Nina's Notes - Tuesday, January 31 Time doesn't seem to matter these days as we travel and explore. The office and my regular routine seem to have faded into the distance as I walk, and reflect, and share community in this space. When I realize this has happened I have to tell myself that it is ok as I am here as a pilgrim. I am wandering in a different time, a different country, and seeking to find God in new ways in the midst of it all. As I am exploring this new landscape I could be skeptical and question every site we visit - how do they REALLY know that this is where Jesus broke and shared the loaves and fishes, how do they REALLY know this is where they lowered the paralytic through the roof so that Jesus could heal him? Granted, there is room for speculation on some of this, but I have made peace that even if it is not the exact spot where an event occurred, it is certainly in the area and lessons can be gleaned from being there. It is also interesting to see what scenery surrounding the parables and stories of Jesus come close to matching the images I have carried in my mind's eye for all these years. Some are pretty close and others seem pretty off target. In terms of landscape, it continues to amaze me how rocky the hillsides are. I try to imagine what it would have been like for a family to arrive in a new village and have to build a house from rocks as there are few trees. It also amazes me to see the massive and intricate synagogues they built from stone. I can't imagine the technology of erecting the massive columns at the city gates or in the synagogues, but as one of my colleagues reminded me, the pyramids were built 3,500 years prior to that! We also saw a water system that was built during the reign of Ahab. The system was constructed to ensure there was water for the city during times of siege. It is incredible to consider the engineering and ingenuity that went into the construction of this water system. I am realizing more fully the role that foreign gods played in this area as well. We went to what used to be Caesarea Philippi today. In this city stood 6 temples or courtyards - one next to the other! There was the Temple of Augustus, Zeus, Pan, and others. We stood in the courtyard and read Matthew16:13-20, where Jesus asks Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" That whole passage made so much more sense standing there in the shadow of what used to be the temples of the gods. Tonight in our discussion group we wrestled with our own version of the question, "Who do you say that I am? " and had some good time for reflection and discussion. The answer to that question continues to change and deepen as I grow older and as my faith matures. Walking in this place is helping me to once again wrestle with that question in new and life giving ways. I will leave you with that question to ponder as well, and will look forward to discussing the answers with you. Peace!

I don't think I blogged yesterday, so I'll make up for it today.  Yesterday was a good day.  We took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  It was really good to be on a boat and to look back on land and see all the places we have been from that vantage point.  From way out it seems like each spot is really far removed from the next spot, but as we got closer to shore the reality of the distance between each site became clear.  They really are not far from each other.  After the boat ride we went to a museum to see a 1st century boat excavated in the late 1980's.  It was again amazing to be in the presence of something so old.  And the story of how it was found and recovered is amazing.
Today we went to the Golan Heights.  We saw a waterfall that was beautiful (Banias).  Afterward we went to Caesarea Philippi.  Wow.  What a place.  And what a perfect backdrop for the story of Jesus asking the disciples "who do you say I am".  There in the midst of many gods, Jesus asks his disciples who they say he is.  After being there we got to make an unexpected stop at Tel Hazor.  Tel Hazor is a site that dates back to 10th century BCE.  Tel Hazor is a Caananite city.  The Israelites came to inhabit the city and had quite a rich history there until they were eventually conquered.  But to be there and to recognize the huge amount of time that has passed since then is just hard to express in words.  To be standing where we know for sure people were standing and living and working 3000 years ago is mind-blowing.  After Tel Hazor we went to lunch and enjoyed falafels again.  What a treat!  I love the food here.  It is all so fresh and good for you (for the most part).
Now a quick word about the spiritual dimension of this trip.  I wrote a little bit on facebook, but since some of you from Fourth Presbyterian don't have facebook, I want to share with you how I've been effected spiritually (or at least the surprise I didn't expect to find).  As we prepared for this trip I knew that I would be experiencing some really cool things, but in my mind i guess I was thinking of it one way and now that I'm here I'm experiencing it in a different way (and that 's good).  So much of where my mind goes when I'm reading scripture is to a place that is Tom's thoughts on where Jesus was and where he was doing ministry.  That place, I'm discovering, is often overly concerned with Jesus' divinity.  I don't even mean to do it.  It just that when you read scripture all your life and people have told you it is "sacred and holy" and you have treated it as "sacred and holy" my mind leads me to a person who is "sacred and holy".  Now, I think Jesus was holy, don't get me wrong, but that is not what is so striking about being here.  What is striking, as others in my group have also commented, is Jesus' humanity.  Jesus was real person; a wise person; a clever strategist; a man with plans and ways to make those plans become reality.  I guess I've always consider Jesus to have simply followed a plan God set out, but he clearly had plans and strategies that he followed that now (to me here) seem so human.  And sharply human.  I mean, he didn't just roam aimlessly around and hope that his message took hold somehow.  He made sure by his methods that the message did get out.  because of all that, I'm struck spiritually while we're here by Jesus' humanity and his humanity seems so holy and sacred to me.  That being the case, our own humanity must surely be holy and sacred too.  Many of us spend a lifetime trying to be like Jesus, and I think that's admirable, but I think Jesus spent a lifetime being fully Jesus and that we should spend a lifetime being fully who we are.  Jesus was obedient to God's plan for his life, and that is, in my mind, how we should spend our lives, living the life God gave us to live.  To experience Jesus in our humanity is a good thing.  No need to talk it to death when we can live it for life.
To my friends back at Fourth Presbyterian reading this, blessings to you.  I hope all is well with you and that you are finding Jesus in your life - the one God gave you to live fully.
Till next time, Tom.

Day 5 January 31, 2012

My iPad has converted to Hebrew --not the keyboard but all the commands. It makes writing this blog interesting because even though it is writing in English it is writing from right to left. Today we travelled to the Golan Heights and went to Baniass which used to be called Caesarea Philippi --now its familiar right? We went to the site where it is reasoned that Jesus asked Peter "Who do you say that I am?" While most of these sites are not known to positively be the place where certain Biblical events took place research over the years gives plausible reasons for choosing the sites. Caesarea Philippi was a place where archaeologists have found the ruins of at least 20 temples dedicated to other gods. It makes sense that Jesus would ask Peter this all important question in this location -- in the face of competing gods. This is also the place where many springs come together and the Jordan River is formed. Many of us grabbed empty water bottles and collected our Jordan River water. I went back to the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. It's a quick walk from our hotel and it's a wonderful little chapel. I lit candles and prayed for friends and family. We gather at 5:45 for sort of debriefing and then 15 minutes of prayer and worship. Today our leaders asked us to consider how we answer the question "Who do you say that I am?" I hear the familiar answer "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior" echo in my head and I find that to be still true --and so much more. So much more.

Trisha's Thoughts

I am very excited and happy to be leading this good group of pastors. Like Jennifer, I have another blog, so I am cross-posting with pictures. My journeys began on Jan 5 and will continue to Feb 21. Here is my blog, with a first post on Capernaum: www.bibleinonehand.org.

Here is one picture from that blog, a group photo. One person was missing, but we will do this again a couple more times. 

Nina's Notes - Monday, January 30 Today has been cold and rainy but it held off until we finished our expeditions this morning. We started the morning by going to Bethsaida which is located of the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The name Bethsaida means "House of the Fisherman" and Peter, Andrew and Phillip were believed to have been from this town. Recent excavation in the city has unearthed portions of a massive wall that surrounded the city, and we were able to see a portion of the gate and the road leading to the entrance of the city. You can also see a portion of the structure that was a residence and also the winemaker's house. These structures were from the 1st century After we left Bethsaida we headed to the Sea of Galilee where we took a boat ride across the sea. It was a little windy and choppy on the sea, but none of us got sea sick. We were able to discern how close the cities where Jesus ministered and spread the good news are to one another. Next we visited a museum that holds a boat dating back to the time of the disciples that was discovered. The boat is made of 11 different kinds of wood. In the picture you see the steel frame holding up the remains of the wooden boat. We stopped for lunch at a roadside place and ate falafels that were yummy! Then the rain started as we were headed back for rest and reflection.