Holy Land Pilgrimage
In August, 18 parishioners (and three friends) joined Rev. Rachel and Canon Iyad Qumri in a two-week pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Here are some of their thoughts about the experience:
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land is different from any other—it makes the Bible come alive. Everything is closer and smaller than imagined. And you are walking where biblical figures and saints have! Music was important to me on this pilgrimage. We sang in many places. But at the Sunday service in Ramallah when the first hymn was sung in English by the pilgrims and in Arabic by the parishioners was incredible. As the music washed over me it seemed like Pentecost, the coming of the Kingdom, and the heavenly choir. It was the thinnest of “thin places” for me.
–Patsy Brierley
Everything was so old but modern at the same time. The places of familiar Bible passages were covered by churches hiding the history beneath. The more steps we took down, the deeper we went in time. We were pilgrims following those before us.
–Susan Tsutsumi
My head is still so full of memories….but the Eucharist at the church in Ramallah was a highlight, especially the Arabic and English hymns sung together. Another was talking to a young Jew selling dates and nuts about needing to find peace, He said his best friend was a Muslim. Later we found them having lunch together and they invited us to share bread with them. This to me was a beautiful moment…a moment of peace, Salam, Shalom, God bless.
–Pat Woolley
I appreciate experiencing the early morning peace of the rolling desert hills near Wadi Qelt. In contrast, our glimpse into Israeli occupation of the West Bank was sobering and thought provoking. In our travels we met people in need. Seeing our guide Iyad interact with them made me want to be more generous. I now carry a little money for those who ask and as a reminder to be kind.
–Paul Tsutsumi
As we traveled across the Holy Land, I was in awe of the magnificent religious structures built to honor God, Jesus and those who represent the narrative of our Christian heritage. However, it was the connection with nature as I watched the sun rise over the Judean Desert when I felt the presence of God. It is hard to image such perfection occurring without divine guidance.
–Scott Gauch
The most moving part of the pilgrimage for me was when Rachel held a healing service adjacent to the healing pools of Bethesda where Jesus performed a miracle. I felt we connected with the pools during our service and that God “troubled the waters” for us, too.
–Patricia Terry
Since it’s impossible to compress into a few sentences even an overview of the experiences of our amazing pilgrimage, I’ll focus on what I found most surprising. Though it happened to me several times, here’s one example. As we walked single file along the crest of a hill bordering the Sea of Galilee in the dry, hot sun of early afternoon heading towards a place that might have been where Jesus preached his first sermon–The Sermon on the Mount–I looked down at my sandaled feet and saw dusty, slightly painful shoes that were like those of 2000 years ago. The idea of “thin places” suddenly shifted to utter transparency. The separation of time collapsed and I felt like I was back there waiting to hear the sermon. It was moving beyond words.
–Margy Harrell
It was unexpected for me that our Christian stories would come so alive amid the holy places and devotion of the faithful. These places were originally obscure, simple villages and primitive caves: in tiny Bethlehem, unimportant Nazareth and lakeside Capernaum where Jesus was born, grew up and centered his public ministry. Our human response has been to adorn these places with layers of church building, ornate decoration and a complex mix of conflict and reverence. Yet, God’s response then and now continues to be revealed in the unexpected humility of Jesus.
–Patrick Bridges
Walls…stone walls from Biblical times creating terraced fields….Crusader walls (11th century) atop Byzantine walls (4th century) atop Herodian walls (1st century)….walls around the Old City….windowless elaborately-tiled walls of the Dome of the Rock….grim, gray ”security” walls crowned with barbed wire separating neighbor from neighbor, farmer from field….cracks in the Western Wall stuffed with prayers for peace.
–Kathy Shinkle
In the early dawn near-darkness, the St. Cross pilgrims walk the Via Dolorosa praying the Stations of the Cross. On one corner I see passing a Hassidic Jew. On another, I notice a Muslim imam. Perhaps it’s a sign, I think, that peace can come to this divided area. Then on the remaining corner, I see four Israel soldiers with AK47s slung over their arms. I still hope that it can.
–Sharon Holmes
My pilgrimage highlight was watching the sunrise over the Sinai desert alone with my thoughts and fellow pilgrims. The spectacular sunrise, so bright and beautiful, was followed by a Eucharist led by Rev. Rachel.
–Bonnie McNaughton
Jesus is my Lord. Having an opportunity to participate in a journey to the Holy Land was a phenomenal experience. Spending time in a place where Jesus impacted the people of the world will have life-long memories. Rev. Rachel’s sunrise services penetrated my heart and soul with emotion. Lodging at the Sisters of Nazareth provided a sense of peace and calm. I especially recall the audible sounds of prayer (SALAH), five daily prayers—didn’t need a wake-up call. The Bible message which was one of the memorable was in St. George’s Cathedral, Luke14:1, 7-14. I’m in love with the word HUMILITY. We as pilgrims can touch so many others by utilizing our gift of our Pilgrimage by sharing St. Luke’s message of HUMILITY. Lastly, the Stations of the Cross was too much for me to articulate. Seeing the tomb of Jesus was truly like an out of body experience for me.
–Cheryl Bynum
I have never felt like I have been so educated on a historical, geographical and complex political situation of a country in such a short (hot) time. It was intense, but with my trusty, awesome and loving spiritual community of pilgrims it was life changing. A truly once in a lifetime opportunity for prayer and fellowship I will never forget.
–Barbara Harris-Holdrege
I expected that the pilgrimage would give me a deeper understanding and appreciation of my Christian faith by “walking in the footsteps” of Christ, and it certainly did, but what I hoped to get out of it was a better understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I thought that it was just a Jewish-Muslim issue, but it is much, much deeper. I hadn’t really thought about the Christians in the middle. These “living stones” of the Holy Land, descendants of the first Christians, are a bridge between Jews and Muslims, a bridge that is literally being trod upon. Being in the West Bank and seeing first-hand how the Palestinians, Arab Muslims and Christians, live opened my eyes, my mind and my heart. “Pray not for Arab or Jew, for Palestinian or Israeli, but pray rather for ourselves that we might not divide them in our prayers but keep them both together in our hearts.” (prayer of a Palestinian Christian seen at St George’s in Jerusalem).
–Mimi Woolley