Pilgrims give abundantly

It is hard to believe, but for those pilgrims who started the pre-tour in Cappadocia, today marked the 16th full day of our journey.  It has been quite the experience and from that we have many things to give and share, as we have received so much.  Our final text for study and reflection comes from Philippians 4:15-23...it is our responsibility as pilgrims to give to others the gift of community as we have learned and lived it in the small group that we have formed, as well as the larger community that we are a part of in this world.

Another full day was on tap, as we had much to see in the culturally rich and beautiful city of Rome.  We started out on the Scala Santa, then walked through central Rome to see several different sites, statues and churches.  A short ride on the coach took us to the Catacombs of Rome, where we were fascinated by the underground tour and learned that there were more than 150,000 tombs in the many levels discovered below the ground.  We saw approximately 100 of them and took the fine people at their word that there were more!

From a pilgrimage perspective, our visit to the Basilica of St. Paul (outside the walls) was an appropriate stop on our final day of the journey, for this is where the remains of Paul are said to be.  Having followed through so many of Paul's footsteps, seeing so many of the churches and ancient locations that he traveled to in his lifelong journey to bring the word of Jesus to the world, it was meaningful to sit quietly and reflect on what Paul showed us and how today it continues to give us hope and faith and joy.

The weather started to shift a bit and look stormy in the afternoon, but the pilgrims were not daunted!  We enjoyed lunch and some shopping around Trevi Fountain, then it was over to the Forum, Mamertine prison, (it is rumored but not proven that Paul and Peter were imprisoned here together), Arch of Titus, and the Coliseum!  It should be noted (and will be evident in the PICTURES when you view them) that it rained...quite a bit.  You would be proud of the pilgrims, they innovated and adapted and kept going strong. We would never let a little rain slow us down!

Tonight is the final night together before we start the long journey home.  We are ready to come home to share our experiences and of course, we have missed our family and friends.  Watch for an entry in the next day or two, encapsulating some of the feelings and emotions that the pilgrims share during our last evening prayer.

What an amazing journey, we are so glad to have had all of you to share it with!

Pilgrims overcome in Christ

The pilgrims are in Rome!  Our day started early as we said goodbye to Greece and landed in Rome at 7:45 am local time.  The text for the day was Philippians 4:8-14, in which Paul encourages us all to keep on doing the things that we have learned and received and heard and seen.  A message directly for the people of Philippi, yes, but also a message that applies to each pilgrim as we cherish our heritage.  If we didn't think so before, one thing that we have learned after this time together is the knowledge that we can overcome anything and help each other in Him.

When in Rome...go to Vatican City!  We spent several hours on 109 acres containing the smallest country in the world, but one of the most powerful.  The Sistine Chapel was first up on the docket, starting at one of the outside rooms and making our way toward the chapel itself.  Words to effectively describe the experience fail us here, as the different paintings, tapestries and carvings that we saw were spectacular, each with an impressive story to accompany it.  The excitement continued to build until we actually made it into the chapel itself - an impressive and awe-inspiring sight.  We were not allowed to take any photos inside the chapel, so while we encourage you to take the online virtual tour, know that it will give you the information that you are looking for, but not the "pinch me, I can't believe that I am here" experience that the pilgrims had the privilege of living.

The next stop in the city was St. Peter's Basilica, where we were able to witness what was aptly referred to as, "an explosion of Renaissance Art" in this, the largest church in the world.  It would take an easy 2-3 days to effectively explore and study everything found inside the impressive church.  Our 45 minutes there really only scratched the surface, but we did of course take plenty of PICTURES, some of which you can view through our link.  Of note (as if there were just 1 or 2 things to point out here) is the fact that the items that look like paintings are actually mosaics, and all were hand constructed, most taking months or even years to complete.  Also interesting to realize is the double dome design itself was created by Michelangelo (who plays a significant role throughout a few other key areas of the City, as we are all aware), although he did not get to see the finished product, as construction did not finish until after his death.

The trip to Vatican City represents only half of the day...the pilgrims are troopers!  We set back out for something of an impromptu walking tour of Rome, led by our local guides, who delighted in showing us many meaningful, but lesser known spots in the city, such as Paul's first residence in the city of Rome (it is a church today), a library that is believed to be built on the site where Paul lived and wrote many of his letters to the different churches while under house arrest, plus a lot of fascinating and interesting neighborhoods, endearing us all to the city and the many hidden surprises that wait for us at every turn.

We wrapped up a full and exciting day with promise of more to come tomorrow - our last full day in Rome.  Check in with us to learn what we learned and follow yet another great day in our journey.

Pilgrims rejoice & pray

It is hard to believe that today was the last full day for the pilgrims in Greece - there is so much to see and it seems as if we have only just started the pilgrimage!  This journey is certainly a celebration of joy for each of the pilgrims, something that we discussed and studied a bit in Philippians 4:1-7 as we set out for points north - Kavala and Philippi.

The northern coast as it looks out over the Aegean Sea is stunning and was quite enjoyable to drive through, viewing the almond trees and grapevines.  Besides being dubbed Greece's prettiest mainland port and harbor, Kavala also serves as a very significant point on this pilgrimage, as it is where Paul landed with his disciples, Timothy and Silas.  In fact, it is the first point in Europe that Paul visited.

Our trek north continued until we made it...Phillipi.  There was SO much to see and do, and we are active pilgrims who don't want to let an experience pass us by!  This chronicle of events will not do the experience any justice, so when your favorite pilgrim returns, you will have to ask them about their time in Philippi.  Here is a feeble attempt to capture the highlights of our time today:

1. Communion at the site where Lydia was baptized.  We had a reading from Acts 16:11-15, shared in the liturgy of communion, remembered our baptism and experienced a great time in some beautiful scenery, set amongst shady trees and a flowing stream
2. Agora at Philippi where Paul and Silas were flogged and imprisoned (without a trial - a serious violation of rights to a Roman citizen). We read Acts 16:16-24 here
3. Jail at Philippi where Paul and Silas blessed and baptized the jailer (and his family) who asked how he could be saved after an earthquake freed all of the prisoners.  We read the whole story in Acts 16:25-40

These are the 'things" that we did.  The experiences are much richer and mean so much more to us, collectively and individually.  We found many opportunities to rejoice today, for this is a pilgrimage that is fun, but more importantly, it is joyous because it is about how we find and see God in what we do together.

Speaking of fun and joyous, check out a few of our best PHOTOS here, we are a good looking (and it would seem, humble) bunch!

Tomorrow we are off to Rome.  The 4 am wake-up call is not exciting everyone, but we will persevere!!

Pilgrims are expectant

Pilgrim life definitely has a rhythm to it, and in that, we continue to expect great things from our journeys together, immersing ourselves in our experiences.  We had some good perspective on this approach in our text for the day - Philippians 3:17-21 - and all agree that we grow so much more individually and collectively when we embrace these experiences, no matter how foreign or different they might seem.

Our journey continued north, through the countryside of Greece (which looks a lot like wine country in the Central coast or Northern part of California), making a stop first at Beroea to visit the area that Paul fled to when escaping his looming arrest by the Thessalonians.  Noteworthy for the group was a quick trip to a memorial on the street, then a walk down to the Jewish quarter, where we saw the synagogue that Paul visited.  We read from Acts 17:10-15 for some context to our location, and enjoyed mention of the specific synagogue that we were standing in front of!  We wrapped up our time in Beroea by discovering a wonderful river flowing through the neighborhood and quiet, meandering streets that eventually led us back to the downtown area.

Vergina was our next stop, taking us to an underground museum that houses the impressive remains and tombs of King Phillip, Prince Alexander IV, plus an impressive assortment of antiquities and ancient relics that date all the way back to 4th century B.C.  The use of the natural space (underground), combined with the modern technology of temperature and humidity controlled cabinets made for a very interesting display, with a lot of information for those who really "dig" archaeological ruins (poor pun intended).

We rolled into Thessaloniki in the early evening to get oriented to the city...the big tour will begin tomorrow.  We visited an active Greek Orthodox church, then walked down to see the ruins of a roman agora where Paul addressed the Thessalonians.

We took PHOTOS, naturally.  You will view (and enjoy) them, of course!

Pilgrims are persistent

The pilgrims started the day early, as we left the city of Athens at 7:30 am...glad to have had our time there, exploring many fascinating areas, but also glad to leave as planned protests were scheduled to begin in the afternoon.  Judging from the news we have seen, there were some fairly rowdy hotspots, so praise and blessings that we were well on the road north, away from the crowds and demonstrations.

Our theme today comes from the text Philippians 3:12-16.  There are many examples of persistence in the stories and travels of Paul, John, all of the towns and churches that they visited or wrote to in their day and the generations that have followed since.  For us as a pilgrim group, we recognize that it is all about how we approach this time together - as pilgrims on a journey - not only as tourists.  We grow and learn in the experiences of our time, not just the events.

Our first experience of the day was a rather long but enjoyable journey on the coach.  We made a few stops along the way on the trip that would eventually take us to Meteroa (more details on this to come in a moment).  Most notable of our stops before lunch was Thermopylae, site of a battle known as the battle of Thermopylae with the Spartan 300 (We all have a desire to see the movie "300" for varying reasons, the predominant abs on all of the Spartan warriors have nothing to do with it!).  After a few pictures and rallying cries of, "We are Sparta" and, "Come and get it", we jumped back on the coach and continued north.

The long road trip was totally worth it.  As we rolled into Meteroa, our mouths dropped at the sight of the rock pinnacles, especially those with beautiful Byzantine monasteries perched on top, and especially when you do the math and realize that these were first built back in the 14th century. Neither the steps nor the original monasteries themselves were easily visible, constructed by hand using primitive lifts (translation = ropes and nets) to move everything up the mountain.  The monks built in this location because they were persistent (recognize that theme?) in having a place to practice and worship where they would not be easily spotted and persecuted.

Today was a great day for the pilgrims, and the pictures, much like our experiences, are AMAZING.  Hope you enjoy them!

Pilgrims value Christ above all

What a day! We started in Philippians 3:7-11, considering for ourselves in modern times what it means to shift from what we are accustomed to or think that we want for ourselves to realizing that we have all we need and with Christ, we are missing nothing.  In the true spirit of missing nothing, we set out for several big sites today and were able to experience with awe and wonder the incredible discoveries that Greece has to offer us.

We drove outside of Athens a bit, on our way to ancient Corinth.  We made a stop at the Corinth Canal and, admittedly thought that it was going to be just some bridge over a river.  It was more like a jaw-dropping view of a gorge that in ancient times connected the Aegean and Ionic seas, creating an important east-west trade route that centered in Corinth.  It is WAY too narrow for modern ships now, but was still fascinating to imagine what it was like in its hey-day some 2000 years ago.

We then rolled into Ancient Corinth - or of course, what remains of it - and were able to view some impressive remains of the Temple of Apollo and wander the grounds, just as Paul did when he visited and lived in this city.  Corinth was a strategic and interesting stop for Paul.  Known to be a city of luxury and corruption because of it's great wealth, this was a skeptical audience, one not easily swayed or ready to accept Paul's teachings and words of Jesus Christ.  Paul has his troubles in Corinth, yet he visited and wrote them several times, resulting in what we know in the new Testament as 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.

A few fun facts for you - 1 Corinthians is considered to be the best preserved of all the writings in the New Testament, for it was translated and recorded in such a way that it was carried forward in as close to a "pure" and authentic form as possible.  Also, 2 Corinthians is widely believed to actually be two separate letters to the people of Corinth, but somewhere along the translation they were pushed together as one.  All of the bible study info aside, 1 and 2 Corinthians are often on the "favorite" lists when listing popular and meaningful scripture. We heard a bit from 1 Cor 11:23-34...a very familiar text and connection to the Christian theology around the Eucharist.

The afternoon was spent in Mycenae, visiting both the Acropolis and Tomb of Agamemnon. Dating all the way back to the ancient conflict between the Greeks and Trojans, this was a beautiful valley with a fascinating story, and lots of sights to see.  The pilgrims hiked and sweated it out in the hot Greek sun, but it was a journey fully worth it, as you can see from our amazing PHOTOS here.

Tomorrow we will depart Athens and travel north for more pilgrimage journeys.  As a side note to those of you wondering about the news of riots in Greece...they are not riots, they are demonstrations and they are not aimed at Americans, but rather at their own government as the issue of work week, pay for government employees and a few other austerity measures are under debate to get their economy back on track.  We have experienced no issues of hostility and have at no time been at any risk of violence or had issues with safety.  Things are great and we are enjoying ourselves - and these experiences - immensely.

Pilgrims belong to Christ

The pilgrims are on the move again, having landed at the port outside of Athens bright and early, we headed straight for the Acropolis and Parthenon to begin our education of Greek history and how it relates to our Christian history through Paul and John.

The text for the day was Philippians 3:1-6.  The most basic lesson is simply, we don't boast of our faith or worship other things...we live our lives by example as servants.

This lesson and theme was very appropriate for the day (as is always the case), as we learn of Paul's time in Athens, addressing the Athenians from what looks like a large rock located above the Agora and below the entrance to the Parthenon.  It is today called Mars Hill, notable to us, for it is here that Paul addressed the Athenians (check it out in Acts 17) about a life with Christ versus an unknown God, and in that converted several people to Christianity through a personal relationship, helping them to require nothing in return.  This was a dramatically different approach for the Athenians, all of whom were very invested in their pagan lives and expected to have to sacrifice something to any of the Gods they worshiped.

The lesson for us in this story is that Paul was not bringing God to the Athenians, but rather was putting a name to what was already inside of them.  The same is true for us as pilgrims and in our daily lives; we witness and live a life that demonstrates grace, love, joy and peace.  Each person finds God in their own way and in that, we belong together.

Tired of our PICTURES yet?  We didn't think so.

Pilgrims share their burdens

Yo ho, yo ho, a pilgrim's life for us!  Day 2 of our cruise brings us to Philippians 2:19-30 and the theme of sharing our burdens.  The life of a pilgrim can at times be difficult; the load is lightened significantly when we take the time to share with and help one another, for in these experiences, we can grow together and make our experiences that much richer.

We the pilgrims will concur.  Pick a place, any place in the world to offer up and take on some burdens...Santorini is the place.  It is stunning, beautiful, serene, gorgeous...any adjective used here will fail to fully convey just how incredible it is...visually stunning, to say the least.

The day was a peaceful, relaxing and wonderful one for each of the pilgrims.  Some opted to start early with a tender out at 8 am to hike the volcano and then swim in a cove with hot springs.  Others rolled out a little later to explore the island...the larger group met up at the top of the cable cars and spent time together exploring and taking photos.

Pictures?  Oh yes, and they are FANTASTIC.  Enjoy and leave us a comment to tell us what you think!

Pilgrims seldom complain

Back online!  While we missed the opportunity to post and share with you the adventures of the past few days, we did not miss the opportunity to capture anything!  The text for Saturday was Philippians 2:12-18, and from that our theme of seldom complaining emerges.  The lesson is to acknowledge and address the things that go wrong and for whatever reason burden us; the key is to reflect upon and then grow from that discomfort so that we can process and move forward spiritually.

Speaking of moving forward, we bid a fond farewell to Turkey and the amazing experiences we had there as we boarded a cruise ship to head for open waters and...Greece!  We only had to cruise (and, of course...eat) for a few hours before we landed on the island of Patmos and immediately set out for an excursion to the Cave of the Apocalypse. It was here that John received his visions used to write the book of Revelation in about 95 AD.  The cave has been well preserved and now is associated with a monastery that was built in 1088.  The hike to the cave was well worth the effort (lots of steps/stairs and quite an incline,  impressive that John was able to traverse that terrain!) to see the place used as a table/bookstand for recording the visions, the handhold that John used to pull himself up and the place referred to as the 'pillow' - an indentation in the rock where John would rest his head when he was tired.

Patmos proved to be a beautiful and satisfying experience for the pilgrims, all of whom agreed that this was indeed a revered and peaceful place.  The tender ride back to the ship had everyone reflecting on the amazing experiences that we have had thus far and how our burdens of today are NOTHING compared to those experienced by those who have gone before us!

After a successful day at sea, the pilgrims enjoyed dinner, some entertainment and a restful night of sleep, with little pitching or rolling and lots of gentle rocking on the ship...we've got another full day planned for tomorrow!

Check out our cool shots of the day HERE...you won't be disappointed...we certainly weren't!

Pilgrims imitate Christ

Today was an incredible day, with Ephesus in our sights to complete our tour of all 7 churches of the Revelation.  Our theme today comes from Philippians 2:1-11.  We are called to give everything we have – empty ourselves – to the point of utter exhaustion for others.  With that perspective in mind, we set out for Ephesus.

Ephesus was once a thriving port town, reaching up to 250,000 in population in its Roman heyday, making it (at the time) the 2^nd largest city in the world, second only to Alexandria.  Ephesus as it exists today represents the largest Roman ruins in the world, dating back to 2^nd century AD.  Ephesus has a very long and volatile history dating all the way back to 1500 BC.

For our focus, Ephesus is the beloved church of Paul and is also one of the 7 churches that John writes to in Revelation.  Paul spent 3 years in Ephesus – longer than in any other city – and after leaving them, he could not ever return, for he loved them too much and knew that if he came back he would never leave again.  Paul reminds the people of Ephesus to steer clear of the immoral Roman lifestyle and balance themselves when he writes to them in Ephesians 5:1-5.

Paul’s journey in and around Ephesus is also documented in Acts19:11-32, where we learn of the Ephesians being introduced to Christianity through the burning of scrolls belonging to the town sorcerers (pagans).  It would not be an exaggeration to say that the theology of the church formed in its earliest days started right here in Ephesus. 

As we look to the messages sent to all 7 churches, there is a theme – you hold an important role in carrying forward the message of Christianity – don’t forget that and most importantly, don’t let go of what makes you distinctive in that.  An apt message, even 2000 years later.

Our last complete day in Turkey was indeed a full and fun one, ending with a gorgeous sunset (and subsequent moonrise) over a very tempestuous Aegean Sea.  Click HERE to check out the stunning photos from these events, along with the rest of the great shots of the day. 

We hope that the sea isn’t going to stay TOO rough, as tomorrow we board a ship bound for Greece, where we will cruise to Patmos, Santorini and then we land in Athens 2 days later.  Internet connection may not be easy to find while we are on the ship, so while it will no doubt be hard to not hear from the favored pilgrim group, know that we are all safe and sound, having an amazing time and we will be back to report all that we have seen as soon as we have the technology available.

The blessings and adventures continue!

Pilgrims walk with Christ

Our time in Turkey continues to amaze and fascinate the collective pilgrim group.  Today was another full day, and admittedly even just ONE of the places we visited is a full day of things to consider, both in history and scripture.  We like to do things up right, so after discussing our theme and text for the day (Philippians 1:27-30), we set out as a pilgrims to be persistent in our learning and demonstration of how we live our lives in community.

Our day began at Hierapolis - an area that has settlements dating back to the Neolithic Age - the natural terraces make for a very appealing landscape and natural fortification.  Hierapolis thrived as a Roman city and the ruins that exist today are from that time, as the city was eventually destroyed by two earthquakes in the 5th century.  In addition to being a city that is undergoing an incredible restoration, the history and significance of Hierapolis has an important role to this pilgrim group.

Our next visit was to Laodicea (for those of you keeping count, Laodicea is the 6th of the 7 churches of the Revelation that we have visited thus far).  This was the wealthiest of the 7 churches in terms of trade.  John addressed this church in Rev 3:14-22, admonishing them for being "lukewarm" in their faith - neither hot nor cold.  In context, this message makes sense to the people of this time, for they were positioned between two cities - one known for hot water and the other for its icy waters.  Being lukewarm in this writing, of course, refers to the lack of zeal or enthusiasm that this church demonstrated for their Christianity.

We wrapped the day at St. John's Basilica.  Built in the 6th century, this church came to be known in the Middle Ages as the "Church of the Cross", and a popular pilgrimage site, due largely to the belief that John the Apostle is buried here.  The foundations, some of the walls and entryways are well preserved and provide an insightful view to how the early churches were built and why.

Now in Kusadasi, we the pilgrims are enjoying our hotel right on the Aegean Sea and the cooler air bestowed upon a seaside town.  Tomorrow will be a full day at Ephesus, so be sure to check back and see what we have seen and learned.

Looking for more?  Check out our pictures HERE, they are of course entertaining!

Pilgrims live faithfully

Today was an opportunity to get to 3 more of the 7 churches of the Revelation…bringing us to a total of 5 already (and so early in the pilgrimage, too!)  Our focus today was on Philippians 1:21-26, with Paul’s realization that faithfulness is being able to rejoice in what God is doing in others.

The first church, Thyatira, (in modern-day city Akhisar) was addressed in Rev 2:18-29.  John implores this church to clean up their act, as it were, and maintain their Christian distinctiveness, for it is in our faith and authentic life/culture that distinction is found!  Little of the physical church may remain through the ruins, but the message of living for something greater than us certainly is!

Sardis receives its message from John in Rev 3:1-6; persist in faith and all promises will be kept to you. Focus on faith and move forward – anything else is a distraction.  The success of this well-fortified city can be seen in the extensive restoration that has been done in modern-times, preserving many of the such as a gymnasium and synagogue.  It was fascinating to see and learn about this community that was still thriving and bustling through about the 3^rd century.

Our final visit of the day was to Philadelphia – yep the city of brotherly love – only we are not talking about PA, USA.  This Philadelphia in Asia Minor (today it is known as Alasehir, Turkey) was originally a military outpost that evolved into a city, thanks to Alexander the Great and the many vineyards that come so naturally to the region.  There isn’t much left today of the entire city, but the message in Rev 3:7-13 to the church of Philadelphia (sometimes referred to as “New Jerusalem” or “second coming”)  makes it clear that hope for a new beginning can be had by maintaining faith when everything in the world seems to be falling apart.  Messages that transcend time, geography and cultures – we are a hopeful, faithful group indeed.

As this is being typed, the pilgrims are enjoying an evening at Pamukkale, a region in Turkey noted for its healing waters.  The adventures, insights, learnings and fun never stop, but it is nice sometimes to take an evening to let it all soak in, and if there are thermal pools to help aid in that soaking…well…we say, bring it on!.

We naturally took lots of great photos, check them HERE and don’t forget to go to our page on Facebook for even more shots of the group.

Pilgrims are proud witnesses

We are at last a complete group of 23!  The second group of pilgrims joined us in Izmir just before midnight last night, and were up again for breakfast and out the door by 8:30 am this morning.  The pilgrimage is officially underway!  Our reflection and theme for the day comes from Philippians 1:12-20...valuing the witness of the gospel over our ourselves.  We set out in the city to think about - and act - according to the word and NOT for selfish ambition.

Izmir (known as Smyrna in the ancient world) is a lively, bustling city, located at the edge of the Agean Sea.  We set about to investigate, first to the Polycarp Church, the oldest church in Izmir and has quite a history over the centuries.

Next stop...the Agora - or at least what remains of it, as the ruins are under restoration.  At one point a bustling marketplace, flourishing under Roman rule, Smyrna was warned that it would be a church that would suffer persecution.

We enjoyed the trip out to Pergamum, a citadel located about 1000 feet above the valley it overlooks.  The ancient city had 4 distinct levels that have been excavated, leaving some impressive remains, including a Hellenistic theater with 10,000 seats.  We trekked up the theater steps and through to see the different areas, altars and remains, not to mention the breathtaking views of the entire valley below.  We listened to a reading from Revelation 2:12-17, where John makes it clear to the church at Pergamum that they need to prevail in the midst of their oppression (commonly known as Roman rule), demonstrating a commitment to live for Christ, regardless of anything that might be going on in the world.

While the lessons and words of the day were significant and cause for a good deal of reflection, do not by any means be fooled into believing that we are at all times serious and without any levity.  Oh no, there is plenty of that going on too, as we are pilgrims who know (and enjoy) having a good time.  Check out a few of our photos HERE and tune in tomorrow for the next installment in our incredible journey.

Pilgrims finish their journey

While at first glance it might seem odd to speak of finishing our journey just as it is beginning, there is a "begin with the end in mind" approach that we as pilgrims have been challenged with today.  After studying Philippians 1:1-11, we recognize that our journey is not so much a movement in geographical space, but rather a movement IN us as our individual destination/purpose emerges for each of us along the way.

Half of the group started the day off with a 5:10 am pick up for a morning in the skies above Cappadocia...in a hot air balloon.  Stunning, amazing, awe-inspiring, fantastic, exhilarating...these adjectives do little to really capture the beauty and excitement of the adventure.  It was truly a blessing to watch the sun rise while hanging as part of a sky dotted with over 100 hot air balloons, all rising and falling slowly to greet the day.  We took, literally, hundreds of pictures and while some are very good (click HERE to see all of the shots of the day), they don't capture the peace and beauty of the time over the region of Cappadocia.

We took the morning (after the hot air ballooners were back, of course), to visit a couple of sites before leaving for the airport.  The first stop was Uchisar, a natural citadel that was established back in the 4th century to help protect the people in the region by serving as a lookout to spot would-be-invaders or other hostile visitors.  It offered a spectacular view of the Cappadocia region and rewarded all who took the hike to the top with a breathtaking, 360 perspective of the countryside below.

Avenos pottery was our final stop in town - admittedly not one of the more hallowed spiritual destinations on the tour, but an interesting demonstration on how the regional pottery of the area (4 generations of family members have and continue to make these unique pieces) is thrown, dried, fired, painted and glazed.

Our travels for the day ended in our current location - Izmir.  In addition to now being in a completely different part of Turkey (now very metropolitan), we are in eager anticipation of the rest of our pilgrim group,  scheduled to arrive tonight and rumored to be somewhere over Croatia as we type this blog.

When next you hear from us, we will be a complete group of 23 and our journey to follow in the footsteps of Paul will be officially underway!

Pilgrims act with compassion

Today's scripture and theme comes from Philemon 17-25 and what a great day we as pilgrims had in the opportunity to learn about - and demonstrate - compassion.

The day began at Goreme Open-air Museum, filled with stunning caves, rock-cut churches and amazing frescoes, all settled in the 4th century.  It is noted that St. Basil the Great helped to established the Christian community on this site and it is here that Orthodox Christianity was born.

After a nice, filling lunch we ventured over to the Kaymakli Underground City, where most of us folded ourselves in half to walk down a total of 4-stories in tunnels that were in some places no more than 3-feet tall  and 2-feet across.  Claustrophobic pilgrims need not apply! (those who recognized that these conditions were not for them enjoyed sipping some fresh orange juice whilst the rest of us sweated it out 40 feet underground)

Delighted with our journeys (and compassion shared/observed thus far), we made our final stop for the day at Ucretsiz Park - really just a wide spot in the road - but a SPECTACULAR area to view the Cappadocian landscape.  We shared in communion, a hike and some ice cream to wrap up a very full and fantastic day in our pilgrimage.

Everything has been captured in full digital splendor.  Click HERE to see a few of the best shots of the day.

We the pilgrims are truly enjoying our journey thus far and have plenty more planned for tomorrow.  Rumor has it that some of us will be participating in an activity that will have us soaring over the Cappadocian landscape...tune in tomorrow to find out where our journeys - and our learnings - will take us next!

BTDubs...we are taking pictures like C-R-A-Z-Y.  There are more on our Facebook page.  You can access them by going to our page called Turkey, Greece & Rome Pilgrimage 2012 (or just click on the hyperlink that we have created here for you)

Pilgrims seek freedom & justice

Today we enjoyed our first full day of touring, filling our day with some sights of Ankara and the subsequent journey covering the 150 or so miles over to Cappadocia.

First things first - breakfast!  Ah, the Mediterranean breakfast options are delicious and we did not suffer for lack of CHEESE and other tasty items.

Our theme today, in scripture and reflection was seeking freedom and justice (Philemon 10-16 if you want to read the actual passage).  We had the opportunity to learn a lot about Turkey's early history, first with a visit to the Anatolian Civilisations Museum, where we saw art and items dating from 6500 - 700 BC.  Hittite history is alive and well in these neolithic displays.

A bit of a ride on our tour bus took us over to the Mausoleum of ATATÜRK, providing us some perspective and insight to the history of the formation of modern Turkey - a country that fought for all 4 of their borders...freedom and justice were indeed discussed at length on many levels in both of these locations. 

We of course have captured the day's festivities in glorious, living color, check them out now!

We the pilgrims have wrapped up our day and are resting up for a full day of exploring in Cappadocia.  You will have to tune in tomorrow to see the amazing sights and sounds that we get to experience!

Pilgrims Arrive – part 1

It took a bus, a plane, another plane and another bus and about 24 hours to accomplish, but group 1 of the SOTH pilgrimage have arrived!  We are now in Ankara, the capital of Turkey and while we haven’t had the opportunity to actually SEE or DO much, we are pleased to report that all have arrived safe and sound and are ready to engage in all that the fine country of Turkey has to offer.

The trip thus far has been very smooth and enjoyable, our friends at Lufthansa do a remarkable job in keeping everything moving quickly and on-time.  The food on the flights was tasty and plentiful too! 

We pilgrims will get about 6 hours of sleep before the first wake-up call comes through (there are two wake-up calls, strategically planned just in case we have any residual sluggishness from the long trip over), then it is breakfast together and onto the bus, where our adventure will begin for the day.

Stay tuned, there is plenty of good stuff to come.  In the meantime, let us entertain you with a few of the travel action shots that we took at the airport. (click on the link/highlighted text)

The Time is Now

For those of us going on the Pre-Tour - the time is now.  We head to the airport today to start our journey.  A personal journey for each of us as we spend time following the footsteps of Paul.  This time includes not only seeing the sights, but truly opening ourselves up for the journey God has planned for us.  A time to truly reflect on how God is working through us and developing us to be his disciples in the world.  Our Love and Blessings to all at home holding down the fort and prayers to all for an amazing journey that only our Lord and God can provide.  We love you!

Connection

We take our journeys - and our communication of them - seriously.  In addition to this blog, you may (should you opt to do so) also follow us throughout Turkey, Greece, and Rome by liking our page on Facebook named, appropriately enough, Turkey, Greece & Rome Pilgrimage 2012.  Pastor Craig will also be doing a blog, it is called RevCraig's Blog and you can click on the name to be instantly transported!

You will never be able to say that we were not a communicative group.  Looking forward to the great journey to begin...two more days until our pre-tour group leaves, bound for Cappadocia.

Preparation

As we the pilgrims plan and prepare for our epic trip, it is comforting to know that our family and friends prepare too - offering good travel advice, insight to some of the locations that we will be visiting, encouragement to pack smart so that we can keep those suitcases at or under 44 pounds...preparation is an important part of the journey!

For those of you holding the fort down at home, thanks for taking the time to lift this group up in prayer and support and thanks for tracking us on this blog!  It is our intention to post each day from wherever in the world we might be, starting with the first group to arrive for the Cappadocia pre-tour.  Between the time change (about 10 hours between California and Turkey/Greece, 9 hours for Rome) and travel time (almost 24 hours start to finish!), you can expect the first entry to be late in the day on Saturday, September 15th.  If we can post something earlier, great, but no promises until we get on the ground and know the lay of the land!

You can opt to sign up to follow this blog if you like.  Becoming a "follower" means that you will receive notifications every time that we post or someone leaves a comment.  However you choose to engage and interact with this blog, we thank you for your support and are very excited to share our adventures with you!

Anticipation!

Welcome to the SOTH Pilgrim blog!  We will use this site to share our experiences, photos and musings for all of our pilgrimages - the current one being the Journeys of Paul.  Our group of 23 will be traveling to Turkey, Greece and Rome...walking where the apostles walked!  

Feel free to leave comments, we will be happy to pass along and share greetings from home to all of the pilgrims, helping to keep us all connected on this journey, sharing in the amazing experiences together.

Thank you for your prayers and support, we can't wait to share our adventures with you!