The Exodus Experience
A pilgrimage in Egypt, Sinai,
Israel & Palestine
Wisconsin Annual Conference
led by Bishop Linda Lee & the Rev. Forrest Wells
11 Days, 4-14 January 2010
$2,995 from Chicago
4 Day Elective
Galilee & The Wonders of Petra
$711 returning on 18 January 2010
This pilgrimage will acquaint participants with the geographical and cultural settings of the Bible. It will emphasize the themes of liberation in the Bible, especially in the story of the Exodus. It will explore points of contact between Christianity, Islam and Judaism and build appreciation for the traditions and heritage of the three Abrahamic faiths. The pilgrimage will introduce participants to Christian origins in Egypt, desert sprituality and the nature of Christianity in Egypt and the Holy Land today. Person to person learning experiences with indigenous Christians will supplement field trips. The pilgrimage will include morning and evening fora on historical and contemporary themes, visits with church workers and mission sites.
Registration
Form
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Daily Itinerary:
click on this link to view the full syllabus including the daily itinerary
Day 1 Your journey begins with your departure from Chicago.
Day 2 Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met and asissted through arrival procedures and baggage claim and then escorted to your hotel.
Day 3 Following breakfast, your first full day of touring will take you to Egypt's most popular sites, the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx. We will also explore the Egyptian Museum with its outstanding treasuries of artifacts spanning 5,000 years. Time permitting, you will also vist the Khan el Khalili Bazaar for your first experience shopping Egyptian style.
Day 4 Today's excursion brings you deeper into Egypt's past, visiting the Step pyramid in Saqqara and the monuments of Dahshur, the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid.
Day 5 Departing Cairo, we enter Sinai, stopping at the Springs of Moses and passing through Wadi Feiran. We will arrive in St. Katherine's Village for an overnight.
Day 6 Today, depending on how early you would like to rise, you can join the Orthodox liturgy if you would like. Or, you can also attempt to climb Mt. Sinai with the help of a camel or on your own steam. Either way, the views are stunning. We will also experience a personalized introduction to the special collections of the St. Katherine's Monastery. The library holds the best collection of ancient manuscripts after the Vatican collection.
Day 7 Departing St. Katherine's Village, we make our way to Taba, where we enter Israel. Journeying up the Araba, we stop at the Dead Sea before arriving in the Jerusalem area for our next few overnights.
Day 8 Today's touring takes us to Bethlehem where we will visit the Church of the Nativity, the herodian and the Shepherds' Fields, the Israel Museum, the Shrine of the Book and the 2nd Temple Model.
Day 9 Starting on the top of the Mount of Olives, we explore the Old City of Jerusalem on foot. You will visit the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, walk the Via Dolorosa, visit the Lithostratos and conclude with moments of reflection at the Church of the Resurrection
Day 10 Our day begins with an overview of the Wadi Qelt and St. George's Monastery. We will also visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, and Masada. At the end of the day, if you are on the 11 day program, you will cross the Jordan River via the Allenby Bridge and return to your hotel in Amman for your last overnight.. If you have enrolled in the elective, you will continue on your journey to Galilee.
Day 11 Those on the 11 day program return to the USA. If you have joined the elective to Galilee and Petra, you will explore the region of the Sea of Galilee, with stops at Tabhga, the Mt. of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, as well as a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.
Day 12 If you have elected to join the excursion to Petra, you will have the whole day to explore the Rose Red City.
Day 13 After a morning vist to LIttle Petra, you will follow the King's and the Desert Highways to Amman with stops at Shoback Castle, Umm Risas and Madaba and Mt. Nebo.
Day 14 Today is a full day exploration of Jerash, the best preserved Hellenistic city in the Eastern mediterranean region.
Day 15 return to the USA.
