Feast of Tabernacles 2007

Tartu, Estonia

United Church of God

An International Association

 

August 1, 2007

 

Greetings!  The fall Holy Days are rapidly approaching and in approximately seven weeks the Feast of Tabernacles will be upon us.  I hope each and every one of you is looking forward to picturing God’s coming Kingdom of God this year in Estonia! 

 

Summary of items to take care of now

 

  1. Send $150 per adult person to Dr. Bryant Lambert for Saaremaa transportation, box lunches and group dinners
  2. Please send airline arrival and departure information to Victor Kubik and Bryant Lambert (vic@kubik.org and openwidebl@msn.com.
  3. Call your banking institution or credit card company and tell them you will be traveling to Eastern Europe.  This will prevent your credit card being blocked on the suspicion of fraud.
  4. If you had not done so, please make certain that you have reserved your room at the Pallas Hotell in Tartu. 
  5. If you have not done so, please contact  Toomas Schvak at toomas.schvak@gmail.com for reservations on the Island of Saaremaa

As you probably read in the Feast of Tabernacles brochure, we will spend the first part of this year’s Feast in Estonia’s second largest city, Tartu, with the second part being observed on the resort island of Saaremaa.  As was stated in the Festival brochure, we are requesting every adult contribute the equivalent of $150 USD to cover the cost of transportation to Saaremaa, box lunches, and group dinners that are planned.  U.S. residents can send their payment to:

 

Dr. Bryant Lambert
1542 Dresden Drive NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30319

 

For residents outside the U.S. we will collect your money once we arrive in Tartu. 

 

In accordance with God’s instruction regarding Holy Day offerings, we will take up offerings on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and on the Last Great Day in accordance with

 

 Deuteronomy 16:16.  You may elect to send the majority of your offering to the home office prior to leaving for Estonia and give a smaller offering on the actual Holy Day itself.  This will help decrease the risk of having to carry a large amount of money back to the U.S.

 

In addition, we do not have song hymnals in Estonia so we are asking each household to bring hymnals from your local congregations to use during the Feast. 

 

Those of us involved in the planning process for this year’s Feast are very excited and working hard to help you have the best Feast ever.  To help everything run smoothly, please read the information contained in the following pages and respond as quickly as possible to any information we might request from you.  This will help expedite the planning process and help you have a more enjoyable Feast.  You can email any requested information to Victor Kubik at vic@kubik.org or to Dr. Bryant Lambert at openwidebl@msn.com.  Two excellent website resources for information about Tartu and Saaremaa can be found at www.visittartu.com and www.saaremaa.ee/eng.  We look forward to meeting those of you who have not been to Estonia for the Feast before and seeing those of you who are returning! 

 

This memo and more information will be posted at www.kubik.org/estonia where you will more information as well.  Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Bryant Lambert or Victor Kubik if you have any questions.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Bryant Lambert
Victor Kubik

  

 

1.  Pre Feast Tour

If you are interested in going on the pre Feast tour please contact Dr. Bryant Lambert at openwidebl@msn.com for further details and pricing.  For anyone participating in the tour, you will need to arrive in Tallinn sometime on Monday, September 24th.   

 

 

2.  Airline Arrival/Departure Information

Please email Victor Kubik at kubik@kubik.org or Dr. Bryant Lambert at openwidebl@msn.com with your arrival and departure flight information.  Arrival information: we would like to know your expected date and time of arrival in Tallinn, the name of your air carrier, and the flight number.  Departure information: we would like to know everyone’s date and time of departure from Tallinn after the Feast.  This information will help us locate you if for some reason your flight is delayed coming into Tallinn and will help with knowing how to plan hotel accommodations church services for the weekend following the Feast and transportation to the airport for your return flight. 

 

3.  Arrival in Tallinn, Estonia

Once you arrive at the airport, claim your bags, pass through passport control and exit through the doors into the arrival/departure hall.  In the arrival/departure hall you will find money exchanging counters.  Since the exchange rates are better at banks in Tartu, it is best to just get enough money exchanged to pay for a taxi to the bus station, the bus fare to Tartu, and perhaps a drink or snack. 

 

Taxi fare from the airport to the bus station should be no more than 120 EEKS or the equivalent of $12 USD.  Of course this can vary depending on number of passengers and pieces of luggage. 

 

If you will be arriving on Wednesday, September 26th, you may want to exchange a little more to get you through until Friday, September 27th so you don’t have to exchange money on the Holy Day. 

 

The Pallas Hotel will also exchange money at the front desk, but again at a much less favorable rate than a bank.  Once you get to Tartu there is a bank (Hansapank) on the first floor of the building in which the Pallas Hotel is located. 

 

If you have the ability to access ATM machines with your bank/check card inside Estonia, this can be a very convenient and quick way to access EEKS (Estonian Kroons) without the hassle of waiting in line and exchanging money at a bank.

 

In addition, before leaving home it is always a good idea to call your banking institution and tell them you will be traveling outside the country and to Eastern Europe.  Bank card fraud continues to be an ongoing problem in this part of the world and your financial institution may put a block on your card denying any further use of your credit/bank cards if they see what they consider “unusual activity” outside the country.  To call your bank and get them to unblock your account can be very inconvenient and time consuming.       

 

4.  The Bus Station

When you arrive at the bus station, you will want to purchase a one way express bus ticket to Tartu.  You can purchase tickets inside the bus station or directly from the bus driver.  Tickets cost 140 EEKS for adults and children 7-15 years of age (approximately $14 USD) and 100 EEKS (approximately $10 USD) for those over 60 years who can show proof of age.

 

On each bus in the front windshield you will see the cities the bus serves.  Make sure the sign lists only Tartu as the city it serves.  If you get on a bus listing multiple cities besides Tartu, your two hour bus trip will turn into four hours. 

 

On some buses drinks and snacks are sold, but be warned that bathrooms on the bus may or may not be available as well.  The bus drivers are very reluctant to stop for anything until they get to Tartu. 

 

Usually the bus driver will open the compartments on the bottom of the bus for luggage, but if they are not open you will have to ask the driver to open them so that you can place your bags in the hold below.

 

 

5.  Arrival in Tartu, Estonia

You’re finally here!  Once off the bus cross the street directly in front of the bus station entrance to the side of the street the gas station is on.  You will see McDonald’s (yes, not even Tartu can escape MickyDees) in the distance on the other side of the gas station.  Cross the main street (Turu Street) in the cross walk and proceed toward the Volvo car dealership.  Go one block to the next street and turn right.  Go one more block and you will see the back of the building in which the Hotel Pallas is located to your left. 

 

Go around to the front of the building which faces the busy thoroughfare of Riia Street.  There you will find the main entrance to the building.  Once inside, take the elevator to the third floor where the Hotel Pallas reception desk is located.  Here the very helpful staff will get you checked in, situated, and comfortable.

 

As in most European hotels, breakfast is included in the price of your room.  Breakfast is served each morning downstairs from the hotel on the first floor in the Big Ben Pub.  You should have already made reservations directly with the Pallas Hotel for your room arrangements.  If you have not, please do so immediately at: www.pallas.ee   In your correspondence with Iris the hotel manger,  let her know that you are with the United Church of God so you will receive our discounted room rate and indicate to her what type of room you would like to have.

 

Just as a side note.  Down the street from the Pallas Hotel is the Aura Center, an indoor water park and health club.  It is a great way to relax and unwind from your long journey and absolutely great for kids.  You can take advantage of the park’s indoor Olympic size swimming pool, water slides, hot tubs, and saunas.  Thirty minute and one hour body massages are also available on the premises for approximately the equivalent of $10 and $20 USD respectively. 

 

If you want to take advantage of the massages make an appointment through the hotel desk before you go.  There are various fees which allow you to enter different areas within the facility.  It is only cost effective to get a massage at the Aura if you plan to use the other parts of the center because in order to gain access to the area where they do massages, you must pay the “fitness center” admission price.  You can obtain more information on hours of operation and pricing at www.aurakeskus.ee.     

 

6.  Feast of Tabernacles, Tartu, Estonia September 26th – October 1st

All church services in Tartu will be held at the Atlantis Club and Conference Center.  For those staying on the front side of the Pallas Hotel you can see the Atlantis situated across the Emajogi River (Mother River).  It is approximately a 10 minute walk from the Pallas Hotel to the Atlantis Club Conference Center.  Opening night services for the Feast will be held on Wednesday, September 26th.  Additionally, daily services will be held September 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th  at 10:30 am. On October 1st there will be no church services.  We will travel this day to the resort island of Saaremaa where we will spend the second part of the Feast and the Last Great Day.

 

A walking tour of Tartu will be available one afternoon if there is enough interest.   

 

7.  Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day, Kuresaare, Saaremaa, Estonia October 1st – 4th

On Monday, October 1st, we will travel to the resort island of Saaremaat.  We will board a charter bus from the Pallas Hotel for the approximately four hour journey which will take us through the Estonian countryside, on a short ferry ride to the island of Saaremaa and finally to the beautiful Georg Ots Spa and Resort Hotel.  A box lunch will be provided for us to eat during our trip on the bus.  If you have not done so, please email how many rooms you will need and the names of everyone staying in each room to Toomas Schvak at toomas.schvak@gmail.com.  Mr. Schvak is our “man on the ground” in Estonia and is making most of the arrangements for us during the Feast including the hotel reservations in Saaremaa.  Upon our arrival at the Georg Ots Hotel each party will register and leave a credit card number with the staff at the hotel desk.  You will be responsible at check out for any financial obligations incurred while at the hotel.

 

Church services will be held in the Georg Ots Hotel conference center on October 2nd, 3rd, as well as Last Great Day services on October 4th.  Times of all church services will be forthcoming.

A walking tour of the town of Kuresaare will be available one afternoon if there is enough interest. 

 

8.  Transportation from Saaremaa to Tallinn

Everyone is responsible for their own transportation back to Tallinn from the island of Saaremaa.  Prices for the public bus are: adults - 200 EEKS ($20 USD), seniors 60 and over with proof of age and children 7-15 years old - 150 EEKS ($15 USD).  For those with return flights on Friday, October 5th, it will be necessary for you to leave on the last bus of the day at 5:30 pm, Thursday, October 4th following Last Great Day church services.  For flights on Sunday, October 7th the departure times for buses back to Tallinn on Friday, October 5th are as follows:

 

Kuurasaare, Saaremaa to Tallinn:
 

05:15 am

05:30

06:45

07:30

09:30

11:45

13:30 (1:30 pm)

15:20 (3:20 pm)

17:30 (5:30 pm)  

In either case it will be necessary to take a taxi from the Georg Ots Hotel to the bus station in Kuresaare which will be an additional small expense. 

 

9.  Hotel Accommodations Friday, October 5th – Sunday October 7th

If you will need hotel accommodations in Tallinn Friday, October 5th thru Sunday, October 7th and if you intend to attend Sabbath services on Saturday, October 6th, please email either Victor Kubik at kubik@kubik.org or Dr. Bryant Lambert at openwidebl@msn.com .  In addition, please include a copy of your email to Toomas Schvak at toomas.schvack@gmail.com.  Mr. Schvack will be making our hotel reservations and finding a meeting hall for church services if one is needed.  We will plan to have a bible study format on that Sabbath and we need to know who will be planning to attend to determine if we need to book a conference room.   

 

If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to email Victor Kubik or Dr. Bryant Lambert and we will be glad to assist you in any way we can.  We wish everyone a profitable fall Holy Day season and look forward to seeing everyone in Tartu, Wednesday September, 26th for opening night services of the Feast.