Lutheran Heritage Tour First Lutheran Church Spring Break 2017 Thursday, March 16 Depart from Manhattan (MHK) or Kansas City (MCI) mid-day. Flights will be booked separately. A “booking party” will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2016 for those wanting to book/travel together.
Friday, March 17: Berlin Arrive in Berlin. It is important that flights arrive no later than 9:00 AM (Central Europe Time). The group coach will leave by 10:30 AM. We will tour the famed Museum Island which includes the Berlin Cathedral and the fabulous Pergamon Museum. One of the most popular attractions in Berlin, the Pergamon Museum is world famous for its archaeological holdings. The monumental highlights are truly breathtaking to behold, including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon from 6th century BC and the 2nd century BC Pergamon Altar. Also notable in this collection is the façade of the throne hall of King Nebuchadnezzar with artifacts from the earliest history of the written word, and an excellent collection of Islamic Art., depending on the time, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, and other sights. We will then drive to Wittenberg where we will spend the next two nights.
Saturday, March 18: Pergamon Museum, Wittenberg We start on the Reformation Trail today with a visit to Wittenberg where Martin Luther lived and taught for 36 years. You will see the Castle Church door area where Luther posted his 95 Theses, giving birth to the Reformation. This beautiful church is also the burial site of Luther. We see the university where Luther taught and the Luther House which is the greatest museum of Reformation History in the world with a detailed history display of his life and accomplishments, historical documents and an outstanding collection of period paintings of his life and family members.
Sunday, March 19: Leipzig, Eisleben Leaving Wittenberg, we travel to the beautiful city of Leipzig, Bach's city, with free time and a visit to St. Thomas Church where Bach was choir master and organist. Next we visit Eisleben which is noted among the most significant in Luther's history; he was born here in 1483, died here in 1546 and old manuscripts indicate that he felt a special affinity to Eisleben. We will see the house of his birth and death, St. Andrews Church where he preached his last sermon, the Luther Monument, and St. Anne's Church with the famous Biblical scenes hewn in stone and many other sites. Our lodging this evening will be in Erfurt.
Monday, March 20: Erfurt, Wartburg, Coburg This morning we spend time in Erfurt, where Luther attended the university. A highlight will be the Augustinian Monastery where he spent his early years as a monk and the famed doors that he closed on his protesting friends after saying "You can see me today, but never again." You will find it interesting and uplifting to hear how the studies here brought him to his understanding of scripture. We travel the wonderful German countryside to Eisenach, the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach. We visit the formidable Wartburg Castle. It was here that Luther, under “house arrest”, translated the New Testament into the German language in 1523. Next we travel southward to view the fortress of Coburg known as Veste, the place of Luther's imprisonment in 1530. We visit the apartment where he stayed and continued his translation work, a chapel where he spoke and worshiped, and a gallery of period paintings. Our lodging this evening will be in Nuremburg.
Tuesday, March 21: Augsburg, Neuschwanstein Castle, Oberammergau This morning we travel to Augsburg, site of the Augsburg Confession. We will take a walking tour that will bring to light the history behind much of our doctrine today. It was here in 1518 at St. Anne's Church that Luther met the papal legate, Cardinal Cajetan, who demanded that Luther submit to the pope. Augsburg was also the site of another Imperial Diet (1530) and in the town hall the Peace of Augsburg was signed in 1555 ending for a time the religious wars in Germany between the Catholics and the Protestants. Next we travel into the Alpine region of Bavaria to the Rococo-style chapel in the Meadow and Ludwig II’s most luxurious former residence, the Neuschwanstein Castle. Continue to the village of Oberammergau, home of the once a decade Passion Play. View the painted homes and the theater where this famous play takes place. Continue to Munich where we stay in a hotel for the next two nights.
Wednesday, March 22: Munich This morning our guide will present a panoramic tour of the capital of the German state of Bavaria, Munich, so we become familiar with our surroundings. The remainder of the afternoon will be at your leisure. Savor the German cuisine, entertainment, and hospitality as you dine this evening as a group at the Hofbrauhaus.
Thursday, March 23: Group Travel Departure We transfer to the airport early this morning for our flight home. A private transfer can be arranged for an additional charge.
Lutheran Heritage Tour First Lutheran Church Spring Break 2017 Why Go This trip is intended to be an educational pilgrimage to the land where the Evangelical Lutheran church began. The experience will not only inform your faith, but also offer spiritual renewal by providing insight into our centuries-old traditions which were founded on the “Five Sola’s:” sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone"), sola fide ("by faith alone"), sola gratia ("by grace alone"), solo Christo (“through Christ alone"), and soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone").
Who Should Go Members and visitors of First Lutheran and their guests are welcome. While this is a Lutheran heritage trip, non- Lutherans are welcomed to attend and negative comments about other faith traditions will not be tolerated. Other considerations include: mobility, maturity, interest, and finances.
Why 2017 We will make our trip in 2017 because that is the 500 anniversary of when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the Wittenberg church.
How Much Base Land Tour 20-24 Passengers - $2039 25-29 Passengers - $1889 30-34 Passengers - $1769 35-39 Passengers - $1679 40-44 Passengers - $1609 -Optional travel insurance is 7% of the base fare -Credit card payments will be assessed an additional 3% charge
Airfare Airfare will be booked by parties independently. This is to accommodate those wishing to add segments to their trip before or after this land tour. Current roundtrip from Kansas City to Berlin and Munich to Kansas City ranges from $1300-$1600.
Extras -Pre-trip Educational materials/deposit ($150) -Tips to driver, guides, and hotel staff -Private airport transfer (if arriving in Berlin after 9:00 AM on Friday or leaving after noon from Munich on Thursday) -One dinner and 6 lunches will be on our own.
When are payments due? When How Much Payable To For What Upon Registration1 $300 Pilgrim Tours First Payment on the Land Portion February 1, 2015 $150 First Lutheran Educational Materials, Lunches, and Shirt May 1, 2016 $1300-$16002 On your own Airfare December 4, 2016 $1309-$17393,4 Pilgrim Tours Balance of Land Portion March 16, 2017 $50 cash Kyle Olson Covers tips to guides, drivers, hotel staff
1 Please note, no more than 44 passengers are allowed. This trip will fill, so the faster you pay this deposit, the better! 2 Price largely dependent on time of booking, city of departure (KC or MHK), and flight preferences 3 The amount due will be dependent on the number of registrants. 4 This might be higher if travel insurance is purchased or credit cards are used for payment. Lutheran Heritage Club First Lutheran Church
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! First Lutheran Church will be taking a tour of “Lutherland” in Germany in 2017; the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In addition. We will spend nearly two years learning about the Lutheran Reformation: its history, theology and cultural significance. To accomplish this, we are establishing a Lutheran Heritage Club. The club will meet on Sndays starting in the spring of 2015 and running through our tour of Germany in March of 2017. The tentative schedule is listed below: Spring 2015: Reformation History 1500-1600 Fall 2015: Lutheran History: Highlights from 1600 to present Spring 2016: Lutheran Theology: What makes us different? Fall 2016: German Culture: Then and Now Spring 2017: German Language Skills **Please note, individuals can join the Lutheran Heritage Club without taking the Tour of Germany
Contact Kyle Olson, [email protected] or 785-537-8532, with any questions or comments on the Club or Tour.
Lutheran Heritage Club Meeting Dates Sundays 11:15 AM to 2:00 PM Reformation History Lutheran History Lutheran Theology German Culture February 1, 2015 September 13, 2015 February 7, 2016 September 11, 2016 March 1, 2015 October 4, 2015 March 6, 2016 October 2, 2016 April 5, 2015 November 1, 2015 April 3, 2016 November 6, 2016 May 3, 2015 December 6, 2015 May 1, 2016 (booking party after) December 4, 2016 *Payment Deadlines
Lutheran Heritage Tour Meeting Dates Sundays 11:15 AM to 12:00 PM (no lunch) Payment Dates German Language Skills Packing and Preparation Meetings Upon Registration January 8, 2017 February 21, 2017 February 1, 2015 January 15, 2017 February 28, 2017 December 6, 2016 January 22, 2017 May 1, 2016 January 29, 2017 December 4, 2016 February 7, 2017