Renewing vows at Cana
At the "Wedding church" in Kafr Kanna, in Galilee several couples on the 2018 pilgrimage to the Holy Land renewed their marriage vows. (See the gallery at right for more photos.)
 
The transformation of water into wine at the Wedding at Cana is the first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John. John 2:1-11
 
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar and Bishop LaTrelle Easterling offered this blessing to the couples:
 
O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriage
that in it is represented the covenant between Christ and his church.
Send therefore your blessing upon these couples
that they may surely keep their marriage covenant,
and, so, grow in love and godliness together
that their homes may be havens of blessing and peace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
The photos in the album at right also include images from the following:
 
Shepherds’ Fields
Here, the Gospel of Luke tells us, an angel announced the birth of Jesus. A Catholic chapel overlooks the fields.
 
The Church of the Nativity
The original church was commissioned in 327 by Constantine the Great and his mother, Helena, over the cave marking the birthplace of Jesus.
 
Caesarea
Built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE as the port city Caesarea Maritima, this site was an administrative center of Judaea Province of the Roman Empire.
 
Mount Carmel and Megiddo
The Book of Revelation references the final war at Armageddon, which is the Greek name of this site, derived from the Hebrew "Har Megiddo” or "Mount of Megiddo."
 
Bishop Devadhar encouraged pilgrims to view the site simultaneously with “eyes of faith and eyes of knowledge.”

Mount of the Beatitudes
After hearing the Sermon on the Mount read by pilgrims in different languages, Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar shared a reflection on Matthew 5-7 on the Mount of the Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
 

Holy Land Pilgrimage: The Beatitudes from New England Conference UMC on Vimeo.