Shabbat Oct 5, 2019

Shabbat Shalom!
We are in the midst of “10 Days Of Awe”, the special time of gathering together between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). We had an incredibly sweet service for Yom Teruah/Rosh HaShana last Sunday night, with a joint service with Gateway on Mount Zion Church, as we sounded the shofar, worshipped and welcomed the King and fellowshipped with one another! The next day, several of us went hiking in the mountains, remembering and sharing testimony about the meaning of this special appointed time. This Shabbat, October 5th, we will celebrate and observe “Shabbat T’Shuva”, a special Shabbat that occurs between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur. We will be welcoming back, Rabbi Todd Westphal from El Shaddai Messianic Congregation in Frederick, Md. Todd was with us a couple of years ago and is a good friend of Or Chaim, he is also on the Tikkun International Board, as well as the Tikkun America Apostolic team. He has a great love for the Word of God and a zeal and passion for the body of Messiah! This will be a wonderful time in the presence of The Lord, so we hope to see you  ‘on the mountain!” THERE WILL BE A POT-BLESS ONEG FOLLOWING THE SERVICE, SO BRING A DISH TO SHARE AND STAY FOR WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP!

On Tuesday October 8th at 7pm at GOMZ we will observe Yom Kippur by having a Kol Nidre service. This is the most holiest day of the Kingdom calendar, and we will have a solemn gathering where we will break all vows of the previous year, enter into a time of corporate repentance, and worship the Messiah who shed His blood so that we can live in liberty! All are invited to this special time, as we recognize that this is not just a "Jewish thing”, but something all of us are invited to participate in. At the conclusion of the service, we will encourage all to join in the Biblically mandated fast, where the scriptures command us to “humble ourselves.” On Wednesday October 9th at 6:30pm we will conclude our Yom Kippur observance with a “Break Fast” (not breakfast!), when we will gather together and read the book of Jonah, blow the shofar announcing the year of Jubilee and enjoy a pot-bless meal together! WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THIS VERY SPECIAL TIME AT THE HOME OF THE LARSENS’, BUT DUE TO JOYCE’S RECENT SURGERY, WE WILL NOT HAVE IT THERE. WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE THIS BREAK FAST WILL TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND! PLEASE STAY TUNED AND BE IN PRAYER FOR A QUICK RECOVERY FOR JOYCE!

There are many other upcoming events for this month including Erev Succoth on Sunday October 13th and a community celebration of Simcha Torah at Roeh Israel Congregation on October 21st! We will share more details with you in the coming days. As you can see these are exciting days, like the Days of Elijah we read and sing about, Millie and I pray that you and your family will experience greater intimacy with Yeshua, and a hope-filled and glorious Shana Tova 5780!
Blessings and Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
Stewart and Millie