Rivertown United Reformed Church

Pilgrimage at a pace!

Greetings once again, and may the peace of God be with you. As you will know, Ruth and I took up the offer (from Ruth’s sister Heather, an Anglican parish priest in Leeds) to join a 10 day pilgrimage to the Holy Land, 1st – 10th February. I am grateful to the pastorate for allowing us to make the one-off trip; in due course a presentation will be forthcoming.

Since our return, many people have asked “How did the holiday go?” Well – yes, there were short ‘spaces’, such as the wonderfully peaceful sail across what was a millpond Sea of Galilee, in gentle sunshine. And the food throughout was wonderful and plentiful! And the company too (we were the only non-conformists in a group of 23)! But we were very busy! And we were following a tight schedule - we had to, to cover all the ground. We rose daily at 6.30 / 7am! We actually visited 19 churches, passing by with reference another 8! We “walked with Jesus” from the time of the angel’s message to Mary (the Annunciation) and Joseph, right through to his death, rising and appearing to the disciples by the Galilee lakeside and re-commissioning of Peter.

Israeli authorities were naturally, formal, hardly welcoming. But as we sped northwards from Tel Aviv airport to Nazareth, the realisation of where we were quite overtook me. Almost everywhere this land is very hilly – so the towns tend to look the same – white flat roofed houses, most with solar panels and water tanks. Very few gardens. Nazareth is a remarkable - a Palestinian town in Israel. From there we visited Mt Tabor (Transfiguration), Cana (where with others we renewed our marriage vows), Galilee lake, the Mount of Beatitudes (for an outdoor communion service), the traditional sites for the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus’ risen appearances. A very well-taught visit to the Nazareth village gave us real insights into life in Jesus’ time; and at the Jordan river (not very clean) we waded, and watched others preparing for baptism. (to bathe there you have to don a white gown!).

After 4 nights in Nazareth we travelled southwards, east of the Judaean desert, via Herod’s springs, to Jericho to the Mount Temptation – and the distant mountain monastery, and a possible “Zacchaeus tree” site. Jericho has been continuously inhabited for 10,000 years – a world record! Our journey included sightings of the Bedouin – nomadic shepherds, whose space has been reduced repeatedly by the Israeli Government, but who survive. As we drive on into Jerusalem, we realise what a long way it is from Jerusalem to Jericho. You would have needed a tent and several days food!

Driving in Jerusalem is manic! Up and down and round, under and through. Bethlehem, our second “base” is a suburb of Jerusalem. The dividing Wall (30’ high, 1’ thick, with watchtowers – is this a recollection of Auschwitz?) was no problem for us – but for Palestinians going to work, taking important exams, visiting families – it can take hours. The Israeli soldiers boarding the coach are mostly girls aged 18 – with AK47’s of course! The Church of the Nativity was – well, dark and dingy, with countless unlit oil lamps and the grotto itself like a red fireplace – no time to pause and wonder. Symptomatic perhaps of the fact that Christians now make up just 2% of the population, and the more affluent, like the Palestinians to Jordan, are leaving for Canada. We visited the Mount of Olives, the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane with its 2000 year old olive trees and wonderful Church of all Nations, the Upper Room location. We saw the cemeteries outside the city’s Golden Gate – where the Jewish Messiah is expected to enter the city on that final day of reckoning. And of course through the endless Jerusalem markets to the Western (Wailing) Wall, the only remaining part of the Second Hebrew Temple built under Ezra and Nehemiah. Further visits included the golden Dome of the Rock and Al Axa mosques (outside only); The amazing Jewish desert fortress at Masada; the even more amazing Dead Sea; we walked the Via Dolorosa, with all 14 stations of the Cross, and ended up in an inter-church argument at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – the area there is under the shared control of SIX Christian denominations! The Franciscans re-enact the walk every Friday. Finally we visited the Garden Tomb, and the Place of the Skull, Golgotha. And the Yad Veshem Holocaust Memorial, where in the Children’s Memorial it takes 5 years to read out the names in Modern Hebrew, Yiddish and English.

We came away exhausted, but probably having learned a lot more than we can yet account for. The next time we sing “O little town of Bethlehem” it will be with some knowledge, and perhaps more soundly based prayer. The atmosphere of the Holyland feels like an uneasy stalemate. A stalemate that is there in every “holy” place; that seems to permeate the relationships between the Christian denominations. It’s a bit like the bread wine at communion – they are not the actual body and blood, and yet there is something there. Something that is much more than a memorial. Not so much a case of “Rabbi, where are you staying?” And he said to them “Come and see”. More a case of “He has been raised. He is not here……..he is going ahead of you……..there you will find him.” And we will, as we realise his promise “I am with you always”.

Your friend and minister,

Colin