You’re With Us in the Holy Land!
Word from Wiese
7 June 2023
As you read this, God-willing, I’m traveling with a group of COS disciples and friends from five different states on a faith pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
I appreciate how many of you wanted to come. Some of you were signed up, but a health issue raised its ugly head and had to be addressed. Or you realized a family reunion, wedding, or Covid-catch-up trip could not be re-arranged.
Even though you might not be with us physically, I’d like to invite you on our COS journey virtually! So, see below for a daily description of our itinerary along with youtube links that will allow you to overview part of we will encounter each day. As you read this long offering below, you’ll discover it’s really a series of daily emails I sent to our group in preparation of our journey. I pray it will help you journey with us as well, even if just a bit!
Traveling Jesus’ pathways with you,
Pastor Fritz
IMAGINING OUR DAYS IN THE HOLY LAND
PASTOR FRITZ WIESE
4-13 JUNE 2023
The following is a collection of daily notes written by Pastor Fritz sent via email to the 2023 COS Holy Land Pilgrimage Roster. Each note tries to help the group visualize what God has in store for us on various days of the journey. Each note was sent on the weekday of travel, exactly three weeks in advance.
IMAGINING DAY 3 (Tuesday, 3 weeks from today)
Hey faith friends,
Well, 3 weeks from today, we’ll be experiencing our second full day in the Holy Land. The first day was spent mostly in the air and in airports, from Atlanta to Frankfurt, Germany to Tel Aviv, Israel. We made it to our hotel in time for dinner, stretched our legs on the shore of the Mediterranean, and tried to get a night’s sleep.
Here’s our official itinerary:
“After breakfast, we will travel by private motorcoach along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea (included), where the Gentiles first heard the Good News from Peter and were baptized. We’ll see the Roman Amphitheatre and aquaduct. Visit Mount Carmel, Muhraqa the Place of Fire, and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18), discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. Afterward, we will go to Nazareth where we will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation. We will also visit the Church of St. Joseph. We end our day with a visit to Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle, then drive to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.”
As you can see, one of our stops is at Mount Carmel. While it’s a stunning view, I’ve got to say it might be my least favorite story out of all the stories we’ll hear on our trip.
Mount Carmel is the site where the Old Testament prophet Elijah challenged the priests of the false God, Baal, to a show-down. Check out this video that does a pretty good job of telling the story. Some of you will smile at a few of the Sunday School picture sketches where they make Elijah an old white guy (when he was probably a 30–40-year-old guy with a skin of a darker hue).
Good stuff, in my opinion:
- A captivating story of faith where God shows up and clearly makes it known to people that God is Lord.
- Elijah is a neat example of someone willing to do the right thing even when you’re in a minority.
- If you read the rest of the story, you learn Elijah fell into a “spiritual funk.” He was bummed out that more people didn’t follow God and did not like feeling he was the only one being faithful. But again, God shows up in encouragement in the midst of his struggle. Read about the story in 1 Kings chapters 18-19.
Hard stuff in my opinion:
- Elijah ends up killing 400 people. Even though they were false prophets, it’s a hard story to hear. That doesn’t seem to line up with the Jesus we will meet in the New Testament, this Prince of Peace. (And the statue we will see at Mt. Carmel with Elijah ready to slay a fallen prophet seems a bit creepy to me, but . . .)
Well, that’s only one of the adventures . . . and one of the faith experiences we’ll enjoy together on Day 3 of our trip. Surely, a great 360-degree view. Surely, a fun time while we keep getting to know each other.
And so glad we’ll ALSO explore the amazing seaside Herod-built Caesarea Maritima, where Paul was imprisoned amid Herod’s lavish palace, coliseum, aquaducts, and hippodrome. You’ll hear why Caesarea, in a way, is the site of Christianity’s birth in terms of clarifying its universal inclusion of all people, via Peter’s dream
Shalom,
Pastor Fritz
+++++
IMAGINING DAY 4 (Wednesday, 3 weeks from today)
What will the breakfast buffet be like this morning? (Breakfast is my favorite meal and I can’t wait to see all the fresh fruit!)
Will most of us have adapted to the new time zone by now?
Over breakfast, what will the conversation buzz be regarding the highlights of the prior day? Will our engineer, Tor Brunso, be amazed to see the wonder of the Roman aqueduct? Will our thespian, Morgan Wiese, still be talking about the tour of the coliseum in Caesarea Maritima, where folks could take in a concert while watching a sunset on the Mediterranean? Will some still be processing the 360 degree view from atop Mt. Carmel and the story of Elijah?
Or . . . how many of you figured out how to turn water into wine when we visited Cana, where Jesus surprised a wedding party?
Once we get on the bus, we begin another amazing day. One key feature the next two days of travel is the Sea of Galilee.
If you have just under 2 minutes to watch, here are 10 fun facts about the Sea of Galilee:
If you have just over 8 minutes, here’s a more in-depth overview that includes history, archeology, topography and more of the second lowest body of water on earth:
Finally, here’s what our official itinerary says for our Wednesday together:
Day 4, June 7: Caesarea Philippi – Golan Heights – Mt. Arbel – Valley of Doves – Sea of Galilee.
We will start our day with a visit to Caesarea Philippi at the sources of the river Jordan where Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah. Then we would return to the Sea of Galilee via the Golan Heights with a stop overlooking the Road to Damascus. On to Mount Arbel lookout overlooking the ancient road from Nazareth to Galilee with a possible hike on a part of Jesus Trail. We will then carry on to the Valley of the Doves and travel along the ancient road that leads from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee along the Via Maris. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.
Shalom,
Pastor Fritz
+++++
IMAGINING DAY 5 (Thursday, 3 weeks from today)
I bet several of you will end up saying this day is your favorite day of the trip!
We take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus calmed the storm, where Peter jumped out of the boat to start walking to Jesus! And we actually eat a fish lunch–the same kind of fish the disciples caught, the same kind of fish that Jesus (probably) prepared for the post-Easter surprise breakfast.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem will be amazing for many reasons. The churches and cosmopolitan hustle and bustle are amazing. But for those of you who desire to connect to that natural lake, hillsides, and scenery where Jesus spent most of his time, this will be a very special day for you.
As you might have discovered, you can find so many YouTube videos—of different lengths and qualities—about the sites we will visit. It was hard for me to choose today. But here is one put together by a teaching pastor that does a pretty good job of sharing Scripture, maps, and history. Just over 9 minutes. You’ll see pictures of many of the spots we’ll visit this Thursday, including the kind of boat we’ll probably take for our sea tour.
Here’s our official itinerary: Day 5, June 8: Sea of Galilee – Magdala – Capernaum – Mount of Beatitudes
We will start the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, followed by a visit to the Ancient Boar Museum that houses a 2000-year-old fishing boat found buried in mud on the shores of Galilee The boat provides a good example of what fishing boats looked like during the time of Jesus. Then we will visit Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene, and see the 1st-century synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue discovered on the shores of Galilee with a stone-carved replica of the Temple and Menorah.
We will then take a short drive to Capernaum, the biblical village and hometown of Jesus. Capernaum is closely associated with Jesus and His ministry as described in the Synoptic Gospels. There we will see the house of the mother-in-law of Peter and an ancient synagogue that dates back to the time of Jesus and where much of His teaching took place. At noon, we will drive to Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000. We will then visit the site known as “Peter’s Primacy” where Jesus appeared to His disciples for the third time after His Resurrection. Later we will continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, the scene of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. We will enjoy the view of the enchanting gardens and reflect on Jesus’ sermon. We will also have time for prayer and reflection, Dinner, and overnight in Tiberias.
Shalom,
Pastor Fritz
++++++
IMAGINING DAY 6 (Friday, 3 weeks from today)
Dear fellow faith pilgrims,
Here’s what our itinerary says about 3 weeks from today/yesterday:
Day 6, June 9: Jordan Valley – Shepherds Field – Bethlehem
“After breakfast, we will drive through the Jordan valley, on to Bethlehem to visit Shepherd’s Fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of the Book of Ruth. After lunch (on your own), we will travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the place where Our Lord was born. Check-in at our hotel, dinner, and overnight in Bethlehem.”
I remember when I visited the Holy Land in 1999 (last millennium), I bought a manger scene for my family in Bethlehem. We still use it today. I also remember being startled at how many faith groups share leadership/stewardship of this special place, Church of the Nativity, located in Palestine. I will have fun watching your reactions on how “different” this place feels from your own local church. We’ll see…
Here is one faith pilgrim’s 3-minute overview and tour:
Looking forward to adding to the angels our own voices of praise to Jesus in the fields of Bethlehem with you,
Shalom,
P Fritz
+++++++++++++++
IMAGINING DAY 7 (Saturday, 3 weeks from today!
Wow! Today will be a really diverse, enriching day of touring. Can’t wait. Saturday is Sabbath for the area’s Jewish residents. So, I wonder if we’ll feel that in “the vibe.” I think much of our day will be spent on Palestine territory and not Jewish. I look forward to our guide explaining. What will it be like to pass through the border between the two states? Will we see “the wall” that Israel erected?
One memory of my 1999 trip was singing together in the Upper Room. The acoustics were wonderful. Let’s remember to sing together when we visit there and remember the Last Supper and the foot washing Jesus shared to teach us about servant leadership.
Out of all our neat stops this day, I chose to share a (less than 5 minute) video about Augusta Victoria hospital, which enjoys such a wonderful reputation as a pan-Lutheran ministry making a huge difference in the region:
Anticipating with you,
P Fritz
From our official itinerary:
Day 7, June 10: Augusta Victoria Hospital, LWF – Mt. of Olives – Mt. Zion
We will start our day with Augusta Victoria to witness the work of the Lutheran World Federation in health and education. Later we will enjoy the panoramic view from the top of Mount of Olives. Then we continue to the Church of the Ascension and the Church of the Pater Noster, and down to Dominus Flevit and St. Magdalene Church, pray at the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations. In the afternoon, we visit. St. Peter in Galicantu where Jesus was denied by St. Peter. Then we will visit the Upper Room, the place of the Last Supper, and King David’s Tomb. Back to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.
+++++++++++++
IMAGINING DAY 8 (Sunday, 3 weeks from today)
Wow. What a diverse day we have in store!
This is our Sunday, Sabbath Day of worship. Sounds like we’ll experience a meaningful Affirmation of Baptism Service on/in the Jordan River where Jesus himself was baptized.
We’ll travel the rough road from Jerusalem to Jericho and will forever have a turbo-charged imagination whenever we hear the Good Samaritan parable. Can we re-enact the walls of Jericho tumbling down? I’ve got an idea for our group!
You treasure hunters among us will delight in the seeing the caves where the Qumran scrolls were discovered, helping verify the integrity of many scriptures.
And . . .drumroll please . . . we’ll have a chance to float in the Dead Sea and/or enjoy a skin-refreshing mud treatment. Here’s a less than 5-minute CBS clip:
It sounds like we don’t actually stop at St. George’s Monastery. So let me share this 2-minute close-up look and description of this super cool spot where tradition holds Elijah must have hidden out at times:
And if you want some stunning drone footage of the Wadi Qelt valley and monastery with alluring middle eastern music to set the tone, here you go:
Of course, with all these locations, you can research as much as you want ahead of time!
Will this be the day some of you ride a camel?????
Day 8, June 11: Wadi Qelt ’ST George Monastery” – Baptismal site – Jericho – Qumran – Dead Sea
This morning we depart Bethlehem, traveling along the Judean wilderness where Jesus fasted for 40 days, along the ancient road passing the good Samaritan inn. Reaching Wadi Qelt, we enjoy a view of St George’s Monastery nestled in the wilderness and carry on along the ancient road reaching Jericho passing along Herod’s Winter Palace where the infamous King died in the year 4 BC and probably was the background setting for the parable of the prodigal son. Prior to visiting Jericho, we head to visit Bet Arabah where John baptized Jesus. The site is also known as the “Place of Crossing.” The Israelites. From Bethabara we will drive to the city of Jericho.
We will see Tel Jericho, the old town of Joshua, and see the excavations of the ancient city, and a view the Mount of Temptation will also be in sight. We will then drive to Qumran and visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally found and the buildings that formed the public canter of the Essenes. Then we will proceed to the Dead Sea where we can enjoy a dip in the relaxing and healing waters of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.
Shalom,
P Fritz
++++++++
IMAGINING DAY 9 (Monday 3 weeks from today)
A bittersweet day today.
It’s our last full day of touring together. On the other hand, what a finale, visiting sites some argue are most holy in not only Christianity, but Judaism and Islam as well.
I’ll be interested to hear your impressions of the Holy Sepulcher, one church which encompasses what tradition holds are sites of both Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. It’s almost an overwhelming experience, engaging the power of Jesus’ story, the pulse of people, the style of architecture, and the knowledge that we’re joining the ranks of millions of the faithful who humbly and prayerfully enter this incredible space.
Same goes with a visit to the western/wailing wall, the Via Dolorosa, and the Dome of the Rock. An incredible finale indeed!
It was hard to find a short and substantial video of the Holy Sepulcher. But here’s a 2-minute piece National Geographic offers. The pictures are stunning as it promotes a special NG did on some archaeological renovation.
Official Itinerary: Day 9, June 12: Temple Mt – Pool of Bethesda – Via Dolorosa – Holy Sepulcher – Jerusalem
This morning after breakfast, we will walk the Via Dolorosa, the traditional path that Jesus walked from the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher visiting Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. We will visit the Jewish Quarter and go to the Western Wall, a section of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, and Judaism’s holiest site. visit the temple Mount, where the Jewish temple stood until its destruction in 70 A.D, and see the Dome of the Rock, a possible location of the Holy of Holies. On to visit St Anne’s church and a visit to nearby Pools of Bethesda where the healing at the pool took place. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.
Shalom,
P Fritz
++++++
IMAGINING DAY 10 (Tuesday, 3 weeks from today)
Well, faith friends, all good things must come to an end.
And today, three weeks from today (yesterday), we come to the official end of the “core trip” to the Holy Land. Some of us board a bus for just a few more days in Jordan, to explore Petra, Moses’ Mt. Nebo, and more. Some of us will head to the airport to fly home.
While we’ll miss the daily adventure, I bet most of us will be excited simultaneously to get back to our own beds, see our loved ones and pets, and raid our own refrigerators.
Whenever we head home, what will our reflections be?
Which will be your top favorite sites?
How will your faith forever be changed?
How will you read the Bible differently? Or experience Easter, Christmas, Ascension and Pentecost differently, having visited the locations of all those events? How will you hear the news about the Middle East differently having traveled through it and met some of the people?
What will have been your favorite new menu item? Which people on the trip will prove to be new life-long friends?
Whatever our answers to these questions, I’m sure we’ll all be so grateful for one another as co-pilgrims, with each one of you enriching the group’s experience. And grateful to God for giving us this life-transforming experience!
Let me close with a prayer. I love this one from the Lutheran Book of Worship. It speaks of trusting the Lord to lead us on our journeys. Yes, on our trip together, we know our itinerary each day. But let us pray that, through this trip, God equips us to be prepared better to live and serve well in our future life adventurers, the details of which are yet to be revealed.
Let us pray:
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Shalom,
Pastor Fritz
