Why organise a pilgrimage?
Everyone who travels to the Holy Land is moved by the experience. Indeed many ministers would maintain that their understanding of the Bible has been dramatically altered by their visit to ‘The Land’. This happens through visiting the ancient sites and also through meeting the indigenous Christians. In addition, living and travelling together on pilgrimage breaks down barriers and you will find your group getting to know each other better in ten days than after years together in the church.
Who are McCabe Pilgrimages ?
Alistair McCabe’s involvement in pilgrimage dates back to 1976 when, straight out of university, he was appointed assistant warden of the then “Scots Hospice” beside the Sea of Galilee: an opportune introduction to pilgrimage and pilgrim parties. This led to a spell in London managing the Holy Land department of Inter Church Travel working alongside the great pilgrimage innovator, Canon Arthur Payton. When Arthur retired in 1983 the time was right for McCabe Pilgrimages to come into existence. Ursula Macleod joined the company as its first employee. Alistair and Ursula were shortly joined by Rosemary Nutt and then by Andy Webster. Ursula is the first McCabe pensioner and Alistair, Rosemary and Andy are still the heart and soul of the company nearing its 25th anniversary. We believe our in-depth knowledge of the people and places in the Holy Land and of the needs of church leaders planning a pilgrimage is unrivalled.
Who represents McCabe in the Holy Land ?
McCabe are partnered in the Holy Land by the Albinas, a third generation Jerusalem Christian family. They are in daily contact with our pilgrim parties advising on day-to-day issues. You will travel in air-conditioned coaches provided by Nazareth Transport Company and you will be accompanied from arrival in the country to departure by one of our carefully selected guides who will look after all practical matters. Commentary is shared between guide and leader, balancing historical and spiritual aspects. One of the lasting memories after a McCabe pilgrimage is the warmth of the welcome received at our two favourite hotels......
What do people expect from a pilgrimage ?
Each participant will have expectations which need to be met, so do chat to your people well in advance to get a feel for what they expect from the experience. General expectations are to see the Holy Places, have devotions in situ, have a holiday, enjoy the sunshine … walk where Jesus walked. Pilgrims don’t want to be rushed and they do generally want time for shopping. Areas less thought about become real highlights. Sunday morning worship with the local congregation at St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland or St. George’s Anglican cathedral. A visit to the Boys and Girls homes in Bethany or the Blind school in Bethlehem. Encounters with the “living Stones” of the land are often cited by participants as the highlight of the pilgrimage.
How do you arrange the worship aspect of a pilgrimage ?
Worship is at the heart of the pilgrimage experience. Most parties plan a Eucharist in the Jerusalem area and one by the Sea of Galilee. Some parties like to have a daily Eucharist. McCabe will make reservations in advance. Favourite places to celebrate include Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives, the Shepherds Fields in Bethlehem and the Garden Tomb. In the Galilee we have access to a wonderfully situated alter on the lakeside at Tabgha or you may prefer a garden setting on the Mount of Beatitudes high above the lake. In addition, you should plan a programme of informal reading, meditation and prayer, perhaps asking group members if they would like to participate. We will provide you with an excellent worship planning book and also hymn books if you require them. McCabe is an ecumenical organisation and we try to be sensitive to the worship needs of each individual party.
What is a typical pilgrimage group size ?
An average group size is usually 20 -35 in number and the minimum number required to travel on an independent McCabe pilgrimage is 16. Coaches can comfortably seat fifty and we do arrange multi-coach pilgrimages. We were privileged to co-ordinate a BBC “Songs of Praise” pilgrimage comprising 150 singers travelling in three coaches. Durham Diocese in 2000 conducted a pilgrimage with McCabe with four coaches travelling together. These large pilgrimages are great experiences and we carefully stagger the programme so that everybody does not visit the same site together but so that the whole group do all come together for key times of worship and fellowship.
What is the best time of year to travel ?
We recommend the spring months of February through June and the autumn months of September through November. Early February and late November give a saving of £50 on an average pilgrimage price. Expect to pay a supplement of about £100 to travel during any of the school holidays because of the increased cost of the airfare. The summer months of July and August are generally regarded as too hot for pilgrimage.
What standards of accommodation can we expect ?
A McCabe pilgrimage is not a budget holiday and we maintain very high standards of coaching and hotel accommodation.
What about lunches and entrance fees ?
All entrance fees are included. We also recommend including lunches in your pilgrimage itinerary. Lunches then become a real feature of the pilgrimage and a time to relax and use the facilities before the afternoon programme. We arrange lunches at a wide variety of restaurants ideally suited to your daily programme. Examples include a convent on the Mount of Beatitudes, a kibbutz beside the Mediterranean and a Christian Guest House in Nazareth.. We are happy to leave lunches out which reduces the price by about £7 per lunch but we think this is a false economy as people still have to find lunch which often becomes a hassle and a negative experience.