Heshvan - Kislev 5764
FROM SEASON TO SEASON
Time seems to rush on even more rapidly these days…at least
for us. The fall Jewish holidays literally swept by us, Seth turned
21 (!), and now the winter holiday season has already arrived!
The fall holidays brought the usual influx of visitors and launched
a members class of over a dozen at Congregation Ohr Chadash, our
Messianic synagogue! In the middle of it all, John received a couple
of special calls. It's always a special opportunity and a real privilege
when rabbis from other Messianic congregations call for assistance
or for information. Just before the holidays we got two such calls
from Messianic rabbis with important questions about some details
of the Rosh Hashanah ( Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) services
and traditions. It helped us appreciate the wider influence and
impact that God has granted to Menorah Ministries.
This was reinforced by the accumulating events of October and November.
John returned from a series of meetings in Baltimore. There, he
was part of a group laying the foundation for another Messianic
seminary (besides the one here in St. Pete that is the cooperative
venture between Menorah Ministries and St. Petersburg Theological
Seminary, which just received its full, permanent accreditation
after much work!). John is on the board of directors as well as
a department chair for this seminary being launched by the Union
of Messianic Jewish Congregations (UMJC). Patrice will serve on
its faculty as well.
Next, John was off to San Antonio and then Atlanta. San Antonio
was the site for the Steering Committee meetings of the UMJC, which
were involved in some highly important deliberations affecting not
only the UMJC but the larger Messianic movement as well. In Atlanta,
he delivered a paper called "A Rabbi Looks at Jesus" at
the annual conference of the Evangelical Theological Society, where
he got an enthusiastic reception. In the middle of all this, John
completed an article on Yeshua that will appear in the winter issue
of the Israeli journal MISHKAN.
And, speaking of writing projects, John's recent book, THE ENDURING
PARADOX, was reviewed in the September issue of THE MESSIANIC TIMES,
the world's leading international Messianic Jewish spaper THE ENDURING
PARADOX is a book to which Patrice contributed a couple of significant
chapters. We wanted to share some of the reviewer's comments with
you.
In John Fischer's "Covenant, Fulfillment and Judaism in
Hebrews" we find ourselves in a historical montage with treasures
around every corner. This chapter could be pivotal to any leader's
understanding of Messianic Judaism, making it a must-read.
Patrice Fischer's articulate bout with the assimilation question
is one of the best essays in the book, and is well worth the book's
purchase in and of itself.
We want to deeply thank you for making all this possible through
your prayers, encouragement and contributions. You help make the
continuation of this vital ministry possible.
As we conclude this letter, we wanted to share a concern with you.
A week or so ago, an article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times.
It pointed out how charitable organizations had suffered financially
since 9/11, and how this hardship had continued through this year
as well, due to ongoing economic conditions. Giving to charitable
and faith-based organizations such as ours has declined significantly
during this period. This decrease has hit us perhaps more deeply
than some others, since Menorah Ministries is considerably smaller
than many other such ministries. As a result, we are facing a severe
year-end financial shortage that may make it difficult or impossible
to meet our normal financial obligations.
During this holiday season, please prayerfully consider making
an extra holiday contribution to Menorah Ministries. AND PERHAPS
JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, please prayerfully consider increasing your
monthly and yearly contributions as well. Without you, this ministry
cannot effectively move forward. Thank you; we appreciate all of
you.
May God richly shine his light on you in this wonderful season
of lights!
Love in our Messiah,
John and Patrice
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