Trinity Family and Friends: I may not be able to post anything to my blog for awhile. It costs $17 a day to get Internet access here at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem. I bought one day to get yesterday's post up...but aren't sure I need to spend that much money each day.

 

I'll see what the Internet fee situation is in upcoming hotels and perhaps I can post again.

 

Today was incredible.

 

Began with communion at the Anglican Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr, celebrated by the Bishop. Then to the Mount of Olives which has a commanding view of the Valley of Gehenna ("hell") looking toward the Temple Mount and the wall surrounding the Old City. There we saw the Church of the Pater Noster ("Lord's Prayer") where the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.

 

Then we went to the Garden of Gethsemane. It truly is covered with olive trees, some dating back 2,200 years which means...Jesus actually would have seen them. Inside the Church of the Agony is the rock upon which tradition says Jesus spent His last night praying.

 

You'll note that in the Holy Land, you hear a lot of "tradition says..." and "tradition has it that..." because historians and theologians know where a place is but the exact spot might be unknown. For example, later in the day, we visited Bethlehem and saw the spot where most experts are pretty sure Jesus was born. Bethlehem is five miles from the center of Jerusalem.

 

We also saw the Shepherd's Field where tradition has it that the shepherds were spending the night with their herds in a cave when they saw the star and heard the angel command them to go into Bethlehem and worship the new King of kings. We actually went into the cave where we read the famous Luke recitation we all hear on Christmas Eve.

 

Last, we went to the Church of the Nativity where we saw the birthplace. There was an Eastern Orthdox funeral going on at the time and the juxtoposition of visiting the place of Jesus' birth and the funeral of an adult was striking.

 

I have lots of pictures and, if I'm not able to get my blog posted again, at least I'll show you the pictures. 

 

I've attached a few from today. 1. Our David Citadel Hotel pool and view of Jerusalem. 2. Temple Mount. 3. Garden of Gethsemane with 2,200-year-old olive trees. 4. Church of the Nativity - birthplace of Jesus.

 

Blessings,

 

Dale+