Join our HoLY LAND Pilgrimage, Feb 16-26, 2026

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 “I did not know what to expect before making this pilgrimage since I had heard so many differing experiences from others who have gone to the Holy Land.  So, I went with no expectations and prayed that God would meet me in a new way!  And He did just that.  I can honestly say that I am changed because of having made this pilgrimage.  Being in the places of the Bible and seeing what Jesus saw, walking where He walked, and standing at the exact places where He performed miracles has opened my eyes to a deeper understanding of His Word. He has given me a new hunger and thirst to rush to Him first thing in the morning.  His word has come alive for me!  Going to the Holy Land has deepened my relationship with Christ, and I am forever thankful.”

Mrs. Marilyn Heigl

“Just like our bodies and minds can become weary, so can our spirits. I left for this trip with a weary spirit in such need of rest and renewal. I was both worn and tired in my soul.  This trip was a refreshing and revitalizing experience with other believers who have a tender heart for the Lord. I have gained a deeper understanding of the profound love for Christ in other nations.  Numerous groups of people from other countries were overcome with emotion by the significance of what took place at the many sites we visited. A well-needed and unforgettable experience, and I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me the privilege of going on this trip.  Thank you, Dean and Glorianne!!! Praise His Holy Name!!”

C. Buchanan

“As I begin to process our trip and all that happened, I am overwhelmed with memories of the many places we visited, our worship times, our singing, and the entire band of stalwart pilgrims visiting this Holy, Holy Land!  There are two ways to visit Israel… as a simple tourist traveler, and with a group of Christians who are awed by it!  I recommend the latter!  What an experience.  Friends said it would be life-changing, and it was.  Thanks, Dean and Glorianne, for your great leadership and kindness!”

Joyce

“I wish there were more expressive words in the English language than fantastic, for it was more than that. I took my slide show to my Bible study class, and they were in awe. I would and will recommend this experience to all Christians that I know”. 

Thanks for everything. 

Wendy

Dear Fr. Dean,

What a tremendous blessing our pilgrimage to the Holy Land was to our whole family!  We are still unpacking our souvenirs, looking at our photos, and savoring all the memories.  Perhaps the most moving experience I had was the worship and singing that we did every day.  You even called us the “Pilgrimage Choir.”  I remember singing The Lord’s Prayer with a group of Japanese pilgrims at the Church of Our Father, where Jesus taught his disciples to pray.  That brought home to me our unity in Christ with fellow believers from all over the world.

Traveling with a one-year-old granddaughter went more smoothly than I could imagine.  To everyone’s delight, she took her first steps in Jerusalem at the Farewell dinner on the last night of our tour.  What a memory!

Several of the sites we visited made a huge impression on me.  Nazareth Village, a living history museum, opened my eyes to Jesus’ teaching on separating the sheep from the goats, shepherds leading their flocks, the significance of “roots and shoots” of the olive tree, and most of all the parallels between the olive press and Jesus’ time in the Garden of Gethsemane.  

The lunch we enjoyed there was both delicious and authentic.  Visiting Jacob’s well in modern day Nablus (Biblical Shechem), where Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4) as well as the actual very DEEP well that the patriarch Jacob dug to water his flocks and herds made a huge impression on me when I saw the rope marks cut into the stone from drawing up a bucket over thousands of years.  Visiting the kibbutz in Galilee and seeing the 2000-year-old preserved fishing boat from the Sea of Galilee in Jesus’ day was mind-blowing!  Stepping over the threshold of the first-century synagogue where Jesus worshipped and taught in Magdala, and knowing we could put our feet where He is known to have been, was awe-inspiring.

One of my most precious experiences was sitting on the balcony of our hotel room in Tiberias, reading my morning devotional and watching the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus lived, taught, and performed so many of his miracles, then going down to the dining room for a fabulous breakfast buffet.  I loved the Shakshuka and the fish salad.

Our Israeli tour guide, Ruby, was knowledgeable, flexible in rearranging our itinerary to accommodate the various weather changes, and a lot of fun.  I learned a great deal about Israel in Biblical times, as well as the customs and conflicts in Israel today.  I now have a much greater appreciation for the land and its various people than I had before the trip.

I also appreciate all the logistical arrangements made for the entire pilgrimage, so that we did not have to worry about managing luggage, finding places to eat, currency exchanges, reservations for visiting holy sites, and even arrangements for Holy Eucharist, which were all taken care of ahead of time.  Vendors were pre-screened to ensure we had positive experiences and fair prices as we all picked up souvenirs on the trip.

One concern my family had before our trip was safety, as much of the Middle East is considered a dangerous region.  We felt completely safe the entire time we were in Israel—safer than we are at home.  Fr. Dean’s teaching on the bus and at various holy sites enriched our time on this pilgrimage.  I know my whole family has been changed by this pilgrimage.  Our eyes have been truly opened to the Bible and our Lord by this experience.  We have all deepened our faith.  I would travel with Fr. Dean and Glorianne to the Holy Land again in a heartbeat.”

Blessings,

L.  Hanna