Partnership Pilgrimage 2012, October 1-16

The People and Places of
The Holy Land, Turkey and Greece
October 1-16, 2012

with Pastor Paul Rowold

A Pilgrim is one who journeys to holy places.
A Partner is one who strives with others.

This will be a journey of faith and relationships; a pilgrimage! Tour guide, Pastor Paul Rowold, has traveled to the Middle East on 30 previous occasions, making him well-qualified to introduce you to the Holy sites and the wonderful people.

The Holy Land welcomes you with warm graciousness. Holy sites, and wonderful people, are inviting us to join them in celebrating a Land which is so unique and vibrant! The Lutheran Christians of Bethlehem are inviting us to worship with them. Jerusalem, Nazareth, the Dead Sea and the Galilee all will deepen your understanding of Scriptures.

For three exciting days in Turkey we will explore Istanbul, Pergamum, and Ephesus. And then the wonders of Greece and the Greek islands await you!

Walk in the steps of Jesus, Peter, Paul, and Mary (the original ones!). Encounter Eastern culture in the Holy Land and Turkey, and the cradle of Western Culture in Greece. Probe cultures whose majesty, creativity, and beauty you have seen in pictures for all your life.

In awe-inspiring Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Athens, fascinating Bethlehem and Ephesus, and the incomparable experience of a Greek island cruise, you will experience the Scriptures come alive in an informative and relaxed atmosphere. The list of Biblical sites you will see ranges from Capernaum and Caesarea to Patmos and Corinth.

My primary goals are to provide renewal of body and spirit as we live our partnerships with Christian people. This is a quality experience and an excellent value, providing outstanding lodging and food, structured in such a way as to insure your safety and enjoyment. The tour price includes nearly everything- even tips and cruise excursions. I invite you to join me and grow in faith on this unique 16 day experience. Questions? Contact Pastor Paul Rowold.

An overview of the tour:

• Day 1, Mon, Oct 1 - travel from your city to New York JFK in time to depart on Turkish Air #02 at 4:45 for Istanbul (777 aircraft)
  
• Day 2, Tues, Oct 2 - Arrive Istanbul; connect to Turkish Air #786 (A321 aircraft) departing at 12:10 pm. Arrive Tel Aviv 1:15 pm. Visit the Israel Museum (see the Shrine of the Book. Dead Sea scrolls) on our way to Bethlehem and the Jacir Palace Intercontinental Hotel where we will stay through Day 6.
• Day 3, Wed, Oct 3 - Jerusalem: Mount of Olives and Gethesemane, where we walk the "Palm Sunday Road;" Mt. Zion, St Peter in Gallicantu the Palace of Caiaphas.
• Day 4, Thurs, Oct 4 - Continue on the path of Good Friday--St Stephen's Gate, Via Dolorosa, Antonia Fortress, Ecce Homo Basilica, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, shopping in Jerusalem's Suq, Western Wall, Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock.
  
• Day 5 Fri, Oct 5 - Tour Masada; lunch in Jericho, where we see the 10,000-year-old watchtower (the world's oldest human structure); swim in the Dead Sea.
  
• Day 6, Sat Oct 6 - Tour Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square, Christmas Lutheran Church and Dar al-Kalima School and Wellness Center; Shepherds' Fields. Shopping in the Bethlehem market.
  
• Day 7, Sun, Oct 7 - Worship at Christmas Lutheran Church, fellowship with the congregation. In the afternoon, depart for Nazareth and visit the Basilica of the Annunciation. Overnight: Golden Crown Hotel, Nazareth (through Day 8).
• Day 8, Mon, Oct 8 - Caesarea Pholippe (spring of Banias), Golan Heights, cruise the Sea of Galilee; visit Capernaum.
  
• Day 9, Tues, Oct 9 - Depart for the Mediterranean Sea visiting Haifa and Mount Carmel with Elijah's cave; the pre-Canannite fortress of Megiddo. Depart Tel Aviv for Istanbul - Turkish Airways #789, 6:55 pm. Arrive Istanbul 10:20 pm, meet our guide and check in the the Kent Hotel (through Day 10).
• Day 10, Wed, Oct 10 - city tour of Istanbul, including tours of the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia Church the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.
  
• Day 11, Thurs, Oct 11 - Transfer to the airport, Turkish Airways #2316, departing 9:00 am; arrive 10:05 am in Izmir (ancient Smyrna), where we visit the Agora and the Church of St. Polycarp. Drive to Pergamum-visit the Acropolis and the Aesclapium. Bus to Kusadasi, overnight at the Grand Onder Hotel.
• Day 12, Fri, Oct 12 - Ephesus, Museum of the HOuse of Mary, shopping in Kusadasi (oriental rugs, clothing, leather goods, etc), a relaxing afternoon at the hotel and prepare to board our cruise ship.
• Day 13, Sat, Oct 13 - Embark on the cruise ship Louis Majesty of the Louis Cruise Line (http://www.louiscruises.com/) Depart 12 noon for Patmos; tour the Monastery of St. John and the Brotto of the Apocalypse. Free time in quaint port town of Scala. Overnight: aboard ship.
  
• Day 14, Sun, Oct 14 - Arrive island of Santorini 8 am, guided tour-Oia Village, Fira perched on the caldera rim. Relax and then a short cable car ride down the hill to rejoin the ship. Sail at 9 pm.
• Day 15, Mon, Oct 15 - Arrive Port of Pireaus by 6 am. Board our private motor coach to travel to the Peloponnesian Peninsula; cross the Corinth Canal, tour ancient Corinth. Return to Athens for a tour-the Acropolis, Parthenon, Mars Hill, adjacent temples. Dinner and overnight at the Titania Hotel near the Acropolis.
• Day 16, Tues, Oct 16 - Athens airport for 10:30 am departure Turkish Airlines #1846 (737 aircraft) for Istanbul. Depart TK #011 (777 aircraft) for New York JFK, arriving 9:00 pm. Overnight at a hotel near JFK.
  
• Day 17, Wed, Oct 17 - Flights to US destinations - Missoula, Denver, Seattle.