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Our vision statement is:
"We are a community welcoming Jews and Gentiles, rejoicing,
worshipping the God of Israel, learning, and loving one another."
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"Jews & Gentiles"
HaShem called the children of Israel to become a
"light to the nations" (Isaiah 51:4, 60:3).
Messiah Yeshua was "sent to the lost sheep of Israel"
and sends us to do likewise (Matthew 15:24, 10:6).
Thus God's plan is "to the Jew first, then to the Gentile"
(Romans 1:16, 2:9,10). Some from the nations are called to embrace
this plan, lovingly taking hold of the Jew by the hem (tzitzit)
and saying "Let us go with you, for we hear that God is with you"
(Zechariah 8:23). Messiah has made the two one (Ephesians 2:15),
for God does not show partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17, Romans 2:11).
Practically, we affirm our own peculiarly Jewish calling by
observing the Shabbat and Jewish festivals, studyng Torah,
getting involved in the Jewish community locally and internationally,
helping to restore Jewish roots in the Church, and presenting
the good news of the Messiah of Israel to the world.
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"Worshipping One God"
The oneness of God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Zechariah 14:9) is the basis
of our own unity (Psalms 133:1). Our worship also reflects the creative
diversity of God (Psalms 150). In our worship, there is a time for
traditional Jewish liturgy and a time for expression of spiritual gifts,
a time for stillness and a time for joyful dance.
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"Learning"
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching . . .
and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
The study of Torah (which literally means "instruction")
equips us and enables us to pass on a heritage to our children,
both physical and spiritual.
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"Loving One Another"
We believe God ordains relationships of covenant love (Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Samuel 18:1),
which strengthen the unity of the Spirit. God ordains relationships
that are personal (Ecclesiastes 4:12, hence we take time to form
personal relationships outside of meetings),
corporate (Romans 12:5, hence we consider congregational
membership a covenant) and trans-congregational (1 Corinthians 16,
hence we are members of Tikkun and IAMCS and support the Share the Power
and OneVoice Networks). We serve (Ephesians 4:3 notes that
"keeping the unity of the Spirit" takes "every
effort") and encourage one another, practice hospitality,
bear one another's burdens, and rejoice in each other's joys
(Romans 12:9-15).
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Beit Simcha is a Messianic Jewish congregation.
According to our by-laws, our beliefs and purposes are:
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I. To worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the living,
whose desire is that our joy may be full;
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II. To proclaim the good news of
Yeshua the Messiah, to the Jew first and also the
Gentile; through His death every person can have
atonement before God from all sin, and by His
resurrection we have confidence that we can come into
the presence of God in our prayers and will be raised to
everlasting life with Him;
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III. To be filled with the Holy
Spirit, the counselor sent by God to guide us into all
truth;
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IV. To study the whole and
authoritative Word of God, including the Tenach (Hebrew
Scriptures) and the B'rit Chadasha (New Covenant) under
the leading of the Holy Spirit;
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V. To observe the Shabbat and
Biblical Feasts ordained by God in perpetuity;
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VI. To be a testimony to the
whole body of Messiah of its Jewish roots, trusting that
Messiah's death has forever broken down the middle wall
of partition separating Jews and Gentiles who trust in
him, and also affirming that Messiah came not to destroy
the Torah but to fulfill it; our Jewish roots, from
which Messiah springs, have always been intended as a
basis of oneness, holiness and love, as it is written,
in Leviticus 19:34: "The stranger living with you
must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as
yourself, for you were strangers in Egypt. I am the LORD
your God."
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VII. To identify with the Jewish
people in observance of the seasons of Jewish life
(including b'rit milah (circumcision), mikvah
(immersion), bar mitzvah, marriage, mourning), study of
Hebrew, and intercession and support for Israel;
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VIII. To raise children in the
knowledge, fear and love of the Lord, passing on to them
a Jewish identity, understanding of God's word, and love
for all people;
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IX. To love one another as God
loves us, devoted to one another in brotherly love,
bearing one another's burdens, sharing with God's people
and our neighbors in need, practicing hospitality.
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