the european connection

THE HERITAGE TOUR OF EUROPE

by Richard Adams

Group photo taken in front of Reformation Wall. Statues are of Guillaume Farel, John Calvin, Théodore
de Bèze, John Knox.

LARRY POWELL, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF HOME MISSIONS and I were privileged to host a group of ministers and their wives as they toured key landmarks of the Reformation and our Christian heritage.

The tour began in London, England, and included landmarks like Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace, Knightsbridge with Harrods, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben beside the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower of London with its fabulous Crown Jewels. However, the highlight of our trip to London was the Wesley Chapel and Museum and the famous Spurgeon Tabernacle. Everyone on the tour was inspired as we remembered the ministry of these great men of God. Dr. Danny Dwyer spoke to us from this famous pulpit.

The London tour ended at Waterloo station where we boarded the Eurostar for a high-speed three-hour adventure to Paris. Once in Paris, we delved into historical landmarks and monuments including Vendome Square, Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs - Elysess, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and Ile Saint-Louis.

As we drove south through the charming French countryside into Switzerland, we were awed by the magnificent vistas. Geneva was a beautiful city, with its beautiful Flower clock, the Jet d’Eau fountain, and the Reformation Monument with statues of Luther, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli and Roger Williams. We toured John Calvin’s church, the University, and the Old Town, rich with 2000 years of history.

Sunday morning began with a worship service led by Rev. Archie Ratliff. Later, we enjoyed a sightseeing tour of Interlaken and drove to the quaint village of Grindewalde for a cable ride into the Alps. We crossed Brunig Pass with views of majestic summits and ice-blue glaciers and descended to the wonderful lake resort of Lucerne.

As our adventure continued, we drove along the lake to Zurich. We visited Zwingli’s great church and enjoyed a lecture by Dr. Randy Sawyer on the ministry of the reformer. Toggenburg Valley, site of Zwingli’s early ministry, was our last stop before crossing the Bavarian Alps into Austria to visit Neuschwanstein Castle built by King Ludwig.

From the Garmisch-Munich area we traveled the “Romantische Strasse” through Nordingen with its well-preserved medieval walls, gates, and towers. We passed through Dindelseuhl, Rothenburg, before arriving in Heidelberg (situated in the valley of the River Neckar). Heidelberg is famous for its University, Stone Bridge, and its ruined castle.

In Worms, city of the 1521 Edict, we toured the splendid Luther Memorial, the Cathedral, and other points of interest before boarding a steamer in Gacharach for a cruise along the beautiful Rhine River. We passed terraced vineyards, ruined castles, and riverside villages until we came to Frankfurt, Germany, where our jet bound for home awaited us.  We made incredible memories and met wonderful people along the way as our Christian heritage came to life amid the lovely scenery of Europe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Richard Adams is the director of development for the Home Missions Department. He ministers through the C.E.L.F. Program, helping to establish funding for missionaries to purchase land and construct their churches. He speaks frequently in churches across the nation.
ABOVE: View of castles along the Rhine River in Germany.