where tradition says Jesus spoke those words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. The Dominus Flevit Chapel, a view looking out from within the chapel and Matthew's words depicted on the altar of the chapel...

Jerusalem is still a city which evokes many emotions. This city is considered holy for the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. As we sat in the Mount of Olives we took in the contrast of ancient walls and modern high rises, Christian churches, an Islamic Mosque as well as places significant to the Jewish faith. We heard scripture read, sang “Go to Dark Gethsemane” and were invited to have a time of silence for meditation and prayer. During this silence, the Isalmic call to worship began to be heard throughout the city. In the midst of this, one of our group, David noticed Hasidic Jews praying in the Jewish cemetery visible in the valley below the Mount of Olives. For me, it was a strange melding of senses, a coming together while still contrasting. I don’t quite know what to think of it.

As we reflected tonight, this complexity and the questions that come with it have arisen for many in this group. What will the city of Jerusalem mean for us? What does it mean to visit various places where Jesus is said to have walked, prayed, died, rose when we know that God is just as close in places back home? The questions I raised about pilgrimage in my first post are bubbling to the surface again. I feel that I, as well as many of my fellow travelers, have been fed by this trip and yet we are challenged to understand what part this particular city, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem” plays in our own faith story.

Our view of Jerusalem. The more crowded and bustling part of our journey begins (hence in this photo you not only see Jerusalem but other groups below us who have come to this holy city).

A few other photos from our day….

We traveled to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations today as well, however this morning before traveling to Jerusalem we traveled to Masada. Masada was built by Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 b.c.) and expanded by King Herod (73-4 BCE). It was here that the famous standoff between the Romans and the Jewish Zealots occurred.

A model of Masada (to help give you an idea)

Our group riding the cable car to the top (above) and the view on top of Masada (pictured below)

Look Mom! We float!!!!

No matter what your swimming skill or how many falafels you've eaten, we were told you will not sink in the Dead Sea. About twenty-four of us tested out this phenomenon on Monday and it's true! Before our float, we also took in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Here is just a sample of the many fun pictures we took late Monday afternoon. More about our journey coming soon!!!

Rejoice!!!

In front of the Treasury!

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."- Psalms 118:24

There is much to rejoice in today. It is Sunday and we began the day remembering in prayer our loved ones and our worshiping communities back home. Today is also Kay's birthday and she was welcomed onto the bus with a rendition of "Happy Birthday" in English as well as in Aramaic (thanks to the assistance of Omar, our guide).

Our day was spent in one of the seven modern wonders in the world, Petra. As we walked the two miles into this archeological wonder, it is no surprise this place made the list! From the treasury (mentioned in my earlier post) to the Urn Tomb (where we held our devotions), I am amazed that persons 2,000 years ago carved such massive structures into this sandstone. And to think that they did this beginning with the top and working their way down!

As amazing as these structures are to view from the outside, my most vivid memory of Petra will be from within the Urn Tomb which was used as Byzantine church around 477 A.D. The acoustics in this space are so remarkable that this space has not only been a church but used as a courthouse (during Roman rule) in its past life. Now this massive square room sits empty filled only by visitors.

The Urn Tomb

Today we took advantage of these amazing ancient acoustics. Paul greeted us into the space with music played on a classic baroque-style flute. Next we offered up prayer petitions hearing the syllables reverberate on the walls and high ceiling above us. Then we sang...

As Diane put it best, music in this particular space "gets inside you." I had hoped to post a video of our music in this amazing space. However, uploading has not been successful. If I figure it out, you will be the first to know!

There were other moments in our day, rides on camels, donkeys, horses and encounters with the locals that give us much to rejoice about. A group of us even journeyed farther climbing 800-900 steps (the actual number is disputed) to the Monastery, a high point at Petra. Today we walked quite a bit. To simply walk in and then back out is four miles, some of our group probably walked closer to eight.

Those who traveled the 800-900 steps and the monastery we found at the end of our journey!

One of the greatest reasons to rejoice came as I loaded this bus. I discovered that the wind we encountered at various parts of our day was part of a sandstorm occurring in parts of Jordon. This sandstorm has been the strongest in 20 years and actually closed roads and delayed travel for many. Walking at Petra sand did seem to blow everywhere but we realize in other places it was much, much worse. Had the timing of our visit to Petra been one day later we may have never made it to this amazing site. We would have never been able to have our four-part harmony echo on the walls of what once was a 5th century Byzantine Church. Yes, from camels to Lutheran hymns there is much to rejoice about, especially in Petra.

High Five

Today was a long day of travel via bus, but as tired as I am I couldn’t resist sharing some highlights from our day. Tomorrow will be an adventure too as we journey to Petra to take in the rock-hewn tombs, temple and treasury. If you have seen Indian Jones and the Last Crusade and remember where Indy finds the Holy Grail, you have seen images of Petra. We will be there tomorrow and don’t worry there will be pictures! However, since it is a bit of a hike (two miles to trek in and out) tonight’s blog will just be snippets from our day today. .. Five Highlights…in no particular order…

1. We are in Jordon! We have safely and success

fully crossed over into the country of Jordon. This is an interesting endeavor since security is high at border crossings. Our gracious driver offered to drive us across the bridge to Jordon. However, because of security the Israeli bus could only be at customs for a certain amount of time, otherwise he would be seriously delayed. What does this mean? The bus driver saved us time driving us across and in order for us to spare him being delayed before traveling back (all buses must be checked if they sit at customs for a certain amount of time) back we needed to get off the bus… fast. How long does it take 34 people plus all of their luggage to unload a charter bus? About three minutes. Tonight we rest easy in a high class hotel (five stars!) and begin our experience of Jordon.

2. The number five came up earlier today as well. We had a five dollar lunch. No, not a foot-long but chicken wrapped in Beduwin bread and served with smooth mashed potatoes, French fries, pickled beets, fresh cucumbers and lemon. The meal was much more than most of us could eat and at $5, delivered to our bus at the top of Mount Nebo you couldn’t ask anything more.

3. After lunch we moved

into another high point of our day, literally. Today we read from Deuteronomy (Deut 32:49-52, 34:1-12) at the top of Mt. Nebo where Moses took in the Promised Land before he died. From the top we could see the city of Jericho, over 6,000 years old, as well as waters of Dead Sea.

4. Today we had a chance to

see high art in the making. After Mt. Nebo we visited a mosaic art center which provides work opportunities for those with disabilities. The mosaics were gorgeous ranging from small pieces the size of your hand to expansive wall designs. I was invited to glue a few stones in place myself!

5. Tonight Barbara spoke this simple truth “God calls us into community.” This has been an ongoing high point on this trip. I see again and again examples of community within this group of people. From persons assisting others with luggage, to taking turns snapping pictures (serious or silly

) of each other, to deeply listening to each other’s varied experiences, there is an intentionality here, a special type of togetherness. Where does this come from? Is it because we are in the Holy Land? Is it because we know that each of us hopes for something along this journey. Is it because of the faith we share? One person in our group described it as a “super discipleship” and we all laughed, together. Whatever you call it, it is a gift from God and a highpoint of my day and I feel it will continue to be in the days ahead.

Today the Sea of Galilee was as smooth as glass…calm… peaceful. The dull hum of the boat’s motor beneath us wasn’t jarring as we rode the wooden boat upon the sea. The Sea of Galilee is mentioned several times in the New Testament; however Jesus’ travels on the Sea of Galilee were not simply a calm boat ride.

Today we not only took in the beauty of the smooth and soothing waters of the Sea of Galilee, we also took in a geography and culture lesson. If one draws an imaginary line north to south (from where

the Jordon River enters the Sea of Galilee to where the water drains from the Sea of Galilee), one has a sense of the boundary that existed between Jews and Gentiles. Gentiles were considered outsiders by the Jewish people, described in the Gospel of Mark as “unclean.” To cross the Sea of Galilee is to enter the territory of the “other”. Yet Jesus crosses this very body of water and this boundary again and again.

Perhaps these accounts are familiar to us. Do we realize how radical

these boat trips were? My mind travels to another part of our day. Earlier in the morning, we traveled to Tel Dan, a city dating back to Old Testament times. This city is over 3,000 years old and yet the city walls and supports for the gate of the city still stand; both crafted to best protect the people from unwanted outsiders. The division of the Sea of Galilee, the city walls of Dan, both efforts to protect one from “others”.

I am sure some things haven’t changed. I’m sure we each have a boundary, a line, a place that just seems to be too far for us to go and yet across that line, in some way, God is at work. This is what Jesus models for us over and over again in the Gospel of Mark, the Gospel we recounted today on the Sea of Galilee. Perhaps the author of this gospel knew we need that reminder, that repetition of the boundaries Jesus crosses, how far God is willing to go

Although not quite the same our group perhaps crossed a boundary line of our own today by breaking out of our own insecurities and Lutheran stereotypes. Today we sang, clapped and danced as our boat sailed on the Sea of Galilee. Often the speaker systems on these boats are used to play the national anthem of those who are taking the boat ride. We used our time on the water differently, we recounted the portions of Mark’s gospel that mention the Sea of Galilee, we had devotions led by Cynthia, we fed the birds and then we danced. I’m not sure how it happened, but it did and here is proof!

Dancing the Harma

"Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful... Let them praise his name with dancing..."

- Psalm 149:1,3a.

The Great Outdoors...

“From today’s experience, what will you most want to share with folks back home?” This is one of the many reflective questions that is asked as we gather each evening. Uggg. It is a hard question! I have been thinking about you, dear readers, all day. We have traveled to a variety of places. This morning we traveled to the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus is said to have given his Sermon on the Mount. Next we traveled to the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes and viewed the rock (now within a church) where the miracle is said to have occurred. Later we journeyed to Capernaum to view the remains of Peter’s house and closed our day with a trip to an archeological site of a Roman city close to Nazareth (a city where carpenters in the area often found work- perhaps even Jesus practiced Joseph''s trade here!). The last bit of our day was a tour of the kibbutz associated with where we are staying. To share all that I have experienced today would be overwhelming, so I will share this….

I am surprised that the places where I feel most connected to the scripture we are reading, thus far, are in the outdoor spaces, the landscape that surrounds us rather than within the ornamental churches. Today when we visited the Mount of the Beatitudes, we not only took in the beautiful church but took time to have our devotions seated on rocks in the garden looking down upon the Sea of Galilee.

As Craig read the Sermon on the Mount, I thought of persons back home who come to mind as I hear these words…“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted…” (Matthew 5:3-4) There in the garden we listened to Jesus’ entire sermon as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. There were even birds chirping above us as we heard the words “Look at the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:26). I am sure I will not hear the words of this sermon in the same way again whether I am here in the Holy Land or back home in Minnesota. As we were listening, one of our group who was seated near the sidewalk in the garden, noticed that other visitors slowed down, even stopped to take in the words of Jesus we were reading. These words drew crowds in Jesus’ time and still have the power to gather us together today.

As you read this blog, I invite you to take the time to read a bit of scripture with us. The passages connected with our journey can be found on the “Connecting Places and Pages” tab. You do not have to be in the Holy Land to experience the power of these words. By the diverse groups of people we encounter at every site we visit, we are reminded of just how far these words can travel and the power they hold.

It is truly a blessed thing.

Our group at the archeological site, Zippori…..

Some things have changed after 2,000 years...

“How many layers do we build to bury that core?” That was the question Nancy asked in response to our day and the sights we have seen. We have traveled from Tel Aviv to Caesarea to Mt. Carmel and through the Jezreel Valley to Nazareth. Now we find ourselves at the Sea of Galilee. Many of us are realizing that traveling the Holy Land is complicated. That not only are there layers of history literally built on top of one another but we encounter layers within ourselves, the expectations and mental images that we bring to this place and our own responses as our experiences surprise us.

What brought about this conversation was our visit to the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. Tradition holds that this is the place where the angel, Gabriel, came to Mary. The experience of Nazareth, a bustling city, and this modern church surprised many of us. The Basilica was built in 1969, far from being old, especially in this land. However, we were told it was built on the ruins of three churches: one from the time of the Byzantines, one built during the Crusades and one around the time of the Middle Ages. These layers sit on top of what is believed to be Mary’s home. Deciphering the different layers becomes difficult. It seems, that each of us most go on our own journey to discover what is significant to us. For some, it is the Cave of the Annunciation for others the gifts of art (some very modern) from various nations that add beauty to this basilica.

The Basilica of the Annunciation,

including the Cave and artwork given by the United States...

How does the modern exist alongside the biblical sites we have journeyed to see? How as pilgrims will we find what we are seeking to draw from this trip in such layers of architecture and expectations?

For Nancy tonight, it was the simplicity and calm of the Sea of Galilee that made her feel connected on her journey. When one thinks of the Holy Land, often one thinks of Jerusalem, however, it is in Nazareth and around the Sea of Galilee that Jesus spent most of his life. We look forward to our next few days here and what will touch us next.

Some images from our day….

Caesarea...

The Monastery at Mt. Carmel...

Devotions at Mt. Carmel

P.S. Our last traveler arrived safely last night, we are now a complete 34!

"Welcome Home"

There is so much to write but let's start with the facts. After 5,937 miles on a plane beginning in Newark, New Jersey, our group has arrived in Tel Aviv. Right now there are 33 of us. Two of our to-be travelers were unable to make the trip and another is coming on another flight. We hope that tomorrow we will be a complete 34. The 33 of us who are here arrived safely with all our luggage (thanks be to God!). We are tired but many of us took the opportunity to dig our toes into the sand along the Mediterranian Sea (which is across the street from our hotel!) after supper tonight.

You might be wondering about the title of this post. These are the words that Yousef, our guide used to welcome us to the Holy Land. He believes that the Holy Land is, in a way, home for every Christian since it is the land where Christ walked. I thought of his words again as we gathered tonight to share our hopes for this trip. Cheryl, one of our group, shared these thoughts on home, "One of the best ways to get to know a person is to visit their home. That is what we're doing, we are visiting Jesus' home..." That is an awesome possibility for this group, to grow so close to the things we have read about in scripture.

Some of us hope to brush up on our geography, some yearn to fed spiritually on this trip, and some are here because their spouse said "Let's go to the Holy Land". Whatever the reason I'm sure we will encounter things that will change scripture for us and shape us and perhaps you, as you follow our journey, may learn a bit about, as Yousef put it, home.

Tomorrow we travel to the Plain of Sharon, Caesarea, and Galilee! Let the journeying begin!

Do I have what I need???

As the scribe for our group, I hope to represent more of our group experience when we begin our travels. However, right now, I feel a bit on my own. Now comes the task, as my fellow travelers I'm sure are doing in their own homes this week, of trying to pack.

I have a lot of books.

Among the information given to us for our trip was a list of recommended or suggested reading. These are books I was intending to read or re-read prior to our departure on Feb 14th. Now I am wondering which of them I should pack...

Will I know what I will need to know to make the most of this journey?

I was reminded again this week at seminary that this is often the case for those who pick up the Bible. Scripture can be very foreign to us. So many places and names to remember! Even after eight years of theological education (four in college as a religion major and four in seminary), I still find myself asking who, what, and where questions about the books of the Bible. In some cases, I find myself being asked questions about the Bible by others and need to reply "Let me check and get back to you on that."

Is it necessary for me to know, from memory, that Jonah fled from Joppa or that Paul appeared before governor Felix at Caesarea in order to take this trip?

No, it could help... perhaps...but there is a bigger thing here. I think what is important to bring along on this trip or even in a Bible study is the openness to learn, to share what one encounters but to also just see what happens. The disciples didn't have a lot of qualifications when Jesus asked them to "Come and see." I didn't have to take a Bible quiz to qualify for this trip. We all were simply asked to be a part and experience it.

Does that pack my suitcase for me? No, but it is reassuring and exciting. Although I will have to get something in the suitcase soon...

A...a... what???

In college, I took a Reformation Tour of Europe for a month. While in Rome, with a campus pastor and other students, we were asked by a Roman Catholic priest, "Is this a pilgrimage for you? Tracing the steps of Martin Luther? The other students and I looked at each other quizzically and I told him "No... not really." I have thought about that question as I have traveled to other places and think of it now as I am about to embark on a trip to the Holy Land.

What makes one's travel a pilgrimage?

Can anyone do a pilgrimage?

How???

Through my travels in the Holy Land, I hope to learn a bit more about this somewhat foriegn concept. I would like to journey not just with my feet this February but inwardly too. Could this be a spiritual journey, a pilgrimage for me? Will I look at familar biblical stories differently after this experience? I am not a journalist. I am not a missionary. I am not a pastor... yet. I am a seminary student wondering just what this trip will hold for me and my fellow travelers... and you are welcome to come along!