GRACE BIBLE CHURCH

Grace Bible Church Israel Study Tour

 May 20th-May 28, 2011

For members and friends of Grace Bible Church, Arroyo Grande, CA 

Joe and Charlotte Bubar invite you to join them on a study tour to Israel in 2011.  Israel has been called the Fifth Gospel because God revealed Himself to mankind by coming to earth in one particular place…the land we call Israel.  The events of the Incarnation have flowed through and impacted history for the last 2000+ years, and the places where God was humanly revealed remain available for us to visit today.

Walking the soil of the Holy Land and visiting the scenes of events from the life of Christ will give you greater understanding and clarity about the Good News message of the four Gospels.

Our study tour will focus on the sights and teachings of Christ’s life and ministry.  We will spend time in Bethlehem and Nazareth, Galilee, Jerusalem and a number of significant ministry locations. Along the way we’ll visit other famous sites like Masada, the Dead Sea, and Jericho.

At each location we will have a licensed guide to give us the information we need to understand the biblical and historical setting of the site.  Then Joe, with the help of some of your team members will teach from the Word about the life of Christ and what we can learn about what it means to follow Him.  Imagine standing in the places you’ve studied about in the Bible and focusing on the life of Christ!  We guarantee you will never read the Bible in the same way again.

Itinerary        

Our itinerary includes the following sites, although not in the order listed below.  As always, itinerary adjustments will be made on site to accommodate entry hours, crowds and security.

Bethlehem 

Wilderness

• Qumran
• En Gedi
• Dead Sea
• Masada

Galilee

• Mount Carmel
• Nazareth
• Capernaum
• Church of Beatitudes
• Tiberius
• Boat ride on Sea of Galilee Caesarea Philippi
• Golan Heights

Jerusalem

• Mount of Olives
• Western Wall
• Temple Mount
• Pool of Bethesda
• Holocaust Museum
• Upper Room
• Gethsemane
• Church of the Holy Sepulcher
• Garden Tomb

Costs

There are two separate costs and each will be handled separately.

1.     Study tour costs

The land portion of the tour will cost $1350 USD per person for double occupancy and $1850 USD* per person for single occupancy.  Tour costs include: 8 nights’ lodging, deluxe bus transportation throughout the country, daily breakfast and dinner, all entrance fees, the services of a professional guide and driver. Costs do not include airfare**, tips for our guide, driver and hotel personnel, noon lunches, snacks, beverages at meals, souvenirs, and items of a personal nature.

A word about lodging…we are staying at very enjoyable four and five star facilities.  In Galilee we will stay right on the water’s edge at a kibbutz hotel with a nice beach.  If you are traveling alone and wish a roommate to share the double occupancy rates, we will do our best to put you with someone else on our tour, but we can’t guarantee a roommate.  If no roommate can be found, you will be charged the single price.

One other word about the tour costs…this is a great price!  We will have 8 nights and 8 full days of touring in Israel. 

There are other ways to see Israel.  There are large tours designed to provide in-depth study from some particular vantage point.  But on this trip you will see and learn much and you will do so in the context of your church family in a very manageable and enjoyable sized group.  This is guaranteed to be a great tour!

2.     **Airline flights

We have made arrangements for flights for all who wish to take advantage of good flights and fare.   Pricing from San Luis to Tel Aviv is presently at $1,466 on US-Air.   That is a very good rate.

However, some of you may want to make your own arrangements in order to use award miles or in order to extend your journey to another country.  When you register, we will need to know if you want us to make your air-reservation.

If you make your own arrangements, you will need to arrive in Tel Aviv on Friday, May 20^th.  The start of the tour begins on Saturday morning. Your return flight home can depart Tel Aviv late evening Saturday, May 28^th.  West coast flights from Tel Aviv generally leave between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Important Note:  if you arrive in Israel earlier than Friday, May 20th, or depart later than Saturday, May 28th you will need to make your own lodging arrangements for the early or late days. 

Safety in Israel

We are aware that news coverage frequently portrays Israel as a dangerous place to visit.  Our government might even issue travel advisories for Israel.  In our experience and knowledge, such news and advisories seldom match the scene we witness once in the country.  Events are very localized, and just as you are careful in certain areas in your own country, we are careful in certain areas in Israel.  If problems do flare up, our guides are in constant contact with local authorities and make adjustments to the itinerary to keep us from areas of potential trouble. 

Other details

• Dates: Friday, May 20th through Saturday, May 28th, 2011
• Group size: We anticipate 1 bus of no more than 40 participants
• Registration deadline: October 1, 2010
• Full payment due: January 15, 2010 (USD $1350 per person for double occupancy, or $1850 per person for single) plus air fare, if we are making those arrangements for you.
• Refund deadline: No refunds after March 20, 2011
• A reading list and other pertinent material will be sent to each participant in the months leading up to departure
• You must have a valid passport for travel on this trip
• For further questions, please contact Joe Bubar by e-mail at