Nazareth I

I can imagine Jesus growing up here. There are caves and hills - but no more sheep. About 70,000 people live here now - in the 1st century, it was just a tiny village. The population is 30% Christian - many related to the holy sites. 70% muslim. On the other side of the hill is a new Jewish section of town. The Church of the Annunciation is the largest in the Middle East - and it is a conglomeration of images and styles, incorporating the grotto where tradition says the Gabriels visited Mary to announce Jesus' pending birth. I toured and later went to a service with so much incense, you wouldn't believe! I stayed here two nights in a fine room - sharing the dinner tables with a French-speaking group from Belgium. The Convent has rooms for guests, teaches students with disabilities, and is caretaker for a 1st C. Herodian tomb excavation - one of the best examples of a typical tomb from that time anywhere! So I toured it with the French group - probably missed the finer points, but did see where the sign of the fish was etched in the rock.
Back to Mary - there is a lot of attention to her in this town - and a St. Joseph Church too at the traditional site of his carpenter shop - but nothing original remains except dirt and rock - the edifaces are 19th-20th century when Europeans got interested in the Holy Land. Still fun to be up on the roof at night, feel the breeze, see the moon, think about Jesus growing up here - and the Greek town Sepporis was just over the hill.

Moving on

So the time at St. George's College is ended. We had a bus trip to Emmaus for a place to celebrate the Lord's Supper - looking over the roads that lead 6 miles back to the city. Here (it's one of 4 traditional locations) Jesus became known to two disciples after the resurrection - in the breaking of the bread. Our travel group - all Christians - indeed has formed a sense of community and Jesus' presence with us.
Not to be all serious, we had a talent show at 5 p.m. with many spoofs of our leaders as well as "talent." As an example, one of the Welsh ladies and I led the singing of "Kookabourrouh sits in the old gum tree" - we were delighted that such a silly song spans the continents! Our group - mainly Cincinnati folks - included 2 Canadians, 2 New Zealanders, 2 UK citizens...40 of us in all.
By amazing good fortune, one of our leaders has arranged for me to spend two days with the Sisters of Nazareth - and a chance to see excavations in that town as well as the churches. I don't know if I will have access to a computer. AFter that I go to Haifa for a couple days before the DIG in Tiberias.
This morning I went to the Rockefeller Museum, established in the 1930's as a repository for ancient artifacts - and I mean ancient - like 200,000 BCE! Ice Age humans... Egyptian influence in the land of Canaan - 19th Dynasty/Ramses III and then the more recent 3000 years. Puts a different slant on time. The most important holdings of this museum have been moved to the Israel Museum - but those exhibits were closed at this time.

In Jesus' Footsteps

We have completed the pathway that pilgrims have been taking for centuries - the Via Dolorosa. I had a picture in my mind of how this would be...it was a dark and narrow scene in my imagination. Maybe because we got up early and started our way at 6 a.m. the trail of 14 stations of the cross was worshipful, comforting, light-filled stretching of the heart... and the materials we used alongside scripture very definitely connected Jesus' suffering to that of people in the world today. We made a peaceful procession; unexpectedly, at one point I was carrying the wooden cross from one station to the next. We assigned readings ahead of time but cross carrying was spontaneous, as was the singing of simple songs such as "Were You There." The Old City of Jerusalem is built many feet above its level in Jesus' day, so we were not literally on the path from the Roman court to Golgotha. But those Good Friday events did happen in this area, and I am grateful to those various Christians who are faithful to maintain the sites. It is a spiritual path amidst shops, children headed for school, other tourists, carts laden with goods - winding its way through everyday life.

Tomb or Resurrection?

Same church, two names depending on perspective... we spent virtually all our group time today (except meals) in this magnificent Christian pilgrimage destination - with a real aficionado as our guide. Canon John Peterson is known in Episcopalian circles. He had us imagining missing walls (from Queen Mother Helena's church built over the place where she discovered parts of The Cross in the 300's) because that ediface was completely destroyed. Rock quary (the site of Golgotha) lies under the whole thing. We saw the monument/shrine adored as Jesus' tomb (empty, of course), and discussed the funerary practices of 1st Century Jews. It was crowded and filled with incense and imposing arches, pillars, thick walls, and domes - interesting art too. Overload for this Presbyterian but interesting too as a site where ancient Christian groups are still represented today. So which would you expect to visit: the Church of the Sepulchre or Church of the Resurrection?
A nice stop for refreshments afterward at the American Colony Hotel - one of "1001 things to see before you die" - checked off that one!

Sunday

Churches, churches everywhere - how does one decide? I went to the post office to exchange some money (no commission - fun to figure out the lines and process)- then wandered into the Old City. I ended up at the Franciscan Church of the Condemnation (second station on the Via Dolorosa) in the Chapel of Flagellation (marking the venerated place where Jesus was whipped as he carried the cross) - and joined a group from Singapore having a mass in English. This is a normal kind of juxtaposition here.
The theme for this 4th Sunday of Eastertide was The Good Shepherd and praying for clergy and seminarians, so I felt rather blessed. A young man asked if I were going forward to receive communion, and I said "No, I'm Protestant" so he handed me his camera and asked if I would take his picture when he received the cup - and I obliged.
After prayers and benediction - and a lovely rendition of "Amazing Grace," I decided to find a hostel and make a reservaton for May 7 when I return to Jerusalem later. I like the place called Petra - no problem was the clerk's reply to all my inquiries.
Lunch was back at St. George's College and then we headed for the town of Ein Karem, at the western edge of the city -an artsy little town connected with the birth of John the Baptist/Foreunner. We stopped to see two churches there which felt very European - and are more recently constructed than most we have visited. The murals and adornments honored Elizabeth and Mary meeting, and then there was the cave where John was born - it happened somewhere and it is good to remember that John and Jesus had real Jewish mothers.
Our pilgrimage was highlighted by stopping at a gelato stand - mint and halvah, two dips for me. We are now starting to recognize landmarks as we drive past - the Kenneset, the controversial Holyland apartment development, areas we have shopped, eaten, and visited. Back at home base, we met to get instructions for checking out, going home, not to draw attention to ourselves at the airport, etc...a reminder that we only have two more full days here.

Israel Museum

It is crisp and sunny in Jerusalem. It is also shabbat - the Jewish Sabbath - so buses do not run. Taxis - mostly driven by Muslim Arabs - do operate. Our group had an entirely free day to scatter and do what we wanted. 9 of us had not yet seen the Israel Museum (whihc is closed for rennovation except for the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition and a 1:50 scale model of the city in 66 CE) so we called a van and away we went.
The model is extraordinary, based on the Bible, archeology, and historians of the time such as Josepheus...and much of what we had seen in ruins now makes more sense. What it doesn't have, of course, are any church buildings. What it does have are palaces, fortifications, and Greek influenced complexes.
The special architecture for the display of a small portion of the Dead Sea Scrolls is quite striking. These are the documents found at Qumran - hidden by the Essenes - a Jewish sect active before and during the time of Jesus (probably influential with John the Baptist). Portions of the scrolls often tour around the world - I saw fragments in Akron a few years ago. The Israel Museum is the current custodian - and they are stored in a secret place, for they are the oldest copies of scripture in existence (referring to our Old Testament, especially the Isaiah scroll is complete). I wandered with an English speaking secular Jewish guide. It was satisfying to connect the displayed artifacts with our earlier visit to Qumran.
Enough of museums - I next headed to the Old City for lunch - I think in the Armenian Quarter, watched a demonstration, wandered through the souq (market), ran into some other students from my tour gourp - and we wanted to visit The King David Hotel - where world leaders stay when they come to town. We had dessert on the back patio, in the shade overlooking tennis courts and the swimming pool...one of 1001 places to visit in the world according to someone who wrote a book.
Relaxing now until dinner. This evening we have a local Jewish guest speaker about the Israel/Palestine issues - housing demolitions, settlements, water rights, etc. Should keep us all awake because the group is not of one mind on these things.

Churches and more

This day is devoted to "The Paschal Journey." At 8 a.m. we boarded the bus to head for the Mount of Olives - which is now a huge burial area for deceased Jews who wish to be the first to rise when the Messiah comes. There are also remnants of Byzantine crypts and ossuaries - bone containers that were in use during the 2nd Temple period (Jesus' lifetime)...hence a recent controversy over someone claiming to have a box with his name on it - no way to prove it/ not likely. There is a chapel called "Dominus Flevit" which means "the Lord wept" when he looked over the city. That seems like a reasonable reaction, considering the division of East Jerusalem (part of Jordan until 1967) from West. A former mosque, it is simple and dedicated to peace. A clergy couple from our group led a reflection on tears.
We walked down to the garden of Gethsemane - which used to stretch along this whole section but now is limited to a yard surrounding the Church of All Nations - ancient olive trees in the garden, herbs and roses in all their glory. The church is impressive with lavendar stained-glass windows and many tourists.
Then we headed for Mt. Zion, which is a disputed area - and one chapel devoted to the setting of the Lord's Supper is under Jewish jurisdiction! The German-sponsored Church of Domition - that is, the place where Mary sleeps, has two floors of incredible chapels given by many nationalities. Mary is venerated here - and it did not seem overdone. A nnice gift shop too - and I spent about $20 - then left my package accidently someplace....
Nearby is the church: St. Peter in Gallicantu - quite possibly located above prisoner holding cells, adjacent to Roman steps that would have connected the Upper Room with the Garden of Gethsemane. It all becomes tangible, connected, even an excavation suggesting the site of High Priest Caiphas' House - as all this is in the shadow of the Old City walls. The art of story telling with mosaics is not lost - as Peter's denial of Jesus is depicted...with other scenes in the sanctuary.
So much....to ponder. AFter lunch, I decided to shop near the college and replace what I had lost and then some. Around the corner is an Arab grocery with spices and chocolate eclairs! Also an Armenian ceramics factory and store. So this day covered both ends of the spectrum and then some. Time to rest.

Free Day in Jerusalem

Now I am catching up with this blog - if you want to see pictures of the place I'm staying, go to www.sgcjerusalem.com the website for St. George's College.
Today it rained! and was cooler. Several of us set out to try the bus system - which the local population seems to use effortlessly. It's 6.2 NIS for a ride and a transfer. I went to Yad Vashom, which is the Holocaust Museum. Striking architecture that helps tell the story, lots of photos and information - and saddness and remembrance. I spent about 4 hours; there were seats in most rooms and it was a meditation time.
Then I ventured out further west in the steep hills to see Chagall windows at the big hospital - and they were closed during construction - a disappointment. So I wandered back via a different bus and ended getting off when it seemed to veer in the "wrong" direction. Within 10 minutes I encountered others from my group, and we happily traipsed through a chic shopping mall with lots of contemporary outdoor art - and headed back to the college. Great supper, fine conversation! Hope all is well with you too! Now resting my feet.

Galilee III

Our third day in Galilee began with a trip to Bethshean - an Israeli national park and a great surprise - 18 levels of cities in the Tel (the hill)dating from 3000BC,mentioned in Egyptian texts from 2000 BC, and a "friendly" well-signed archeological site where I could actually walk on Roman and Byzantine roads. With reconstructed walls, the baths, theater, shops and houses were identified - and it was beautiful. I think what struck me is that I had never heard of this place which had at one time been so important for commerce, worship and governance. No New Testament references here either - but it would have been known.
And from there we passed into the "disputed territory" occupied since 1967 and went to Jericho - not a "pretty" archeological dig but the work there since the 1950's has uncovered clay walls and artifacts indicating humans residing here 10,000 years ago - the oldest continually inhabited city on earth! Folks in Jesus' time passed through Jericho to get to Jerusalem from Galilee - and avoid Samaria.
After a delicious traditional Middle Eastern meal - we headed up to a very high vantage point (now we were close to the area where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea - traditionally and logically near where John baptized Jesus)to picture the wilderness where Jesus stayed for 40 days. It is barren and windly, wildly ranging in heights and depths below sea level - Bedouins were eager to sell jewelry and camel rides. Two small children played with an empty Coke bottle, ran barefoot over the rocks and chased about on the steep inclines - I couldn't watch. So our reflection time (especially when another bus of tourists arrived) was not particularly meditative. Shows you that the world will seek you out - even on top of a desert mountain! We headed back to our home in Jerusalem at St. Georges College.
The director of a Christian Palestinian justice/peace organization Sabeel (it means The Way or "spring water" in Arabic)came to tell us about the group and its vision for peace as a two-country solution. They consciously work at dialogue with all sides of this conflicted country. Tourists pass through checkpoints rather easily. We could immediately tell that the standard of living is much lower in the West Bank...checkpoints, settlement roads that are off-limits to Palestinians, fenced off land along the Jordan River that no one can use, numerous military enclaves. We could see the dramatic difference on agriculture when water is limited.

Galilee II

I think that my image of Jesus is much more robust than before - after visiting Galilee. It is truly a breadbasket for this country, with fruit tree orchards (including bananas), fields of grain and vegetables, a semi-tropical climate with water provided by gentle rains and the Jordan River. It is a beautiful land.
We started our visit at Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea - extensive ruins from Herod the Great's buidling fervor. Actually it is Paul that scriptures connect with this place (Acts 10). It is one of Israel's top tourist destinations because of the extensive ruins -
Then we went to Sepphoris - which you may not have heard of (it is not mentioned in the Bible) - one of the Greek cities of the Decopolis - within eyesight of Nazareth - which also happened to be in a building boom during Joseph and Jesus' lifetimes. Do you think they knew about the Greek culture there? How could they not? We ended Monday, April 19 by arriving at our German guesthouse/hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee...and reflections on the day.
Tuesday we saw several ruins: Capernaum and Caesarea Phillipi - places that Jesus walked and taught - and shared the Lord's Supper by the Sea and then lunched on fresh (whole, head and all) fish. I can honestly say that it felt like Jesus was with us in the eating. I was so hot when we got back to the guesthouse, that I went floating in the Sea - and a turtle came up to tickle my toe. The next day there were rock badgers - 3 adults and 5 youngsters - feeding along the shore. The bird songs were phenomenal. And pretty wildflowers too....you get the picture when you add gentle, sloping land down to the sea - and across the lake, the Golan Heights (cliffs). That's where we headed the next morning.

Galilee

Sunday in Jerusalem

Sunday greetings! You'd think that we would have attended some important church, but tourist schedules being what they are - we headed for the Temple Mount which is the location of two mosques. There were many Muslim men in "Sunday school." We walked around and were amazed at the different worship structures that have appeared on this site - a holy place from the time of Abraham.
Our next emphasis was The City of David - a rich archeological site that is a relatively recent excavation project, complete with findings that match biblical names and descriptions. It is adjacent to the Mount and still being dug up. It is possible to see stones that would have been in place when Jesus came to Jerusalem - as a baby, a 12-year old lad, and as a man.
The other adventure was tracing a dry tunnel underneath David's city that dates to the Jebusites - 3000 years ago. It was a natural formation used to bring water inside of the fortifications of the ancient city - and proved to be the achilles heel when David attacked.

Bright sun. Did laundry. Worshipped withthe group before supper - and now have a tutor to show me what to do with photos. Tomorrow we leave for the region of Galilee for three days.

Journey to Bethlehem

Hello, dear ones! It is sunny and warm, some haze - cool breezes. Another good day for a trip. We started at the fortress called Herodian, built by Herod the Great before the time of Jesus. It was used as a castle and fortification - one of many around the country. He prepared to defend himself against many enemies (including Cleopatra) and members of his own family and staff. Probably his tomb is here as well - and there are great cisterns and interior passageways as well as a well-preserved fort and baths. A mother cat and kitten are current occupants, many wild flowers, birds, and butterflies. It is a high place with a marvelous view - if it were clear - to the Dead Sea in one direction and Bethlehem in another.
Then we moved on to The Shepherd's Field - a Franciscan area of Bethlehem which has grottos and gardens - a site for remembering the angels' appearance to the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born. We reflected and sang in our group - peaceful.
Lunch was at the Tent Restaurant - again, very Middle Eastern with a nice sweet and coffee at the end. Soft drinks are very expensive.
Finally we proceded to the Church of the Nativity - but the line was too long to view the grotto where tradition says the manger was located. The church(es) was interesting as it is shared by the Armenians, Greek Orthodox, and Roman Catholic jurisdictions. The structures we could view date from the 4th C when Constantine's mother came to the Holy Land with money for construction - determined to replace a pagan temple on the spot dedicated to Adonis. We looked about, saw a cave area where Church Father Jerome was said to have translated the Bible into Latin, and later traces of construction dating from the Crusades. The Roman Catholic area was built in the 20th C - and it is the place from which Christmas Eve service is televised worldwide except in Israel. There were many tourist groups of varied nationalities - it is a MUCH busier place than Hebron.
The visit ended as we stopped to photograph the huge dividing wall that Israel has constructed and artists have covered with graffiti - Bethlehem proper is Palestinian, but its city edge is adjacent to Israeli property; it is only 5 miles from Jerusalem. So on this day, we saw very few Israeli soldiers except at the check points going in and out - soldiers on the bus to check passports.
Now it is time to read and rest and leisurely stroll - it is Shabbat/Sabbath in Jerusalem. Blessings!

Part II - Desert discoveries

After a good night's rest and before breakfast but after sunrise - we had a Eucharist (communion service) before the other tourists in the camp were stirring. Bread and wine, nourishment in the desert is greatly appreciated for body and soul. Breakfast in a very huge tent (with tables) included some new things: havlah, tuna, assortment of olives and sheep or camel cheeses.
Two destitnations today: Qumran and the Dead Sea. Qumran is an excavation now at the foot of a series of 300+ caves. In 1947 the first of the Dead Sea Scrolls was discovered by a Bedouin shepherd, with other jars/scrolls discovered in 11 caves - dating from before the time of Jesus and including all our Old Testament books except Esther, and other scrolls about the Essene faith community. We learned a bit about Essene life, considering whether John the Baptist and therefore Jesus knew about this small desert religious movement. They were in conflict with the Jerusalem Temple religious establishment. It was a disappointment that no fragments of the scrolls are on display here - the ones not sold away to collectors are now housed at the Israel Museum - which we hope to visit another day.
The Dead Sea - what can I say? It's big with the mountains of Moab and Jordan on the other side. It is evaporating at an annual rate of 3 ft - do the descent down to the water from the bus parking lot is substantial. There were lots of people - and of course, I and most of our group got into swimsuits and floated in. It was a refresing temperture, black mud on the bottom, and it's true - you can't sink - the water is 33% solid substance: salt, bromide, iodine, magnesium, etc. The sea doesn't grow anything live - and it has not outlet. Just below Qumran is where the Jordan River flows into it...with less water than in times past because of drought, irrigation, and industrial usage. We are now back from this trip - and I think I must go shower.
Peace be with you.

Part I - A tent in the desert

Actually these two days have been absolutely packed with impressions of the "holy." We started off in Hebron - in the West Bank (disputed territories - depends on which map), a city of 150,000 Palestinians, virtually all Arab Muslims. Our rendevous was with a Christian Peacemaking Team that lives next to an embedded Jewish settlement of 200-400 Jewish settlers within the city. They were awarded land and buildings after 7 Yeshiva students were gunned down several years ago. The settlers are here, isolated, from ideological conviction - and they are protected by an Israeli outpost of soldiers. The Palestinians have limited access in this area, shops have closed nearby, there are check-points and one major thoroughfare completely off-limits to non-Israelis. Complex, confusing, and one little portrait of the daily conditions here.
A walk through the Old Town took us to the mosque which was built over the gravesite of ABraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah (Rachel's tomb is near Bethlehem) - the tomb of the patriarchs/matriarchs of Jews, Christians and Muslims. It was a small, not-showy, bustling place with mostly Muslim tourists.... not many Christians or Jewish tourists in Hebron these days. I was moved by the privilage of being there, and it was sacred space. The actual graves are purported to be in caves about 36 ft. under the floor where we stood.
We had a picnic lunch at Tel BeerSheva - "tel" being a hill formed by layers of civilization. It was a high place looking over the desert of Negev - and the site of a covenant between Abraham and Abimileck (Genesis 21:25-33). The site is excavated to show a huge cistern/water holding arrangement that made it an important stop between Egypt and points north. Be'er Sheva is mentioned in the Old Testament at least 5 times. The Tel is outside of the current modern city, and is a national park. The air is hot and dry but with a breeze, so if you can find shade it's very pleasant. We must remember to drink water all the time!! This is the land of the Israelites (Old Testament).
When do we get to the tent?! Now - Thursday evening - our Bedouin host prepared and served coffee in this settlement for tourists - cabins available too - and then we went on a camel ride/walk/quite a calming experience for about a half hour. We were given a very large, covered in woolen cloth and canvas tent with pads, sleeping bags, and sheets - enough to accomodate all 40 men and women! You can imagine we were nervous about getting any actual sleep, but it worked out very well. We turned in early after a traditional supper of kababs, fresh vegetables, and the omni-present pita and hummus...and lemonade which hit the spot. What was holy was the breeze, stars, sounds of birds and donkeys trotting by as the work staff headed home to small Bedouin enclaves nearby. The Bedouin - desert people - don't move homesteads like they used to, but there is a continuation of sheep herding by those in this area. Many have been relocated into small towns, not much in the way of infrastructure and work and education. The young people are mostly leaving.
The desert is not sandy; it is covered in rocks and animal footpaths and hills. Whever there is water, there are trees... but these places are far between. The few cities have water piped in from up north - this is Israeli territory.

Jerusalem today

Hello - you can imagine my delight in figuring out how to get the Hebrew instructions for blogging to translate! Since you didn't hear of any plane crashes in Tel Aviv, you have rightly assumed I arrived here yesterday. The highlight of the flight was that about 1/3 of the passengers were Orthodox Jews.... and the men all stood up at sunrise, donned prayer shawls, and prayed in the new day - 41,000 ft over Spain. Entry into Israel was uneventful for me - some of our group who came by way of Munich had a total luggagge search and one gentlemen didn't get his bag until today. I exchanged money at the airport - about 3.5 NIS (New Israeli Shekels) per dollar.
The total class group is 40 members - mostly Episcopalians, 27 from Cincinnati, some from New Zealand, Wales, and England: all cordial. St. George's College is an adult education program connected with St. George's Cathedral, the Episcopal centre of the Middle East. This place dates from 1910 - and when the British took Jerusalem in 1917, the truce with the Ottoman Empire was signed here - beginning the British mandate in Palestine that only ended in 1948 (with Israel's creation). Anyway, the facility is lovely and an oasis in East Jerusalem.
We had class this morning and then took off on a bus for lunch at a former Benedictine monastery - lots of fresh vegetables (especially pretty carrots), rice, and fruit and chicken. Then we climbed up to the roof for a striking panoramic view of Jerusalem - the church towers, minarets, valleys, walls, graveyards. The topography is impressive as is the construction in pale stone - ancient and on-going. Our bus passed the Church of All Nations at the Garden of Gethsemane on the way back.
A few of us set out in the afternoon through the Damascus Gate into the Old City. Observing other tourists is half the fun. We walked past markets (I bought some frankencense and postcards) and restaurants - and continued to the Western Wall of the Temple Mount (the part left standing after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. It was memorable to join the women's section and approach the Wall and offer my prayer for peace. There was a large contingent of Israeli soldiers standing in formation, but we never found out why.
We viewed a film made by the Franciscans about some of the sites we'll be visiting. Tomorrow we head to the Negev Desert and will spend the night in a Bedouin tent!

On the way

What a beautiful day to travel! A church member, Pat, is taking me to the airport. Flying US Airways, I head to Philadelphia around 3 p.m. from Cleveland. Departing at 9 p.m. from there, I will arrive in Tel Aviv (direct) 11+ hours later at 3:20 on Tuesday. I have a US Airways credit card so hope to avoid checked bag fee - what an irritant! And I have a pass to the lounge for the airline, so that's where I'll be mooching a free supper. For those who are curious, round-trip airfare was aroung $1300 - I bought the ticket last year.
Packing was challenging: rolling suitcase or backpack??? I went with my daughter Clarissa's very nice backpack - since I will be hoofing it to hostels for some portion of the trip.
Good news is that 14 others who are in my St. Georges program are on the same flight. So there will be a mini-van waiting for us to get our luggage and take us to Jerusalem. Nice to be taken care of until getting "the lay of the land" and exchanging money, etc. The program officially starts with dinner on Tuesday.
Thank you for all the messages of encouragement and prayers. The adventure begins!

Holy Land trip - 2010

Being gone for six weeks is a challenge (and a luxury, I know). Doing last minute things such as notifying credit card companies, getting travellers checks (how much is enough?), stopping mail and newspaper, wondering about lawn mowing ... and getting things straightened away at the church (six bulletins mostly done). Trying to pack light and still have what is needed - knee pads for the dig, hat and sunscreen (though it is wet and cold here today); are any shoes comfortable? Trying to stay well.

This Sunday's sermon will reflect on "land" as God's promise to Abraham (and Sarah and Hagar) whose descendants form the three great monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Did disturbances in Israel/Palestine really start way back then?

Thanks for checking out this blog - still trying to get the hang of it.