CRYSTAL COAST PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND
May 19 - June 2, 2012

Sponsored By
                      
     

 

In May 2010 I had the good fortune to visit Israel on the inaugural Crystal Coast Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was an amazing and truly enriching experience for me and all those who attended.

The trip was hosted by Dr. Wink Thompson and his wife Cris from our church. Wink lived in Jerusalem for 10 years where he taught Biblical History and Geography at Jerusalem University College. Wink’s extensive knowledge of the land and his ability to weave geography, history and archaeology together with scripture, provided wonderful and insightful learning experiences throughout our travels. Wink served as our principal guide while in Israel. Cris too was a wonderful addition to our pilgrimage as she provided excellent administrative control over every possible detail and completely removed all of the usual stress associated with overseas travel. We also had a licensed Israeli guide in attendance. His name was Yatzuck and he is a Jewish believer. His joy in the Lord was infectious. As a professional actor, he also brought a special talent of performing enactments of biblical characters at various locales of significance. All three of these individuals contributed to the outstanding success of the 2010 trip.

As I and others shared our various stories and blessings about the 2010 trip, it became clear that our church community was thirsty for a similar pilgrim opportunity. In response to a growing interest I asked Wink, Cris and Yatzuck to develop a pilgrimage for CCBC for May 2012. All have agreed and with great excitement and enthusiasm Gwen and I invite you to join us on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2012.

To travel the land of the Bible, to read, and to discuss the events of the Bible where they took place is a wonderful opportunity and it is meant to be shared. To have fellowship and prayer in locales around the Sea of Galilee, in Bethlehem and in Jerusalem will encourage your heart, strengthen your faith and deepen your walk with our Lord.

Mark your calendar. This is a special opportunity for our church and the Crystal Coast community. Here is what three of our own church members had to say about the 2010 trip.

●     I would not take anything for my recent trip to Israel! The fellowship we had as a group I will never forget. To sit on the hillside at the Mount of Beatitudes and read our Bible and study the scripture about that same area where Jesus spoke those words was beyond what one could dream about. The Sea of Galilee and each place we went just brought the words of the Bible to life. The Jordan River and the baptism service was the greatest of experiences. This is a trip of a lifetime! If you've ever thought you'd like to go to Israel, this is the trip to take.

●     I had been to Israel before, but I knew this would be different because of the great preparation . I had no idea how different and wonderful it would be. This was not a tour but a pilgrimage. We were so fortunate to have such a wonderful Bible teacher in Wink Thompson, and as if that weren't enough we also had Pastor Kevin and a Jewish Christian who added teaching and "biblical enactment" along the way. It was a blessing of a lifetime and one I will never forget. The Land and the teaching will continue to be brought to mind forever. The Scripture has come alive in a new way!

●     I had toured Israel before and had traveled (and lived in) Bible Lands extensively always with an eye toward understanding Scripture better. But the Crystal Coast Pilgrimage was an exceptional blessing. It was a worship experience that brought me to a new level of understanding of the Word and gave me an increased spirit to share it. It went far beyond simply touring: we studied Scripture under Wink Thompson as we saw scenes where various biblical events took place; we experienced the sites, the sounds, the food, and in some cases met people adding to our emersion. Our messianic Jewish guide enacted scenarios at pertinent sites giving life to verses and a sense of understanding to Biblical events. Every Bible-believing Christian should have such a tremendous, life-impacting experience.

As you can tell from these 2010 testimonies, our 2012 pilgrimage to the Holy Land will be a blessing to one and all who attend. We look forward to sharing God’s Word with you, enjoying fellowship one with another, and growing in His grace and abundant love during our pilgrimage.

To learn more about this wonderful opportunity click .......... CONTINUE.