TUUF Easter Retreat 2018 in the Holy Lands ~ Program Page

Here is the Program of our Pilgrimage: we will read passages in the Urantia Book that correspond to the different places that we will be visiting in the Holy Land.

Upon your arrival at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, you will be transported to Jerusalem where you will be brought to Maison d’Abraham which has a spectacular view of the Holy City and Temple Mount.
Friday March 30: Visit to Shepherds Field in Bethlehem and the Nativity Church where Jesus was born. Lunch in Manger Square and visit of local shops with unique artwork made from olive wood.
In the afternoon, we will go to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed that ‘His Father’s Will be done’ about what was to transpire. Blowing of the Shofar on the rooftop of Maison d’Abraham at night.
Saturday March 31: Visit of St Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied the Master, the Upper Room or the Cenacle where we will go on the roof top for a great view of the Old City. Lunch and then visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was crucified. At night, we will all be interviewed Live on the Cosmic Citizen Radio Program to talk about your feelings of being right there in Jerusalem on Easter.
Sunday April 1: Visit of the Mount of Olives including the Ascension Dome, the Church of Pater Noster where you will see the Lord’s Prayer in all the languages of the world, Dominus Flevit where Jesus cried over the City, the Basilica of the Agony and the Grotto and a cave where it is believed that Jesus went with His Apostles to pray when they were passing in the Mount of Olives.
Monday April 2: We will be moving to Ecce Homo in the Old City. Visit to Golgotha and the Garden Tomb, the Damascus Gate, then lunch at the ‘Shuk’ Mahane Yehuda Market, followed in the afternoon by a visit to the Pool of Bethesda where it is mentioned several times in the Urantia Book. We will then go to Ecce Homo where you will have an incredible view of the Old City while staying there for the next 4 nights.
Tuesday April 3: Visit of Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross), Lithostrotos, the Western or Wailing Wall, Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock, the Temple Institute where you will see the parts for building the Third Temple in exhibition. After lunch, we will finish with a visit of the underground Kotel Tunnels which will bring us right back to Ecce Homo for an evening together on the terrace with a view.
Wednesday April 4: Visit to the City of David, Mount Zion, the Dung Gate, the Pool of Siloam where Jesus healed the blind man. We will also drive by the Hinnom Valley where Judas hung himself after having betrayed the Master. We will see the famous Golden Gate where it is believed that the Master will enter Jerusalem on His Second Coming to our planet.
Thursday April 5: Visit to the Israel Museum from 10AM -2PM where you will see a superb model of the Second Temple and also the Shrine of the Book which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will take the rest of the afternoon off before we embark on the next part of our pilgrimage together. There will be some reading and praying together for those who want to join us.
Friday April 6: We will leave Jerusalem for Galilee and visit the Dead Sea where you will be able to take a swim and float atop the water, then drive to Jericho and stop at the Sycamore tree where Zaccheus climbed to see the Master who was passing by. We will then go to Beit She'an with the old ruins of Scythopolis where Joseph got angry at Jesus for loving the Olympics. Finally, we will go stay at Mount of Beatitudes Monastery.
Saturday April 7: We will have a visit to the Ginnosar Museum to see the original Boat of Galilee or Jesus Boat followed by a worship service on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of the Jesus Boat and end by having a meal and visit of Peter’s Church in Tabgha. We will then go to Jesus’ hometown of Capernaum to see the ruins of the Ancient Synagogue, the ruins of the House of Peter and the New Church erected just above those ancient ruins.
Sunday April 8: Visit to the newly opened Magdala Center followed by our baptism in the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. We will have lunch on the boardwalk in Tiberias. The afternoon will be free for you to visit in Tiberias for those who want to, or to be driven back to the Mount of Beatitudes Monastery to enjoy a relaxing time in the breathtaking view overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
Monday April 9: We will go for a trip to Mount Hermon where Jesus confronted his archenemy, accompanied with a lunch right on top of the mountain to view the Golan Heights and the mountains of the Upper Galilee. On the way up to Mount Hermon, we will also stop at Caesarea-Philippi and see the beautiful Banias Waterfalls where Jesus went with His Apostles so many times.
Tuesday April 10: Visit to the Church of Miracle in Cana, then on to Nazareth to see the Basilica of the Annunciation & Grotto, the Nazareth Int'l Center, and end with a visit at the reconstructed Nazareth Village. We will also visit Mount Precipice to remind us of Jesus having been brought to the edge of the precipice, then go visit the old ruins of Sepphoris to end with a visit at the new Domus Galilaeae with its breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee.
Wednesday April 11: We will leave for Mount Carmel and then go to Haifa to visit the exquisite world headquarters of the Baha’i Center ending by a visit at the Muhraqa Monastery where Elijah translated to Heaven.
We will finally be driven to Tel Aviv where we will stop to see the famous Harbor in Caesarea on our way and then lodge by the beach to have a beautiful dinner together before our departure flights to go back home.
Thursday April 12: This will end our Easter Spirit Renewal Retreat pilgrimage while many of the group will be leaving in the morning to go to the UAI Conference in Amsterdam for the weekend before returning home.