Vicar Paul & Dee’s Spiritual Journey
Just so that you don’t have to play the Where’s Waldo? or Where’s Vicar and Dee? game from January 6th to the 24th, I’ll tell you where we will be. Dee and I will be on a cross-cultural immersion experience and spiritual retreat in Egypt, Israel and Palestine. Early this past summer, the Virginia candidacy committee asked all of those who are in the candidacy process from the Virginia Synod (which I am) if we would like to take advantage of this opportunity. I immediately thought this was a great prospect, but then I thought about my wife and family and being away for 19 days. I asked Dee her thoughts and she expressed an interest in going as well. We pursued the idea by asking my mom if she would be interested in coming out and watching the girls. She said, “Yes,” and then my two sisters Susan and Amy also volunteered to come and help mom with the girls. I spoke with Pastor Huffman and Dr. Avery from the seminary and they supported and encouraged us in the decision to take the time to go on this journey.
I believe this will be a faith supporting experience and a time of strengthening my call, gifts for mission, and faith sharing. During the Lenten season I will share our experiences on this journey through the Holy Land. I will also be making daily updates on Facebook and a blog page that will be linked to the St. Paul’s web page so you can follow us on this journey. In those photos you will see pictures of two little people cut out of paper that will represent Elizabeth and Emily. I got this idea from one of my nieces who sent me a figure of herself cut out and folded and asked me to take a picture of the cutout with me when I lived in Virginia. We feel that this way the girls can picture themselves with us when they see their cutouts in pictures on the computer. I will be placing a map in the outdoor bulletin board that will trace our route so everyone will be able to see where we are on any given day.
We look forward to this great experience and are excited about sharing this experience with you when we return. Now everyone won’t have to wonder where the Vicar and Dee are!
The tour is entitled The People of Egypt and the Holy Land: Then and Now. It is a cross-cultural immersion and spiritual retreat in Israel, Palestine and Egypt. Our itinerary is as follows:
JANUARY 6-7, 2010 (Days 1 &2)
Depart USA and arrive in Cairo.The Egyptian Muesum: Exploring the wonders of biblical Egypt.
Overnight in Cairo
JANUARY 8, 2010 (Day 3)
The Pyramids, the Sphinx, Sakkara, Step Pyramid, Cairo synagogue, Felucca boat ride.
Overnight in Cairo.
JANUARY 9, 2010 (Day 4)
Sojourn to the mystical isolation of Mount Sinai and have evening of interaction with local Bedouins. Overnight at Mount Sinai
JANUARY 10, 2010 (Day 5)
Climb Mount Sinai and tour the fourth-century Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine. Overnight at Mount Sinai.
JANUARY 11, 2010 (Day 6)
Cross border into Israel. Visit Timnah, or Solomon's Mines and overnight in Jerusalem.
JANUARY 12, 2010 (Day 7)
In Jerusalem: the Temple Mount, Western (Wailing) Wall, Temple Mount excavations; City of David, Warren's Shaft, walk Hezekiah's Tunnel, Pool of Siloam. Overnight in Jerusalem.
JANUARY 13, 2010 (Day 8)
Meet with Pastor Mark Brown, head of Lutheran World Federation, at Augusta Victoria Hospital; Bethpage, Pater Noster, Dominus Flevit, Garden of Gethsemane, Pool of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Overnight in Jerusalem.
JANUARY 14, 2010 (Day 9)
Meet with Bob Lang, leader of the Jewish settlement of Efrat; Bethlehem, talk with Dr. Mitri Raheb, Palestinian Lutheran pastor; Shepherds' Field. Overnight in Jerusalem.
JANUARY 15, 2010 (Day 10)
Yad Vashem, Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls museum), Model City, Jericho, Qumran and overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi in the wilderness on the shore of the Dead Sea.
JANUARY 16, 2010 (Day 11)
Free day to enjoy the Sabbath and Dead Sea. Overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.
JANUARY 17, 2010 (Day 12)
A day of solitude, reflection and private prayer where David, the prophets, John the Baptist and Jesus sought refuge and spiritual renewal. Late afternoon tour of the kibbutz. Overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.
JANUARY 18, 2010 (Day 13)
Arad, Masada, Nakhal (wadi) David hike, Ein Gedi synagogue. Overnight at Kibbutz Ein Gedi.
JANUARY 19, 2010 (Day 14)
Capernaum, Ancient Boat, Sea of Galilee boat ride, Tabgha, Mount of Beatitudes communion, evening visit to Tiberias Hot Springs with local Israelis, both Jewish and Arab. Overnight in Tiberias.
JANUARY 20, 2010 (Day 15)
Gamla, Katzrin and its museum and afternoon of leisure at Tiberias Hot Springs. Overnight in Tiberias.
JANUARY 21, 2010 (Day 16)
Ancient Dan, Banias waterfall, hike to Caesarea Philippi, Druze villages, Kuneitra, UN Peace Keeping mission. Evening repose at Tiberias Hot Springs. Overnight in Tiberias.
JANUARY 22, 2010 (Day 17)
Sepphoris, Nazareth, Basilica of Annunciation, celebrate Erev Shabbat (the beginning of Sabbath) with locals. Overnight in Tiberias.
JANUARY 23, 2010 (Day 18)
Visit Archbishop Elias Chacour in Haifa, see Bahai Shine, Mount Carmel, Megiddo, Caesarea Maritime, Jaffa on the Mediterranean Sea for final dinner. Transfer to airport for departure to US.
JANUARY 24, 2010 (Day 19)
Arrival in USA exhausted and yet refreshed!
We look forward to our return and sharing this experience with everyone.
Blessings,
Vicar Paul & Dee
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