Holyland Pilgrimage Fund

The Knights Templar Holy Land Pilgrimage is a program of the Grand Encampment Knights Templar of the United States of America.

Our Mission:

PURPOSE:

The Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage of the Grand Encampment organizes and supervises the planning and execution of the overall program and the pilgrimage travel groups each year. Travel is usually done during February and March. Pilgrimages are eleven days long with nine days in the Holy Land.

Pilgrimage groups meet at an airport in New York and travel together from that point until their return to New York. The cost per Pilgrim Minister varies from year to year and is announced in the spring by the Chairman of the Grand Encampment Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage.

The fees cover:

• Round trip flights from New York to Tel Aviv and returning to New York.
• Airline fuel surcharges and Airport Taxes.
• 9 nights accommodations, 8 Breakfast, 8 Lunches, 8 Dinners.
• Arrival & Departure Transfers. Sightseeing as per established itinerary.
• Highly regarded professional Israeli Tour Guide
• Basic tips to guide, driver, and hotel staff. Travel Insurance.

Fees do not cover: Personal incidentals, souvenirs, Travel from home area to New York. (It is highly recommended that each State Committee consider cover the cost of this domestic flight and that those flight arrangements be made with the tour company so that they are coordinated with the international flight arrangements.)

The Grand Encampment Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage does not fund the travel of Pilgrim ministers. Each state’s Grand Commandery or sponsoring local Commandery of Knights Templar covers the cost of the Pilgrim’s travel.

THE PROCESS

Local Commanderies of Knights Templar submit applications from local ministers of their choosing for the Knight Templar Holy Land Pilgrimage to the Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage of the Grand Commandery of their state (from this point on listed as the State Committee).

Donations are received from local commanderies, divisions, auxillary groups and others by the State Committee of the Grand Commandery and may be pooled to provide funding for the upcoming pilgrimage.

The State Committee reviews the applications and selects the number of ministers they will be sending based on the available funds, using the criteria listed in 'Guidelines for Selection of Ministers'.

Some local Commanderies or others choose to fully sponsor a minister and pay the entire fee. In the case of 100% sponsorship, the Commandery or Division often selects the minister for full sponsorship. The 100% sponsored ministers are expected to meet the spirit of the qualifications listed as 'Guidelines for Selection of Ministers'.

The list of those ministers selected from the application pool and the 100% sponsorships for each state are forwarded to the Holy Land Pilgrimage Committee of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the United States of America who oversees the actual travel arrangements.

While some State Committees may follow other procedures, they still follow the process of sending the names and information of their Pilgrim ministers to the Grand Encampment Chairman of the Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage and are responsible for the full funding of their Pilgrim ministers’ travel.

WEB SITE INFORMATION ONLINE

THE ANNUAL TIMELINE

• Throughout the year donations may be made and Application / Nomination Forms submitted by local Commanderies and other State Committee procedures.
• August / September: State Committees make their selection of nominated ministers and affirm fully sponsored ministers.
• October 15: State Committees forward the names and contact information of their Pilgrim ministers to the Grand Encampment Chairperson no later than October 15 along with the Certification form and full fees. Checks are made out to: HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE, INC. and mailed to the Grand Encampment Chairman listed below. Information on selected and sponsored Pilgrims ministers and fees may be sent in at any time prior to that date (earlier is always better).
• As information is received by the Chairman: The Grand Encampment Chairperson of the Committee on Holy Land Pilgrimage sends a Registration Form and a Certificate of Agreement to each of the Pilgrim ministers that must be returned to the Chairman within ten days.
• November: Each Pilgrim minister will be sent information regarding travel arrangements, dates of travel, tour hosts, and links to web sites with much information to assist them in preparing for this great experience.
• February & March: Pilgrim ministers travel during February and March. Pilgrimages are eleven days. Travel date preference will be honored on a first come, first served basis.

CONTACT INFORMATION

EMMETT MILLS
3106 Ferncliff Avenue
Royal Oak MI 48073
Cell: (248) 217-7132
Fax: (248) 541-1757
email: CUAEWM@AOL.COM

GUIDELINES FOR SELECTION OF MINISTERS

The following are the selection criteria used choosing ministers for the Knights Templar Holy Land Pilgrimage. Please consider these guidelines before inviting ministers to apply and in the selection process.

• Having never traveled to the Holy Land before.
• Fully Ordained ministers (copy of Ordination Certificate or judicatory documentation must accompany the application). Youth coordinators, program directors, lay pastors, etc. rarely have ordination status.
• Serving in full time ministry, currently. This means that they are employed by the church full time and it is their primary source of income.
• Having served at least four years in full time ministry.
• Having at least ten years of full time service yet to go.
• Be of good physical health (if the idea of walking a brisk mile or more – uphill, non-stop, with steps - is a concern, this may not be the program from which this person would benefit).
• Willing to travel with an ecumenical group of other ordained ministers from many denominations and religious groups, male and female.
• Willing to travel in a program sponsored by the Knights Templar, an appendent organization of Freemasonry.
• Willing to travel without their spouse. This is non-negotiable.
• Having the understanding that this is a physically strenuous, educational and spiritual study seminar / historical & cultural immersion experience and not a vacation trip.