Shabbot

Last Friday night as the sun set to the west... our rag tag group of Gentiles gathered in the long shadows on parking lot to wait. We were waiting to worship. It seems only Gentiles come to worship early at synagogues in Carmel, Indiana. Actually our DISCIPLE Bible class (with their families) were waiting on someone with a key to unlock the doors.

Yes, our Bible class believes in field trips in addition to our curriculum!

I overheard a woman on her cell phone say, rather tartly, "Well, get your rabbinical a** here!" Such a liturgical statement was foreign to my worship experience, but it seemed to do the trick because moments later our Messiah (with the key) arrived!

Greetings, hand shakes and welcomes were given and received while our group doubled the minyan that finally arrived. My kindergartener insisted on sitting in the front row where she would not miss anything. Thus casually and delightfully we began our 90 minute sojourn into all things Hebrew, minor, and foreign.

With teaching commentary sprinkled throughout the service we found our way through the prayer book (backwards) as three teens struggled to lead the service. They chanted the four Psalms and the one hymn from the middle century by an unnamed Jewish mystic. (Who knew there was such a thing as a Jewish mystic? What do you know?!)

We honored the faithfulness of God, welcomed the Bride (aka the Shabbot) as we stood in Her honor, recognized the dead and remembered the grieving (those who are in shiva). All while my kid squirmed in her sqeaky seat counting the Stars of David scattered throughout the room. No one was more glad about 'refreshments' in the social hall than my kiddo!

The Rabbi was very gracious with his hospitality for our non-Hebrew crew. After worship he opened the ark and showed us two of the synagogue's Torah scrolls. (One was over 300 years old!) We learned alot about the work of scribes and the Hebrew language. But also we talked of the Jewish definition of death, what does it mean to work on a Sabboth, and how a 'blessing' is different between Jews and Christians.

My favorite moment though has to be when the Rabbi welcomed us to worship by stating in his quirky, yet loving way, "I am so glad you are here. We need to do this more often- visit each other in worship. I have more in common with a practicing Christian than I do a secular Jew."

He is right because I can say the same. I have more in common with practicing Jews than I do with secular Christians.