Dr. Dunn Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
February 12-26, 2008

Dr. Michael Dunn received a grant from the CF Foundation to be a part of the Holy Land Pastoral Renewal program. He traveled with 19 other pilgrims, an Old Testament scholar, and a group Spiritual Director. The intention of the trip was to go on a spiritual pilgrimage, as a pilgrim, not as a tourist or a vacationer. As Dr. Dunn put it before the journey, "This is going to be real work!"

Before leaving, Dr. Dunn attended a three-day pre-trip retreat in Tennessee. There he met the other pilgrims for the first time. "It's amazing to be with other pastors and leaders who take seriously their spiritual growth in Christ," Michael said. "I know that the journey is much about the holy sites themselves, walking where Jesus walked and letting that bring its own transformation in my life. But as much as anything else it's about the other people who are also going and the relationships that will be built."

The Pilgrims stayed first in Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee. During the first week they saw such places as the Plain of Gennesaret, Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes, Nazareth, the Mount of Transfiguration, and more. These are the places where, among many other things, Jesus fed the 5,000, where four friends tore a hole in the roof to get their paralytic friend to Jesus, and where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, where he was Transfigured standing with Moses and Elijah. The second part of the trip was based in Jerusalem. Excursions during this time included the Old City, Megiddo, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gesthsemane, the Via Dolorosa, and more.

Alumni from three other seminaries participated in this pastoral renewal program designed not only for renewal of pastors in mid-career, but also for the renewal of local churches whose pastors are involved. The CF Foundation was started by a family in Atlanta who wanted to bless the churches by blessing the pastors with an opportunity for spiritual renewal. This was an incredible opportunity for out pastor and our church that made something possible that would in most cases never happen.

"I could be going to the Holy Land in a lot of different ways," reflected Dr. Dunn. "But going as a pilgrim, like so many others throughout the centuries have done, is the ultimate. I'm so grateful to the CF Foundation for such a tremendous gift. I am also thankful to the congregational leaders who not only understand, but encourage such an endeavor. And certainly, I am grateful for a wife and family who bless this and who are genuinely excited for me.

First Christian Church is tremendously blessed to have a strong pastoral leadership among its eldership. This fact allowed our pastor to be away and focused on his spiritual life and growth. He returned to us more spiritually fit and prepared to lead. While Dr. Dunn was in the Holy land, the elders will be in constant prayer and "on-call" to pastor to our people, to lead in worship, and to handle the needs of the congregation. Reverend Bill Bross, senior chaplain at Methodist Hospital, was also ready to provide whatever is needed. Rev. Bross is an ordained minister in the Disciples of Christ and has worshiped with FCC many times. He preached at FCC while Dr. Dunn was away.

We want to assure the Church Body that crisis, if something should happen. Anything that the elders feel they cannot handle themselves, We also have our Area Minister, Rev. Herb Lynsky, who will be a second back-up.

New! Dr. Dunn has made pictures of his pilgrimage available at http://picasaweb.google.com/2008pilgrims.