This month begins with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish celebrated New Year, and with it we prepare for a new year of expansion. The Feasts of the Lord are a wonderful time for community growth. Many people, that most weeks, do not frequent a Synagogue, will find themselves taking part in the High Holy Days prayers. Many Synagogues invite their neighbors to join them for prayers. Just the other day we received an invitation from one of the Synagogues in our neighborhood to join them. They were extending a welcoming hand to the surrounding community and highlighting what made them unique. As we celebrate the Fall Festivals, we are reminded of the communal calling of the Children of Israel and for those who have been grafted into the vine from wild branches (the Believers from the Nations) to follow God. Many of these Believers will come up to praise the God of Israel in Jerusalem during Succot – Feast of Tabernacles.

As the days lead towards Yom Kippur, the Jewish People engage in Slichot – Days of Repentance. From the preceding month until the Day of Atonement the people as a community beseech God for mercy.

Salvation is individual, and although each of us must personally invite the Lord into our lives, the life of the Believer need not and should not be independent. From the very beginning God’s design was that we should live in community. In the creation plan being celebrated at this time of Rosh Hashana, we see that God created the animals and also Adam. It is clear that Adam is the caretaker, but he is alone and God determines that this is not good for Adam and so Eve is brought forth. In these days as well God desires that we be not lonely.

In the coming months we at King of Kings Community desire to pro-actively become more of a compelling community here in Jerusalem. Most of us have read the book of Acts and especially chapter 2 speaking of the empowerment by the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the dramatic change brought about for the new believing community in Jerusalem. This time we have chosen to study this passage through all levels of our community family. We will be taught from the passage on Sunday nights and then have opportunities during the week to study and discuss it in small groups.

At the end of Succot on the day of Simchat Torah, we celebrate the finishing of the cycle of Torah Portions and immediately start over again with Genesis. In a similar way, we who find our roots in a community in Jerusalem some 2000 years ago, will look back at our roots and be reminded of the last commands given by our Lord to His followers and the awesome affect of an obedient community that follows after Him with passion.

As we look to impact our city Yerushalayim and to see it be made a praise in the Earth, we need to see how the Lord worked among this early group of followers.

An element that we will look at with particular emphasis is the Hebraic thought and lifestyle that directed this early group of Believers. We will look into the roots that lead us back not only 2000 years, but much farther to our fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and others. Seeing the Levitic model of community building, we can be inspired to positively influence our community. While some of our tools may have changed, generously giving the basic love and care of Yeshua is sure to impact our neighborhoods.