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July 19-28, 2012
With host Pastor Tyler Hartford and tour leader Fred Redekop
Do you want to deepen your understanding of the Bible and experience where it was lived out? Join Pastor Tyler Hartford, who presently serves as Associate Pastor at Pleasant View Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, on this pilgrimage to Jordan and Israel-Palestine. Familiar Bible passages will come to life and your understanding of biblical history will be deepened by visits to both Old and New Testament sites. Your faith will be enriched as you get an intimate feel for the hills, towns, and seashore that Jesus knew so well. One special highlight of this tour is a visit to Nazareth Village, a recreated first-century village, which offers a “living presentation of the life, times and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth” to people from all over the world. Pastor Fred Redekop of Floradale Mennonite Church in Floradale, Ontario will look after the tour logistics for this unforgettable tour experience.
Click here to read past blogs about tours to the Holy Lands.
 View the Promised Land from Mount Nebo
The tour departs from Chicago O’Hare Airport with an overnight flight to Istanbul, Turkey. After a short layover in Istanbul, we will fly to Amman, Jordan. After settling in at our hotel, we will enjoy a delicious dinner and a refreshing night’s sleep in this capital city.
After a good night’s rest, we will be eager to experience our first day in the lands of the Bible. We will begin our tour by climbing Mount Nebo, from which Moses viewed the Promised Land. This will give us a glimpse of what is ahead for us. Then we will visit the Church of St. George and the mosaic map of the Middle East to understand more about these countries. We will travel together to Petra where we will view the ancient ruins and learn the history of the Nabataeans, who lived here many centuries ago.
 Treasury building at the ruins of Petra
This morning, MCC workers will join us for breakfast. We will have a chance to talk with them about their good work in Jordan as we eat. After breakfast, we will cross the Allenby Bridge into Israel. In Jericho, we will remember the city whose walls crumbled at the blast of a trumpet. Jericho is the lowest city on earth. We will see the Mount of Temptation and recall the story of Zacchaeus. During lunch we will invite a Palestinian Christian family to share thoughts on being a Christian restaurateur in Palestine. We will travel on to the town of Cana of Galilee and remember Jesus’ first miracle that took place there.
 Observe first-century life in Nazareth firsthand
This morning, we will visit Nazareth Village and experience for ourselves what life would have been like when Jesus walked the streets of Nazareth. We will enjoy a Parable Walk, hearing Jesus’ parables in a setting that might have inspired the images he used. This Christian interpretative center makes the Bible come to life. We will share a first-century lunch at Nazareth Village. In the afternoon, we will take a walking tour of Nazareth, visiting sites such as Mary’s Well and the Basilica. We will stay in Tiberias for two nights.
Today’s activities include a ride on a replica first-century boat on the Sea of Galilee while we hear the story of Jesus, his disciples and their experiences on this sea. We will also visit the Mount of Beatitudes, the Church of the Loaves and Fishes, and the towns of Bethsaida and Capernaum. At noon, we will enjoy a special St. Peter’s Fish Lunch. Later in the afternoon we will have a meaningful visit to the Jordan River to see the spot where it is thought that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.
 Visit the caves of Qumran
This morning we will follow the Jordan River to the Dead Sea. There we will visit Qumran to learn about the Dead Sea Scrolls and their discovery. We will have an opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. Then we will travel to Jerusalem in the afternoon. We will enjoy a stunning view of the city and an overview of the ancient city of Jerusalem from the model at the Israel Museum.
Today we will visit Bethlehem. You will enjoy a tour of the Church of the Nativity and a visit to Shepherd’s Field before lunch together in Bethlehem. The day will also include an opportunity to shop at a Christian store in Bethlehem, before we head back to Jerusalem where we will have a meaningful time as we visit the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane.
There is so much to see and do in Jerusalem. We will visit the Old City, including the Western Wall. We will walk the Via Dolorosa this morning and observe the Stations of the Cross. Together, we will have a special communion service at the Garden Tomb, which will undoubtedly be a significant memory of your time in Israel. Finally we will enjoy a farewell dinner in the evening.
All too soon it’s time to return home. As pilgrims and friends, we will have sung and prayed together as the Bible came to life for us in our tour together through Jordan and Israel/Palestine.
 View of Jerusalem, the Holy CityFor further information regarding the complete tour fare, please
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