Unfortunately, the one-day bug has hit Pastor Gabi now, also. So, we are hoping for the best for him and watchfully hoping for the best for all the rest of us.
Today was absolutely awesome. We started with a visit to the Temple Mount and saw Al Aqsa Mosque from the outside and the Dome of the Rock. Our group was moved by the experience and appreciated the opportunity to see the vastness of the area.
We then went to Bethelehem's "Christmas Lutheran Church" for worship to hear Bishop Younan preach. His preaching scheduled had changed. So, we went to Bethlehem instead of Jerusalem for worship. We were worried about crossing the checkpoint in Bethlehem and getting delayed, but that did not happen.
We stopped by the wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. Its height was overwhelming (about 26 feet). We tried to push it over to no avail. So, we prayed for peace and the removal of the arbitrary barriers that separate the Israeli and Palestinian peoples who are destined to live next to each other in peace.
The church in Bethlehem was full of international visitors and church members. The bilingual worship was exciting as we experienced a bit of Pentecost when we prayed the Lord's Prayer in our mother tongues.
Following the worship we stayed for the coffee reception and then went to lunch in a restaurant built to look like a tent. The food and entertainment helped our group relax and have an enjoyable Sunday dinner.
We then went back to Jerusalem to walk the Via Dolorosa, following Jesus' footsteps to the cross, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (or better named in Arabic as the "Church of the Resurrection". In the church, we visited Golgotha, the traditional site of the crucifixion and the empty tomb.
Blessings and peace to all,
Pastor Said
Today was absolutely awesome. We started with a visit to the Temple Mount and saw Al Aqsa Mosque from the outside and the Dome of the Rock. Our group was moved by the experience and appreciated the opportunity to see the vastness of the area.
We then went to Bethelehem's "Christmas Lutheran Church" for worship to hear Bishop Younan preach. His preaching scheduled had changed. So, we went to Bethlehem instead of Jerusalem for worship. We were worried about crossing the checkpoint in Bethlehem and getting delayed, but that did not happen.
We stopped by the wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. Its height was overwhelming (about 26 feet). We tried to push it over to no avail. So, we prayed for peace and the removal of the arbitrary barriers that separate the Israeli and Palestinian peoples who are destined to live next to each other in peace.
The church in Bethlehem was full of international visitors and church members. The bilingual worship was exciting as we experienced a bit of Pentecost when we prayed the Lord's Prayer in our mother tongues.
Following the worship we stayed for the coffee reception and then went to lunch in a restaurant built to look like a tent. The food and entertainment helped our group relax and have an enjoyable Sunday dinner.
We then went back to Jerusalem to walk the Via Dolorosa, following Jesus' footsteps to the cross, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (or better named in Arabic as the "Church of the Resurrection". In the church, we visited Golgotha, the traditional site of the crucifixion and the empty tomb.
Blessings and peace to all,
Pastor Said
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