Day 4 - May 14 - Shabbat

My Journal Entry:

Went to Jerusalem Assembly this morning for church. Since we all had to dress nice (yes, that meant a skirt), I figured it would be some traditional orthodox service with a long-bearded man teaching, but it was exactly the same as our services back home! Except that it lasted for three hours. But that was partly because it was the church's 20th anniversary. And because the entire service was said, section after section, in both Hebrew and English. In addition to that, people had translator headsets on, and there were six different languages represented! After church we "sang for our supper", then enjoyed the church potluck. At the table my group joined, I sat across from an Ethiopian man who had friends in San Diego, and (ironically, considering my last trip) had met the king of Swaziland. Later a Russian man joined us too. It was so neat to see people singing along to "Yeshua" when we sang it! After we left the church, we visited a fortress/monastery/thing that was from the time of the Middle Ages. How cool is that? The Middle Ages actually took place here! The events related in the movie "Kingdom of Heaven" took place a long, long time ago, in a land about twenty minutes from where I'm sitting right now. Wow! Yay for history! While we were there, we heard the Muslim call to prayer - very creepy, yet eerily beautiful. It was weird how everything just came to a halt when those loudspeakers turned on. After we returned to Yad Hashmona we had free time until dinner, then rehearsal afterward. Gotta get up at 6:15 tomorrow *groan*... because we're touring Jerusalem! Whoo! :D

Mr. Wilson's Details:

Sabbath Day (or Shabbat as it is called here) found us driving into Jerusalem in our two vans, in search of a Messianic congregation called Jerusalem Assembly. We were not scheduled to perform, however, due to the fact that they already had a big program planned, celebrating their 20th anniversary. Having begun as a small Messianic (based on belief in Jesus as the Messiah)
Bible study group in a home, today it was exciting to worship with nearly 400 people, whose congregation occupies the entire 5th floor of a commercial-industrial building.

The worship was in Hebrew, with transliteration, so we could sing along, as well as English translation, all on the screen at once. The sermon and prayers were in Hebrew with an interpreter providing English. In addition, translators in the back of the room repeated the words in German, French, and Spanish, broadcasting by radio signals to people seated throughout the room who wore ear phones. Sometimes they also translate into Arabic, for a total of six languages!

Afterward, there was a special anniversary "pot luck," to which we were invited. We asked if we could sing a few songs during that time, and the pastor granted permission. Though it was mostly background music during the meal, the congregation showed great appreciation, and we enjoyed conversations with many of the people afterward. Our first foray into Jerusalem was a rich, multi-cultural and multi-generational blessing!

By the way, because of the "melting pot" that Israel has become, we have prepared passages of songs in five of those six languages: Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, and English- just some of the languages spoken in Israel by immigrants from various countries, especially during the 20th century. It's a little bit like Pentecost(although the apostles apparently didn't have to study and rehearse their presentations!). With these, along with our nonverbal language of drama, we hope to attract audiences to the message of the gospel, supported by literature we will offer them in their language.

On Sunday (which is a regular work day in Israel) we will again go into Jerusalem; this time to visit many of the amazing biblical and historical sites! What a privilege God has granted us, and we are overwhelmed at this opportunity!