Longtime cross-cultural leaders plan final voyage

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water.

Genesis 1:2 (New King James Version)

After leading groups of students and alumni to the Mediterranean for more than two decades, Dr. Linford Stutzman ’84, SEM ’90, and his wife Janet Stutzman SEM ’91 are putting together a “grand finale” of a trip. And they’re pulling out all the stops for this one. 

The trip, named “On the Face of the Deep” after a verse from Genesis, will take travelers on a voyage that follows parts of Paul’s mission journeys in the book of Acts, October 4-13, 2025. Passengers aboard two gulets (a traditional Turkish wooden sailing vessel) will explore the archeological sites of Ephesus and Perge, take in the Aegean islands of Samos, Patmos, Kos and Rhodes, and immerse themselves in the rich culture and history of the Mediterranean. 

“When you see the Mediterranean Sea in person, it blows your mind,” Janet Stutzman said. “People can’t believe how blue the water is. They’ve never seen anything like it.”

Take a video tour of the gulets!

Guests on the 10-day tour will spend each night on the gulet in private suites. They’ll savor Mediterranean cuisine each day, learn stories of the sea from history and from Scripture, enjoy performances of original sea shanties by alumni a cappella group Cantore, and engage in spirited discussions. 

“People will be sharing their own life stories and observations,” Linford Stutzman said. “Those conversations can go on for hours after a meal is done because they’re so fascinating. That’s what makes this more than a tour.”

The gulets sail from the port of Kusadasi, Turkey, on Oct. 6, ending in Fethiye, Turkey, on Oct. 11.

“It’s my favorite time of the year to visit,” said Linford Stutzman. “The water is warm and the days aren’t hot.”

The trip is part of EMU’s “Alumni and Friends” series of cross-cultural tours and is open to alumni, current and former parents, and friends of alumni. There is space aboard the gulets for 60 guests who will travel together. The total cost of the trip is $5,500 per traveler plus airfare. The first payment of $2,500 is due Sept. 1, 2024.

All proceeds from the trip go directly to current EMU students in need of financial support on their intercultural semester.

Learn more about the trip and register here!

About the leaders

Linford Stutzman spent more than 25 years as a professor at EMU teaching culture, religion and mission courses. Janet Stutzman served as director of alumni and parent relations for 13 years.

The globe-trotting couple is well-known in the EMU community for their decades of experience leading intercultural programs and Alumni and Friends tours. This tour is one that Linford and Janet Stutzman say they’ve dreamt of sharing with others since a sabbatical trip 20 years ago.

From 2004 to 2005, the Stutzmans sailed 4,000 miles over 16 months to visit every port linked to Paul’s travels in Acts. Their journey is detailed in Linford Stutzman’s book, “Sailing Acts,” published by Good Books. 

The couple has led similar sailing trips in the Mediterranean since then, but not to this scale. It will also mark the first to feature the sea shanties sung by Cantore, Linford Stutzman said. 

“We’ve never done anything of this magnitude before,” he said.

Lyrics to the shanties were written by the EMU professor emeritus and are based on biblical stories involving the sea.

Listen to the album of sea shanties here.

Through their years of leading tours in the region, Linford and Janet Stutzman have built up a network of connections. They’ve tapped into that network to reserve the top gulets and travel guides. 

Those who have taken trips with the Stutzmans form lifelong friendships with one another and meet for reunions years after their trips end. They say their experience forever changed the way they read the Bible and the stories of Paul in Acts, Linford Stutzman said.

“It’s a story you can’t fully appreciate unless you experience it yourself and immerse yourself in it,” he said.

For more information, contact the alumni office at 540-432-4206.