galilee

Magdala, Sea of Galilee, Villa Harte, Auberge Shulamit, Mount of Beatitudes

After breakfast we headed to an active archaeological site called Magdala, the site of at least two places in ancient Israel mentioned in the Jewish Talmud and possibly a location mentioned in the Christian New Testament. They have discovered an ancient Jewish Synagogue which would have been active during Jesus’ time. Pastor Chris told us is almost 100% certain that Jesus would have visited this Synagogue. A chapel is also located at the site with a beautiful view of the lake.

We then embarked upon a boating excursion on the Sea of Galilee where our guide showed us how fishing was done in the time of Jesus. Pastor Chris Seay shared with us from the account of Matthew’s Gospel describing Jesus walking on the water and Peter’s struggle with his faith to follow Jesus onto the water. The sunny but hazy conditions created for some interesting light for photography.

Next we made our way to lunch at the Villa Harte restaurant with its gorgeous overlook of The Sea of Galilee. The restaurant is situated above a small beach that has spring-fed pools at its shore. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and were surprised to see schools of fish coming right up to the water’s edge.

Later we enjoyed an extravagant meal at the Auberge Shulamit where the owner personally introduced us to the menu and helped serve with a very friendly staff. It was a great experience with a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee and all several local towns lit up along the shore.

After dinner Pastor Chris led the group in an after-hours visit to the Mount of Beatitudes where he read us the entire Sermon on the Mount at the location it is traditionally believed to have been preached by Jesus. The night sky was very clear and the moonlight was abundant. It was an unforgettable evening.

Ecclesia with Breaking Bread Journeys: Magdala, Sea of Galilee, Mount of Beatitudes

We then made our way to lunch at the Villa Hart restaurant with its gorgeous overlook of The Sea of Galilee. The restaurant is situated above a small beach that has spring-fed pools at its shore. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and were surprised to see schools of fish coming right up to the water’s edge.

We then took a break back at our beautiful hotel, the Scots Hotel.

Later we enjoyed an extravagant meal at the Auberge Shulamit.

Ecclesia with Breaking Bread Journeys: Sea of Galilee, Magdala, Mount of Beatitudes

Today presented us with several unforgettable memories around the shores of The Sea of Galilee. We started out with a sunrise boating excursion where our guide showed us how fishing was done in the time of Jesus. Pastor Chris Seay shared with us from the account of John’s Gospel describing the miraculous catch of fish by Jesus’ disciples.

Pastor Chris showed us how to walk on water…

We then made our way to lunch at the Villa Harte restaurant with its gorgeous overlook of The Sea of Galilee. The restaurant is situated above a small beach that has spring-fed pools at its shore. We enjoyed the very cool spring water in what continues to be record-breaking heat here.

We then enjoyed an extravagant meal at the Auberge Shulamit where we celebrated Pastor Chris’ late grandfather’s birthday. Chris’ grandfather was also a pastor and led 30 groups to the Holy Land during his life. The owner of the restaurant personally greeted us and even helped in serving the meals; the staff were all genuinely friendly people.

Chris holding up a photo of his late grandfather when he was around Chris’ age, in the Holy Land…

The owner of the restaurant heard about Chris’ grandfather and had a small cake brought out in his honor.

Because of the heat, we delayed our visit to the Mount of Beatitudes until after sunset. The official site’s gates were closed. Of course we didn’t let that stop us. After walking a trail with flashlights, we found some stones that seemed arranged just for us, and sat there near the site that is believed to be where Jesus delivered the most famous sermon of all time, the Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Chris read the entire sermon to us as the breeze of the Galilee came as a gift after a very hot day. The lights of the towns on the other side of the lake flickered beyond, creating a beautiful backdrop for an indelible memory.

Ecclesia with Breaking Bread Journeys: Cana, Mt. Precipice, Tulip Winery

August 3, 2015. Today we visited Cana, where, according to John’s Gospel, Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine for a wedding celebration. Married couples from our group took the opportunity to renew their wedding vows in a very moving ceremony in one of the chapels of the Franciscan Wedding Church at Cana.

Later we drove through Nazareth, Jesus’ childhood home, to visit nearby Mount Precipice. For lunch we spent the afternoon hearing the beautiful story of Tulip Winery. The Israeli winery employs special needs adults who make their home in the village of Kfar Tikvah where the winery is located. We met some of these wonderful people whose lives have been transformed through the healing of having a job they love, where they are appreciated and valued.

First, some images from The Franciscan Wedding Church in Cana…

Next we made our way to Nazareth where we visited the peak of Mt. Precipice. It is believed by many to be the site of the Rejection of Jesus described in Luke 4:29-30. The people of Nazareth, not accepting Jesus as Messiah tried to push him from the mountain, but “he passed through the midst of them and went away.” The views were quite stunning. We could see Mt. Tabor (Mount of Transfiguration) in the distance.

By then, after walking in record-breaking heat, we were ready for lunch and a wine tasting at Tulip Winery. We were blessed by our host Lital who you could tell was very passionate about the cause behind Tulip, which employs 35 special needs adults who live in the village where the winery is located, a former kibbutz. The village’s name means “Village of Hope.” We were also able to meet the winery’s founder, Roy Itzchaki.

Finally we wound up back at our hotel in Tiberias on Galilee, where we ventured out for a night stroll in the market. Even at the late hour it was still hot and we were exhausted, and the whole day was a blur…

Ecclesia with Breaking Bread Journeys: Mount of Beatitudes, Sea of Galilee

Continuing our tour with Breaking Bread Journeys, we left Nazareth and headed to Cana (see previous post for this morning’s wedding). Next we went to the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee; this was the site where Jesus delivered his famous Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Chris Seay read us the sermon in its entirety while the group meditated in silent reflection. We learned that the Sea of Galilee is actually a lake— in fact, the world’s lowest fresh water lake, well below sea level. We then enjoyed a lakeside lunch where many of the group tried the locally famous St. Peter’s Fish, followed by a walk at water’s edge. Afterward, we embarked upon a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. A highlight for the group: the captain cut the engines and we floated quietly on the windswept waters for a few minutes as we prayed in silent meditation.