The schedule has been packed with touring and seeing the Holy Land sites. Today included The Pool of Bethesda, St. Anne's Church (named for the mother of the Virgin Mary), The Mount of Olives which overlooks the Kidron Valley and The Golden Gate the place where Jesus will enter the city when he returns and the Garden Tomb another site believed to be the place of crucifixion and burial of Jesus. In the garden we were led in a time of worship followed by the serving of Communion by Pastor Jim Dixon and Pastor Mike Anderson and the CHCC elders on the tour. At the conclusion Pastor Jim gave us a charge to go out and be "salt and light" in the world.
We are very thankful for all the planning and preparation that has gone into making this trip a reality. The Choir Leadership Team is still busy finalizing arrangements for our flights home. We are tired and a bit road weary. Many would say this has been "the trip of a lifetime" and have pushed through because it has been so worth it.
We hope in some small way you have gotten a taste of Israel from following us on this blog. The pictures posted were taken by members of our team on their personal cameras. So the photos are real and untouched. I think I can truthfully say we have each been impacted and probably changed, even in a some small way, by this trip. We have a bond because of our time spent together these past 13 days in the Czech Republic and Israel. It has been a privilege to serve Christ and the people we have met and ministered to during this trip. May we continue to be faithful in our service to him when we return home.
Tomorrow we begin the journey back to Colorado. Right now Plan B is being implemented. We will be on various flights from Tel Aviv to London and then back to the U.S. If everything goes according to this plan we all should make it home Thursday night.
Until then...Shalom Ya'll!
Showing posts with label Jerusalem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jerusalem. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Jerusalem: The Old City
A visit to Jerusalem means visiting the Old City which is the location for many of the most familiar sites to westerners and probably some of the most photographed sites. It is the location of the the Western Wall (sometimes referred to as the Jewish Wailing Wall), the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock. We were given the opportunity to walk the Via Dolorosa - the path Jesus walked on his way to his crucifixion at Golgotha where the Church of the Holy Sepulcher now stands. For many who come here a trip to the Holy Land is not complete until these sites have been visited.
Our final concert of this trip was for an audience that included a 100 or so members of CHCC on the tour with Jim and Barbara Dixon. This event was also promoted to local residents. We have appreciated the partnership between the local promoter and production team for all the advance work and preparations they handled to make these local concert events possible. It's something we could not have done on our own. We hope that our music and the message conveyed in the songs continue to resonate with the people we've ministered to during our visit here.
Our local tour guides and bus drivers have been fantastic! We have been privileged to have these very skilled and knowledgeable men provide additional context to the history and Biblical references many of us came with on this visit. We have experienced their passion and pride for their homeland. Thank you Doron and Ikey and Amiel Tours Ltd.
We wrap up our time here on Wednesday taking a walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. When we arrive at the Upper Room we'll have a time of worship. Together with the Church Tour we will enjoy a time of reflection followed by a communion service led by Pastor Jim Dixon.
It's our final day in Israel. We have seen and experienced a lifetime of memories. This blog will be updated again until we make it back home to Colorado. So please check back.
Our final concert of this trip was for an audience that included a 100 or so members of CHCC on the tour with Jim and Barbara Dixon. This event was also promoted to local residents. We have appreciated the partnership between the local promoter and production team for all the advance work and preparations they handled to make these local concert events possible. It's something we could not have done on our own. We hope that our music and the message conveyed in the songs continue to resonate with the people we've ministered to during our visit here.
Our local tour guides and bus drivers have been fantastic! We have been privileged to have these very skilled and knowledgeable men provide additional context to the history and Biblical references many of us came with on this visit. We have experienced their passion and pride for their homeland. Thank you Doron and Ikey and Amiel Tours Ltd.
We wrap up our time here on Wednesday taking a walk down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. When we arrive at the Upper Room we'll have a time of worship. Together with the Church Tour we will enjoy a time of reflection followed by a communion service led by Pastor Jim Dixon.
It's our final day in Israel. We have seen and experienced a lifetime of memories. This blog will be updated again until we make it back home to Colorado. So please check back.
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