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Dear Friends,
150 - the total number of hours I spent in Israel, from my arrival in Tel Aviv to my departure. This was the trip of a lifetime! I was like a sponge taking in everything from the ride on the bus to the location each and every day. Just think, I was on a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee; at the Chapel of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave us the Sermon on the Mount; and I visited Capernaum, the home-base for Jesus and His disciples. We walked by the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was an incredibly moving moment when we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional location of the crucifixion and the tomb, as well as the Garden Tomb, a possible alternative location of Jesus’ burial - it was here that 500 of us took holy communion. We concluded our trip by going to Masada and then the Dead Sea, where we floated and bathed in the healing mud which is found there.
There is so much more I could share, but I want to conclude with an event that was at the center of our time there. The prayer summit, which took place on October 7th, the third anniversary of the tragic attack, which took the lives of over 1200 Israelis, as well as a number who were taken as hostages - some who were held for 738 days. This event took place at the base of the Temple Mount. The broadcast reached 250 million people in 176 countries.
A final word - I felt completely secure and safe from the moment I left JFK Airport until I returned. I am looking forward to the many of you who will join me on our tour in May 2027. Your life will never be the same and God’s Word will come alive in an entirely new and exciting way.
You are Loved!
Pastor Mark
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