“What a trip! Leading up to visiting Israel we were excited with anticipation, but boy did it exceed anything we had imagined. Our tour guide CJ was outstanding. He broke down the Jewish culture, past and modern history, biblical connections/application, and geography of Israel at every site. It was just so awesome with how many sites and artifacts we were shown and how seamlessly our trip was organized. Throughout the week we were taken well care of. We stayed in very nice hotels, ate great food, and enjoyed a comfortable, air-conditioned bus driven by our expert driver, Happy. Happy made sure we stayed hydrated and took extra special care of us in keeping us safe. CJ and Happy complemented each other wonderfully. With packed days of touring, we enjoyed restful evenings. We also felt safe and secure throughout our travels, allowing us to delve fully into what we were learning and what God was teaching us about Himself.
Besides enjoying CJ and Happys sense of humor, we quickly experienced camaraderie between the rest of our group, which made little things like traveling, eating, and taking pictures fun. Thank you all for loving on us; we thank God for you and this short time we were able to connect. And most importantly we thank God as we recognize all the lessons we learned along the way. He definitely used this trip to reveal new things to us as we learned more about the Bible, God, and ourselves.
Thank you and many Blessings,
Jeanne Jackson
Learn About John Wesley with Reverend Dr. Deborah Suddarth
Tour Dates: May 6, 2025 – May 15, 2025
Learn about John Wesley on an 10-day England tour!
What’s Included
- Airfare from group departure city
- All Transfers
- Baggage Handling
- Breakfast & Dinner Daily
- Entrance Fees to all Sites
- Gratuities
- Itinerary as per Description
- Premium Accommodations
- Professional Tour Guides
- Transportation by Deluxe Motor Coach
Schedule
Day 1 Depart USA
Day 2 Arrive in England
• Meet and greet at the London Heathrow Airport.
• Explore Salisbury: Founded in the 13th century after the settlement of Old Sarum was abandoned. Your tour will highlight many medieval, Tudor, and Queen Anne architecture. They are still present in the city today.
• Salisbury Cathedral: Visit one of the first medieval cathedrals in Britain. You will walk around the cathedral with your professional guide and stop in the Chapter House to see the finest of four surviving original texts of the Magna Carta.
• Arrive in Bristol: Hotel check-in and dinner. (Stay Overnight in Bristol)
Day 3 Bristol
• Explore Bristol: Located in the hills of Southwest England, Bristol is ground in roots from centuries past and carved out by enthusiastic locals and spirited fans. A hotbed of artists and activists, you will walk the streets and become part of a living canvas.
• John Wesley's Chapel (New Room): Built in 1739, John Wesley's Chapel is the oldest Methodist building in the world. You will view the Francis Asbury Memorial Rooms that contain memorabilia of "the St. Paul of American Methodism", and The John Wesley Room contains a bed used by John during one of his nearly 1,500 nights in Bristol.
• Christ Church College: Founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey, Christ Church College is Oxford's largest and grandest Renaissance College. An audio guide will help you walk through all the significant sites in the college.
• Lincoln College: It is where Wesley studied and lectured. Enjoy an exterior walking tour of the college and visit its chapel, which was Built in 1629, the Chapel has been home to faith and music at Lincoln College for almost 400 years.
• Return to hotel and dinner. (Stay Overnight in Oxford)
Day 4 Coventry
• Explore Coventry: Explore this 11th largest city in the U.K. Coventry was a prime target for the German bombing raids in World War II. As a result, one of the famed medieval cathedrals was hit in 1940. After the war, the first modern cathedral was built alongside those ruins.
• Coventry Cathedral: You will tour both the old and new Coventry Cathedral. The Old Cathedral was a beautiful Gothic structure begun in the 14th century. It was left in devastating ruin following the Coventry Blitz in World War II. Rather than bulldoze the remains, when new plans for a New Cathedral were unveiled, the ruins were left as sacred ground and a remembrance garden, while the new structure became a celebration of 20th-century modernist architecture.
• Discover Lincoln: Originally founded as a Roman town, Lincoln grew over the centuries around the Lincoln Cathedral and the Lincoln Castle.
• Lincoln Cathedral: This beautiful cathedral held the honour of being the tallest building in the world from 1300 to 1549. The library includes one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, the Lincoln Chapter Bible from 1100 AD, and a schoolbook from the 15th Century containing the first recorded Robin Hood rhyme. Take a Cathedral floor tour with your guide and find out more about its history.
• Lincoln Castle: Built by William the Conqueror on the site of a Roman fortress, this unique Norman structure was eventually used as one of the country's most fearsome prisons during the 18th & 19th centuries. It remains one of Britain's most impressive castles. During your visit, you will enjoy a variety of views from the 12th century ramparts.
• Arrive in Lincoln: Hotel check-in and dinner. (Stay Overnight in Lincolnshire or Doncaster)
Day 5 Epworth
• St Andrews Parish Church: This beautiful church is where Samuel Wesley, John Wesley's father, was rector from 1695 to 1735. Samuel Wesley's tomb lay in the church and served as the location of several of John's famous speeches after he was denied the use of the church itself because of his unorthodox beliefs.
• Epworth Old Rectory: Explore the birthplace and family home of John and Charles Wesley. In addition to seeing what everyday life was like in the early 18th century, you will learn about the significance of the Wesley family in England's religious and social history.
• Epworth Wesley Memorial Methodist Church: You will tour the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, which was built in 1889 to commemorate the contributions of John and Charles Wesley. Of particular interest is a stained-glass window featuring the brothers looking in the direction of the Old Rectory.
• Return to hotel and dinner. (Stay Overnight in Lincolnshire or Doncaster)
Day 6 Cambridge
• Explore Cambridge: Cambridge was an important Roman town because of its location at the first navigable port on the river Cam. A walking tour will include King's College, Trinity College, and St. Mary's Church where you will ascend the Bell Tower for magnificent views of the city.
• Trinity College: Tour Trinity College, most often associated with Sir Isaac Newton and A. A. Milne. Visit the Wren Library which contains the largest portion of Isaac Newton's library.
• King's College: Founded in 1441 by Henry VI, we will tour the College and visit the Chapel, famous for its glorious fan vaulted ceiling and considered the most elegant example of perpendicular architecture in England. (Stay Overnight in Cambridgeshire)
Day 7 London
• Enjoy a guided tour of the British Museum, a public museum dedicated to two million years of human history, art, and culture.
• Travel to London. Explore the City: During your time in London, you will explore the areas of Westminster and Whitehall, including Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade, Parliament Square, Downing Street. St. James Park, and Buckingham Palace.
• Arrive in London: Hotel check-in and dinner. (Stay Overnight in London)
Day 8 London Through Wesley's Eyes
• Wesley's Chapel & Leysian Mission: A location of John Wesley's grave; Wesley's House; and the Museum of Methodism. Wesley laid the chapel's foundation stone in 1777 and often preached there until his death. Wesley lived next door to the church where some of his furniture, books, and possessions were displayed. The museum, located in the chapel's crypt, traces the history of Methodism from the 18th century to the present.
• Bunhill Fields Cemetery: This cemetery is the final resting place for all dissenters and non-conformists to the Church of England. Those buried here include George Fox, founder of the Quakers; Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe; and Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley.
• Walk down to the National Portrait Gallery where we will have the privilege to pay homage to one of John Wesley's original portraits dated 1766.
• Return to hotel and dinner. (Stay Overnight in London)
Day 9 London
• St Paul’s Cathedral: Visiting St Paul’s Cathedral, where the statue of John Wesley, a bronze sculpture located northwest corner of St Paul's Churchyard.
• St Botolph's Church: It is a mid-week Anglican church in the heart of the City of London. St Botolph without Aldersgate sits on the corner of Aldersgate Street and Little Britain. The beautiful stained glass window depicting John Wesley preaching in Bunhill Fields and plaque on railings of the churchyard.
• The Aldersgate Flame: Continuous walk down the road, see John Wesley's conversion place memorial.
• St Bartholomew the Great Church: From early Methodism. John Wesley had preached St Bartholomew on a few occasions. He first preached there in 1738.
• Get cosy in the 'Mayflower', a 16th-century pub situated by the Thames. Its strong link with The Pilgrim Fathers from 1620 had become a must-visit pub in London, and it is the only pub licensed to sell US & UK postage stamps.
• Return to hotel and dinner. (Stay Overnight in London)
Day 10 Return to USA
Coach transfer from hotel to London Heathrow Airport. Board your Flight.
HOST CONTACT INFO
HOST: Cathi Johnson
PHONE: 901-481-9840
EMAIL: cathi.j@travelwithfriends.com
FIRST PAYMENT: 01/06/2025
FINAL PAYMENT: 02/05/2025
Jeanne Jackson
This was my first time to Isreal, and it was such a fantastic trip due to our guide Adam and our driver Money Mike! Adam is so knowledgeable and was really able to make each site come alive for me. We had a really large group, and I am sure that Adam felt like he was “herding cats” all week, but he kept us together and moving through the areas while sharing so much information. With Mike’s driving and sense of humor, I felt very safe even though the streets sometimes seemed way too narrow for all of the buses and cars! The team of Adam and Money Mike were fabulous, and I would highly recommend them!!
Adrienne Carter
If you’re doing the Holy Land Tour, there’s no question in which company to choose - it’s Travel With Friends! The entire trip was very well planned and wasted no time in getting us in and out of sites while beating the crowds. Ibrahim was a phenomenal guide! He was personable, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable in the Bible and history of the land. Will definitely do this trip again and go through Travel With Friends!
Ellie Hill