Six Holy Land Sonnets: David Muller

Foundation Stone

Years stack on years, in courses built by time,

Up from the foundations of history,

Forming the parapets on which I stand,

Viewing the world and all its mystery.

We sail the stars and walk the oceans' floor,

Dissect an atom, track a planet's flight.

We know so much and yet our souls are poor,

Created for the day, we live in night.

Yet when we journey to the wall's deep base,

And walk among the great foundation stones,

We feel the weight of history and Grace

Across our thoughts and singing in our bones.

For God moves through this world from day to day,

If we but pay attention on the way.

Galilean Silence

When words become a burden on my soul,

And all the sounds of life break on my ears,

They grind upon my heart without parole,

To drain my hope across my face as tears.

The days of life stretch forth in endless grey

Through valleys carved into a deep despair

Where ev'ry laughter swiftly fades away

To leave my senses numbly unaware.

But then upon the Galilean Sea

Within a boat of timeless wooden build,

A Holy silence gently sets me free

Into a life where Love might be fulfilled.

For in the quiet hidden by each word,

Is where the love of God is truly heard.

Masada

I stood within a fortress mountain peak,

So far above the sea they say is dead,

Where even in this day there is mystique,

Creating Holy tales with words unsaid.

Through baths King Herod ordered to be built,

To rooms where zealots faced their final day,

I cannot help but feel a little guilt,

For wanting all the tales yet cannot stay.

Too soon back to the world of common time,

Too soon back to the clutter of my life,

I pray that God will help my find the rhyme

Which spreads His peace and someday ends the strife.

What better use could I make of my years,

Than work to heal those things which cause God tears.

Talking Stones

"The very stones themselves would then cry out",

Are words that I have heard since I was born,

But I admit I always held a doubt

That festered in my spirit like a thorn.

But as I walked among the many shrines

From Mary's birth to where the cross once stood.

My fingers traced the ancient rock designs

And heard the whispers, not quite understood.

They grew to be the songs of the devout

From generations long since come and gone

Till at the wall of prayer they were a shout

Which left the limits of my faith redrawn.

I never thought that stones would talk to me

To set my feet on paths I can't yet see.

Unexpected Outcome

To follow footsteps through the sands of time

I journeyed to the lands through which He trod,

The thought that I might meet with the sublime,

Just turn a corner, meet the living God.

But what I found was tourists and their guides

Exploring sites with flashes burning bright.

Then buying gifts each holy scene provides,

For friends and fam'ly when they reunite.

Until in silence came a truth unheard,

Why do you seek the living with the dead?

If you should truly seek the Gospel's Word,

Then all you need to do is turn your head.

For God is best encountered in the glance

Of ev'ry one you meet by plan or chance.

Unsure Hope

A call to pray sung in a foreign tongue,

In compliment to daylights final breath,

Took tales of ancient times and made them young,

Which made me feel Christ's passion and His death.

My soul was torn and healed within a thought,

My Savior's pain, His gift of Grace to me.

If all the world could know what He has bought,

Then walls could fall and ev'ryone be free.

But daylight fades back to our earthly night,

While singing voices softly drift away,

And sorrow will upon my hope alight,

As mankind kills God's spiritual bouquet.

How will I dare to follow where He calls,

When all I see are ever growing walls?

Remarks from Larry Kohlenstein: Morning Prayer 11/12/15

The reflections we have shared in the evening have enriched this week for me. With your indulgence, before we pray, I'd like to share a bit of what I was thinking last night on the ride back to the hotel.
Yesterday, we saw:

• A sea that was dead because it takes and does not give
• A fortress that was not a refuge
• A cave that hid God's Word for 2,000 years

All in a land where some are so blinded by hatred, they can not see the humanity of others.

But as we walked where Jesus walked, where he taught us to love one another, and where sometimes we felt his presence, we know there are many--Christians, Jews, and Muslims--who are striving to live in peace and compassion, and trying to understand each other.

• We have been to Augusta Victoria Hospital, a Lutheran facility serving Palestinians, and learned of some of their work there
• I have learned of the efforts of Daoud Nassar, a Palestinian Christian, to promote peaceful coexistence on his farm a few miles from here in the West Bank
• We met a Muslim man, filled with hope, giving away Korans and saying we need to get to know each other
• We have gotten to know our guide, Iyad, a Palestinian Christian, and something about his life.
• And yesterday we saw happy Palestinian boys playing like boys everywhere and eager to get to know us.

What I realized on the ride back to the hotal last night is that I'm going home more hopeful for this region than I was when I came.

Let us pray:

• Lord, may those who are hungry have food.
• May those who have food, hunger for justice.
• May we all seek to understand each other.

As we go home, help us to continue to remember that you have no hands but ours. Give us the courage to be instruments of your peace. Lord, we know you hear our prayer. Help us to hear our prayer. Let it be so.

-Larry Kohlenstein

More "Little Luther" Pics from Gretchen Rockafellow

Little Luther is spending his BIRTHDAY at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. This vibrant, multilingual church is located in the Old City of Jerusalem, only steps away from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre!

Climbing the steps up to the tower, for a breathtaking view of the Old City.

Also getting some snacks and lunch in the Old City...

Happy Birthday Martin!

Reflections on Day 2: Janet Rockafellow

So far my most meaningful day was Day 2, when we left Tiberias by boat across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum.  The sea was very calm that morning, and the boat captain shut off the motor partway across and we had our devotions floating on the water.  One of the crew threw a net into the water so we got a really good idea of what the disciples who were fisherman did.  After we landed, there was a small museum containing a restored fishing boat found buried in the sand.  Could it have been one of the disciple's boats?
Capernaum is in ruins, which I didn't expect.  We did see the ruins of the Synagogue there, and the foundations of houses, which were quite tiny.  There is now a church, Franciscan of course, built over the foundation of St. Peter's mother-in-law's house.
The day also included a visit to the Mount of the Beatitudes, which is also controlled by the Franciscans, as are many of the holy sites in Israel.  At these sites, it is quite common to see groups of Pilgrims observing a Mass, and we saw a group of very loud  tourists get "sshed" by a very forceful sounding nun, who even had a microphone in her hand.  The gardens there were quite beautiful and we had time to walk through them.
Our day ended back in Tiberias.

Our Day in the Old City (Pastor Tim)

Today was full of juxtapositions. The worst and best of religious zeal, and indeed of humankind, seemed to be on display.

We entered through very tight security into the Dung Gate of the Old City. Very similar to an airport, except we could keep our shoes on. There was a temporary bridge we walked on up to the Temple Mount. As we walked by the Waling Wall (the last remnant of the Second Temple, destroyed in 70 AD, and now a holy site for Jews), we also walked by stacks and stacks of Plexiglass riot shields. Nowhere during our entire walk were we more than a hundred yards from armed Israeli soldiers, rifles in hand. (Military service is mandatory after high school in Israel). Since many of them were staying in our hotel, I had the surreal experience a few nights ago of witnessing two young women who could not have been more than 19 years old, walking through the lobby in T-shirts and yoga pants, with those same rifles at their sides.

 On the temple mount we saw one of the most imposing structures in the Old City: The Dome of the Rock, third holiest site in Islam. It is from there, Muslim stories say, that the Prophet Muhammad ascended into Heaven. Some of the most beautiful tiled calligraphy I have ever seen adorned the outer walls, and the dome was gold plated. Sunrise was a glorious time to see it, and to remember that we were walking on the grounds of the former Temple itself!

We had a lovely chance to sing "Beautiful Savior" at the Church of St. Anne, a huge, cavernous stone dome of a church near the mosque. The echoes seemed to last forever. Right outside were the ruins of the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a paralyzed man in John ch. 5. A place of healing indeed.

Lunch was in an Armenian restaurant--on offer was pizza, of all things!--and yet even in this place of fellowship, there were memorials to the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Once again, joy mixed with sadness.

After our meal we were blessed to have a visit with the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, a church built in the 1890's, only steps from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Pastor Ibrahim Azar, who leads the Arabic-speaking congregation (there are also services in German, English, and Danish!) was a very gracious host. He led us in some singing and prayer, and welcomed us to have some tea. It was a lovely visit.

Then on to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre itself. The word "Sepulchre" means "tomb," but our guide Iyad shared with us that he calls it the Church of the Resurrection, because somewhere below or behind the structure of this ancient church lies the very spot where Jesus rose from the grave! The huge structure is lit mostly by sunlight and candle light, giving a sense of mystery and reverence. That being said, the crowds of people and the way they pushed and jostled to get in line was a real disappointment. It is so easy to forget where we are--and more importantly who and whose we are--even in a place like this! Even still, in the quiet, candle-lit chamber, where only two or three people can stand at a time, there is room for none of our anxieties or frustrations. There is room only for the awesome truth: Christ is Risen!

Taking things slightly out of order, we ascended some steps to the rock of Golgotha--a natural outcropping visible through glass, that one can duck under an altar and touch--just drawing us more into the story of Jesus' Passion, which we had been walking through all day.

We finally ended at the Western Wall--Judaism's holiest site--and approached with hand-written prayers. Likely, many of them were for peace in this land we have grown to love. Many others, I am sure, were for that peace to prevail in our own hearts. May God's peace, which passes all our understanding, guard the hearts and minds of our loved ones far away, and all those reading.
Peace,
Pastor Tim

Dancing With Nigerians from Pastor Dave Asendorf

Greetings from the Holy Land!

All is well with your 20 Salem pilgrims and our 20 other pilgrim friends.  I am so grateful that everyone is healthy and enjoying the trip.  And we all feel very safe.  Our tour guide Iyad is super competent as well our skilled bus driver Hidar.  We are in good hands.

We have been experiencing the Holy Land as pilgrims and not as tourists.  As you would imagine we each experience the holy sites in different but spiritually meaningful ways.  We have been reading the Holy Scriptures at the sites we visit which enriches every visit.  We pray.  We listen and watch other Christian friends as they sing and worship.  This is very, very different than visiting the beautiful cathedrals of Europe where the sites seem not to be places of worship but places for tourists to gawk and hurry to the next more eye-popping church edifice.

Today we sort of melded together with a big group of Nigerian Christians, and yes, that was the inspiration of the title of this blog:  Dancing with Nigerians.  I hope you have had an opportunity to see the delightful video of Karen Amy dancing with a Nigerian brother.  I sure it has gone viral!! :0)

Please know that we are keeping all of you in our prayers especially the families that are mourning the loss of loved ones; Miriam and Rod Anderson, Laura and Michael Miller, and Leslie Tinker.  Plus we continue to lift up Eileen Merriman and Val Ponsini and all who are on healing journeys.

Please keep praying for all of us.

I hope to see so many of this coming Saturday and Sunday.

God's Love to All

Pastor Dave

Day 4: Photo from Larry Kohlenstein

Our group got to have a reading of the Christmas story, while in the background another group sang "Angels We Have Heard on High", here at the "Shepherds' Field," the traditional site where an angel appeared to Shepherds outside of Bethlehem to announce Jesus' birth. 

Day 4: Bethlehem

Little Luther in the chapel of the manger at Church of the Nativity.

Day 3, from Dottie Miciche: Taking a dip in the Sea of Galilee!

 Everyone had a nice nighttime dip in the Sea of Galilee. We are sorry to report that nobody was able to walk on the water this year. Maybe next time!

Day 3 in Galilee: Photos from Larry Kohlenstein

This is an actual wedding in Cana, at the church built on the traditional site where Jesus turned water into wine! How cool is that?!?! 

The shore of the Sea of Galilee, at the spot where Jesus had a "resurrection breakfast" with his disciples, followed by a heart-to-heart discussion with Peter.

A 2,000 year old boat discovered in 1986 on the Sea of Galilee. No one knows to whom it belonged, but it easily could have belonged to Simon and his fellow fishermen, or a contemporary of theirs.

This is Vicky at Heathrow airport, affirming that all is well, for there is a Dunkin' Donuts here. 

A traditional fish lunch at a Lebanese restaurant.

Day 3 in Galilee: A Photo from Steve Kopp

Steve would like to assure anyone leary of world travel that if you come to Israel, you will be fine. How bad off can you be in a land that sells Snyder's Pretzels?

Day 3 in Galilee: Some "Little Luther" Photos from Gretchen Rockafellow

As part of Ascension Lutheran Church's #LittleLuther project, here are some photos from Gretchen Rockafellow...

Little Luther is at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth! This church is built over the traditional site of the Virgin Mary's house.

Little Luther is on a boat on the Sea of Galilee! (Actually, this "sea" is a freshwater lake, that still provides a great deal of drinking water to many towns in Israel. The water level is very low at this point.) 

Little Luther is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee! Today, we visited the site where the Risen Jesus met Peter on the beach and asked three times, "Do you love me?" and reminded him: "Feed my sheep."

Day 1: Traveling, Traveling, and More Traveling! (By Pr. Tim)

Well, it's been a long day (or day and a half? or two? Too much math!) but we are all safe and sound at the Ron Beach Hotel in Natanya, on Israel's Mediterranean coast. We are told that Netanya was named in the 9120's after a French Jewish philosopher named Netan, and that a large number of residents of this region still have ties to France. Who knew?

Our voyage began with a joyful send-off at Salem, Catonsville. We had a wonderful midday prayer service led by Pastor Whetstone featuring the Lent hymn "Bless Now, O God, the Journey." I had sung those words many times at the beginning of Lent, but to sing them as we prepare to walk the path of Jesus and his disciples gave the words new meaning.

Our flight from Dulles to Heathrow airport in London was very long, but uneventful. It was a strange sensation to plunge headlong into the darkness in such a huge aircraft (it was an airbus with two passenger levels!), knowing the sun will meet you much earlier than you expect. We tried to get some rest but it didn't come easy for most. 

London was rainy and foggy, much as advertised, but we saw little of it: we were boarding for Tel Aviv within two hours! I will say that I very much enjoyed the London Starbucks coffee, and lest you think the "early Christmas craze" is a solely American phenomenon, the place was already decked out with stockings and tinsel! To quote Charlie Brown, "Good Grief!"

Another largely uneventful (but almost as long) flight from London to Tel Aviv. After setting our watches forward five hours, we added another two, putting us on the ground in Israel around 3:30pm, roughly 24 hours after checking in at Dulles. 

I'm brushing up on my Hebrew reading skills which I had mostly left behind in seminary. During a slow, traffic-laden journey through the cities of Tel Aviv, Jaffa, and then Netanya, we saw lots of neon lights and Hebrew billboards I could practice on (but, truth be told, most everything we needed to read was also in English!) 

Turning in now for a very early morning (wake-up call at 6!) to leave for the ruins of Caesarea Maritima. So glad to be here!

Welcome to "Ascending with Songs!"

Greetings Pilgrims, Families, and Friends!

You have reached the official blog of Salem Lutheran Church's 2015 Holy Land Pilgrimage. The intention of this blog is to create a space for our nearly forty pilgrims to offer reflections, insights, prayers and meditations inspired by our trip to the land where Abraham and Sarah, the prophets, and even Jesus himself have lived and walked. Some of us are widely traveled, and some have never left the United States. A few have been to many of the places we intend to visit, and many have not. What unites us is our trust that new wisdom and perspective will come when we step out of our comfort zone and let God show us new things. We hope to share some of that with you here.

The title of this blog--"Ascending With Songs"--is a reference to Psalms 120-134. These were songs written by people of faith in days long past, written especially for the journey to the Jerusalem temple for holy festivals. These words have been in the mouths of prophets and priests, and likely were even sung by Jesus and his family as they "ascended" up hill to Mount Zion: the high ground on which the temple once stood. To this day, these words are still used by Jews and Christians the world over, in many languages, as they prepare to make their pilgrimage to the holy city. Our hope is that the "songs" we sing here--songs of anticipation, of challenge, of frustration, of outrage, and of hope--may give you some sense of walking and riding with us on what promises to be a journey infused with God's presence. Thank you for joining us.