Saturday Shabbat. We had over 400 visitors for sacrament meeting at the Center, but the auditorium only holds about 350. Luckily there are overflow rooms. While they were trying to seat people, Jim played prelude music for about 45 minutes, which he was happy to do. “The Holy City,” “I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,” and more. This place really is the Crossroads of the East: among the visitors today were Steve and Margaret Wheelwright, Jonathan Tanner (John’s son), Bishop Gouff’s mother Diane, Walter Whipple’s son and grandson, Tad Callister’s son—those are just some of the people we got to talk to!
In sharp contrast to our morning worship in the Center, we had our first opportunity to participate in sacrament meeting at the small group of Church members who meet in Bethlehem, which is now located in the West Bank. We drove to the border, parked in a trash-filled lot next to the forbidding concrete wall, crossed the checkpoint through gates and turnstiles, and walked three blocks to the building our church uses as a meeting place. It's definitely not fancy, the ceilings are low, the furniture is pretty industrial, and the piano needs a lot of work, but the people were there to hear scriptural messages and partake of the sacrament. (It was very reminiscent of some of the places Jim served in Brazil years ago.) Jim played the piano—we hadn’t seen our Arabic hymnal before.
Deanne taught the one young woman who was there. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” It was so true. It was dark by now. Five of us walked back through the checkpoint (had to show our passports to re-enter Israel) and got to our car. As we got in the car, a tall Arab guy said we owed him 70 shekels for parking (in this trash-filled patch of dirt where the parking is always free), took a picture of our license plate and said if we didn’t pay, he would tell the police. Jim told him no, and the guy said, “Well, how about 50 shekels?” That sort of gave away his scam, and we drove away.
One of our best sabbaths ever.
On Monday, we left with Barkers for Tel Aviv around 9 a.m. The traffic was ridiculous and it took us 2 hours to go the 40 miles. But we had fun at the Carmel Market (shuq), very colorful. Had a great falafel lunch and passion fruit slush. Saw art deco and Bauhaus architecture that Tel Aviv is famous for. Had planned to go to the American and German colonies (ran out of time) and Apolonia National Park to see the Byzantine and Roman ruins (ran out of time).
Jim hand long wanted to play the organ at the Church of All Nations (Church of the Agony) adjacent to the Garden of Gethsemane. He called their office and they told him that he could come over any day noon to 2:30 p.m. He was surprised at that! The nice Croatian priest ushered him in and opened the organ. This is a very dark church, befitting the events that took place on this site, but very beautiful. Jim played for about 45 minutes, quiet, meditative music as the pilgrims filtered through the church, kneeling in prayer. Mendelssohn slow movements from sonatas; Bach chorale preludes on “Christ lag in Todesbanden,” “Jesu meine Freude,” “O Mensch bewein,” “Alle Menschen müssen sterben,” “If ruf zu dir”; Mozart Ave verum corpus; “Amazing Grace,” and “I Stand All Amazed.” It was a truly singular and spiritual experience for him, to be playing this heartfelt music at the Garden of Gethsemane. On the way out he returned the key to another priest who didn’t speak English, but soon discovered he (Luis) was from Brazil and they had a wonderful conversation. Luis took his vows in Blumenau, Brazil, one of Jim's mission cities. What a small world.
Choir fun. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
My life is anything but boring. However, your blog entries are so delightful that they have become the high point of my week. Thanks for continuing to invite me to join your adventures.
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