I Was Glad…

June 18, 2021 

Shalom mishpochah,

Tomorrow we return to one service (11 am) where we will be able to worship together as a congregational family.  I am excited and as I thought about our service tomorrow, this verse came to mind.  “I was overjoyed when they said, ‘Let’s go up to the house of the Lord’.” Tehillim (Psalms) 122.1.  I love to be in the house of G-d.  Many of you have heard my testimony.  I came to faith at six years old, and we lived around the corner from the congregation my family started to attend.  I often walked to service. As a teenager, I somehow had a key to the congregation.  I remember going during the week and letting myself in.  I just loved to be there in His presence.  I loved going to services with my family, and we always went whenever the doors were open, which included twice on Sunday, every Wednesday night, and on quite a few occasions every night of the week.

I know this past year was challenging for us.  Regulations imposed on us made it difficult at first for us to meet in person at all. Once we did meet, we had to face the challenge of social distancing, etc.  Habits developed and one of those was watching and participating in the services and ministries of Beth Emanuel online.  Trust me, Rabbi Michael and I are grateful for this technology.  But let me say, they are never a substitute for gathering together to worship and encourage each other.  We will continue to stream online and are asking Adonai to help us use this technology for his glory.  We know there are times when people cannot make it and having the ability to join online is a blessing.

At the same time, we pray that your hearts would be stirred to gather together with one another and to continue to build a strong community that would impact this island and beyond with the Good News of Messiah.  We need you and you need us!  Together we are stronger.  Adonai is still on the throne and He wants us to go forward advancing His kingdom among our Jewish people.  We do hope to see you in person tomorrow, and on Wednesday nights, and at holiday services, and at other special ministry events that Adonai leads us to hold.

Beth Emanuel, we love you and our hearts are filled with great expectation of all that G-d has for us.

Brachot,

Rabbi Carol