Fellowship United Methodist Church

Fiirst and foremost, I have a more intiimate understanding of the scriptures as they are more alive now when I read them.  In my mind's eye I can "see" the places, smell the air, "feel" the environment as I read about the events of God reaching out to His people in what is now Israel.  I had the honor of teaching our group while standing on the very steps where Jesus stood outside the synagage as he taught his disicples and others.  I have a new appreciation for the humble beginnings as our Savior was born in a cave, surrounded by cold stone and animals, not the barn and wooden manger lined with hay as is depicted in our Christmas nativity scenes.  While on the Sea of Galilee as I considered Peter stepping out of the boat to walk to Jesus I had an overwhelming urge to dive in.  At the Mount of Beatitudes I could visualize 5000+ people sitting on the hillside listening to Jesus redefine all they had ever known about living a life of holiness.  On the shore of Galilee I imagined how Peter must have felt when Jesus asked him three times if he loved him.  In the Garden of Gethsemane I gained an new appreciation of Jesus' agony as he faced the cross that was only hours away.  At the empty Garden Tomb I felt just a bit of the jubulation that Mary and the others must have felt knowing that the Messiah had conquered death.  All these events and the rest of scripture has new life for me.

I am also for ever changed in my worldview.  As we walked where the Romans dominated over the Jews I gained a new sense of what oppression can look like.  When we experienced the holocaust museum and I watched young Israelie men teach teenagers about how thier people had been forced to the brink of extinction I gaiined a new appreciation for tolerance and acceptance and forgiveness while still remaining vigilant.  While standing on Masada I found a new understanding of heritage and pride in my ancestors.  Masada also gave me a new perspective of time as I considered how the Jews there must have felt aa they watched the Romans build a mile long, 1300 foot high ramp over the course of 3 years so that they could breach the walls and destroy all the Jews who lived there.  I also have a new perspective of what it means to live securely.  Isreal is a mixing pot of nationalities and religious beliefs and each of them walk the streets fully armed.  I never once felt unsafe but was also aware of how quickly things could go wrong if someone did something stupid.

Lastly, I was affirmed in my calling to be a pastor and to be the pastor of Fellowship UMC.  There is a Christiian symbol in Israel that shows a manoriah on top of a star of David on top of an Ichus.  This symbol represents the followers of Christ grafted into the Jewish nation with Abraham as our mutual father of faith.  We as Christians are God's children as surely as the Jews are and Fellowship Church is an important part of God's Church.

Israel has changed my life and my ministry, and for that I am thankful and humbled.