Page 8 - Contact Spring 2020.indd

Reflections on our

trip to Israel

It is difficult to describe the feelings Amazing trip to Israel which is a melting
walking around where Jesus had walked. pot of different faiths living and working
You feel that the places are familiar but alongside each other; Jews, Christians,
you know that you have never been there Muslim, Armenians, Arabs and Bedouin.
before. This wasn’t a movie or a book; The Bible is more alive having
this was history and we were standing experienced the land of the old and
in it. Reading the stories in the Bible will new testaments. The team blended well
never be the same again. The major together and supported each other as a
emotional moments were Sunday family. It was lovely to sing, worship and
worship on the Sea of Galilee and pray together at various places we
taking Communion at the Garden Tomb. visited. My thoughts keep returning to
this sacred place.
Jane and Brian Patterson
Marlene Burton
The Holy Land didn’t disappoint and as I
expected, during the course of the
journey we were given much to reflect
on. Familiar things we learnt as children
in our Bible stories and studies of the
Bible in our adult life were seen in a new
light. For we were travelling on a unique
journey, following a unique person –
walking in the steps of Jesus.

Some of the religious sites we visited
were subject to at the best, guesswork
and possibilities, but for me, the precise
authenticity of the Garden Tomb was not
the most critical point. For me the event
of Jesus’ resurrection is more important
than its precise location; in other words,
his Person is more significant than the
Place. Yet for me, with the buzz of the
traffic and sirens in the background,
I found a perfect peace. A few birds
tweeting, people quietly praising. I wish
I could have put it in a bottle and open
it up every morning! Precious memories
which will last forever.

Mervyn Keys

Church at Mount of Beatitudes
overlooking Sea of Galilee