The first newspaper comic strip I remember reading was “Barney Google and Snuffy Smith,” a mostly lame characterization of a hillbilly family from a place called “Hootin’ Holler.” One of the oldest strips around, it started in 1919 and still continues, 100 years later, in some small town papers. Snuffy’s signature gesticulation when speed is called for is “Time’s a wastin’!”
Which serves as a reminder to all that time’s a wastin’ if you’d like to travel in Israel with Nurturing Faith Experiences and Campbell University Divinity School this coming May 11-22.
I promoted the trip in an earlier blog, and noted that students have priority until January 1, which unfortunately caused some non-students to hold off on registering. Let it be said that January 1 has passed, and we have plenty room for more people to join us.
Mount Precipice, outside of Nazareth, the traditional place from which local residents tried to throw Jesus over the cliff.
Take a quick look at some of the spots we’ll visit: Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee (our hotel is on the shore), the Mount of Beatitudes, Hazor, Dan, Caesarea Phillipi, the Golan Heights, Magdala, Mount Carmel, Caesarea Maritima, Megiddo, Jezreel, Tiberius, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Beth Shean/Sythopolis, Jericho, Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Qumran, the Wadi Qelt, Lachish, the Valley of Elah, Beth Shemesh, ‘Ein Gedi, Masada, Jerusalem’s Old City, the Western Wall, the Southern Steps, Temple Mount, the Pool of Bethesda, the Antonia fortress, the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Mount of Olives, the Palm Sunday Road, the Garden of Gethsemane, Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity, Yad VaShem (Israel’s Holocaust memorial), the Israel Museum, and the Garden Tomb, among others.
Digging at Tel Mareshah — what will you uncover?
We’ll sail on the Sea of Galilee, remember our baptism (those who wish) in the River Jordan, swim in the Dead Sea, and slosh through the Gihon Spring that runs through Hezekiah’s tunnel (optional). We’ll eat amazing food and look across the same vistas that Jesus saw in Galilee, the Valley of Jezreel, the dry wilderness, and on the road to Jerusalem. We’ll visit ancient archaeological sites, have a private tour of Megiddo led by Norma Franklin, who excavated there for 19 years before moving to Jezreel, and get our own hands in the dirt on a “Dig for a Day” expedition at Tel Mareshah (the home of the prophet Micah).
Can you believe all of that in just one trip? It’s a study tour. We stay busy!
On the steps of an ancient temple in the northern Israelite city of Dan
The cost is just $4,050, including airfare, luxury ground transportation, four-star hotels, all meals, tips, and taxes. We’d like to wrap up registration in the next few weeks, so make your plans to join us and register soon to make sure there’s a place for you.
To download a full brochure and register, just go to this link, where you can register and make your deposit online by credit card (payment by check is also acceptable). If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at cartledge@nurturingfaith.net.
Think of what an amazing experience this could be, and invite family or friends to share it with you.
Time’s a wastin’!
Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina, and the Contributing Editor and Curriculum Writer at Good Faith Media.
