This was a day of vivid senses. A day which I will remember for the roughness of stone and bark, the sharpness of prickly pears, the taste of figs straight from the tree, the rich smell of damp leaves, the sound of rushing water, the wonderful coolness of spray on my face, the smile of a child and the kindness of a friend.
The day started early - in fact to be truthful it kind of drifted in from the previous day. So much had been going round in my head that despite offloading some of it onto here (see below) when I finally got to bed sleep had given up on me and gone elsewhere! So I dozed, thought and fidgeted (sorry Rosemary) until 5 am and then got up and swam in the almost cool and wonderfully refreshing sea until the day decided to get up and join me. When it arrived it had clearly got much more beauty sleep than I and was totally awesome. To watch knowing that even if I took photos every couple of seconds each one would be completely different, and utterly stunning was an experience for which words don't even come close.
Morning prayer followed, where we were joined for a brief while by a kingfisher, then breakfast led to the usual scramble to get ready to pile onto the bus. It was at this point that one of my fellow travellers recalled a little know piece of scripture 'The first will be last, and the last will be . . Helen'!! Ooops!
Having finally got on board we climbed from the relative cool of the lake side up (only just above sea level) into the hills to Korazin one of the villages which Jesus denounced for their unbelief (Matt 11:20-24). OK so maybe not the best way to be remembered, but we saw examples of a typical Galilean synagogue, houses built with many arches to support the roofs which were made of blocks of stone, rather than wood or palms, and the most detailed and beautiful carvings. The rock here was basalt, stunningly dark after the relentless limestone of the south, volcanic and full of tiny bubbles. Having never worked with stone I really wouldn't know but this did not look like an easy material to work with. In spite of this the workmanship even after 2000 years was stunning. I really didn't think I could get this excited about lumps of stone - but wow I did. Rather than whittle on any more I'll leave you to check out some of my photos on the 'Flickr' badge on the left. Enjoy!
From Korazin we were driven further north up to and along the boarder with Lebanon to the base of Mount Hermon and Caesarea Philippi. This is the location of one of the largest springs feeding the River Jordan. In a dry land all of this water has made the area very fertile and as a result very attractive for religious worship. Many temples have been built on this site through the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It was at this place of religious diversity that Jesus asked Peter to declare on behalf of the people and himself who they thought Jesus was (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016:12-%2020;&version=31;).
Having eaten figs from an overladen tree (evidently not the one cursed by Jesus - Mark 11:12, 20!) we walked up to see the Grotto of the god Pan, past temples and sacred niches which were are important to the Greeks and Romans as the Holy Sepulchre is to Christians today. From there we walked down through winding, shaded paths and then up onto the side of the mountain always coming closer to the sound of rushing water. Having seen pictures I thought I knew what to expect, but when we reached the foot of the the Banias waterfall the effect was completely stunning. White water bursts out of the side of the cliff, losing 190 meters in altitude over the course of three and a half kilometers and forming what is describes as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Israel (see http://www.parks.org.il/ParksENG/company_card.php3?CNumber=507388 for more information).
Having spent two and a half weeks in such dry conditions to be able to sit beside this amount of crashing water was utterly intoxicating (and wonderfully cooling). I have of course dozens of photographs which inevitably do not quite capture the experience, but even now sitting at my computer many lifetimes away from this beautiful place I can feel spay settling on my face, almost like silk, refreshing but so gentle that I would never want to dry it off. Memory is a wonderful thing.
Having dragged myself away (not wishing to walk home), I climbed up to the bus alongside a Jewish couple and their baby. He also had enjoyed being cool and really didn't want to be confined in his carrier. His parents seemed keen to delay the inevitable fight and so we sat chatted for a few minutes. With their permission I took some photos of their little man who sat on the ground examining leaves with great intensity. For one brief moment he looked up at me and smiled, heaven broke open and God laughed!
From here lunch and then a trip along the Syrian boarder. Beautiful scenery but for once I decided to pass on the opportunity to view and take photos of the UN boarder positions that guard this disputed area. Eventually we arrived back in Tiberius and in the Sea again. Weary but still running high on adrenalin I was deeply grateful for good friends, with whom to walk, chat and eat very good ice-cream. To them many, many thanks.
So was this day about study? Well maybe not. Was it about spirituality? - Most definitely. I visited a place where one of those closest to Jesus broke through from practical, rational, human understanding into the sheer glory joy and certainty of eternity. On this day, (maybe in part due to lack of sleep which stripped down my usual defences) I was able to catch glimpses of that eternity. It was something I will never forget and hope one day to see again.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Coming out of hiding!
OK, so I know this blog is unfinished. And I know that I have been home a whole week now - but that is just it - I am home and my head is so stuffed full of memories, that it is really hard to fish them out in any sort of order. People keep asking - did I have a good time and mostly I end up saying (in an ever so slightly crazy way) - "It was fantastic" and that is where I leave it 'cause if I try to say any more it will be like opening the flood gates and I won't be able to stop talking. But now maybe it is time to try and at least finish off journalling the last couple of days. After that there are loads of people to say thank you to and then maybe I will use this space to try and untangle what all this has meant for me and for my future ministry. And wh knows where that might lead!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Bringing the Gospel to life
Today has been another full day. Despite the temperature rising to 42 degrees at lunch time it really has been a superb day in which parts of the Gospel have been brought to life.
The morning started well at 5:45 with a few of us watching the sun rise before a delightful swim in the Sea of Galilee, which was still warm! Morning Prayer followed with a number of us missing the shade of the Tantur garden, although the view was stunning sitting on the terrace looking over the lake (‘cause it isn’t really a sea! – boring, I like it being the sea!). Following an excellent breakfast (Certainly on a par with Tantur), we headed out on our travels.
The first stop was Tabgha – and the Church with remembers the Feeding of the Multitude (Mt13:1-9). This was a simple modern church built on the site of a much more ancient one. The floor was covered with the most beautiful, playful mosaics of animals, birds and plants. The most famous one is that of the loaves and fishes, although my particular favourites were the ones of the goose (so gooselike! And the bird and the rock badger – purely because we saw loads of them in the Wadi Qelt).
Next stop was the church of the Primacy of Saint Peter. This church commemorates the last appearance of Jesus to the disciples before his ascension. Here we heard the reading of this appearance from John 21:1-23. It is a story means a great deal to me, speaking of the love and forgiveness of Jesus to his friend who has let him down so badly. That love which sees deep into our hearts, knows our weaknesses and uncertainties, experiences the pain that our failures bring, yet offers forgiveness and continued love has in many ways and at many times been the thread that has kept me connected to my God, even when many other threads have seemed to be cut. Having spent some time in quiet, with an enormous sense of being held and cherished, I went out to walk on the beach where (maybe) Jesus cooked fish for his friend’s breakfast. To stand in the warm water and look onto the beach it was so possible to imagine seeing Jesus standing there, but much harder to imagine what each of his friends might have felt at seeing him! Yet he met them where they were, offering them reassurance, forgiveness and love.
From this special place we moved on to Capernaum. This town is known from the Gospels as the centre of Jesus’ preaching and teaching work. A great deal of excavation has revealed a large synagogue with two main layers, the most recent from the forth century, but beneath that an earlier one dating back to the first century. As well as this, streets, a waterfront and houses have be discovered including one place which seems to have had three incarnations – a octagonal 5th century house, a 4th century sacred house with graffiti written by pilgrims praising God, beneath this seems to have been a 1st century house which is strongly thought to be Peter’s house, where Jesus spent time and may have even lived. This house is protected by a fantastic modern Church (the cynic in me thought of flying saucers! Oops sorry – v. irreverent!!) . Inside however it is beautifully proportioned, open and light, making the most of modern architecture, the links to Christian history and identity and the beauty of the local environment to make a joyful worshiping space.
As is the nature of this type of day (lots to see in a limited time) it wasn’t long before we had to move on. This account does make it seem more rushed than it was. At each stop we read relevant pieces of scripture, we were given time to pray together and to spend time in silence reflecting. Looking around time is not extensive but was a lot less pressured than many groups seem to get, where the order of the day feels more like ticking boxes rather than appreciating a little of the significance and relevance of each sight.
Our next stop was at the church which commemorates the Sermon on the Mount. This was one that many of our group found very moving. Maybe it was the heat, which was rising fast, the crowds or hurrying pilgrims (as above) or that when I finally found somewhere to sit quietly the ants found me and filled my shoes (brave creatures!) but I struggled to really appreciate this one. Ah well – another time maybe!
From here we moved on to a real treat – a trip across the Sea of Galilee on a lovely wooden boat, which was encouragingly was called ‘Noah’!! As the only passengers our group were free to wander from side to side, and pose for a group photo. Mid way we stopped and I read the account of the Stilling of the Storm – Mark 4:35 to the end. (“Would you like to use the microphone to make yourself heard” - Well what do you think?!) Even on a calm summers day cool air can be drawn onto the water from the surrounding hills causing a storm to rise up. Fortunately today was not one of those days and we reached the other side safely. From here the boating theme continued as we went to see a 1st century boat which was discovered and painstakingly rescued from the mud in the sea. The process took many years, amazing skill, a few hungry fish to eat out the worms and bacteria before huge quantities of chemicals insured its preservation. An enormous job but well worth it. It was quiet incredible to see the type of boat which Jesus and his disciples would have been in. Personally in their shoes I would have been right there with the disciples, panicking hard – it was a very little boat to hold 13 grown men and whether a storm!
This blog has gone on far too long and by that stage it was beginning to feel like our morning had too. Fortunately for us the next stop was a restaurant where we were fed Peter’s fish (as of the ones which occasionally have coins in their mouths – Matthew 17:24-27!). We found no coins but the fish was very good indeed.
After lunch a trip right around the lake / Sea in our lovely cool coach followed. One brief stop to look at the excavations at Kursi, one possible side of the healing of the Gerasene demoniac. Once again the extreme heat got the better of me and my only thought on the matter (not based on any Biblical or historical truth) is that if it was a hot as today, the pigs would have been a whole lot happier in the water!!
This was very much in my mind as we headed back to the hotel and within 10 minutes of arriving I was happily swimming. Having been told that it was about 8 miles across I began to try and work out how many laps of our little cordoned of bit of the Sea I would have to swim to do the equivalent distance. This calculation took a great deal of thought, so long that I ended up swimming and 1000 metres which doing it!! Shame that at this rate I would have to do the same for the next eleven days! Even with a proposed general strike which may close the airport (don’t panic – popular opinion is that it is all about brinkmanship and very unlikely to happen) I don’t think that I will swim quiet that far. I am however planning to get up early and swim in the morning to that’s all for tonight.
Hope you haven’t gone to sleep reading this! J
Helen xxx
The morning started well at 5:45 with a few of us watching the sun rise before a delightful swim in the Sea of Galilee, which was still warm! Morning Prayer followed with a number of us missing the shade of the Tantur garden, although the view was stunning sitting on the terrace looking over the lake (‘cause it isn’t really a sea! – boring, I like it being the sea!). Following an excellent breakfast (Certainly on a par with Tantur), we headed out on our travels.
The first stop was Tabgha – and the Church with remembers the Feeding of the Multitude (Mt13:1-9). This was a simple modern church built on the site of a much more ancient one. The floor was covered with the most beautiful, playful mosaics of animals, birds and plants. The most famous one is that of the loaves and fishes, although my particular favourites were the ones of the goose (so gooselike! And the bird and the rock badger – purely because we saw loads of them in the Wadi Qelt).
Next stop was the church of the Primacy of Saint Peter. This church commemorates the last appearance of Jesus to the disciples before his ascension. Here we heard the reading of this appearance from John 21:1-23. It is a story means a great deal to me, speaking of the love and forgiveness of Jesus to his friend who has let him down so badly. That love which sees deep into our hearts, knows our weaknesses and uncertainties, experiences the pain that our failures bring, yet offers forgiveness and continued love has in many ways and at many times been the thread that has kept me connected to my God, even when many other threads have seemed to be cut. Having spent some time in quiet, with an enormous sense of being held and cherished, I went out to walk on the beach where (maybe) Jesus cooked fish for his friend’s breakfast. To stand in the warm water and look onto the beach it was so possible to imagine seeing Jesus standing there, but much harder to imagine what each of his friends might have felt at seeing him! Yet he met them where they were, offering them reassurance, forgiveness and love.
From this special place we moved on to Capernaum. This town is known from the Gospels as the centre of Jesus’ preaching and teaching work. A great deal of excavation has revealed a large synagogue with two main layers, the most recent from the forth century, but beneath that an earlier one dating back to the first century. As well as this, streets, a waterfront and houses have be discovered including one place which seems to have had three incarnations – a octagonal 5th century house, a 4th century sacred house with graffiti written by pilgrims praising God, beneath this seems to have been a 1st century house which is strongly thought to be Peter’s house, where Jesus spent time and may have even lived. This house is protected by a fantastic modern Church (the cynic in me thought of flying saucers! Oops sorry – v. irreverent!!) . Inside however it is beautifully proportioned, open and light, making the most of modern architecture, the links to Christian history and identity and the beauty of the local environment to make a joyful worshiping space.
As is the nature of this type of day (lots to see in a limited time) it wasn’t long before we had to move on. This account does make it seem more rushed than it was. At each stop we read relevant pieces of scripture, we were given time to pray together and to spend time in silence reflecting. Looking around time is not extensive but was a lot less pressured than many groups seem to get, where the order of the day feels more like ticking boxes rather than appreciating a little of the significance and relevance of each sight.
Our next stop was at the church which commemorates the Sermon on the Mount. This was one that many of our group found very moving. Maybe it was the heat, which was rising fast, the crowds or hurrying pilgrims (as above) or that when I finally found somewhere to sit quietly the ants found me and filled my shoes (brave creatures!) but I struggled to really appreciate this one. Ah well – another time maybe!
From here we moved on to a real treat – a trip across the Sea of Galilee on a lovely wooden boat, which was encouragingly was called ‘Noah’!! As the only passengers our group were free to wander from side to side, and pose for a group photo. Mid way we stopped and I read the account of the Stilling of the Storm – Mark 4:35 to the end. (“Would you like to use the microphone to make yourself heard” - Well what do you think?!) Even on a calm summers day cool air can be drawn onto the water from the surrounding hills causing a storm to rise up. Fortunately today was not one of those days and we reached the other side safely. From here the boating theme continued as we went to see a 1st century boat which was discovered and painstakingly rescued from the mud in the sea. The process took many years, amazing skill, a few hungry fish to eat out the worms and bacteria before huge quantities of chemicals insured its preservation. An enormous job but well worth it. It was quiet incredible to see the type of boat which Jesus and his disciples would have been in. Personally in their shoes I would have been right there with the disciples, panicking hard – it was a very little boat to hold 13 grown men and whether a storm!
This blog has gone on far too long and by that stage it was beginning to feel like our morning had too. Fortunately for us the next stop was a restaurant where we were fed Peter’s fish (as of the ones which occasionally have coins in their mouths – Matthew 17:24-27!). We found no coins but the fish was very good indeed.
After lunch a trip right around the lake / Sea in our lovely cool coach followed. One brief stop to look at the excavations at Kursi, one possible side of the healing of the Gerasene demoniac. Once again the extreme heat got the better of me and my only thought on the matter (not based on any Biblical or historical truth) is that if it was a hot as today, the pigs would have been a whole lot happier in the water!!
This was very much in my mind as we headed back to the hotel and within 10 minutes of arriving I was happily swimming. Having been told that it was about 8 miles across I began to try and work out how many laps of our little cordoned of bit of the Sea I would have to swim to do the equivalent distance. This calculation took a great deal of thought, so long that I ended up swimming and 1000 metres which doing it!! Shame that at this rate I would have to do the same for the next eleven days! Even with a proposed general strike which may close the airport (don’t panic – popular opinion is that it is all about brinkmanship and very unlikely to happen) I don’t think that I will swim quiet that far. I am however planning to get up early and swim in the morning to that’s all for tonight.
Hope you haven’t gone to sleep reading this! J
Helen xxx
A little bit of luxury
I am writing this sat on my balcony of the Ron Beach Hotel, Tiberius, overlooking the
Sea of Galilee. The heat of the sun has dropped just a little; the air is warm with just a faint breeze. Whilst waiting for the MS Word programme to load I flicked through the music stored on my laptop – Chris de Burgh – Love Songs, first track ‘Here is Your Paradise’ seemed to fit the bill. Over by the pool the last few families are finishing up their playing before going in for dinner. I wish my family was here. They would love it so much. The track changes – ‘Missing you’. Yep- that about sums it up. This is the most wonderful land – but it would be so much better with them here. We have to come back here together!
A wooden pleasure boat is running along the lake in front of me. On the far side the lake the Golan Heights are part obscured in the heat haze. Earlier as we swam, amongst the little fishes (Peter’s?), the haze cleared for a few moments and the colours in the hills glowed.
Swimming is delightful. The pool is on the warm side and got a tad crowded (with all of us lot in). The sea was cooler, wonderfully not salty or chlorinated. It has a gravel beach and a cordoned off area in which to swim. The plan is to get up early and swim before Morning Prayer which is at 7 a.m.
(Later)
The hotel is air conditioned the bedrooms especially well. It is necessary as being below sea level the temperatures are in the high forties. Even this evening walking into town the air was still and extremely warm. The town is a real seaside resort which would make Blackpool look classy. A group of us walked up to have a look, found an Internet cafe and wandered back to chat and play silly games.
The rest of the day has been a bit of a blur for me. A late night last night (blogging) and a very early start this morning, plus the heat left me with little enthusiasm for yet more stones and a nagging headache.
Our main objective was to travel north but with some stops on the way. First we went to Caesarea Maritima , Herod the Great fantastic building project to build a complete new city for himself on the coast. We saw a huge theatre, a amphitheatre, his seaside swimming pool and what remains of the harbour for which he (or his underlings) developed concrete which would harden underwater! We also saw a may well be the hall in which Paul was tried before Aggripa (Acts 25:23).
Next we moved a little up the coast to see part of the huge Aqueduct which Herod built to supply water to his city. While we were there we grabbed the opportunity to have a quick paddle in the sea. Being more used to the chilly waters off Devon and Cornwall it felt really lovely and a little strange to paddle in warm water. Unfortunately and to the amusement of those taking photos from the safety of the beach I had not accounted for the waves! Ah well in these temperatures you soon dry.
Sadly we could not stay on the beach. All too soon we where chivvied onto the bus and off we went to Mount Carmel, the probable site where Elijah battled and prevailed against the prophets of Ba’al. Mercifully breezy the views from here would have been great although they were obscured by the ever present haze.
The next stop was Megiddo, an important trading fort over many centuries and for some the real or symbolic Armageddon referred to in the Book of Revelation. Despite stopping for lunch by this stage I was really not able to take in any more. Everyone seemed to be struggling and eventually we admitted defeat and headed for Tiberius and the hotel.
Hopefully with a good night’s sleep and plenty of fluids tomorrow will be a more manageable day. Thank goodness for the air conditioning and the sea!
Sea of Galilee. The heat of the sun has dropped just a little; the air is warm with just a faint breeze. Whilst waiting for the MS Word programme to load I flicked through the music stored on my laptop – Chris de Burgh – Love Songs, first track ‘Here is Your Paradise’ seemed to fit the bill. Over by the pool the last few families are finishing up their playing before going in for dinner. I wish my family was here. They would love it so much. The track changes – ‘Missing you’. Yep- that about sums it up. This is the most wonderful land – but it would be so much better with them here. We have to come back here together!
A wooden pleasure boat is running along the lake in front of me. On the far side the lake the Golan Heights are part obscured in the heat haze. Earlier as we swam, amongst the little fishes (Peter’s?), the haze cleared for a few moments and the colours in the hills glowed.
Swimming is delightful. The pool is on the warm side and got a tad crowded (with all of us lot in). The sea was cooler, wonderfully not salty or chlorinated. It has a gravel beach and a cordoned off area in which to swim. The plan is to get up early and swim before Morning Prayer which is at 7 a.m.
(Later)
The hotel is air conditioned the bedrooms especially well. It is necessary as being below sea level the temperatures are in the high forties. Even this evening walking into town the air was still and extremely warm. The town is a real seaside resort which would make Blackpool look classy. A group of us walked up to have a look, found an Internet cafe and wandered back to chat and play silly games.
The rest of the day has been a bit of a blur for me. A late night last night (blogging) and a very early start this morning, plus the heat left me with little enthusiasm for yet more stones and a nagging headache.
Our main objective was to travel north but with some stops on the way. First we went to Caesarea Maritima , Herod the Great fantastic building project to build a complete new city for himself on the coast. We saw a huge theatre, a amphitheatre, his seaside swimming pool and what remains of the harbour for which he (or his underlings) developed concrete which would harden underwater! We also saw a may well be the hall in which Paul was tried before Aggripa (Acts 25:23).
Next we moved a little up the coast to see part of the huge Aqueduct which Herod built to supply water to his city. While we were there we grabbed the opportunity to have a quick paddle in the sea. Being more used to the chilly waters off Devon and Cornwall it felt really lovely and a little strange to paddle in warm water. Unfortunately and to the amusement of those taking photos from the safety of the beach I had not accounted for the waves! Ah well in these temperatures you soon dry.
Sadly we could not stay on the beach. All too soon we where chivvied onto the bus and off we went to Mount Carmel, the probable site where Elijah battled and prevailed against the prophets of Ba’al. Mercifully breezy the views from here would have been great although they were obscured by the ever present haze.
The next stop was Megiddo, an important trading fort over many centuries and for some the real or symbolic Armageddon referred to in the Book of Revelation. Despite stopping for lunch by this stage I was really not able to take in any more. Everyone seemed to be struggling and eventually we admitted defeat and headed for Tiberius and the hotel.
Hopefully with a good night’s sleep and plenty of fluids tomorrow will be a more manageable day. Thank goodness for the air conditioning and the sea!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
From Jersusalem to Jericho
This will have to be a brief post as it is late and tomorrow we leave at 7 am to head up to Galilee via Caesarea Maritima (http://www.bibleplaces.com/caesarea.htm), a little light paddling in the Med, Megiddo (http://www.bibleplaces.com/megiddo.htm) and Mount Carmel (http://www.bibleplaces.com/mtcarmel.htm).
Today has been a real day to remember. We walked the Jerusalem to Jericho road.
Now two brief points of clarification:-
1. We didn't actually walk all the way from Jerusalem to Jericho - actually we walked down the Wadi Qelt from St. George's monastery (having looked around at some wonderful relics - skulls, bones and a uncorrupted body and been given some refreshments!) into the outskirts of Jericho where our wonderful bus driver (Samir) reversed up a very narrow road for about half a mile to rescue us.
2. To call it a 'road' is overstating things considerably!! A path, sometimes as narrow as 1' 6'' wide, but generally about 4' wide would be more accurate. Add to this some steep inclines and descents, plenty of rocks and stones and a small piece of cliff climbing which needed some very generous pulling and shoving from two of my fellow travellers (thanks David and Sam) and you get the idea.
Having said all that (and yes Mum I did arrive back safe and sound - just - although for the state of my trousers - see left!) this was the most incredible experience. The walk took about 1 and 3/4 hours in total. For the first half of this time we walked in near silence, and yet as before the air was full of sound. Bird song, familiar yet beautifully different was all around, water rushed down from springs and along the bottom of the canyon (30 - 60 feet below us) and the sound of running feet as a local Bedouin who attached himself to our group raced backwards and forwards, springing off rocks to help the less sure (your truly amongst them) over more tricky bits.
This was no easy stroll, the temperature was somewhere in the very high 30's, and I was very glad of all the water I was carrying, the large hat, and plenty of sunscreen. It is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. Especially when I read that wonderful parable of Jesus - The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%20:25-37&version=31). This truly came to life. The roughness and loneliness of the road for us was a challenge but an adventure, for a solitary traveller it would have been desperate. Even I surrounded by friends felt my heart lift at Jericho came into view between the hills.
There were plenty of large boulders to hide bandits (though I admire their stamina it that heat - getting a regular job would attract me far more!). Further more if I had a picture of a wide road where the priest and Levite could walk by almost not noticing the victim then this was mistake;
the narrowness of the path with cliff falling away bellow and rising up above would have meant that the only way to past would have been practically to climb over him, or at least pass very close to his side (even allowing for erosion over time).
This was a road that Jesus and his listeners would have known well. The final revelation was to realise what it would have meant for the Samaritan to lift a wounded, semi-unconscious man onto a donkey, in that heat, on that path and continue on with him down to Jericho. Quite apart from the well documented sacrifice to his social, financial and political state this man took a huge risk with his own safety. In a beautiful but dangerous place like this, the command 'Go and do likewise' takes on a whole new meaning.
For us today on reaching the air conditioned bus, to be driven to a restaurant where we were able to eat our sandwiches supplemented by well appreciated ice-cream, we felt a sense of achievement. But deeper down in mine and many other peoples minds was the realisation that our future ministries may really call us to love and not count the cost! This will be a far greater challenge, but one which I am sure in faith we will be equipped.
Tomorrow as I said we are off up to Galilee for what promises to be a full, interesting and exciting four days before we return home on Sunday. We have been warned that internet access though available at the hotel may be very expensive. So if you don't hear from me on this blog - Don't panic (Mum - in particular :-) !!) I will be typing but it may have to wait til I get home to upload.
So ta, ta for now.
Good bye to Jerusalam and our wonderful hosts at Tantur (I will be back!).
Galillee here I come.
Helen xxx
Today has been a real day to remember. We walked the Jerusalem to Jericho road.
Now two brief points of clarification:-
1. We didn't actually walk all the way from Jerusalem to Jericho - actually we walked down the Wadi Qelt from St. George's monastery (having looked around at some wonderful relics - skulls, bones and a uncorrupted body and been given some refreshments!) into the outskirts of Jericho where our wonderful bus driver (Samir) reversed up a very narrow road for about half a mile to rescue us.
2. To call it a 'road' is overstating things considerably!! A path, sometimes as narrow as 1' 6'' wide, but generally about 4' wide would be more accurate. Add to this some steep inclines and descents, plenty of rocks and stones and a small piece of cliff climbing which needed some very generous pulling and shoving from two of my fellow travellers (thanks David and Sam) and you get the idea.
Having said all that (and yes Mum I did arrive back safe and sound - just - although for the state of my trousers - see left!) this was the most incredible experience. The walk took about 1 and 3/4 hours in total. For the first half of this time we walked in near silence, and yet as before the air was full of sound. Bird song, familiar yet beautifully different was all around, water rushed down from springs and along the bottom of the canyon (30 - 60 feet below us) and the sound of running feet as a local Bedouin who attached himself to our group raced backwards and forwards, springing off rocks to help the less sure (your truly amongst them) over more tricky bits.
This was no easy stroll, the temperature was somewhere in the very high 30's, and I was very glad of all the water I was carrying, the large hat, and plenty of sunscreen. It is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. Especially when I read that wonderful parable of Jesus - The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%20:25-37&version=31). This truly came to life. The roughness and loneliness of the road for us was a challenge but an adventure, for a solitary traveller it would have been desperate. Even I surrounded by friends felt my heart lift at Jericho came into view between the hills.
There were plenty of large boulders to hide bandits (though I admire their stamina it that heat - getting a regular job would attract me far more!). Further more if I had a picture of a wide road where the priest and Levite could walk by almost not noticing the victim then this was mistake;
the narrowness of the path with cliff falling away bellow and rising up above would have meant that the only way to past would have been practically to climb over him, or at least pass very close to his side (even allowing for erosion over time).
This was a road that Jesus and his listeners would have known well. The final revelation was to realise what it would have meant for the Samaritan to lift a wounded, semi-unconscious man onto a donkey, in that heat, on that path and continue on with him down to Jericho. Quite apart from the well documented sacrifice to his social, financial and political state this man took a huge risk with his own safety. In a beautiful but dangerous place like this, the command 'Go and do likewise' takes on a whole new meaning.
For us today on reaching the air conditioned bus, to be driven to a restaurant where we were able to eat our sandwiches supplemented by well appreciated ice-cream, we felt a sense of achievement. But deeper down in mine and many other peoples minds was the realisation that our future ministries may really call us to love and not count the cost! This will be a far greater challenge, but one which I am sure in faith we will be equipped.
Tomorrow as I said we are off up to Galilee for what promises to be a full, interesting and exciting four days before we return home on Sunday. We have been warned that internet access though available at the hotel may be very expensive. So if you don't hear from me on this blog - Don't panic (Mum - in particular :-) !!) I will be typing but it may have to wait til I get home to upload.
So ta, ta for now.
Good bye to Jerusalam and our wonderful hosts at Tantur (I will be back!).
Galillee here I come.
Helen xxx
Sharing Worship
One of the many joys of this trip has been sharing in worship with people of different traditions and experiences. This has happened during a number of ways during my time at Tantur.
Every morning (apart from Sunday) has begun with Morning Prayer said in the garden at Tantur. At this early hour (sometimes as early as 6a.m.!) the sun is up but the real heat of the day is still to build. Prayer has been led by a different person from the British Trust for Tantur group (of which I am a member). The prayer has followed the Anglican Common Worship form with its mix of prayers, psalms, canticles and readings. You would expect that this would not leave much space for variation but as each person has led it has been wonderful to feel the warmth and strength of their particular tradition and personality shining through.
Each evening we return to Tantur and a 5:30 pm we meet in the chapel for Evening Worship. This the ‘British Trust group’ share with the other residents of Tantur – people from America, Australia, Italy and a number of other countries who have come together to study and experience the Holy Land for a whole month. Many of this group are already ordained into a range of Churches. The service is much more open to each pair leading to bring the richness of their own tradition to worship. We have followed the Lutheran rite for evening worship, Roman Catholic prayers from the Carmelite Order; we have spent time in silent meditation around a visual interpretation of the conflict in this land; we have been invited to express our prayer visually using paint and coloured pens. We have journeyed out from the Chapel onto the roof area to overlook and pray for Bethlehem and we have said Anglican Evening Prayer, amongst others which I may well have forgotten. As you can see this has been an enormously rich and spiritually rewarding experience. Despite our many differences which we have discussed at some length over meals and the occasional evening beer, we have come together with a common desire to praise God and pray for his people.
This unity of purpose was particularly illustrated last week when those of us in the ‘British Trust group’ came together for a memorial service for the brother of Jones, one of our number. His brother Beverley had tragically died of Malaria over the weekend which was left untreated due to the doctors and nurses being on strike in their home country of Zambia. We came together on the same day of the funeral, prayed, thanked God for his life and held Jones and his wider family up to the comforting care of God. In speaking of Beverley, Jones gave us a picture of a strong, caring brother whose encouragement for Jones to play the guitar led him to attend church regularly where he could borrow a guitar to play and it time to be ordained and become an Archdeacon and bishop’s assistant in Zambia. At this moment divisions took second place behind our care for Jones, our trust in the Resurrection hope and our need for the strengthening love of God.
Further afield
Sorry that this seems to have become such a long posting. There is so much to tell!!
Four other experiences must be briefly mentioned.
On the first Sunday we visited the Carmelite Church of Abu Gosh, one of several proposed sites of the post Easter appearance of Jesus at Emmaus. Although in French, this Catholic Mass was reasonably easy to follow (even with my most basic level French!). Is was also stunningly beautiful, sung in Plain Chant the only accompaniment being that of a harp (played by one of the Nuns) and flute (played by one of the monks). To see a short video containing some of the singing from Abu Gosh click on 'The Calling Voice' - left.
Last Friday some of us were lucky enough to be able to attend a Shabbat eve service at Kehilat Kol Haneshama (http://www.kolhaneshama.org.il/english/index.asp). This is a Progressive Jewish synagogue / community centre (hence ‘Kehilat’). We were met and told about the work of the synagogue which is very active in the local community and in encouraging both equality and moves towards peace. The service then began and we were encourage to take part. I will endeavour to copy the introduction of the service book and its instructions concerning prayer. I feel it expresses things that any praying person would do well to hear. The service was great. The congregation of about 300 had almost every age from babies to the elderly well represented. The singing was wonderful, traditional Jewish melodies clearly deep from the heart, with some which reminded me of the music of Taize and some modern choruses. Prayers and some of the songs were translated as well as being written down in Latin letters alongside the Hebrew so we were able to join in with some of them. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. This synagogue is unusual in Jerusalem – most being much more orthodox. It was a great way to hear about a more modern interpretation of the Jewish tradition and to see it in action.
This Sunday Jonah (my fellow Cuddesdonite traveller) and I went into Bethlehem to the Lutheran Christmas Church (http://www.bethlehemchristmaslutheran.org/). We attended a service of the Word with a Baptism of a little Palestinian boy. The congregation was largely made up Palestinian Christians with on visiting Swedish observer from the World Council of Churches and one other American lady who regularly leads groups to Bethlehem as tourists and as volunteers to work with the needy in the community. The service was in Arabic apart from the baptism which was in German. Once again we were able to take part in the service due to some excellent translations. It was wonderful to be able to worship together and to be made to feel so welcomed by this people who are suffering through being a double minority – they are Palestinians in Israel and they are Christian amongst Palestinians. After the service we went into their Church hall for coffee and excellent cake. With the Sunday School display on the wall, the parents chatting and cooing over the newly baptised baby and the children chasing around we could have been anywhere rather than in a town besieged by a 24 foot concrete and barbed wire covered wall celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace!
Well that is my round up of sharing worship in and around Tantur. To end with maybe the oldest written prayer, and a beautiful blessing - why not click on 'The Lord Bless you and Keep you' - left.
Thanks for reading.
Helen x
Every morning (apart from Sunday) has begun with Morning Prayer said in the garden at Tantur. At this early hour (sometimes as early as 6a.m.!) the sun is up but the real heat of the day is still to build. Prayer has been led by a different person from the British Trust for Tantur group (of which I am a member). The prayer has followed the Anglican Common Worship form with its mix of prayers, psalms, canticles and readings. You would expect that this would not leave much space for variation but as each person has led it has been wonderful to feel the warmth and strength of their particular tradition and personality shining through.
Each evening we return to Tantur and a 5:30 pm we meet in the chapel for Evening Worship. This the ‘British Trust group’ share with the other residents of Tantur – people from America, Australia, Italy and a number of other countries who have come together to study and experience the Holy Land for a whole month. Many of this group are already ordained into a range of Churches. The service is much more open to each pair leading to bring the richness of their own tradition to worship. We have followed the Lutheran rite for evening worship, Roman Catholic prayers from the Carmelite Order; we have spent time in silent meditation around a visual interpretation of the conflict in this land; we have been invited to express our prayer visually using paint and coloured pens. We have journeyed out from the Chapel onto the roof area to overlook and pray for Bethlehem and we have said Anglican Evening Prayer, amongst others which I may well have forgotten. As you can see this has been an enormously rich and spiritually rewarding experience. Despite our many differences which we have discussed at some length over meals and the occasional evening beer, we have come together with a common desire to praise God and pray for his people.
This unity of purpose was particularly illustrated last week when those of us in the ‘British Trust group’ came together for a memorial service for the brother of Jones, one of our number. His brother Beverley had tragically died of Malaria over the weekend which was left untreated due to the doctors and nurses being on strike in their home country of Zambia. We came together on the same day of the funeral, prayed, thanked God for his life and held Jones and his wider family up to the comforting care of God. In speaking of Beverley, Jones gave us a picture of a strong, caring brother whose encouragement for Jones to play the guitar led him to attend church regularly where he could borrow a guitar to play and it time to be ordained and become an Archdeacon and bishop’s assistant in Zambia. At this moment divisions took second place behind our care for Jones, our trust in the Resurrection hope and our need for the strengthening love of God.
Further afield
Sorry that this seems to have become such a long posting. There is so much to tell!!
Four other experiences must be briefly mentioned.
On the first Sunday we visited the Carmelite Church of Abu Gosh, one of several proposed sites of the post Easter appearance of Jesus at Emmaus. Although in French, this Catholic Mass was reasonably easy to follow (even with my most basic level French!). Is was also stunningly beautiful, sung in Plain Chant the only accompaniment being that of a harp (played by one of the Nuns) and flute (played by one of the monks). To see a short video containing some of the singing from Abu Gosh click on 'The Calling Voice' - left.
Last Friday some of us were lucky enough to be able to attend a Shabbat eve service at Kehilat Kol Haneshama (http://www.kolhaneshama.org.il/english/index.asp). This is a Progressive Jewish synagogue / community centre (hence ‘Kehilat’). We were met and told about the work of the synagogue which is very active in the local community and in encouraging both equality and moves towards peace. The service then began and we were encourage to take part. I will endeavour to copy the introduction of the service book and its instructions concerning prayer. I feel it expresses things that any praying person would do well to hear. The service was great. The congregation of about 300 had almost every age from babies to the elderly well represented. The singing was wonderful, traditional Jewish melodies clearly deep from the heart, with some which reminded me of the music of Taize and some modern choruses. Prayers and some of the songs were translated as well as being written down in Latin letters alongside the Hebrew so we were able to join in with some of them. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. This synagogue is unusual in Jerusalem – most being much more orthodox. It was a great way to hear about a more modern interpretation of the Jewish tradition and to see it in action.
This Sunday Jonah (my fellow Cuddesdonite traveller) and I went into Bethlehem to the Lutheran Christmas Church (http://www.bethlehemchristmaslutheran.org/). We attended a service of the Word with a Baptism of a little Palestinian boy. The congregation was largely made up Palestinian Christians with on visiting Swedish observer from the World Council of Churches and one other American lady who regularly leads groups to Bethlehem as tourists and as volunteers to work with the needy in the community. The service was in Arabic apart from the baptism which was in German. Once again we were able to take part in the service due to some excellent translations. It was wonderful to be able to worship together and to be made to feel so welcomed by this people who are suffering through being a double minority – they are Palestinians in Israel and they are Christian amongst Palestinians. After the service we went into their Church hall for coffee and excellent cake. With the Sunday School display on the wall, the parents chatting and cooing over the newly baptised baby and the children chasing around we could have been anywhere rather than in a town besieged by a 24 foot concrete and barbed wire covered wall celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace!
Well that is my round up of sharing worship in and around Tantur. To end with maybe the oldest written prayer, and a beautiful blessing - why not click on 'The Lord Bless you and Keep you' - left.
Thanks for reading.
Helen x
Monday, July 23, 2007
OK - catching up time.
Well the time of reckoning is truly here. Time to try and piece together what I have been doing over the last few days.
It's not that I can't be bothered to blog about all that I am seeing and doing; its just that there is so much of it and also this computer room, though very wonderful, is a cross between my mum's oven on baking day (without the nice smells) and the fiery furnaces of hell (especially when the Internet crashes just as people are in the middle of downloading emails from their loved ones)! Also, as you may have guessed from yesterday's post (what do you mean you haven't read it??) a lot of what I have been experiencing has given me much food for thought - and what better way to digest such, as with a nice cool beer, sitting out on the patio, listening to the Call to Prayer (in Quadraphonic sound from the various mosques around Tantur), setting the world to rights and playing silly games! Oops and you thought I was studying!!
OK enough self revelation, here we go.
- By the way - I will be putting links into this bit where you can look at some excellent pictures (not mine - they tend to just look like more piles of stones) and some brief information about each site. Then if you are interested you can look. I can then spend my time recounting my impressions - ok? Good.
Friday saw us heading out into the desert for a mammoth history lesson spanning over 5000 years.
Firstly Tel Arad (http://www.bibleplaces.com/arad.htm) a desert city and fort which has been populated since 3000BCE. It was amazing, but if I am honest, a little mind boggling. Amazing partly that anyone would want to live in a place like this. But clearly they did, repeatedly over many centuries. Not only that, in a time when the only place of worship in Judaism was in Jerusalem, a sacrificial alter and even a Holy of Holies have been found.
Next we moved on to Mamshit (http://www.bibleplaces.com/mampsis.htm), a major trading centre in the Nabatean, Roman and Byzantin periods (no I don't know when that was either - try Googling it!). We saw a market street, bright wall paintings (of a somewhat dubious nature) and a beautiful mosaic in a 4th Century church. Although the most recent bit of the site it was that which I enjoyed seeing most here. I seemed more within my grasp - the colours were so clear that is wasn't hard to imagine people gathering to worship Christ in this place - in different ways maybe, but experiencing the same faith as Christians do today!
We were next taken from this site on foot further out into the desert. Although we only went a matter of 15 / 20 minutes from the road, we could have been days or weeks from any other human beings - as it was for the Patriarchs wandinging these places. We sat under a ledge in silence for 4 or 5 minutes. This empty place was of course full of sound and life. Birds flying and singing, a lizzard which sat behind some of us sitting and watched, the breeze (so longed for) whispered. It was the most beautiful and profound experience.
4 minutes - incredible, but
4 hours? 4 days? 40 days? - unimagimable. That would test and prove reliance on God to the ultimate.
We heard readings from the Hebrew scriptures which refer to God's people's experience of the wilderness. I include them here both for your interest, but mostly for my memory and future reference.
I Kings 19:3-19 - Elijiah going into the wilderness in despair and being met and strengthened by God - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2019:3-19&version=31
Isaiah 32:13-16 - his vision of the desert becoming a fertile field. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2032:13-16;&version=31;
Psalm 107 :33 - 40 - The fertile land becoming a desert and then being restored. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20Psalm%20107%20:33%20-%2040;&version=31;
Isaiah 40: 3-8 - A voice of one calling:"In the desert . . . . . . http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2040%20:3-8;&version=31;
Psalm 69 :1-4, 15-16 - the other side of the wilderness, when sudden rains flood down the ravine and ingulf all in their path (rather like the UK at the moment!) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2069%20:1-%2016;&version=31;
Jeremiah 2 : 6 - a vivid description - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%202%20:%206;&version=31;
Psalm 23 - writen by a man who knew the wilderness experience from his boyhood, the valley of death was clear in his memory. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023;&version=31;
Well there was yet more that day! - Tel Beer Sheva - http://www.bibleplaces.com/beersheba.htm but as I have to be up at 5 am to venture out into the wilderness once more - I will leave you to look at that for yourselves.
Goodnight. H x
It's not that I can't be bothered to blog about all that I am seeing and doing; its just that there is so much of it and also this computer room, though very wonderful, is a cross between my mum's oven on baking day (without the nice smells) and the fiery furnaces of hell (especially when the Internet crashes just as people are in the middle of downloading emails from their loved ones)! Also, as you may have guessed from yesterday's post (what do you mean you haven't read it??) a lot of what I have been experiencing has given me much food for thought - and what better way to digest such, as with a nice cool beer, sitting out on the patio, listening to the Call to Prayer (in Quadraphonic sound from the various mosques around Tantur), setting the world to rights and playing silly games! Oops and you thought I was studying!!
OK enough self revelation, here we go.
- By the way - I will be putting links into this bit where you can look at some excellent pictures (not mine - they tend to just look like more piles of stones) and some brief information about each site. Then if you are interested you can look. I can then spend my time recounting my impressions - ok? Good.
Friday saw us heading out into the desert for a mammoth history lesson spanning over 5000 years.
Firstly Tel Arad (http://www.bibleplaces.com/arad.htm) a desert city and fort which has been populated since 3000BCE. It was amazing, but if I am honest, a little mind boggling. Amazing partly that anyone would want to live in a place like this. But clearly they did, repeatedly over many centuries. Not only that, in a time when the only place of worship in Judaism was in Jerusalem, a sacrificial alter and even a Holy of Holies have been found.
Next we moved on to Mamshit (http://www.bibleplaces.com/mampsis.htm), a major trading centre in the Nabatean, Roman and Byzantin periods (no I don't know when that was either - try Googling it!). We saw a market street, bright wall paintings (of a somewhat dubious nature) and a beautiful mosaic in a 4th Century church. Although the most recent bit of the site it was that which I enjoyed seeing most here. I seemed more within my grasp - the colours were so clear that is wasn't hard to imagine people gathering to worship Christ in this place - in different ways maybe, but experiencing the same faith as Christians do today!
We were next taken from this site on foot further out into the desert. Although we only went a matter of 15 / 20 minutes from the road, we could have been days or weeks from any other human beings - as it was for the Patriarchs wandinging these places. We sat under a ledge in silence for 4 or 5 minutes. This empty place was of course full of sound and life. Birds flying and singing, a lizzard which sat behind some of us sitting and watched, the breeze (so longed for) whispered. It was the most beautiful and profound experience.
4 minutes - incredible, but
4 hours? 4 days? 40 days? - unimagimable. That would test and prove reliance on God to the ultimate.
We heard readings from the Hebrew scriptures which refer to God's people's experience of the wilderness. I include them here both for your interest, but mostly for my memory and future reference.
I Kings 19:3-19 - Elijiah going into the wilderness in despair and being met and strengthened by God - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2019:3-19&version=31
Isaiah 32:13-16 - his vision of the desert becoming a fertile field. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2032:13-16;&version=31;
Psalm 107 :33 - 40 - The fertile land becoming a desert and then being restored. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20Psalm%20107%20:33%20-%2040;&version=31;
Isaiah 40: 3-8 - A voice of one calling:"In the desert . . . . . . http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2040%20:3-8;&version=31;
Psalm 69 :1-4, 15-16 - the other side of the wilderness, when sudden rains flood down the ravine and ingulf all in their path (rather like the UK at the moment!) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2069%20:1-%2016;&version=31;
Jeremiah 2 : 6 - a vivid description - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%202%20:%206;&version=31;
Psalm 23 - writen by a man who knew the wilderness experience from his boyhood, the valley of death was clear in his memory. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023;&version=31;
Well there was yet more that day! - Tel Beer Sheva - http://www.bibleplaces.com/beersheba.htm but as I have to be up at 5 am to venture out into the wilderness once more - I will leave you to look at that for yourselves.
Goodnight. H x
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