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As you may have heard, we hosted Congregation Dor Tamid, the synagogue here in Johns Creek, this past Sunday for a Drive-In Rosh Hashanah service. Jordan, their Rabbi, is a part of our interfaith clergy group. He reached out to us, inquiring how we did our Drive-In service. So, we invited them to use our equipment and campus for their service. Following our 9:30 a.m. service this past Sunday, they arrived a little before 11:00 a.m. to begin their service.
Our team of parking lot ushers stayed around to help our guests find their way in. I am grateful to Rob Lawrence and his crew for doing that. A few of us stayed around to attend the Rosh Hashanah service. I had never been to one before and was not sure exactly what to expect, but it was a wonderful worship service.
Many of the readings from the Hebrew Bible, what we often refer to as the Old Testament, were familiar passages from the Psalms. My ears perked up particularly when I heard Psalm 121, one of my favorites that begins, "I lift my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth." (NIV)
Two things made the greatest impression on me that day. The first was how deeply rooted our Christian faith is in the Jewish faith and the Old Testament. I felt like I was hearing from the foundational words of our faith. The second was how much I enjoyed sitting in a chair in the parking lot, enjoying a worship service from a different vantage point. It was a beautiful fall day with blue skies and the wind blowing the green leaves of the trees. What a way to worship God!
The culmination and high point of the service for me was when Jordan blew the shofar at the end of the service a number of times. Each time it was blown, it signified something very important. I was also aware that our neighbors probably wondered what that sound was. So, for those of you who were not able to be there, I wanted to share one picture. I am grateful for the worship of God that takes place on our campus in its many forms!
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