Hebrew Holiday Celebrations
Join us in the Hebrew Year 5769 as we learn more about Jesus by celebrating the Jewish holidays.
On September 29, at sunset, the Jewish year 5769 will begin. This is the first special holiday during the year that helps Jews remember their faith and what God has done for them.
As the Jewish year goes by, we plan on celebrating several of these holidays here at First Baptist.
Our goal is to know Jesus better. As we learn more about these celebrations, we will learn more about Jesus’ person and ministry and how He completes the Old Testament. We want to experience what the two disciples did Jesus walked with them after the Resurrection “and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27, NIV).
Each holiday will be celebrated differently and have a different meaning. Some will be simple worship services. Others will include a meal. Some of them will be solemn occasions. Others will be more like a party.
The following is a list of holidays that we will celebrate, with the “real” dates and times listed. The times listed are at sunset (from sunrisesunset.com), which begins the Jewish day. We will celebrate most of these holidays when they appear on the Hebrew calendar, but two of them will be a day earlier or later.
Our hope is that we will all learn more about the Jewish Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, as we explore these festivals and their meaning. Shalom!
The New Year begins with a ten day period of personal reflection and prayer. We will have a service that night centering on repentance.
Oct 8, Wed, 6:38 p.m.; Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
This will be a worship service focused on forgiveness. We will discuss atonement in the Old Testament, and how Jesus completed that.
Oct 13, Mon, 6:30 p.m.; Sukkot (Feast of Booths)
This holiday centers on dependence on God. We will share a meal outside in and under tents, and have a service focused on thanksgiving and trust in God. Our celebration will be Sunday night at 6:30 p.m.
Dec 21, Sun, 4:44 p.m.; Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication)
This reminds us of God’s miracle of sending Light into a dark world when the Temple was rededicated in 165 BC. Our program at our Christmas Dinner will be about this holiday.
Mar 9, Tues, 7:06 p.m.; Purim (God’s Deliverance in Esther)
Have a meal and a party while we read Esther.
Apr 9, Thursday, 7:00 p.m.; Pesach/Passover (Exodus Celebration)
Our Maundy Thursday service will be like a Seder meal, learning about the Exodus story and how Jesus’ ministry fulfills the prophetic portion of the dinner, freeing us from slavery through his death on the cross.
May 28, Thurs, 8:25 p.m.; Shavuot (Feast of the First-Fruits)
This celebration of God’s revelation is also Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given to God’s people in Acts 2. A worship service will focus on the Holy Spirit and God’s revelation in our lives.
