Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 135, Number 32, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 11 August 2016 — Page 5

Connecting with historical sites from Biblical teachings

By Merrie Chapman Staff Wrfter NAPPANEE Christians far and wide have heard the historic accounts of Jesus taming a violent storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee...being baptized in the Jordan River...visiting the Mount of Olives...and venturing inside synagogues. Each creates magnificent images in the mind and brings excitement to the soul imagining what it might have been like to be a part of, or witness, these experiences. Questions arise such as: What do these places look like today? This summer Nappanee resident Chris Martin found herself exploring these very sites, and overcoming a lifelong fear of the water, in an emotional and spiritual journey to Israel. Now she shares her journey with her hometown neighbors and beyond. Following a May missions trip to China, Martin returned to her homeland long enough to board a plane headed to Israel for a vacation. As she describes, it was more than a short get-away. Chris Martin grows emotional talking about the deep meaning behind sailing in a boat, designed as a replica of the vessel Jesus, the Christian Messiah, would have traveled in when her tour group crossed the Sea of Galilee just as she has been taught Jesus did so many centuries ago. For Martin just the mere act of traveling on a boat was a huge step in faith for the adventurer as she is terrified of the water. But Martin overcome with the spiritual significance of the trip ventured across the waters with the support of her fellow travelers. She admits that she even allowed herself to enjoy the journey. It turned out to be a wonderful preparation for what lie ahead on her vacation. OVERCOMES FEAR OF WATER Moving forward with a newly found confidence, Chris Martin built on her positive experience from the boat ride and faced an even bigger challenge. She overcame her fear of the water and waded into the Dead

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NAPPANEE AREA CHURCHES Bethel Conservative Church 25402 CR 50 Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Worship Service -10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Service - 7:00 p.m. Pastor: Lyle Miller MMMMMM Bethel Missionary Church 63473 CR 7, Goshen, IN 862-2631 MMMMMM Bible Way Apostolic Church 26148 US6E • 773-7882 Sunday Morning -10:00 a.m. Sunday Evening - 6:00 p.m. Pastor: J. L. Wyant MMMMMM Brethren In Christ Church 1601 N. Main, Nappanee 773-3365 Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. Sunday Worship -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Jeff T. Williams MMMMMM Calvary Baptist Church At corner of Market & Elm St 574-773-7454 Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship -10:30 a.m. Evening Worship -1:00 p.m. Pastor: Don Taylor MMMMMM Church of the Brethren 301 Mack Dr. • 773-4044 Sunday School • 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship -1,0:00 a.m. Pastor: Byrl and Janet Shaver MMMMMM Church of the Nazarene 67136 St. Rd. 15, New Paris 574-831-6880 Sunday School • 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Don Meiner MMMMMM Compassion of Christ Fellowship 2673 E. Market St. 546-5586 Sunday School -10:00 a.m. Sun. Worship -11:00 a.m. Pastor: Gary Kauffman MMMMMM First Baptist Church Haney Dr. • 773-4816 MMMMMM First Brethren Church 1600 N. Main St. • 773-4252 Brethren @ maplenet.net Contemporary Service - 8:00 a.m. Traditional Worship -10:30 a.m. Senior Pastor: Tom Shlefer MMMMMM

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Photo Provided Chris Martin said her spiritual journey during a recent vacation to Isreal helped her overcome her overwhelming fear of water long enough to lounge in the Dead Sea. And she took her favorite hometown newspaper with her!

Sea where she laid back and floated in it for a period of time. "I was pretty scared at first. They tell you that you cannot sink in the Dead Sea because of the stuff that's in it. But I was still scared of the water and wasn't too sure if I could do it. But I did. "And they were right because I didn't sink," she shared with both happiness and pride. DISCOVERS BIBLICAL SITES During the trip she also witnessed a baptism, which included one among her touring group, performed in the Jordan River where Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist. "Something I learned," said Martin, "was that in Jesus' day baptism was done in big groups. They just lined them up all at once and did it. And it was done in places where there was moving water. "They said it (moving water) represented your sins being washed away." In her Bible studies, Chris Martin has read about the tabernacle where a woman named Hannah prayed for a child. Hannah's prayers were answered and she gave birth to a son, Samuel, one year later who would

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“Give (hanks to (he Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever~J Chronicles 16:34

First Church of God Corner of CR 7 & 54, Nappanee 773-7743 Sunday Services - 10:30 a.m. &6:00 p.m. Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Pastor: Sam Bennett MMMMMM First Mennonite Church 900 W. Market St. >773-7294 Sunday School - 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship -10:00 a.m. Pastor: Rev. Janet (McFall) Brown MMMMMM Grace Point Evangelical Presbyterian Church 1155 N. Main at Northwood 773-3773 Prayer Service - 9:45 a.m. Worship -10:15 a.m. Children's Church -10:15 a.m. MMMMMM Hepton Union Church 9266 W. Hepton Road Church Phone - 574-707-7289 Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Eric Elckhoff MMMMMM Iglesia De Cristo Elim 475 W. Randolph 574-354-0127 Domngo Culto General -11:00 a.m. MMMMMM Living Gospel Church 302 W. Walnut St. >773-7110 Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Morning Service -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Mike Raasch MMMMMM Maranatha Fellowship 9636 W. Hepton Rd. • 773-2740 Regular Services Sunday School (All Ages) - 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship -10:00 a.m. Pastor Michael Peterson MMMMMM Ministerios Cordero 558 W. Walnut St. > 773-5253 Sunday Worship - 2:30 p.m. Brother In Christ: Mario Duran MMMMMM Mt. Tabor Church of God 8424 N 800 W, Etna Green 646-2725 Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Worship Service -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Jeremy Grueser MMMMMM Nappanee Family Worship Center - COG 158 E. Centennial St 574-214-7433 Sunday Service - 10:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Pastor Justin Moore MMMMMM

Community

Nappanee Missionary Church SRI9 at CRSO Sunday Worship - 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m. Senior Pastor: Dave Engbrecht MMMMMM New Beginnings Assembly of God 901 S. Main St., Nappanee 773-7509 Christian Discipleship - 9:30 a.m. Worship -10:30 a.m. www.newbeginningsassembly. org Pastor: Mick Tomlinson MMMMMM New Life Church 2673 E. Market St. • Nappanee 574-354-1475 Sunday School - 2:00 p.m. Morning Worship - 3:00 p.m. Pastor: Dean Anglemyer MMMMMM North Main Street Mennonite Church 504 N. Main > 773-4558 Sunday Worship - 9:30 a.m. Sunday School -10:45 a.m. Pastor: Ruben Chupp MMMMMM Northwood Chapel 28220 CR 52 >773-7895 MMMMMM Oak Grove Missionary Church Corner of 46 & Beech Rd. 69009 Beech Road 574-633-4517 Sunday School - 9:00 a.m. Worship -10:00 a.m. Pastor: Kevin Skaggs MMMMMM Spiritual Paradise, CGMA 751 W. Market St., Nappanee Sunday School -10:00 a.m. Worship -11:00 a.m. Sunday Night - 6:00 p.m. Pastor: Rev. Steve Wilson MMMMMM Union Center Church of the Brethren 70535 County Rd. 11 773-4295 www.unloncenterchurch.org Sunday Worship - 9:00 a.m. Sunday School -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Frank Ramirez MMMMMM Union Grove BIC 69954 County Rd. 11 ' 574-773-GROVE (4768) Sunday Worship -10:30 a.m. Pastor: Darin Simms MMMMMM United Methodist Church 301 E. Market • 773-4183 Contemporary Worship - 8:00 am. Sunday School - 9:00 a.m. Traditional Worship -10:00 a.m. Pastor Jim Davidson MMMMMM

play a very important role in the life of the Jewish people. Martin spoke adoringly of visiting the tabernacle where it all happened. In order to reach this area Shiloh, in Samaria the travelers had to be taken by armored bus because of the hostilities in that region. MOUNT OF OLIVES Perhaps the most historically spiritually and emotionally significant part of Martin's journey came when she and her group visited the Mount of Olives. It is said to be where Jesus' ascended up into heaven. "And we went there on the actual day of ascension!" shared an emotional Chris Martin. "Not the day like we celebrate here in America but the real day Jesus ascended to heaven according to the Jewish calendar! It was really meaningful." SYNOGAUGE, HISTORIC PALACE Martin described traveling to Capernaum and visiting a synagogue of spiritual significance. In Biblical times Jesus visited the synagogue. Next to it stood a house Where Jesus is believed to have healed the disciple Peter's mother-in-law. The Nappanee native

WAKARUSA AREA CHURCHES Bethel Missionary Church 63473 C.R. 7-Goshen 862-2631 Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. Worship Service -10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Service - 6:00 p.m. Joel Gentz, Pastor MMMMMM Bible Baptist Church 205 E. Waterford St. • Wakarusa 862-2214 Sunday School - 9:00 a.m. Worship -10:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. David Harper, Pastor MMMMMM Holdeman Mennonite Church 65723 CR 1> 574-862-4751 Sunday Service - 9:30 a.m. Sunday School -10:45 a.m. MMMMMM St. John United Church of Christ 63900 SR 331, Woodland 574-633-4317 Worship - 9:00 a.m. JoAn Schaetzle, Pastor MMMMMM Wakarusa Missionary Church 202 W. Waterford St. • Wakarusa 862-2102 www.wakymc.org Worship - 9:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. MMMMMM Wakarusa United Methodist Church 309 S. Elkhart St. • Wakarusa 862-2863 Worship Service (Contemporary) - 8:45 a.m. Sunday School -10:00 a.m. Worship Service (Traditional) - 11:00 a.m. Rev. Ed Geleske, Pastor MMMMMM Yellow Creek Church of the Brethren 65575 County Rd. 11 • Goshen 862-2672 Morning Worship - 10:30 a.m. Sunday School - 9:30 a.m. MMMMMM

Advance News • Thursday, August 11, 2016

reports that today all that is left standing of that home is its foundation. The world-travelers also stopped in an area known as Masada. "It's not really a Biblical site," says Martin, "but it is an important one in the story of Israel. It was King Herod's summer palace." Herod the Great was the Roman declared King of the Jews. According to documented Christian teachings he is whom the travelers known as "The Three Wise Men" visited on their way to Jerusalem to find the baby called Jesus. When he heard the group of visitors claim the infant was to rule over the Jewish people, Herod the Great ordered all the infants in Jerusalem to be murdered. Due to the time required to organize and travel, his army was unaware that the infanticide occurred after parents Mary and Joseph had left Jerusalem with the baby. BACK HOME Chris Martin arrived back to her homeland, landing at the JFK Airport, during the early morning hours of June 7. Two months after her return home Martin still described being filled with joy and good memories of her time overseas. "I can describe the things we did on these trips (which she affectionately calls "My Big Adventure"), but there really aren't words to describe the spiritual and emotional experiences , and the things the Lord did on the INSIDE of me." One message from the experience has resonated in Chris Martin's mind and heart. Her tour guide felt that people are invited to that land (Israel) by God. He felt it was not each person's own decision to go but rather following where they are being led. "So I feel like it wasn't really me that made the decision to go there," said Martin. "It's like the man said, God invited me there because he wanted me to go." Organizers of her tour have scheduled the next trip to Israel in April 2018. That year marks the 70th anniversary of Israel becoming a nation. The tour group will visit Petra, in Jordan, and the Red Sea.

'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” ~Psalm 119:105

Tiible Trivia- - by Wilson Casey - 1. Is the book of 1 Chronicles in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. From Judges 11, what judge of Israel was a prostitute’s son? Hosea, Jephthah, Samson, Lot 3. In Ruth 1, who called herself Marah, a name meaning “bitter”? Priscilla, Miriam, Naomi, Deborah 4. Which was a city of Ephraim and home of the Ark of the Covenant? Ai, Sardis, Gaza, Shiloh 5. From 2 Timothy 1, who was Timothy’s devout _ grandmother? Dorcas, Lydia, Lois, Hannah 6. Ahasuerus was also § ■ ft known as? Noadiah, I Agrippa, Joash, Xe--111 “

Features Synd.. Inc. ANSWERS: 1) Old: 2) Jephthah: 3) Naomi. 4) Shiloh: 5) Lois: 6) Xerxes

» t"But seek first his kingdom I anJ his righteousness, and I all these things will he given to you as well." 4. -Matthew 6:33 ft

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RIETH, ROHRER. EHRET & LIENHART FUNERAL HOME Compassionate & Caring Support tor Your Loved One and Family 117 W. Waterford, Wakarusa 574-862-2235