Jeff Nicholson

A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey whether literal or figurative in which the participants gain deeper spiritual insights leading to greater spiritual growth and the crystallisation of spiritual devotion and commitment. Over 100 members of the NEC Ministerial staff accompanied by some of their spouses shared in a life changing experience at the NEC Workers Meeting and educational tour of Biblical sites in the Holy Land. The team left Britain amidst the snow and sleet on Sunday the 21st February and returned on Sunday the 28th. The general feeling expressed by the team was reflected by Cyril Sweeney echoing the views of many colleagues said; “I think that every Adventist should save up and visit the Biblical sites in Israel at some times in their lives because this journey will bring alive the words and scenes of the Bible in a new way like never before.”

The two teams travelled on separate flights the first arriving in Israel at about 7p.m. and were welcomed with a single rose by the representative of the Tour Company. The second team arrived later in the early hours of Monday morning. We were based at the Ramat Rachel Kibbutz Hotel in Jerusalem. One unforgrettable first memory was as the bus arrived in Jerusalem and passed by the new Harp Bridge built to carry the proposed Tram light railway into the Jerusalem, the bus driver started playing the very stirring song, Jerusalem. As the words of the song, “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Lift up your heads and sing, Hosanna in the Highest...” rang out in the night air of the historic city, a symbol of all believer’s hopes, dreams and desires , a rapturous thrill went through the bus as many joined in the song.

During our first official meeting on Monday afternoon, Pastor Elofer leader of the church in Israel challenged the attendees with the inspiring tale of the first Sabbath keeping Adventist missionary Clorinder Minor who at her own expense set out to take the Advent Message to Jews living in the Holy Land in 1848-1849, from her home in Philadelphia USA . “Adventists have a unique mission in the light of the three Angel’s messages, to prepare a people for the second Advent...you are called to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness...(Isaiah 40:1-5), so that the whole world will be lighted by the glory of the Lord,” Pastor Elofer said.

NEC President Ian Sweeney, reminding the worker force of the purpose of the week said, “This week is about getting intimate with God. In the presence of God Moses changed...intimacy changes our character and outlook, let this be your experience this week, so that as with Moses when you get down from the mountain your churches will see and hear the difference.” The highlight of Monday was the lecture by the Reformed Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Director of Shalom Hartman Institute’s Department of Lay Leadership Education, who enlightened us as to the issues current in Judaism as she talked about the five modern tribes of the Jewish people.

Tuesday- Saw the tour of Galilee, the home of Jesus and the place where he did most of his work. We visited the traditional site of the baptism of Jesus Capernaum For many this was the most spiritual part of the trip not the sepulchres or the sites in Jerusalem but the Sea of Galilee where he called his disciples and the towns surrounding it where he lived and taught and ministered to the multitudes. On the Mount of blessing where tradition says he that he delivered the Beatitudes we sang in the beautiful modern church the song “Amazing Grace.” It was a very beautiful worshipful moment as the melodies amplified by the almost perfect acoustics of the building echoed around the hillside as the crowds gathered to listen and join in. The day’s tours ended in large and imposing Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth the home of Mary and Joseph, no longer a backwater town but a large Arab town.

Highlight of Wednesday- were the presentations by Dr. Steve Currow lecturer in theology from Newbold College. While the men had lectures the ladies visited an Arab Christian village and later a Kibbutz where Jews and Arabs live together.

Thursday was our second day for touring the sites and we visited Masada the old Herodian fortress which later became the Zealot heart of resistance during the Jewish rebellion against the Romans in 66 AD. The heroic tales of their resistance and sacrifice chilled yet inspired all who visited. While on Masada we met a group of Adventists from Columbia on tour also. They embraced us and asked us to sing with them. This was another of the many moving moments of the day as they sang in Spanish and we in English, the song “Side by Side We Stand.” It turned out that they were just one part of a group of 200 Inter-American Church Administrators on a three week Tour of Bible Lands having visited Egypt, Jordan and now in Israel. Many of us renewed friendships with work colleagues and class mates from years long ago, Leon Wellington IAD Vice-President, Leonard Johnson, Bahamas Conference President, Herbert Thompson, Northern Caribbean University President and Dr Vassel Kerr. We next visited Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and where the Essenes lived transcribing and studying the Bible. After this we invited the lowest spot on earth the Dead Sea and many swam or floated in the extremely briny waters. The day ended with a civic reception in the Council Chamber with the representative of the Mayor of Jerusalem. After refreshments he welcomed us “home to Jerusalem” and appointed as ambassadors to spread the good news of a “safe Jerusalem” where one can “walk in history” and “walk in Bible times” in Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. Pastor Ian Sweeney responding said, “This visit has given me a new perspective on Jerusalem, thank you for welcoming us to our spiritual home in Jerusalem.”

Friday- On Thursday night the weather changed to howling wind and rain. On Friday we travelled to Bethlehem to visit the church of the Nativity and the sites there. The weather put an end to any other visit and at sunset we shared with the family of David shalom as they demonstrated how a Jewish family brought in the Sabbath. The Sabbath is welcomed joyfully as a groom welcomes his new bride into his home. We drank wine sang Psalms and the shared food as we welcomed in the sacred time.

Sabbath in Jerusalem was unforgettable. After travelling down the Sabbath elevator we met a cold breakfast as one cannot kindle fire on the Sabbath. We travelled to the Garden Tomb, a probable site for the burial of Jesus. We were given a spiritually insightful presentation by the guide a Methodist Minister originally from Derbyshire. For over an hour the Garden was filled with the sound of joyful praise as we sang hymns and celebrated the communion Service together. We then went to the Mount of Olives where we visited Gethsemane and the Russian church situated there. We then entered the old city of Jerusalem through St. Stephen’s Gate and went to the pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralytic. The rains drove us into the Church of St. Anne’s where we sang hymns beautifully amplified by the acoustics of the splendid edifice. The attending crowds joined us in singing hymns of faith and adoration, after which we walked down the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Sepulchre. The veneration and emotion generated by kissing and touching of the supposed relics by the hordes attending was a sight to see. After lunch the highlight of the visits was to the Wailing Wall the heart of Orthodox Jewish hope and worship. The sight of hordes of Jewish men and boys reading and reciting the Torah in ecstasy and praying for Messiah to come was a moving yet sad affair.

In all the Tour of Israel was inspiring and faith affirming and brings to mind the fact that God chooses people and nations to fulfil a particular destiny and though men might fail, God’s eternal purpose will be achieved. The issue is will He achieve his purposes through me or will he have to use other instruments?

See a video of the Isreal trip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqeBnC67-y4