Going On Faith Summer 2022

ON T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R FAITH-BASED TRAVEL PLANNERS VOL. 25 - NO. 2

A

JOURNEY

SUMMER 2022

TO

J O R DA N MUSICAL TENNESSEE TRANSPORTATION

M U SEUM S RAMBLING ON THE

RIVER

#MeetInChandll Located 20 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Award-winning hotels at a variety of price points to fit your budget Near-perfect weather with 300+ sunny days for outdoor activities and exploration An innovative community that meets the needs of today’s business traveler The team at Visit Chandler is ready to assist you through the entire process and help you plan your best meeting in Chandler, AZ.

chandlermeetings.com (480) 782-3037

Main Street USA display at the Billy Graham Library

REOPENING SOON

Experience it for yourself.

Bring your friends and family to see a powerful story of hope unfold at the Billy Graham Library. You’ll see exciting changes including multimedia enhancements, updated exhibits, and new technology. Come discover how God used a dairy farmer’s son to tell the world about His love—and see for yourself how this never-changing message changes everything.

FR EE A DM ISSION ©2022 BGEA

Mon.–Sat., 9:30–5:00

A MINISTRY OF BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION

|

BillyGrahamLibrary.org

|

704.401.3200

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4330 Westmont Drive, Charlotte, NC

GOF

THE MAGAZINE F O R FA I T H - B A S E D T R AV E L

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SUMMER 2022

24 22

OnSite in Jordan

High-Octane Fun

Tag along on our FAM tour of this spectacular faith destination.

Excitement awaits around every corner in Charlotte.

31

Touring Tennessee Rolling on the River Discover the sights and sounds of the Volunteer State.

These river cruises offer memorable sightseeing experiences for groups.

DEPARTMENTS Columns 6 EDITOR’S NOTES: ‘Gather and Go’ with us ON THE COVER: Travelers enjoy floating in the Dead Sea during a faith-filled trip to Jordan.

Photo courtesy JTBNA

News

Spotlights

8 CONFERENCE:

12 PROFILE:

Panama City Beach readies for Going On Faith Conference

Mike Gwinn

34 RETREAT: Little Portion Hermitage Monastery

.

Mac T. Lacy Founder and Publisher

4

Rena Baer Copy Editor

Charles A. Presley Partner

Donia Simmons Creative Director

Brian Jewell VP & Executive Editor

Ashley Ricks Graphic Design/Circulation

Herb Sparrow Senior Writer

Sarah Sechrist Controller and Office Manager

Kelly Tyner VP, Sales and Marketing

888.253.0455

Kyle Anderson Director of Advertising Sales

Going On Faith is published quarterly by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for churches, synagogues and religious organizations. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants, and other travel-related companies, may subscribe to Going On Faith by sending a check for $39 for one year to: Going On Faith, Circulation Department, 301 East High Street, Lexington, KY 40507. Phone: (859) 253-0455 or (859) 2530503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in a ny manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

kelly@grouptravelleader.com

GOINGONFAITH.COM

CE LEBRATING

25Years

OF FAITH-BASED TRAVEL EXCELLENCE

G

oing On Faith is celebrating its 25th year as the industry’s leading magazine for faith-based travel groups.

Since 1997, we’ve highlighted the multi-billion dollar faith-based travel industry in America and across the globe.

From personal accounts of writers on trips to the Holy Land, Egypt, Italy and other global destinations, to comprehensive coverage of many sacred sites across the United States, Going On Faith leads the way in faith-based travel reporting.

Contact Kelly or Kyle today about advertising your destination to thousands of churches and groups that journey to these special places.

GTL-ADVERTISING.COM

VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING KELLY TYNER kelly@grouptravelleader.com

Established 1997

859.334.1708

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES KYLE ANDERSON kyle@grouptravelleader.com

859.334.1718

WORK SMARTER WITH

EDITOR’S

NOTES BRIAN JEWELL

‘GATHER AND GO’

I

have some friends I want you to meet.

In nearly two decades working in travel journalism, I’ve been privileged to visit hundreds of incredible places around the world. But even more fascinating than the places I have traveled are the people I have met along the way.

The tourism community is full of fun, outgoing and passionate professionals.

Many of them are also smart, creative and eager to share their insights.

Some of the people I meet eventually appear in the pages of this magazine. Our team often taps their expertise for articles we publish on a variety of topics. Interviewing them can be both fun and frustrating: I love sharing their knowledge and perspective with you, but I’m always disappointed that space constraints on the printed page force me to leave out so much of what they have to say.

That’s all about to change.

I’m excited to tell you about the debut of “Gather and Go,” a new podcast from our team that’s dedicated to helping you plan, promote and lead better trips.

Each episode of the podcast will feature a conversation with one of the many

creative, innovative and engaging friends I’ve met in the tourism community. In our first episode, I talk with Terry Dale of the United States Tour Operators Association about traveling during difficult times. You’ll also hear conversations with leaders such as Jaclyn Leibl-Cote of Collette, Erik Wolf of the World Food Travel Association, Patrick Smith of Ask the Pilot and many more.

Regardless of what role you play in the travel industry, this is a podcast you won’t want to miss. We’re going to talk about the expanding role of cultural experiences in tourism, building resilient travel brands, leveraging technology to reach new markets and other ideas that will help you design better travel experiences and increase your impact in your community.

In addition to these featured conversations, you’ll also get travel news you may have missed, as well as travel tips from our team and updates on events, FAM tours and other special projects we’re working on. And you’ll want to stay tuned to the end of each episode for “The Hot Minute,” where I’ll give you my unfiltered take on issues impacting tourism every day.

If you’re already a fan of podcasts, you can find “Gather and Go” wherever you listen to your favorite shows. If you’ve never downloaded a podcast before, don’t worry — you can hear every episode online at grouptravelleader.com/podcast.

The first several episodes are available now. Join us for “Gather and Go,” and let’s take your travel organization to the next level.

BRIAN JEWELL [ EDITOR ] brianj@grouptravelleader.com

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

CUSTOM CONTENT

Plimoth Patuxet Museums build awareness of the Pilgrims’ religious diversity

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

W

hether they were praying over a dinner of wild turkey or worshiping in close quarters aboard Mayflower, the Pilgrims were not of one mind when it came to spiritual matters.

A Lively Blend of History The story of Plymouth Colony’s varied religious traditions is told with vigor by Plimoth Patuxet Museums’ four living history sites — the Mayflower II, Historic Patuxet Homesite, 17th-Century English Village and Plimoth Grist Mill as well as gallery exhibits, and the introductory film Along the Shores of Change.

A lively blend of re-created environments, museum theater programs, demonstrations, and hands-on activities bring to life the 17th-century world of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, the Native people of south coast Massachusetts.

These thought- and soul-stirring experiences work in partnership to create awareness of the Pilgrims’ diverse religious beliefs and share insights on Native spirituality too.

“We help guests understand that Plymouth Colony was a place motivated by religious devotion and the search for a better life, where the colonists could worship safely and not live in poverty as immigrants in Holland,” said Richard Pickering, Deputy Executive Director. “By representing the

Pilgrims’ faith experience and Native spirituality respectfully and accurately, we reveal the deep dimensions at the heart of America’s founding story.”

Although self-guided tours are offered, a tour led by a Museum Guide will likely be more meaningful, especially for church groups, as the guide can focus on a group’s particular interest.

As guests explore the 17th-Century English Village, they talk to Museum Guides in modern dress or costumed historical performers who pause from chores to answer questions. Or invite them to help with chores! Each performer portrays an actual Plymouth colonist. They never step out of character as they discuss their 17th-century life, including personal religious beliefs. Through these conversations, guests grasp not only “the broad swath (of beliefs) that is represented,” Pickering said, but that the Biblical interpretation and worship practices of 17th-century English Calvinists don’t always match the beliefs and customs of today. At the Historic Patuxet Homesite guests learn about Wampanoag lifeways and their connection to the natural world.

Experience Pilgrim Life Aboard Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to New England in 1620, guests can imagine how it felt to be one of the 102 passengers or three-dozen crew members, representing a broad range of English Protestant experience, who lived and worshiped on a very small ship.

Authentic 17th-century dinners for groups feed the soul as well as the stomach. As guests dine on turkey with onion or sunflower gravies — “The Pilgrims liked their sauces and gravies,” Pickering says — a historian talks about the dishes being served and about Pilgrim customs like saying a prayer before and after the “meat” — the Pilgrim term for a meal.

Historians can lead diners in traditional Pilgrim prayers and answer their faith questions.

One insight Pickering hopes guests glean from their time at Plimoth Patuxet Museums is that shared experience can bring those of different beliefs together. “It was the common suffering of the First Winter that bound the Pilgrims together in a way that is almost indescribable, surpassing religious differences,” said Pickering. “It teaches us that getting along takes work. People so different in how they perceived the world stood side by side. It is an extraordinary story; one we all need.”

Plimoth Patuxet is open from early April through the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

plimoth.org

508-503-2653 FOR MORE INFORMATION: 508-503-2653 GROUPSALES@PLIMOTH.ORG PLIMOTH.ORG

PANAMA CITY BEACH PREPARES TO WELCOME

GOING ON FAITH CONFERENCE GOING ON FAITH

CONFERENCE PREVIEW

All photos courtesy Holmes Co. COCTB

Going On Faith Conference attendees will get to experience the emerald waters and sugar-white sands of Panama City Beach.

T

BY DA N DICKSON

he annual Going on Faith Conference represents an association of 3,000-plus religious group travel planners who, on average, travel on group tours twice as often as the population in general. And one of the best ways for these planners to connect is at the conference, scheduled this year for September 13–15 at the Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf and Spa Resort on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Panama City Beach is home to only 13,000 residents, and while located

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

on the beautiful white sand beaches of the gulf, it is less mobbed and more affordable without any dropoff in quality.

“We like to promote ourselves as an alternative beach experience,” said Renee Wuerdeman, vice president of sales for Visit Panama City Beach, the area’s convention and visitors bureau. “Many people are learning we can host more complex events aside from family gatherings. Planners are often pleasantly surprised at the value we offer for group

travel and meetings and conferences.”

The Going on Faith Conference will welcome faith-based group travel planners from across the country who have bravely weathered the pandemic and who are anxious to get back out with their groups. They are important because they are helping to reopen the group travel industry in their regions of the country. At the conference, they will be joined by a large contingent of destination providers who represent states, cities, accommoda-

All photos courtesy Visit Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach’s Pier Park by starlight (left) and sunlight (right).

tions, tourist sites and historic stops. Both sides want to stay up to date on all that is happening in the faith-based travel industry.

The main idea is for the two groups to interact as much as possible in the two marketplace sessions, during information-packed mealtimes, on sightseeing tours of the Panama City Beach area and during the conference’s off-hours. Planners are looking for new places to take their groups, and destination providers are pitching their sites as the best options

“WE ARE A METHODIST-BASED FACILITY, AND I AM LOOKING FOR GOOD, ‘CLEAN’ TRIPS. NO CASINOS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE USUALLY DO 11 TRIPS A YEAR, OFTEN ON MOTORCOACHES.” — SUE SOWDERS, GLENBURN TRAVELERS

to consider. It is travel networking and travel business give-and-take at their best.

THE MARKETPLACE

Travel planners will occupy dozens of tables in the Sheraton’s ballroom and will host up to 50 sixminute meet-and-greet sessions with members of the travel industry. Though short, these meetings are a great starting point for the two sides to start or

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ]

9

continue a relationship and to see if they can do business together. After all, the travel industry is built on relationships.

Sue Sowders of Glenburn Travelers in Linton, Indiana, has attended past Going on Faith conferences and is a typical example of a planner searching for fresh travel ideas.

“We are a Methodist-based facility, and I am looking for good, ‘clean’ trips.

No casinos or anything like that,” she said. “We do some religious sites. We visited the Ark Encounter in Kentucky right before COVID-19 hit. We usually do 11 trips a year, often on motorcoaches.”

MEALTIMES SHINE Pelican’s restaurant at the Panama City Beach Sheraton

Leisure boating in Panama City Beach

The six scheduled meals at the conference are not just an opportunity for delegates to have a bite to eat but are also great networking opportunities. A travel buyer and a travel seller may sit down together at the same table and find they have things in common and may want to do some business together.

Strangers become business associates and friends.

For the conference in Panama City Beach, the opening night’s dinner is always a welcome treat.

“We want to do an outdoor open reception on the Sheraton’s back patio with great food stations featuring tropical salads and others with meat and seafood and still others with desserts,” said the CVB’s Wuerdeman. “One will be a place where they will shuck your oysters right in front of you. We will watch the sunset near the water, see the boats coming in and out, and enjoy beer and wine, and live music. We will make it a real Florida experience for everybody.”

Plans are still being made for the second night’s dinner, which will also be

Tessa Myers, CMP - Convention Sales Manager 409.880.3170 | Tessa.Myers@beaumonttexas.gov

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

held on Sheraton’s property but in a different setting, perhaps on the beach for a luau or maybe on a boat with a meal onboard.

Breakfasts and lunches are another great networking opportunity for delegates who will hear many speakers tout their travel companies and destinations from the conference podium.

GO SIGHTSEEING

The conference organizers and Visit Panama City Beach are still working on exact sightseeing tours but have decided on at least two themes: shopping and the beach.

Shoppers might enjoy a tour called Décor on Shore.

People can choose to board a motorcoach and be driven to an area where there are about 25 unique “beachy” businesses, from consignment shops to highend boutiques. This group of people will be handed a “passport” that they can have stamped at each location they visit. The last stop will be the visitors center, where they will trade their passport for a piece of swag.

Another option is a boat trip to popular Shell Island, which is a barrier island with a seven-mile stretch of undeveloped land. It is pressed between the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay. People will get off the boat and spend an hour or so seeing the sights.

With so much to see and do, Visit Panama City Beach says it can easily create customized activities for any type of group that comes to town.

FINAL NOTE

The CVB’s Wuerdeman has one wish for the visiting travel planners.

“We hope that the planners who come to Going on Faith will be impressed by what we have to offer and then bring some of their conferences here to the beach,” she said. “We have new hotels opening, one being an Embassy Suites with a beautiful new design and conference space, and it is located right across the street from the beach.”

There are also several large retreat centers in the area with complete facilities that can manage 800 to 1,000 attendees, whether they be groups of women, men or young people or a mixture.

Shopping at Pier Park

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 11

FACES

of FAITH

‘The Art of Helping’

TRAVEL

BY A SHLE Y R ICKS

MIKE GWINN PIGEON FORGE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

BY R E B E CCA T R E O N

M

COMPANY: Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

— Phillipian 1:6

ike Gwinn has helped countless people navigate the ins and outs of the region around Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, over the years.

He’s been in the area working in tourism since 1995 but has had a lifetime of involvement in church ministry. He sees a service connection between spiritual leadership and the art of hospitality: Listening, giving, helping and problem solving are key skillsets in both. Gwinn finds a natural correlation between serving people in hospitality and in ministry.

“I could call it ministry or I could call it customer service,” he said. “It’s the art of helping and listening and finding solutions wherever there are issues. One of the first things I learned when I came here to Pigeon Forge was how to prepare for groups, and it was an extension of ministry to me to be able to achieve whatever they needed.”

Now senior sales manager at the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, Gwinn holds a B.A. in religious studies from Gardner-Webb College in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. He worked in church ministry for most of his adult life in both fulltime and part-time capacities. His background in ministry — giving time to help

HOMETOWN: Spartanburg, South Carolina

TRAVEL TIPS

FAVORITE DESTINATION: “I love the Grand Canyon, especially the South Rim — I love the lay of the land and I love the views. We stayed at El Tovar, and when you look out the window, there’s the Grand Canyon!”

HOBBIES: Gwinn leads worship at church, loves to take annual road trips with his wife and plays several instruments. He especially loves bluegrass and mountain music. He has been known to board motorcoaches of groups visiting Pigeon Forge dressed in historic Appalachian clothing and perform a few tunes.

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

TIP 1 Be flexible. As much as we would like for everything to go as planned, it often does not. Patience over frustration will help both sides.

TIP 2 Enjoy the journey as much as you do the destination. Many times, the most precious memories are the ones made along the way.

TIP 3 Maintain an attitude of gratitude.

Every moment is better when infused with a sense of thanksgiving.

groups of people — prepared him well for a career helping people while they’re traveling.

“My degree is in the service industry, but instead of being in hospitality, a degree in religious studies gave me a foundation to being helpful to groups of people,” Gwinn said. “It gave me a foundation of who I am, what I believe, what my passions are, what my convictions are and what I stand for.”

He says that while he thinks those most in need of spiritual help may seek it in a church, he has found that people traveling are also in need and seeking help — even if it means making a personal connection with someone like himself and having a conversation.

“I’m a giver and have a heart to serve, which really helped me to get a grasp and understanding of what it meant to give someone a good experience,” says Gwinn. “I’ve been in ministry my whole life. That really aligns well with hospitality. I really enjoy people who acknowledge you and who are available to help, and I’ve developed an intolerance for poor customer service.”

Gwinn, along with his wife, Kathy, is also an avid traveler.

They take a two-week road trip each year to a different destination, whether that’s Alaska (where he had to hide in an outhouse to escape a moose), Cape Cod or Vancouver, where they’re on the receiving end of the hospitality Gwinn practices the rest of the

year. Those experiences, both good and bad, have helped him identify how he can better serve visitors in his day-to-day experiences at work.

He cites one memorable experience where a restaurant server said, “Yes, I would be delighted to make that happen for you,” which for Gwinn encapsulated everything the hospitality industry is all about.

“We don’t ever say, ‘that’s not my job,’” he said. “We say, ‘If I don’t know the answer to that, I will find the answer. And if I have the ability to make that happen for you, I will.’”

Gwinn has never been happier with his career than in joining the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism and being able to represent the region he’s lived in for nearly 30 years. He encourages those who might be interested in working in tourism to go for it, especially if they like to be around people and have a natural affinity for hospitality. Best of all, he says, are the people you meet and form bonds with.

“I’d tell people to do it in a heartbeat, because you’re going to develop so many wonderful relationships,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a one-time hit that touches people forever, and other times it will be people who become lifelong friends. This is a wonderful industry to be a part of. If you love being around people, it’s the best thing to do.”

Mike Gwinn enjoys traveling for both work and leisure, visiting sites such as the Grand Canyon and Quebec City, as well as attending the American Bus Association Marketplace.

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 13

JORDAN

FAM

A group of Going On Faith travel planners and their pastors stopped for a photo at Mt. Nebo, where Moses is believed to have overlooked the promised land, during a familiarization in Jordan.

Enjoying the Monastery after a Petra hike

Photos by Kyle Anderson unless otherwise noted.

“Jordan is the land that is the voice of God crying out in the desert. Throughout the Old and New Testament, God’s voice continues to echo and re-echo in and through the people.”

— TRUC NGUYEN CATHEDRAL CHAPEL OF ST. VIBIANA

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A photo stop at the Treasury in Petra

By Zina Ammari

ONSITE IN JORDAN TR AV E LI N G TO JO R DAN CAN B E A TR ANS FO R MATIV E FAITH E XPE R I E N CE .

By Zina Ammari

THAT’S WHAT SEVEN GOING ON FAITH

travel planner readers and pastors discovered this spring on a familiarization tour of the country.

Hosted by the Jordan Tourism Board and faith-based tourism manager Zina Ammari, the tour showcased the many biblical sites that make Jordan an ideal destination for church groups.

Over the course of the nine-day tour, the group marveled at spiritual sites such as Bethany Beyond the Jordan and Mount Nebo, as well as significant historical and archeological sites such as Petra and Jerash. They also experienced the incomparable natural beauty of Wadi Rum and had numerous opportunities for meaningful cultural interactions with the Jordanian people.

Here’s an overview of the trip’s itinerary and highlights, which you can use to plan a Jordan journey for your church group.

Enjoying Umm Qais

Sunset at Wadi Rum

Overlooking the Dead Sea

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 15

By Carlos Zucher

Da y 1 Dinner at Blue Fig in Amman

By Zina Ammari

A Jordanian lunch

Da y 2 • AMMAN CITADEL • JORDAN MUSEUM • ROMAN THEATER

Coffee at Sufra Restaurant

Ruins at the Citadel in Amman

A historic church at the Citadel

Jordan Museum

On the first day in Jordan, the group arrived in Amman via an overnight flight from New York on Royal Jordanian Airlines. They were then transferred to the beautiful Marriott Amman City Center, where they enjoyed a welcome dinner and an opportunity to catch up on their sleep before embarking on a busy itinerary the next day.

The top of the Citadel

After a good night’s sleep, the group had breakfast at the Marriott, then set out to explore sites around Amman, a city of 4 million that is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world.

They began at the Citadel, a historic site in the city center dating back to the Byzantine period. There they saw ruins suggesting civilizations living on the site more than 3,000 years ago.

Next, the group visited the Jordan Museum. Opened in 2014, this museum is the largest in Jordan and features an impressive collection of archeological finds from around the country. The group saw artwork dating back thousands of years, as well as fragments of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls.

The city tour finished at Amman’s Roman Theater. On a hill opposite the Citadel, this 6,000-seat amphitheater was constructed

by Romans in the second century A.D., during a period of Roman occupation when the city was known by the name Philadelphia.

After the tour, the group enjoyed some free time back at the Marriott before enjoying dinner at the locally popular Blue Fig restaurant.

Da y 3 • UMM QAIS • BEIT AL BARAKA • PELLA

A mosaic at the Jordan Museum

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

The next morning began with another deluxe buffet breakfast at the Marriott. From there, the group departed for the short journey to Umm Qais, a spectacular biblical and archeological destination.

Referred to in the New Testament as Gadara, Umm Qais was

one of the cities of the Decapolis, and the group spent time exploring extensive ruins from both the Roman and Ottoman periods. The site is perched high on a hill overlooking Lake Tiberias. It was here where, according to the New Testament, Jesus drove demons out of a possessed man and into a herd of pigs, which then plunged down the hill and into the lake.

After touring Umm Qais, the group stopped at Beit al Baraka, a bed and breakfast and cultural center that provides employment opportunities for Jordanian women and cultural exchange opportunities for travelers. The group enjoyed lunch prepared by the women there, as well as an experience weaving bookmarks and baskets using traditional materials and methods.

After lunch, the group visited Pella, where a massive Bronze Age and Iron Age temple from the Old Testament was recently discovered, suggesting that modern Pella is the site of ancient biblical city Penuel.

Amman’s Roman Theater

Trying a Bedouin headscarf

Da y 4 • JERASH • BEIT KHAYRAT SOUF • IRAQ AL AMIR After spending another night at the Marriott City Center in Amman, the group departed the next morning for Jerash, a city known as the “Pompeii of the Middle East” for its well preserved Roman ruins, then enjoyed some meaningful travel experiences with stops in local communities.

The ruins at Jerash give travelers a remarkable look at life in the Roman empire of the second century. The group walked the streets of this historic city, stopped for photos at Hadrian’s Arch, ascended the hotel to the Temple of Diana and marveled at the 3,000-seat amphitheater, which is still remarkably intact almost 1,800 years after it was built.

On the way back to Amman, the group stopped to visit two significant community organizations. The first was Beit Khayrat Souf, a nonprofit organization supported by Tourism Cares and UNICEF that empowers local women. The home at the site was built in 1881 and now serves as a restaurant, at which the group enjoyed a wonderful homemade lunch on an outdoor terrace surrounded by trees and flowering plants. The second was Iraq al Amir, a cooperative where locals taught the visitors to make ceramics by hand.

“Wadi Rum was my favorite. I loved the jeep ride that showcased the mesmerizing topography of the desert. I also enjoyed the glamping and waking up to a beautiful sunrise.”

— GIGI INIGO STYLE YOUR TRIP

Weaving with a Jordanian woman

Touring Umm Qais

Umm Qais artifacts

On stage in the Umm Qais amphitheater

Ruins of Pella

A Pella colonnade

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 17

Iraq al Amir ceramics

Da y 5

A ceramics lesson at Iraq al Amir

By Zina Ammari

• BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN • TEL MAR ELIAS • PANORAMA RESTAURANT AT THE DEAD SEA

Arch of Hadrian in Jerash

After three nights, the FAM group left Amman and began making their way south. During the journey, they stopped at two of the country’s most significant biblical sites — Bethany Beyond the Jordan and Tel Mar Elias — and enjoyed lunch with a panoramic view of the Dead Sea. For many people, Bethany Beyond the Jordan is the spiritual highlight of a Jordan journey. On the banks of the Jordan River, this site preserves the cave where John the Baptist is believed to have lived, as well as the place where biblical and archaeological evidence suggests Jesus was baptized. The group got a guided tour of the site, and several members chose to wade into the river for their own baptism experience.

Another important site the group visited in the area is Tel Mar Elias, or the Hill of Elijah, which commemorates the life of the Old Testament prophet who spent much of his time in what is now Jordan.

From the hill, visitors can see the area where Elijah was born. Tradition holds that the hill is also the site where Elijah was taken up into heaven after crossing the Jordan River.

Joining the dance in Jerash A Jordan River baptism A Dead Sea view from Panorama Restaurant

A Jerash musical performance

Traditional food at Beit Khayrat Souf

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

Lunch on the terrace at Beit Khayrat Souf

Archeological evidence at Bethany Beyond the Jordan

Posing in Petra

Da y 6 • PETRA • WADI RUM • SUNCITY CAMP After spending the night at Movenpick Petra, the group spent the next day at two of Jordan’s most beloved sites: Petra and Wadi Rum. The most visited site in the country, Petra is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This city was carved into rose-red cliffs by the Nabatean people who lived there from the eighth century B.C. through the eighth century A.D. The group spent the majority of the day exploring the site. They stopped for photos at the iconic Treasury, made famous by “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” and hiked to the Monastery for breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

After leaving Petra, the group continued to Wadi Rum, a haunting desert famous for its towering rock formations and red sands. The group explored the area on a sunset jeep tour and took camel rides for a more authentic experience.

The group ended the day at Sun City Camp, a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, where they enjoyed traditional Bedouin fare cooked underground and an overnight in “glamping” accommodations.

Da y 7

Resting on the heights in Petra

• LAWRENCE OF ARABIA TRAIN • DEAD SEA After a night camping in Wadi Rum, the group began journeying back north from the desert toward the Dead Sea. Along the way, they stopped to see the Hejaz Railway Train, made famous by the movie “Lawrence of Arabia.”

The trip brought them to the Dead Sea, one of the ecological wonders of the Middle East, where they checked into the Dead Sea Marriott Resort. They had the afternoon to enjoy this beautiful property and spend time on their own. Many group members chose to bathe in the Dead Sea, where the ultra-high salt content creates buoyancy that makes people float. Some also enjoyed coating themselves in the Dead Sea mineral mud, which is treasured for its restorative properties, or taking advantage of the pool and amenities at the resort.

A Wadi Rum camel adventure

By Zina Ammari

Exploring Wadi Rum

A Wadi Rum sunset going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 19

Salt formations at the Dead Sea

The iconic sculpture atop Mt. Nebo

Relaxing at the Dead Sea Marriott

By Truc Nguyen

Courtesy JTBNA

Madaba mosaics

“The Jordanian people are friendly, kind and gracious, always willing to help and always willing to talk. Jordan will be a part of my Holy Land pilgrimages from now on.”

— DAVID JOHNSTON MT. BETHEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Making friends in Madaba

By Miqueias Gomes

Da y 8 • MOUNT NEBO • MADABA

Floating in the Dead Sea

By Truc Nguyen

WITH THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

WITH THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER

JORDAN TOURISM BOARD NORTH AMERICA ZINA AMMARI 703-243-7404 ZINA@VISITJORDAN.COM

HOLYJORDAN.COM

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

The group spent this day discovering two more significant faith sites in Jordan: Mount Nebo and Madaba.

Visited by three popes, Mount Nebo is the site where, according to the Old Testament, Moses overlooked the Promised Land at the end of his life. Later, God buried him somewhere in the valley below.

The site is marked by a giant sculpture reminiscent of both Moses’ staff with a snake and a man on a cross.

Next, the group visited Madaba, the “City of Mosaics.” The Greek Orthodox Church of St. George there preserves the Madaba Map, the world’s oldest surviving mosaic map of the Holy Land.

After that visit, the group returned to the Dead Sea Marriott for some final relaxation and a farewell dinner.

Da y 9 On their final day in Jordan, the group said goodbye to the Dead Sea and made their way back to Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport to board daytime flights back to the U.S. They departed with fond memories of the sights, sounds and faces of Jordan, eager to begin making plans to return with their church groups.

TRAVEL

SNAP SHOT

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

BY KEVIN OSBOU RN

T

Top: Travelers can take in the Charlotte skyline from First Ward Park.

Bottom: A visitor experience at the Billy Graham Library

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ravel to Charlotte, North Carolina, has already rebounded to its pre-pandemic levels. Perhaps that’s because the city offers spiritual inspiration and an ideal place for entertainment and fun.

Named after the wife of King George III, Charlotte has grown into a major financial hub with a rich mix of cultures. Its downtown is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and residents and guests alike enjoy the city’s great weather and food.

Because the metro area contains one of America’s highest concentrations of places to worship, Charlotte is called the City of Churches. It is the birthplace of Billy Graham, America’s most famous evangelist, and home to the one of the city’s most popular destinations, the Billy Graham Library.

The vibrant city center, called Uptown, serves as a major financial hub with skyscrapers and skywalks and a newly expanded convention center. Uptown also offers guest attractions like the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Levine Center for the Arts, performances at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, the Market at 7th Street, and art at the Mint Museum Uptown.

Visitors can also take in professional sports, an abundant nightlife and a plentiful array of restaurants to choose from.

All photos courtesy CRVA

Just miles from downtown, the Bojangles Entertainment Complex — called BOplex — holds two venues: Ovens Auditorium, one of the world’s top-ranked stages for annual theater ticket sales, and Bojangles Coliseum, home of Charlotte Checkers ice hockey.

Just southwest of Charlotte on the South Carolina border is Carowinds amusement park, where millions go each year to ride 14 roller coasters and enjoy other fun attractions.

For educational fun, families visit Discovery Place, which has interactive exhibits teaching physics, earth science and other subjects.

The restaurant scene includes Optimist Hall, which includes a collection of eateries, offices and stores located in a former textile mill. And Camp North End has been transformed from a manufacturing plant into a marketplace of restaurants, art studios and stores.

For brews and live music, the South End Brewery District features establishments with cool names like Wooden Robot Brewery and Trolly Barn Fermentory.

“There are 50 new restaurants since 2020 and several new hotels,” said Lauren Hawk, public relations manager for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “We picked up where we left off before the pandemic with all the pent-up demand.”

Bank of America Stadium

HIGH-OCTANE FUN With many of racing’s famous drivers hailing from the city, Charlotte became the logical place to locate the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which will display Bubba Wallace’s famous No. 23 Toyota Camry until August 1. For the real experience, go northeast of the city to the Charlotte Motor Speedway to watch a race or take a tour. The Carolina Panthers play football at Bank of America Stadium; the Charlotte Hornets play basketball at the Spectrum Center; and Truist Field is the home of Charlotte Knights baseball. This year marks the inaugural season of the Charlotte FC soccer team.

ART AND MUSIC Named after the city’s first African American mayor, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture celebrates the art and culture of Black Americans and those of African descent. On North Davidson Street, visitors flock to the NoDa Arts District with its colorful murals and art galleries. One of the wonders of the city is the giant mirrored bust of stainlesssteel plates called Metalmorphosis, a rotating sculpture housed in the Whitehall Technology Park. Music fans can book a show at the AvidXchange Music Factory, a complex of music and comedy venues.

GREAT OUTDOORS Just 30 minutes from Uptown, an oasis of gardens awaits visitors at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, while one of the state’s most popular outdoor sites, Lake Norman, is north of town. On the Catawba River, the U.S. National Whitewater Center has bike trails and class II-IV rapids, along with paddleboarding and climbing. Walkers and runners enjoy the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, which extends four miles and connects the Metropolitan shopping area to attractions like the 98-acre Freedom Park, centered on a seven-acre lake and just three miles downtown.

A Charlotte mural

Outdoor dining at Optimist Hall

MALLS AND SHOPS From Sleepy Poet Antiques to the Northlake Mall, Charlotte offers everything from budget shopping to high-end finds. The Atherton Mill and Market is a former streetcar station in Charlotte, while Sleepy Poet is a retailer with “no rhyme or reason, just cool stuff.” SouthPark is an upscale mall with stores such as Dillard’s, Belk, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s. For a taste of home-grown produce, check out the Market at 7th Street, which offers food, wines, flowers, sweets, pizza and great java at Not Just Coffee.

Lake Norman

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A

STATE

1

OF FAITH

M EM P HIS

SOUNDING OFF IN

TENNESSEE

By Sean Fisher, courtesy Memphis Travel

D I S C OV E R M US IC A N D MORE ON A TOUR OF THE VOLUNTEER STAT E

Tennessee experiences, clockwise from top: Arriving at Elvis Presley’s Graceland; a family adventure in Memphis; exploring Franklin’s Carnton Plantation

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ] Courtesy Battle of Franklin Trust

By The Traveling Child, courtesy Memphis Travel

NASHVILLE

2

CLI N TON

3

F R ANKLIN

TENNESSEE

5

4 K N OX V I LLE

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I

BY K ATI HYER

t’s time to rock to the sights and sounds of the Volunteer State, where music is essential and history is everywhere.

Experiences in Tennessee provide guests a toe-tapping good time, especially on an itinerary that winds its way across the state, making stops at some of its most hallowed locales.

This itinerary offers exciting diversions in five dynamic towns, with music, history, sports and outdoor slices of Americana sprinkled throughout. It begins in Memphis, an easy point of entry via airport or interstate. Then it goes east, hitting Franklin, Nashville and Knoxville. It ends in Clinton, where groups can head on to other stops south or return to Knoxville to fly home.

This itinerary is easily doable as a four-day trip, but with so much to do and see, your travelers may want to stay for a week.

MEMPHIS HIGHLIGHT | HOME OF THE KING For the only state with 10 official state songs, a jaunt through Tennessee should begin at the birthplace of the blues, soul, and rock ’n’ roll: Memphis.

There are endless music destinations for groups to explore in Memphis. Above them all is perennial favorite Graceland, Elvis Presley’s 14-acre villa. Every year tens of thousands of people make the pilgrimage to the home of the hip-swiveling star who changed the music world.

To commemorate the 45th year since his passing, the popular mansion turned interactive museum is holding the Elvis 45, a year-long series of events with music, giveaways, screenings and more. No matter when you come, Presley’s personal oasis offers visitors an up-close look at the star’s outsized life. Groups can check out his extravagant wardrobe, climb aboard the Lisa Marie airplane and marvel at his car collection.

Entry to Graceland also includes Elvis Presley’s Memphis, an entertainment complex featuring the Elvis the Entertainer Career Museum, restaurants and shops. Visitors of all ages will find plenty to enjoy at one of the most treasured historical landmarks in Memphis.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Need to get outside? Smell the roses at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. The nearly 100-acre park is home to three dozen specialty gardens, larger-than-life themed topiaries and a variety of events as colorful as the flora.

MORE INFO | memphistravel.com

2 FRANKLIN HIGHLIGHT | CIVIL WAR SITES Imagine waking up to find yourself surrounded by freshly dug battle trenches, horse-drawn cannons and a sea of Union soldiers on edge, anticipating a deadly confrontation. For Johann and Margareta Lotz and their children, that harrowing narrative wasn’t just a promising setting for a blockbuster film. In 1864, it was the exact scene they found themselves trapped in during the Battle of Franklin, one of the Civil War’s bloodiest.

The Lotz family and 20 other civilians survived the deadly conflict by hiding in a basement across the street in downtown Franklin. For 17 hours they listened as rifle rounds tore through the air and the bodies of the fallen piled up.

While Mr. Lotz made attempts to repair the home, present-day visitors will experience the haunting sensation of stepping into a recent battle site. The imprint in the floor remains where a cannonball landed; bullet holes still mar the wall; bloodstains scar the room.

The deadly legacy embodied in the house, authentic artifacts from the Battle of Franklin, and a passionate slate of historians, period actors and experts leading tours make the Lotz House Museum a top group attraction in Franklin.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Historic Carnton Plantation is just a mile from the Lotz House Museum and also played an invaluable role in the Battle of Franklin. Carnton transformed into the battle’s largest field hospital. It is also the final resting place for many. Visitors can explore the grounds, outbuildings, garden and cemeteries or book specialty tours.

MORE INFO | visitfranklin.com

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NASHVILLE

KNOXVILLE

HIGHLIGHT | ANDREW JACKSON’S HERMITAGE No one could have predicted the story that would become President Andrew Jackson’s life.

The temperamental son of Irish immigrants would become an orphan, a revolutionary fighter and a prisoner — all before the age of 15. After practicing law in North Carolina, he was catapulted to fame and glory as general when a little skirmish known as the War of 1812 broke out. The rest, they say, is history.

Jackson’s country manor in Nashville, The Hermitage, is a living museum where visitors can learn about his life while exploring his home and serene Tennessee farm. This important piece of America’s history has been ranked as one of the premier presidential house tours in the nation.

The Hermitage has been painstakingly filled with many of Jackson’s original belongings, features over 30 buildings, and includes the final resting place of Rachel and Andrew Jackson. Guests can also enjoy wine tastings, tours, events and exhibits.

Groups should plan to spend a few hours to half a day at The Hermitage.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Seeing a show at the Grand Ole Opry is truly an experience worth having, even if your group doesn’t know Garth Books from Tim McGraw. With top-notch artists and a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, the legendary Music City institution will leave everyone feeling jubilant.

MORE INFO | visitmusiccity.com

HIGHLIGHT | WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The world’s only hall of fame dedicated to all levels of women’s basketball is in Knoxville. That makes this leg of your trip a standout for sports lovers, history buffs and those wanting to check visiting the planet’s largest basketball off their bucket list. It’s chockablock full of fun things to do, too.

The familiar chronological museum format is in play here, so it’s simple to get oriented. Immerse your guests in the history of the game while learning how it evolved. And check out the honorees who have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Player cutouts, statues and memorabilia offer neat photo ops.

Plus, what would a basketball museum be without a few courts? A large recreation area invites guests to try their hand at a few dribbles, passing exercises and shots.

Sprint through the hall or take your time at each exhibit. This superbly interactive space will be a huge hit for visitors of all ages. If possible, plan to see the museum at night, when the world’s largest basketball lights up the skyline.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Downtown Knoxville’s former movie palace is a stunningly opulent entertainment venue. Book tours and order tickets to the Tennessee Theatre for your group’s chance to see the Knoxville Opera, comedy shows, off-Broadway hits and all the musical talent Tennessee is known for.

MORE INFO | visitknoxville.com Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry

By Chris Hollo, courtesy Nashville CVC

Knoxville’s Tennessee Theatre

Memphis Botanical Garden

By Mike Kerr, courtesy Memphis Travel

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ] Courtesy Visit Knoxville

5 CLINTON HIGHLIGHT | MUSEUM OF APPALACHIA To see what life was like in Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett’s Tennessee frontier, visit the picturesque Museum of Appalachia.

Its 65 acres are home to an entire rural community. Dozens of log cabins, farms and livestock, schools, gardens and churches populate the living museum. Actors in period dress and authentic artifacts lend a voice to the mountain pioneers time has left behind.

Sit in the creaky rows of the wooden schoolhouse, take in all the handmade instruments and read the stories of those who carved out a life for their families in the hardscrabble Tennessee mountains. Visitors will all come away knowing life was difficult, simple and yet, full of joy.

Plan your trip ahead of time to coincide with the exciting events that take place during the Appalachian year; sheep shearing, Fourth of July anvil shooting and a candlelit Christmas are just a few options. Budget at least a few hours to take in all the living museum has to offer.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: A dozen African-American teenagers integrated the first public high school in the South in 1956 in Clinton. The Green McAdoo Cultural Center is the hidden gem that tells the story of their courage and heroism.

MORE INFO | adventureanderson.com

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

By Wolfgang Streitbörger

Green McAdoo Cultural Center in Clinton

By Wolfgang Streitbörger

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage

Courtesy Nashville CVC

Museum of Appalachia

Courtesy Museum of Appalachia

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F O RWA R D

P RO G R E S S B Y T O M AD KINS ON

T R A N S P ORTAT ION M USEUMS SHOWCASE INNOVATION IN MOTI O N Visitors can see a wide variety of historic aircraft at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach.

“T

rains and Boats and Planes” was a wistful Burt Bacharach and Hal David song that Dionne Warwick popularized in the 1960s. It was about someone whose love had been whisked away by trains, boats and planes, never to return.

However, there’s nothing wistful or lonely or sad about planes and boats and trains when you visit the right places. Here’s a collection of transportation museums that will have you singing happy tunes about getting from point A to point B.

Courtesy Military Aviation Museum

A demonstration flight at the Military Aviation Museum Courtesy Military Aviation Museum

A ship’s wheel at the Door County Maritime Museum

Military Aviation Museum

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Courtesy Discover Door County

By Justin Fortier, courtesy Military Aviation Museum

USS ALABAMA BATTLESHIP MEMORIAL PARK MOBILE, ALABAMA Transportation afloat, not through the air, is the primary focus of the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile. The centerpiece, of course, is the massive USS Alabama (680 feet long, 45,000-ton displacement, crew of 2,500). The Alabama led the American fleet into Tokyo Bay on September 5, 1945, at the end of World War II. Despite distinguished service in the Atlantic and the Pacific, the Alabama was destined for the scrapyard after the war until civic-minded and tourismconscious Mobilians stepped in, acquired the ship and got it in shape for visitors. Civilian visitation began in 1965.

The park has expanded well beyond its star attraction. A naval companion is the submarine USS Drum, which like the Alabama, is a National Historic Landmark. The Drum is the oldest American submarine on public display, and a tour illuminates the challenging lives its 72-member crew experienced.

Aircraft are another focus, with planes that include a Red-Tail P-51 fighter plane, the plane flown by the famous Tuskegee Airmen, who trained only 200 miles away at Tuskegee, Alabama. Other aircraft include a Marine One helicopter (it carried five U.S. presidents) and an A-12 Blackbird spy plane capable of flying at 2,300 miles an hour.

You can include a meal with your tour in the wardroom or on the fantail of the Alabama or in the aircraft pavilion. ussalabama.com

MILITARY AVIATION MUSEUM VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA “Up, up and away” has special meaning at Virginia Beach’s Military Aviation Museum because here you not only can walk among vintage aircraft, but you also can hear them roar and watch them fly in the blue Virginia sky.

The Military Aviation Museum is one of the largest collections of World War I and World War II aircraft in the world. Most are airworthy.

The collection began with a Curtiss P-40 fighter plane from World War II built in Buffalo, New York, and provided to the Soviet Union through the LendLease program. It crashed, and its remains were recovered north of the Arctic Circle in Russia.

After that humble start, the collection now has more than 65 planes showcased in five hangars. Among them are the restored Curtiss P-40 (of Flying Tiger fame), a P-51 Mustang, a B-25 bomber, a PBY Catalina flying boat, a Curtiss Jenny, a Sopwith Strutter and even a bright red Fokker DR1 triplane of the type the Red Baron flew in World War I. You can arrange for a group meal amid the aircraft and visit with pilots and mechanics. If you visit on a Saturday from May through late September, the Summer of Flight programs include flight demonstrations as part of regular admission.

“Some groups enjoy arranging a flight for two in a Stearman biplane or a replica 1931 WACO biplane,” said director of operations Mitchell Welch. “The group will have a contest or a drawing to determine who gets to fly.” militaryaviationmuseum.org

Exploring the USS Alabama

The USS Alabama in Mobile Courtesy AL Tourism Dept.

A historic tugboat at the Door Co. Maritime Museum

By John Nienhuis, courtesy Discover Door Co.

By Tad Denson, courtesy AL Tourism Dept.

DOOR COUNTY MARITIME MUSEUM STURGEON BAY, WISCONSIN Door County, Wisconsin, a top destination for group tours, has a brand new high-rise attraction. The 10-story Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower at the Door County Maritime Museum had its grand opening on National Maritime Day (May 22). It is the tallest building in the county.

As you would expect, it provides panoramic views of the Sturgeon Bay waterfront, Lake Michigan’s Green Bay and the surrounding countryside.

There is an outdoor observation deck, along with an enclosed observation area to view the active shipyard and the largest dry dock on the Great Lakes.

It is amazing to see a 1,000-foot-long Great Lakes freighter out of the water.

Other than big views, the tower’s treat is descending floor by floor for special exhibits. For instance, the 10th floor is about the working waterfront, the eighth floor is about people of the lake (from Native Americans to today’s tourists), the fifth floor is about shipbuilding and the second floor is about shipwrecks.

The museum has two other locations worthy of group attention. One is Cana Island, a nine-acre speck of land with Door County’s best-known lighthouse.

It began building its reputation in 1869, more than 150 years ago. Renovation work is underway in 2022, anticipating a climb up the lighthouse’s 97-step spiral staircase by future visitors.

The other has the ominous name of the Death’s Door Maritime Museum, which comes by its name honestly. It is at the tip of Door County on the shores of Porte des Mortes (Death’s Door), a dangerous passage between Washington Island and the Door Peninsula. The museum focuses on the area’s commercial fishing tradition, and there also is an exhibit about shipwrecks and scuba diving. dcmm.org

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 29

California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento

By Kelly Huston, courtesy CA State RR Museum

A historic train car at the California State Railraod Museum Courtesy Visit Sacramento

A Blackbird jet at the Museum of Flight Courtesy Museum of Flight

CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA Memories of “All aboard!” echo through the California State Railroad Museum, fittingly located just a short walk from Sacramento’s Amtrak station.

The museum has 19 steam locomotives dating from 1862-1944. They range from the diminutive Southern Pacific No. 1 to the giant (as in a million pounds of oomph) Southern Pacific articulated cab-forward No. 4294.

The museum reports that fewer than 45 full-sized steam locomotives built before 1880 exist in the U.S. and that the museum has eight of them. Among them is the Central Pacific No. 1 known as the Gov. Stanford. The Gov. Stanford has a convoluted beginning. It was built in Philadelphia in 1862, taken apart and shipped in crates around Cape Horn from Boston to San Francisco, and finally carried up the Sacramento River on a schooner named the Artful Dodger.

Changing exhibits make return visits enjoyable (a current one shows how ice-cooled railcars helped spawn “farm to fork” dining), and a substantial toy train exhibit is a permanent attraction.

Any railroad museum worth its salt offers excursions. Here, it is a 50-minute trip along the scenic Sacramento River. The power comes from one of the museum’s historic steam or diesel locomotives. californiarailroad.museum MUSEUM OF FLIGHT SEATTLE One of transportation history’s ironies is that a boat is part of the birth story of the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Aviation enthusiasts created the museum in the mid-1960s, and its first home was on the location of the 1962 World’s Fair. A decade later, dreams of a bigger complex took flight (pun intended), coinciding with the problematic availability of the Red Barn, the place the Boeing Company began. The issue?

The Red Barn was in the wrong location and had to be transported by river barge to its current site. It now anchors a sprawling five-building complex.

With more than 175 aircraft and spacecraft, thousands of artifacts and millions of photos, this is the world’s largest independent, nonprofit air and space museum.

You’ll see the first jet-powered Air Force One, the prototype of the 747 airliner, a Blackbird spy plane that carried a James Bond-worthy drone, a fragile Aeronca Grasshopper plane from World War II, a Huey helicopter, float planes, sailplanes and even a supersonic Concorde and a B-29 Superfortress.

That only scratches the surface and doesn’t even touch the list of spacecraft that includes an Apollo command module.

Groups benefit from a cadre of volunteer docents who lead complimentary tours, according to Ted Huetter, senior public relations manager.

“We have generations of people in this region with aerospace backgrounds who volunteer here,” he said. “You can get stories from the real experts.” museumofflight.org

The Museum of Flight’s Great Gallery A variety of historic aircraft at Seattle’s Museum of Flight

Courtesy Museum of Flight

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Courtesy Museum of Flight

W E LC O M E

A B OA R D

R I V E R C RUIS E S M A KE M EMORABLE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES FOR G R O U P S B Y ROBIN ROENKER

The Portland Spirit takes passengers on excursions through Oregon’s stunning Columbia River Gorge.

A sunset cruise on Cleveland’s Nautica Queen

Courtesy Nautica Queen

A dramatic show at The Holy Land Experience

T

By Aaron Greene, courtesy Portland Spirit

here’s just something about being on the water.

The slower pace lets you relax, take a breath and soak in the sights as they sail slowly by. River cruises capture the magic of sailing — and frequently offer top-notch dining and entertainment options to boot.

The romance of dinner on the water, a chance to learn the history of a city in a unique and memorable way, the fun of live music and dancing — river cruises have them all. Whether you’re looking for a quick excursion or an all-day experience, here are five river cruises your group will love.

The River Queen and Savannah Queen Courtesy The HolyRiverboat Land Experience Courtesy Savannah Cruises

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 31

CELEBRATION BELLE MOLINE, ILLINOIS Channel your inner Huck Finn and take to the Mighty Mississippi on a cruise with Celebration River Cruises. Based in Moline, Illinois, the familyowned and operated river cruise company offers an array of dinner, themed and sightseeing itineraries on the Celebration Belle — a 750-pasBoarding the Portland Spirit senger paddlewheel boat that boasts two outdoor observation decks, two

By Aaron Greene, courtesy Portland Spirit enclosed dining decks, and an elevator, making it particularly accessible for visitors with mobility issues.

All-day cruises include voyages from LeClaire, Iowa, Moline’s Celebration Belle to Dubuque, Iowa, or from Dubuque to Moline, for example. Shorter, 90-minute sightseeing cruises of the Quad Cities area — including views of the largest roller dam in the world at Lock and Dam #15, as well as Rock Island Arsenal Island, a historic but still active U.S. Army facility — are a great option for groups with tighter schedules.

The boat can accommodate 500 passengers for sitdown lunch or dinner cruises, which are offered April through November and range from 90 minutes to four BB Riverboats in Northern Kentucky hours, depending on the itinerary. Longer trips often feature live entertainment performing themed genres such as Courtesy Celebration River Cruises Courtesy BB Riverboats Christian music, 1950s rock, country hits and more.

“The dinner cruises are especially fun because guests get to experience the beautiful sunset and also see the lighting of the new I-74 bridge,” said Susan Yarolem, director of sales and marketing for Celebration River Cruises. celebrationbelle.com NAUTICA QUEEN CLEVELAND BB RIVERBOATS Cleveland’s dining cruise ship, the Nautica Queen — which docks in NEWPORT, KENTUCKY the Nautica Waterfront District — offers groups an ideal and memorable Headquartered in Newport, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from way to experience the city’s lakefront sights.

Cincinnati, family-run BB Riverboats has been offering tours with unsurThe ship, a modern luxury cruise dining vessel that can accommodate passed views of the Queen City skyline since 1979. groups of up to 270 guests, includes two enclosed dining decks as well as Groups can choose from daily, two-hour sightseeing and lunch and open-air observation decks. All voyages include exceptional views of the dinner cruises or longer, special themed events like holiday cruises, plus Cleveland skyline, as well as the Lake Erie coastline and the Cuyahoga River. kid-friendly pirate and princess cruises.

All cruises — whether lunch or dinner — feature an unlimited buffet The Belle of Cincinnati, a 1,000-passenger paddle wheel-style vessel, with expansive selections such as chef-carved prime rib beef, roast is the largest excursion boat operating on the Ohio River, according to chicken and catch of the day. captain Ben Bernstein. The Belle offers three climate-controlled decks Peak cruising season is April through November, but themed holiday and four dance floors, plus an open-air, upper viewing deck with elevator cruises — including for Christmas and New Year’s Day — are also available. access. Each floor can host 200 to 300 guests for sit-down dinner.

Most cruises last two to two and a half hours. Many focus on the picThe smaller River Queen can host 500 passengers or roughly 100 for turesque Cuyahoga River, which is known for its variety of bridges. Others sit-down meals on each of its two dining decks. Between the two ships, may venture out onto Lake Erie, depending on weather conditions.

BB Riverboats is able to easily accommodate groups of all sizes for an Special-event cruises are offered during the Cleveland National Air ideal day or evening outing — and private charters are available for the Show on Labor Day weekend, on Fourth of July, and to align with the whole ships or single decks, depending on group sizes. annual Cleveland Tall Ships Festival in July.

All dinner cruises feature a full meal plus music from live bands or a Private, chartered cruises are available for groups of at least 75 peoDJ, and the sightseeing cruises offer historical information about area ple. Chartered tours are typically offered Monday through Friday from landmarks and the role of the Ohio River in Cincinnati’s founding, nar3-5 p.m., Saturdays from 2:30-5 p.m. or Sundays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. rated by the captain or a ship historian.

“You get such a good value with river cruises,” said Ellen Kelley, “We’re in the business of fun, but there’s also a special nostalgia to it,” Nautica Queen’s director of operations. “You get your meal and a sightBernstein said. “There’s a romance to the river that gets in your blood.” seeing tour, all in one.” bbriverboats.com nauticaqueen.com

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SAVANNAH RIVERBOAT CRUISES SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Groups can choose to board either the 1,000-passenger Georgia Queen or the smaller 600-passenger Savannah River Queen — both built in the style of old-time riverboats but with two climate-controlled decks and a third, open-air observation deck — to explore Georgia’s storied Savannah Riverway.

Sightseeing cruises, sunset cruises, brunch, lunch and dinner cruises — as well as themed cruises — offer groups an array of options. The Monday night Gospel Dinner Cruise is a particularly popular choice for faithA Nautica based groups. Dinner voyages, which last about Queen salad bar two hours, treat guests to a buffet meal of Southern staples like fried chicken and pulled pork BBQ. Sightseeing tours offer historical narration about the river as well as the modern, bustling Port of Savannah, the third-busiest port in the U.S. “On many of our daytime cruises, we go by Fort Jackson, an old Civil War Fort, and are saluted by an authentic cannon blast,” said Savannah Riverboat Cruises owner Jonathan Claughton.

Holiday voyages, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Courtesy Nautica Queen and New Year’s outings — as well as Father’s Day, Fourth of July, and other special event cruises — are also offered. savannahriverboat.com PORTLAND SPIRIT PORTLAND, OREGON Groups can choose from among a sophisticated urban sightseeing tour of Portland or a more nostalgic trip along the Columbia River Gorge — or both — on two distinct voyages offered by the Portland Spirit company in Portland, Oregon.

The year-round, two-hour cruises aboard the flagship vessel Portland Spirit — a 150-foot luxury yacht — treat passengers to an up-close view of sights along the Willamette River, from the Portland city center upriver to the historic Milwaukee Waterfront. The ship can carry up to 540 passengers, with capacity to accommodate up to 394 for plated, sit-down meals. Lunch, brunch and dinner cruises — as well as sightseeing only cruises — are available.

The company’s other primary vessel, the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler — an authentic paddleboat replica that docks at Cascade Locks, roughly 45 minutes outside of Portland — offers breathtaking views of the picturesque Columbia River.

Groups can choose from one-hour sightseeing cruises or two-hour brunch and dinner cruises on the Sternwheeler, which runs May through October. In addition to sailing under the famed Bridge of the Gods, the Sternwheeler offers guests up-close views of the natural beaty of the Columbia River gorge.

“You definitely see wildlife, as well as waterfalls in the sides of the gorge and Native American fishing platforms,” said Mandy Morgan, director of sales and marketing for the Portland Spirit company. “Also, Hood River is very close by — and it is the windsurfing capital of the world — so it’s common to see a lot of windsurfers too.” portlandspirit.com

SHOOT FOR THE MOON. DISCOVER HUNTSVILLE. Our Mission Is Living Life to the Fullest.

Home to the world’s largest space museum and U.S. Space Camp, “Rocket City” reignites America’s ingenuity and lively spirit. Featuring a vibrant arts and entertainment district, plus a vast number of natural attractions and cuisine offerings, Huntsville, Alabama, is the perfect destination for those who want to see and do it all.

(800) 843-0468 | HU NT S VIL L E.O R G

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FAITH

CENTERED

Retreat guests at Little Portion Hermitage Monastery will enjoy natural beauty, comfortable accommodations and spaces for prayer and reflection.

LITTLE PORTION HERMITAGE MONASTERY All photos courtesy Little Portion Hermitage Monastery

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BY REBECC A TREON

eep within 450 forested acres in Arkansas wilderness, Little Portion Hermitage Monastery is the home of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity. Founded by Christian musician and author John Michael Talbot, the hermitage is open to the public for day visits and small group, multi-day retreats.

“It’s a little hidden gem,” said Brother John Marmion Villa, the monastery’s guest master. “You come down the driveway and the property opens up into a breathtaking view of the gardens, the chapel and the vistas from the valley. It was created in an effort to preserve solitude in a busy world.”

The grounds at Little Portion include acres of undeveloped, wooded land in a valley in the Ozarks with buildings scattered throughout. The Charity Chapel is the nexus of the property, where guests can pray or attend mass and other services. Surrounding the chapel are cloistered walkways and vast gardens.

While groups up to 45 people are welcome, most of the visitors to Little Portion are individuals or small groups. Guests can take guided tours, have private spiritual conferences or take part in monastic life.

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going on faith [ summer 2022 ]

LOCATION Berryville, Arkansas SIZE: Nine hermitages on 450 forested acres CAPACITY: Individuals and groups of up to 45 CONTACT INFO: 877-504-9865 littleportion.org

ACCOMMODATIONS Many visitors to Little Portion opt for individual day retreats, joining the 14 monastic residents there for peaceful prayer, but they have several small cabins available for overnight guests. “There are a number of residential buildings scattered throughout the property, which we call hermitages,” said Villa. “Most guests stay in the quadplex, a family-style dwelling that has bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchenette, and a dining and living area.

The units are all in one building, but they’re separated and the laundry room divides the building.”

The units have heat and air conditioning, full baths with tubs, and full-size and twin-size bed options. For older guests or those with limited mobility, the best option is coordinated with the on-site planner. Though the quadplex units have kitchenettes, some rooms do not, but there are also group dining options for all meals.

Guests are treated like family and served homestyle meals with some dietary accommodations possible. They eat with residents in a shared dining room. Most often, visitors to Little Portion aren’t large faith-based groups but rather are individual, family or small group retreats.

“We rarely host large groups, it’s more like 45 strangers coming together coincidentally,” Villa said.

An open-air corridor

A small prayer chapel

ACTIVITIES Visitors to Little Portion follow the schedule of hermitage residents, including a schedule of morning prayer, liturgical services and communion, shared meals and quiet contemplation.

“While there’s no expectation of volunteering labor while they’re here, if guests want to help, they’re welcome to,” Villa said. “We give guests the time and space to seek the Lord in silence. The emphasis here is to provide respite in quiet and solitude to hear the Lord’s voice and being a part of the monastic family for the time they’re here.”

If guests choose to do volunteer work while they’re visiting, they can pull weeds, wash dishes, cut vegetables from the garden, split logs and stack wood — any type of maintenance activity needed.

“You can feel a little stir crazy if you’re not used to being in silence alone, and we keep a balance of work and prayer for that reason,” said Villa. “The longer I’m here, I am learning that doing work at the hermitage is a type of prayer — to put in the work to be able to reap the fruits. Our work is a manifestation of prayer.”

Beyond scheduled activities, guests can pray, read, sit in silent contemplation, and stroll the property and gardens.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO Little Portion is fairly remote, with the nearest town, Berryville, about a half hour’s drive away.

Many guests like to pay a visit to Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, designed by E. Fay Jones, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright’s and constructed in his signature Prairie Style. Also in Eureka Springs, “The Great Passion Play” is a live, large-scale production chronicling the last week of Jesus’ life. The property also has several other attractions, like a museum and Holy Land exhibit.

Also in the vicinity are Cosmic Cavern and Onyx Cave Park, two caves open to the public for tours, along with many area hiking trails.

Fans of pop culture will want to visit the Walmart Museum in Bentonville, set up like a vintage fiveand-dime, with a soda fountain, nostalgic candy and Sam Walton’s original wood-paneled office. Art lovers won’t want to miss Crystal Bridges, the free art museum founded by Walmart heiress Alice Walton. Situated on 120 acres, the museum features five miles of hiking trails and works by artists ranging from Norman Rockwell to Georgia O’Keeffe.

UNIQUE TOUCHES In 2008, a fire at the Little Portion Hermitage destroyed the original chapel and much of the facility, including the kitchen. Viola Talbot (who is married to John Michael Talbot) began an effort to feed the 35 residents living there at the time. One of the things she started making was granola, which was so popular with residents and guests that they began to ask for custom orders to take home or give as gifts. She accompanied her husband on his tours, selling her baked goods along with his merchandise. Today, Little Portion Bakery sells Viola’s Granola, St. Anthony’s Hermit Bars (made with raisins, nuts and molasses) and St. Clare’s Breakfast Cookies, plus Talbot’s Little Portion Cookbook. The bakery’s sales have helped fund the rebuilding of the chapel and other buildings.

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