philorthodox: Following the Faith 2012

Friday, May 04, 2012

Following the Faith 2012

Following the Faith with Bishop Chandler Jones

October 11 - 20, 2012

Hello Everyone!

We are very excited about your upcoming tour!

VERY IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
I know a number of people have expressed interest in going on this tour. If you have family or friends who would also like to join you, now is the time for them to register. Have your family/friends go to the Harmony Website and register now before it's too late!
Below, I have highlighted a few of the places you will be visiting while in the Holy Land. I hope you find this helpful as you prepare for your trip. I included a few facts about each to get you started in your knowledge. I recommend Google to use in your research.

Sincerely,
Jane Buchanan, Director of Operations
Harmony International
Impacting Lives Through Extraordinary Experiences!

	Mount of Beatitudes A TIME OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION. According to the tradition, the Mount of Beatitudes is the place where Jesus gave His sermon on the mountain (Matthew 5, Luke 6:20) to the multitude that assembled to see and hear Him. The sermon has 9 verses, each starting with "Blessed the..." or in Latin "Beati ...". The Latin word gave this hill its name - Beati-tudes. In this place is a Roman Catholic Franciscan church, monastery, hostel, gardens, farm and a visitors center.
	The Western (Wailing) Wall A PLACE FOR PRAYER. This is the most holy place in the world accessible to Jewish people. Prayers are offered up at this wall built by King Herod in the first century B.C. The men's prayer area continues from the outdoor section through a passageway to the north. Within this area is a massive arch. Though only 25 feet high now, the arch originally was 75 feet high when the Central Valley was much deeper.
	Basilica of the Annunciation The church was established at the site where, according to tradition, the Annunciation took place. The current church is a two-story building constructed in 1969 over the site of an earlier Byzantine-era and then Crusader-era church. Inside, the lower level contains the Grotto of the Annunciation, believed by many Christians to be the remains of the original childhood home of Mary.
	Church of the Holy Sepulchre This church is one of the most Holy sites in the Christian world, the site of the burial place of Jesus. The site is venerated as Golgotha (the Hill of Calvary), where Jesus was crucified, and is said also to contain the place where Jesus was buried (the Sepulchre).
Payment schedule Please keep in mind that this is a blanket email sent to all those participating in this tour. If you have already made payment arrangements or if your church/organization is making payments on your behalf, disregard this reminder. Your payment schedule between now and your departure date is as follows: $300 per person due by July 1, 2012 Total balance due by August 1, 2012 Passport Please double check that your passport is valid for 6 months after your departure date. You are leaving October 11, 2012 so your passport cannot expire until after April 11, 2013. If you have not obtained your passport, please begin the process, as it can take up to 8 weeks or more. For more information, click here. Recent Questions from Participants Are we going to be safe in Israel? While in the Holy Land, Harmony International, along with our friends at Holy Land Trust, have your safety as our number 1 priority at all times. To put your mind at ease, this has never been an issue in the Holy Land on any of our tours. Tourism is one of the main sources of income in the Holy Land so they take the safety of their tourists very seriously. Please let me know if you have any questions and I'll be sure to add them to this section in our next email update! Many Blessings, Jane Buchanan Director of Operations, Harmony International