A Trip to the Holy Land - Chapel Hill United Methodist Church

Why a trip to the Holy Land? I have been blessed to visit Israel twice. I honestly could go back at least once a year for a couple of reasons: First, I believe what the Franciscan Father said is true, “There are five gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Israel. It takes knowledge of the fifth gospel to understand the other four.” I believe there is a lot of truth to his statement because my trips to the land of Israel have made the Bible come alive for me! Secondly, there is something about walking where Jesus walked. There is an old song that say, “Today, I walked where Jesus walked, and felt his presence there.” Each time, as I walked where Jesus walked, I did experience a mysterious Presence.

We will have a brochure soon with details about price and what is included with that price, etc.

Some of the questions I have been asked already….

When? Early November of 2019 is our target date. The weather is nice. It is not too hot or too chilly. If you go to Israel during their summer months, you are in for severe heat.
What about safety? Tourism is the primary source of income for Israel. They ensure the safety of tourists because their livelihood depends on it. Also, the State Department is aware of where Americans are when traveling abroad and are intentional to provide alerts in the event of a need to vacate the country. I have never been concerned about my or other’s safety.
What about food? The food is middle-eastern similar to what you find at Bella Luna or Meddy’s. The primary difference would be breakfast. They eat cheeses and yogurts with bread and salads. With the price, you get breakfast and dinner each day. Lunch is on our own because we are touring the country.
How long is the tour? Each tour is 10 days long. We will leave on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday (TBD) and then each one has the option of purchasing additional days for particular places like Egypt, Jordan, or more time in Jerusalem.
What is the spiritual benefit of going? At each of the locations, we take time to read the Scripture and meditate upon the events that took place there 2,000 years ago. We celebrate Communion daily and especially in the Garden Tomb and the Upper Room, the experience of celebrating the Sacrament together is very special.
Can you give a guesstimate about cost? I would expect it to be about $3,000 give or take. We would fly out of Wichita and go to New York and fly from there. The flight time from New York is almost 8 hours. 2 meals worth. ☺ The layover once we land in New York before boarding to Tel Aviv is long enough to prepare your legs for a long flight.
How many do we hope will go? We hope we will have enough to fill our own bus so we can do the things that matter most to us. When you go on a tour with another group, you potentially find yourselves going to places that may not be of interest. i.e. the diamond factory. The first time I went, we had 4 groups on one bus. It was a blessing to meet other people but it was also a challenge when trying to decide where we wanted to spend the greatest amount of time.
Will there be an informational meeting? Yes, we will have an informational meeting without any obligation. You will have opportunity for the details of cost, places we visit and an opportunity for Q and A.