Church plans Holy Land trip

CLEAR SPRING, Md. - St. Paul's Church is sponsoring a Thanksgiving 2008 trip to Israel. St. Paul's Church, founded in 1747, and the only remaining union church in Maryland, is located five miles west of Huyett's Crossroads on the National Pike.

The trip is being lead by the Rev. Dr. John A. Toms of State Line, Pa. and was inspired by the Exodus Adult Sunday School class' reading of the Old Testament and God's covenant with the Hebrews.

In addition to celebrating Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent with the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, the group will travel extensively throughout Israel. Sites to be visited include Mount Carmel, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan Valley, the Mount of Olives, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Masada, Qumran, the Dead Sea, the Old and New Cities of Jerusalem and the Wailing Wall.

The trip is scheduled Nov. 21 to Dec. 1 and the final cost will be set in February 2008 and is open to anyone.

All travel arrangements and logistics are being made by MTS Travel of Ephrata. Pastor Toms has led travel groups/tours to Germany and Mexico in the past, and is traveling to Israel in January 2008 to prepare to lead this tour.

For a more specific travel itinerary or to ask any questions, call Pastor Toms at (301)-842-3462 or email him at revdrtoms@embarqmail. com