Exciting News! Journey to Jerusalem was a huge success! This year, we hosted our first-ever interactive experience to celebrate Holy Week and point families toward Jesus’ sacrifice for us. And let us tell you, it was a blast! When we started planning, we weren’t sure how to pull it off. But with God’s provision, we had a team of amazing volunteers who came together and made this happen.
The night before the event, we had a team transform our dining hall into a Jerusalem marketplace. They used all sorts of random objects in the building, like clothes racks and hanging fabric to create tent-like booths for our activities. For the event, we had dozens of volunteers come and dress up in tunics and facilitate the event.
The experience was designed to take families through Bible times and Jesus’ final days on earth. Guests were placed in groups of ten and guided through the Jerusalem marketplace. They tasted artisan bread in the bakery, constructed a cross ornament in the carpentry shop, and learned about ancient dyeing techniques in the dye shop. They enjoyed a “buffet” of hummus, dates, grapes, and more at the Last Supper and explored traditional herbs and spices in Jesus’ time at the perfumery.
Next, guests ascended the stairs to the Coffee Hall where they learned about the Prayer Wall in Jerusalem and were invited to write their own prayers and stick them to the wall. Finally, they walked through the sanctuary, reflecting on Jesus’ journey to the cross. For example, they were invited to place a nail into a cross as a reminder of His sacrifice.
The experience was so encouraging, and we were honored to have over 160 guests join us. They were able to step back in time and truly think about Jesus’ life. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, and guests shared how emotionally moving the Passion experience was and how it helped them reflect on their own relationship with Christ.
We want to extend a huge thank you to all of our volunteers who made this experience possible. We couldn’t have done it without you, and we are so grateful for your hard work and dedication. Above all, we give thanks to God for His provision and for the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with our community.