Maysville Presbyterian

To view some of the pictures in larger view click on the picture. 

Shalom (Hello and peace). I wrote to you in January about my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Jennifer and I went eight years ago in 2015 on a ten day trip. We returned in March of 2023 to Israel along with 10 dear friends from Maysville and 16 newly made friends from elsewhere in the U.S. You may

have caught the slide show at the Pilgrim’s Potluck on April 23.

Here are some of the highlights of the second adventure. We left from the Cincinnati Airport on the afternoon of Monday, March 20, 2023. I had a moment of panic when the ticket agent asked me for my Covid 19 inoculation card. I didn’t have it! Fortunately, she was satisfied with a photo of said card

on my phone.

We landed in Tel Aviv, Israel, fourteen hours later via Atlanta and Paris. Air France surprised me with seats reclining in coach further than any airline I have every flown in the past 65 years.

The group headed to the Galilee after landing in Tel Aviv. I woke extra early because of jet lag and was treated to a glorious purple sunrise over the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee. Then came a tremendous surprise. Our guest house was on the same property as the Church of the Beatitudes. See the photo in this article. I was able to sip my coffee in solitude before the busloads of other pilgrims arrived.

Speaking of busloads of fellow pilgrims. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Christians from around the

world. We are not alone! We met pilgrims from Nigeria, Poland, Mexico, South Korea and other

countries. It is heartening to swim in a sea of Christians.

As I mentioned in my January pastor’s column, Galilee is rich in biblical history. I once again intensely

felt the presence of Christ, walking the worn paving stones in Capernaum. He could have

walked on these very stones! In Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, we stepped into the

Church of the Annunciation. I was struck by the adoration on display. Christians from around the

world built this church, the site where the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would bear the Christ

child. (Luke 1:26-33)

There is much more to share. However, I will leave off at this point, and pick the story up again in

my June column.

One last word. Another pilgrimage may set off in the fall of 2024. Who knows, it may include you!

Shalom (goodbye and prosperity),

Pastor Jim