Leaving on a Jet Plane. . .

This week I will be flying to the Middle East with about 30 seminary students to tour and explore the Holy Lands. The trip is designed for second year seminary students who are seeking parish ministries.

The group is comprised of several seminaries that cover the theological spectrum. There will be men and women who are either conservative, liberal, moderate or anything else not mentioned. The thesis behind the trip is to get next generation leaders together in the Holy Lands to have an ecumenical experience. If we leaders share this experience together, it will make doing life and denominationalism a lot easier later in life.

I covet your prayers and can’t wait to blog about it when I get back. Due to traveling and limited time to blog, I will be taking a short hiatus from my weekly blogs but promise for more insightful reflection upon my return. God bless to you and in your endeavors.

Here is our Itinerary.

May 18 Depart Atlanta at 5:20 p.m. (Delta 122); arrive JFK 8:10 p.m.; depart JFK 10:00 p.m. (Delta 32)

May 19 Arrive Amman 4:30 p.m. overnight in Amman

May 20 Drive to Jerash for a morning visit and lunch, then on to Damascus

May 21 Full day in Damascus and second overnight there

May 22 Damascus Museum; afternoon excursion to Ma’alula; on to Krak des Chaveliers vicinity for overnight

May 23 Explore Krak des Chaveriers during the morning drive to Hama for the night

May 24 Morning drive to Palmyra, afternoon among the ruins, overnight there

May 25 Drive from Palmyra via Damascus back to Amman for the night

May 26 Follow the Kings Highway from Amman via Mount Nebo, Madaba and Kerak to Petra

May 27 Full day in Petra and second overnight there

May 28 Morning drive to Aqabah, ferry to the Sinai coast, bus to Mount Sinai vicinity

May 29 Early rise (1:45 a.m.!) to climb Mount Sinai; visit St. Catherine’s monastery later in the morning; return to the Sinai coast for brief R&R.

May 30 Cross into Israel and drive north through the Arabah to Arad

May 31 Morning at Masada, then follow the Jordan Valley northward to Galilee. Next two nights at the Franciscan hostel on Mt. of Beatitudes

June 1 Explore Galilee and the Golan Heights

June 2 Drive from Galilee to Jerusalem visiting Nazareth, Megiddo and Caesarea along the way

June 3 First full day in Jerusalem

June 4 Second full day in Jerusalem

June 5 Excursion to Bethlehem and remaining afternoon in Jerusalem

June 6 Morning flight to Athens, leave our bags there and take a hydrfoil to Idra for an afternoon and evening on this beautiful Greek island

June 7 Morning worship on Idra, hydrofoil back to Athens, afternoon tour of acropolis

June 8 Depart Athens 12:35 a.m. (Delta 139); arrive Atlanta 5:30 p.m.

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