Journey to the Holy Land with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana in 2020
May 24, 2019

Download the information book
Download the registration form

November 1-12, 2020
Under the Direction of the Rev. Rob Courtney
Local Guide: Canon Iyad Qumri

Registration and $500 deposit are due by November 1, 2019.
$2,195 final payment due September 1, 2020.

You are invited to join other pilgrims from The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Together, we will visit the places of his birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection. Our experienced personal guide Iyad Qumri, will lead us in exploring ancient places, vibrant markets, and modern museums in a land that is suspended between East and West, past and present.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

  • Specially-designed private worship and Eucharist services in locations where key biblical events are commemorated: Nazareth, Bethlehem, Capernaum, Sea of Galilee, Jericho, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem.
  • Meet the “living stones” of the ever-diminishing communities of local Christians, including an introduction to the vital ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
  • One-of-a-kind tours and visits to unique locations in Nazareth, the Jordan River, Jericho, and Jerusalem.
  • Opportunity to visit and worship with local Palestinian Christian congregations.

 

Not your cookie-cutter commercial tour…

Canon Iyad Qumri has 20 years of experience in developing personalized tours that provide a sense of history and connection with the world Jesus inhabited. He will share with you his deep understanding of the historical,
cultural, social, and political riches of the Holy Land. Pilgrims have traveled from around the world to experience his historical teachings and understanding of current events. Iyad specializes in pilgrimages that incorporate the liturgy and traditions of the Episcopal Church into the daily itinerary. As a lifelong Jerusalem resident, Iyad will not only bring to life the iconic structures and places, but take you to unique sites, restaurants, and shops. Come join Iyad as he leads us in exploring a world that exists at the crossroads of the world’s three great Abrahamic faiths: Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Your adventure begins…

Your adventure begins with a warm greeting from your guide at Ben Gurion International Airport. From there, our private coach will be waiting to take you on a short 40 minute trip to Jerusalem. Your Jerusalem home will be St.
George’s Pilgrim Guest House, located within the secure grounds that include St. George’s Cathedral, St. George’s School, and St. George’s College.

Evenings in Jerusalem will include discussions led by local experts from the Jewish, Muslim and Palestinian Christian faiths.

Other visits include Bethlehem, Shepherds’ Fields, Herodion where Herod’s tomb was recently discovered, and ancient and modern Jericho where you will visit the cliffside monastery of the Mount of Temptation.

The Guest House includes a beautiful enclosed garden and patio, excellent food, and is steps away from shops, cafes, ATMs, and the historic Old City. In addition, your accommodations air-conditioned, have free WiFi, flat-screen satellite television, and private bath with showers.

A special treat…

During our journey in the Holy Land, is a three-night stay in Galilee at the Sisters of Nazareth Guest House which is close to markets, churches, and cafes. Enjoy a rooftop terrace overlooking the beautiful city of Nazareth. Explore the sites recalling the ministry of Jesus at the Sea of Galilee, including Caperneum, Mount of the Beautitudes and Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes.

CANON IYAD QUMRI is a local Arab Palestinian Christian guide, licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Iyad has a wealth of historical, biblical, and contemporary cultural knowledge and enthusiasm (and unique humor) to share.

To join or for more information
Please contact: Rev. Rob Courtney
rcourtney@stpauls-lakeview.org

Facebook: Iyad Qumri Pilgrimages
www.iyadqumripilgrimages.com

You belong. You are children of God. No exceptions.

Bishop Duckworth’s sermon called us to remember the UpStairs Lounge fire in the French Quarter, a violent act of deadly arson that killed 32 gay men in nineteen minutes. In the aftermath, no church in the city would bury the dead. The exception was St. George’s Episcopal Church. Its rector, the Rev. Bill Richardson, did what he knew Jesus called him to do — he buried those men. He did so not without cost: he faced active condemnation from the larger community, but also from within his own congregation and from within our own diocese.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of two pivotal resolutions from the 1976 General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Resolution 1976-A069 and Resolution 1976-A071 declared that “homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church,” and that LGBTQ+ persons “are entitled to equal protection of the laws with all other citizens.” While we can celebrate many clear advancements for the full inclusion of our LGBTQ+ community in church and community life, the work is ongoing.

It has not always been a straight path. The church is human, and humans stumble. But consider how far we have traveled: from a church being rebuked for praying over the dead, to bishops wearing rainbow stoles given as gifts by LGBTQ+ Episcopalians at ordination. From closed communion tables to fully open sacramental life. From whispered exclusion to the joyful, public, Spirit-filled worship we offer tonight.

In our own Diocese of Louisiana, the transformation has been remarkable. Inclusive Louisiana, our network of LGBTQ+ Episcopalians and their allies, has been a light in this region for years — marching in Pride parades, offering pastoral care, and equipping congregations to proclaim God’s all-inclusive love. And here at St. Anna’s, you have led the way: becoming the first congregation in this diocese to celebrate same-sex marriage.

Bishop Duckworth’s conclusion made plain that actively creating a joyfully inclusive church is what we are called to do:

Not someday. Not when things are more comfortable. Not when the political climate improves. Today. The work of liberation is always a present-tense call.”

To speak that truth in this moment is not a partisan act. It is an act of Christian faithfulness. It is what prophets do. It is what the Church, at its best, has always done — even when it cost us something.

We serve a God who said: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” That includes everyone. Everyone is a child of God.

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth

Bishop Duckworth offered the Prayer for Travelers from the Book of Common Prayer for Deacon Luigi, who is relocating to Chicago. His contributions to Inclusive Louisiana, St. Anna’s, the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, and the broader community have been immeasurable. We are grateful for all he has given us, and we trust that though he leaves us physically, what he has created here will continue to grow.

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