August 12, 2022

The Upper Room program turned out so well. They had set up a tableau with a triclinium, low tables on the floor in U shape.  Eric Huntsman described how a typical meal might have been served then; Christ second from the front on the left, John on his right, Judas on his left (he would have passed the sop to him).  We had scriptural readings; sang hymns (Deanne directed all the music); a nice octet had learned Nygard’s “God So Loved the World”; Eric Huntsman sang “In My Father’s House are Many Mansions”; William Pratt played organ for the hymns.  Jim played Dale Wood's “Beautiful Savior,” Bach’s “Herzlich tut mich verlangen,” and John Longhurst’s “Third Mode Melody.”  It was a fine event, even if it did have to be put together in a minimum of time. The students were asked to leave the event in silence.

We went to the YMCA for the final carillon visit of this semester.  We had a very lively bunch of students who all wanted to try out the carillon.  Brandon Buckner is the ring leader of fun in this bunch!  

Then we went to Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum.  Totally different from the last time we were there years ago.  Very large, first-rate exhibits starting with all of the politics of Germany in the 1930s, but discussed the whole situation in countries across Europe, including Greece, Northern Africa, etc.  Very compelling and informative without being horrific, even though the subject matter is horrific. 

Holocaust Museum

The students had guided walks, following in the footsteps of Jesus’s final week.  We started in Bethany for a visit to Lazarus’s Tomb.  Although Bethany is only a short walk from Jerusalem, it is now separated by a wall similar to the Berlin Wall.  We had to drive 30 minutes to get to Bethany, and then drive back to Jerusalem to continue the visit at the church in Bethphage, the traditional place where Jesus mounted a donkey for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Next was the Church of the Pater Noster, on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus taught his disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem.  The Lord’s Prayer is displayed here in beautiful tile panels in over 132 languages.  Next, the Church of Dominus Flevit, where “the Lord wept.” We went up to Mt. Zion for a visit to the Cenacle, or the traditional place of the Last Supper.  Then the walk down the hillside, outside the city walls, through the Kidron Valley, passing the tombs of Absalom, Zechariah, and the sons of Hezir, arriving at the beautiful Garden of Gethsemane where we had a wonderful devotional led by Eric Huntsman and some of the students. There is so much to take in here—historically, spiritually, archaeologically. 

Church in Bethphage

Pater Noster

We finished the guided walks tracing Jesus’s final steps.  We started at the Orson Hyde Park for devotional and discussion of Jesus's betrayal, then left the Mount of Olives for St. Peter in Gallicantu, the traditional location of Jesus’s imprisonment and Peter’s triple denial at the house of Caiaphas the high priest. It was a long, hot walk up that hill outside the city walls, and we tried to imagine what a painful trek that would have been. We saw an ancient stairway, and if this was Caiaphas’s house, Jesus may have walked on these steps.  We circled around the city walls, passing Jaffa Gate, and found the place on the highest spot of the western hill of Jerusalem, the site of Herod’s palace.  Pilate might have used this palace as his headquarters, so it may have been here that they brought Jesus for his trial.  On the outside of the wall is a “hidden gate,” now blocked off. It likely had a stairway leading down and outside of the wall.  Is this where Pilate said “Behold, the man!”?  We held a fine private devotional here and sang the Passion chorale, “O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown.” We continued on to Damascus Gate and through a lane to the Garden Tomb. There is a view over what may have been Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.  But then we saw the empty tomb and had our final devotional. We sang two Easter hymns and enjoyed the gardens.  It was an emotional time for everyone, not only because of being in that garden, but it was the final event for this semester’s students, and what a wonderful way to end this pilgrimage for them. They clearly have bonded with each other (and we with quite a few of them). 

Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu

Garden Tomb

Paul and Patty Barker

Joseph, Cambree, William, and Carina

On Wednesday, students were rushing around packing.  At 8:30 pm we helped the Earnshaws with the room checks.  That was pretty wild—some students hadn’t even started packing.  But we got things cleaned out, keys turned in, etc.  Their planes didn't leave until 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., so they had to kill time until midnight (or 2:30 a.m.) for the airport bus.  We waved them off at midnight.  Everyone very high-spirited and emotional.  

With the Barkers, we visited the Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene, the fantastic Russian orthodox church with its seven onion domes just above the Garden of Gethsemane.  It’s only open for visitors a few hours a week, so you have to plan carefully.  It is set back in a beautiful hillside garden, surrounded by trees, with wonderful views of the Old City.  It was built in 1885 by Tsar Alexander III.  The nuns who take care of the grounds are very strict about the rules—no shorts, for instance. 

Deanne went with Earnshaws and Barkers to a fancy street mall on Ben Yehuda, and they browsed at an art faire and had fresh bagels for lunch. 

Jim went to explore on his own. He made a solo visit to the Church of Notre Dame de France, a beautiful complex across from New Gate.  It has a fascinating museum about the Shroud of Turin, a hotel, a 360-degree views from the roof, and a chapel (on an upper floor) with an organ built in the late 19^th century by Wilson of Durham, England. He met with Fr. Cristobal Vilarroig, a Spanish priest who welcomed him and said he could play the organ whenever he wanted to.  After enjoying that organ, he had lunch at a falafel shop near Damascus Gate.  Ten shekels (about $3) for heaven in a pita. Jim then explored that Arab neighborhood with its colorful markets.  Every little corner of Jerusalem has something amazing to offer.   

Just another great week in Jerusalem!!