Journey to the Holy Land

Members of the Church of the Redeemer Presbyterian had a strong desire to walk where Jesus walked. This month, a group of 12 fulfilled those wishes.

Led by the Rev. John Byerly, of , and the Rev. Jim Crutchfield, of , church members took a pilgrimage to the Holy Land April 1-10.

The Holy Land is sacred to the Jews, Christians, and Muslims.  It is sharply divided into sections for each. The Islamic Dome of the Rock sits on the ruins of the Temple Mount, sacred to Jews.  

The trip was the second for Pastor Byerly, who first went in 1993. “The Scriptures were alive to me before,” Byerly said, “but now they are in Technicolor.” 

During the 18-year interval, many things have changed in Israel. Archeologically, the ruins of what may have been King David’s temple have been discovered, as well as a series of underground tunnels. The tunnels are thought to have been used during the First Jewish Revolt in A.D. 66.  

The guided tour, organized by Ultimate Journeys, included sights like Mount Carmel, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane and two possible sites of Jesus’ burial. 

For Byerly, the most memorable location was not the site of Jesus’ tomb, but the Garden of Gethsemane. “The Garden was the most emotional for me,” he recalled, “because it was the emotional time for him (Jesus).  You just feel his agony there.”  

As they walked along the Jordan River, the group was inspired to hold an impromptu baptismal service.  Jimmy Shafe, a missionary with Rivers of the World to the Congo and member of Church of the Redeemer, was one of those baptized in the Jordan.

“It was the scene of where Jesus asked Peter, ‘Who do you say that I am?’” Shafe said, citing it as the most memorable experience of the trip.  

While in Cana, five couples renewed their wedding vows at the site where, according to the biblical New Testament, Jesus turned water into wine. And, as they walked along the Via Dolorosa, the group was keenly aware that they walked along the same path that Jesus took to his death.

“So much history took place in this one small country,” Byerly said.

The history of Israel is long and dramatic, and still makes the national news regularly. A projectile from Hamas-controlled Gaza hit a school bus on April 7th. Three people were injured, including a young boy.  

The news shocked the group, but they were assured they would remain safe in the areas they were visiting.  There have been at least 178 mortars and rockets launched from Gaza this year alone, according to media reports in early April.

Despite continuing violence, there are still many visiting tourists like the Snellville group.

Members of the Church of the Redeemer frequently take mission trips to different parts of the world. Later in 2011 members will travel to the Dominican Republic to maintain water purification systems in villages. They are also active in community-centered service projects.