A PILGRIMAGE THROUGH THE LAND OF MARTIN LUTHER

An anniversary travel seminar with Former Director Dean Bard

September 16-26, 2008

A program of Christian Tours Europe, with spiritual and educational resources provided by the ELCA Wittenberg Center

Day 1: Tuesday, September 16, 2008: Leave US

Day 2: Wednesday, September 17, 2008: Arrival and Orientation
Arrive in Berlin, where your German tour director and private motor coach are waiting for you as you exit customs. After everything is settled, transfer to hotel for check-in. In the afternoon visit the Pergamon Museum on Berlin’s “Museum Island.” In the evening, meet your tour director for dinner, welcome and orientation.

Day 3: Thursday, September 18, 2008: Experience Berlin
This morning become familiar with the vibrant city of Berlin with a five-hour city tour including its major religious and historical sites. Your local tour guide will show you sights such as the 1905 neo-Baroque Berlin Cathedral, the bomb-damaged tower of Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, the "Unter den Linden" government district, and remains of the Berlin Wall. Have lunch on your own, then meet the group again for Part 2 of your city tour and a visit to the Bonhoeffer House, a museum dedicated to the life and ministry of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, also home to some of his original manuscripts. Travel to Wittenberg, where you’ll stay for the next four nights. Dinner at hotel. Gather after dinner for a Lecture on Martin Luther.

Day 4: Friday, September 19, 2008: Leipzig - The Peaceful Revolution – Bach
Transfer to Leipzig this morning for a city tour. In May of 1989, tens of thousands of people gathered in the streets for the “Peaceful Revolution,” which paved the way for the nonviolent reunification of East and West Germany. You will visit their rendezvous point at the Gothic (1165 A.D.) St. Nicholas Church. Afterwards, hear a local pastor’s presentation on The Role of the Church in the Peaceful Revolution. You will also visit the St. Thomas Church, where Johann Sebastian Bach was choirmaster for 25 years. We will attend the weekly Motette service and possibly hear a performance by the Thomanerchor. Tonight we will dine at the historic Auerbachs Keller, where, in a scene made famous by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust, Mephistopheles and Faust drank with the local students before flying away on a barrel. Back to Wittenberg for overnight.

Day 5: Saturday, September 20, 2008: A Day in Lutherstadt Wittenberg
We will wake up in the town of the Reformation ready to participate in the festivities that will open the Reformation Decade. We begin with a tour of the city where Martin Luther lived and taught for 36 years. The tour includes the City Church, where Luther preached thousands of times, and the Castle Church, where he posted his “95 Theses,” sparking the Reformation. We will visit the Cranach print shop as well as the Luther House, Luther’s wedding gift from his prince in 1525 that now houses one of the world’s largest Reformation archives. The ELCA Wittenberg Center will host us for lunch with a brief presentation of the ministry and programming of the Center. After lunch, you will have the chance to listen to the personal stories of Wittenberg residents who lived as Christians in the communist German Democratic Republic. The afternoon will be free to explore and participate in the day’s activities. We will be sure to gather for the lights and drama of the planned special opening of Luther places throughout the town, marking Luther’s “arrival” in 1508.

Day 6: Sunday, September 21, 2008: Celebrating the Reformation
We start the day with worship service at the Castle Church where Bishop Hanson is scheduled to participate in the worship. Following the service, there will be a festive procession that will lead into a variety of events and activities in the town. You will have time to explore and join the celebration – don’t forget to eat lunch along the way! You will gather back at the Town Church for a special 5:00 pm Concert. Afterward, we return to the hotel for dinner. We hope to participate in the special Taize worship services that are scheduled for the evenings of this very special weekend.

Day 7: Monday, September 22, 2008: Eisleben - Luther’s Hometown
An early departure brings us to Halle: In the Market Church, we will see Luther’s actual death mask. Later, we visit the Francke Foundation and talk to a guide about the missionaries who spread Lutheranism to the rest of the world—including North America—and see the artefacts they brought home from their travels. Continue on to Eisleben: Luther’s birth and death occurred in Eisleben, his Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The new museum interprets the spiritual environment of Luther’s childhood. We can remember the foundation of faith when we visit the Church of St. Peter and Paul, where Luther was baptized. Our tour includes a stop at St. Andrews Church, where Luther gave his last four sermons. Later meet with local pastors - ELCA missionaries -to hear about “A Day in the Life of a German Congregation.” Continue to Erfurt for dinner and overnight at the Augustinian cloister.

Day 8: Tuesday, September 23, 2008: Erfurt and Buchenwald
In the morning, you will take a city tour in the footsteps of Martin Luther. See the University district where Luther studied and visit St. Mary’s Cathedral, where he was ordained. You will have a chance to tour the Augustinian Monastery where Luther took his monastic vows and join the sisters for their noon time prayers. After some free time for lunch, continue to the former concentration camp Buchenwald, where a quarter million people were imprisoned between 1937 and 1945. All of them suffered and 50,000 of them died. Among the prisoners were Lutheran pastors Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Paul Schneider, outspoken opponents of National Socialism. A private guided tour will allow us time for reflection and a service of reconciliation. Head west to Eisenach for dinner and overnight.

Day 9: Wednesday, September 24, 2008: Eisenach- The Wartburg and Bach’s Birthplace
This morning, take the beautiful trip up the mountain to the Wartburg Castle. After his excommunication Martin Luther was kidnapped by his prince and hid here for almost a year under the alias of “Junker Jorg.” See the room where Luther lived and made his translation of the New Testament. Later visit the Bach House - experience what a typical home looked like in the 18th century, see an interesting collection of antique instruments and hear a demonstration on a variety of these pieces. Free afternoon and evening in Eisenach.

Day 10: Thursday, September 25, 2008: Marburg
We will check out of our hotel, board our bus and make our way to Marburg, the home of Philipp of Hesse. It was Philipp one of the leading princes of the Reformation who invited reformers, including Luther and Zwingli to come to his castle in Marburg to resolve their theological differences. These discussions are referred to as the Marburg Colloquy. We have a second chance to visit the story of Elizabeth as we visit the church built in honor of her and her service, the Church of St. Elizabeth. (she was canonized by Pope Gregory IX who called her the “greatest woman of the Middle Ages”) After some free time, continue to the Frankfurt area. This evening, we celebrate the past 10 days, sharing our stories and memories at our Farewell Dinner and closing devotions.

Day 11: Friday, September 26, 2008: Auf Wiedersehen!
Airport transfer to Frankfurt Airport for flight home.