Aspects of the Hebrew Way: Fall Harvest Gatherings

Have you ever attended a harvest themed gathering where families bring pies from their own garden surplus? It kind of sounds like a scene from Little House where they bake all day then, travel through the big woods to visit family and play with cousins. Or those olden days in America where families gather for a barn raisings and some singing and dancing in the evening.

Essentially, our Celebration committee is creating gatherings similar to these, but within our modern context and story. Sure our story is of similar struggle with day to day living. We are just in a different place and time, gathering for the purpose of living principles such as returning.

We are not waiting until the cold sets in, when the pumpkins and apples are ready. But, we are holding this gathering at a special time in the original calendar. It's actually the New Year and the Hebrew's have kept this original calendar since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. This month marks the end of the year 5,776. October 3rd will then be the year 5,777 - Five thousand seven hundred years since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. It's interesting huh? It's not common we hear of the dates being tracked since that time, but the Jews have been keeping records.

This time of year is holy to the Jews and those who honor our original beginnings. It actually resembles a time of new beginnings; a time that is known among the Jewish culture, where Adam recognized he was "lost" and turned towards the Garden of Eden, calling out to our Father in Heaven in remorsefulness with a desire to return home. A tradition ensued at some point, according to the Jews, where each year they gather all their unrepentant sins, burdens, mistakes and call out to release them in efforts to return back. This showed their re-commitment to renew, to transform and to begin again to be God's people.

To read more about the cry of the shofar and the Head (beginning) of the Year, see here.

Now in my Christian worldview, I know our Creator and Redeemer came to free us and was that gate keeper for Adam and Eve and all their posterity; us. Even though he came in the meridian of time, Adam was taught to look forward and participate in certain rites which would help them remember and believe in His coming. And I know, each weekly Sabbath is a symbolic time for us to return back towards our Father through the power of the atonement; to recognize, release and renew along with our families.

Nevertheless, this time of year is significant because I believe it holds certain seasonal or energetic turnings. Each July I begin re-evaluating my schedule and life and spend the next few months organizing or ordering, in some way, to begin a new pattern in Sept/October. I began noticing this pattern some years ago. It was just happening to me without thinking about it, like it was my second nature. I believe it was my inner light communicating truth to me actually. Maybe it is a pattern you have noticed? If not, try observing it for yourself.

Since this time of year is not only significant to me, but to our original family of old. I felt it was the perfect time to add to the gatherings and turnings by inviting others to celebrate the story of us and our journey back home. Although that is a big task and should be done daily, weekly and on a personal scale, why not do it as our people did in this land in a more recent time; gathering for sharing in the joy from our labors?

Well, that's what we are doing! On Friday, September 23rd, 2016

Our theme: Our Journey Home

Sing-a-long Song: Long Way Home by Stephen Chapman Curtis

Pot-luck: Family Recipe Pie theme (dinner, desert or even casserole type-salads)

We are having:

Story-building booth where we add our family stories together and create an original story by the end.
Other Project booths like Waldorf hands-on with beeswax crayons; watercolor, nature creations, a Quilting circle, Food-storage samples, etc.
Contra-dancing (America's folk dance) and open Ballroom dance after 2 ballroom performances.
Optional Family Pot-luck.
Singing together Long Way Home to accompany our theme: "Our Journey Home."
Live Fiddle and Mandolin playing.
Foundation Builder Guide children's dances.
Family, Like-minded friends, and Fun!

Get this FREE cookbook!
This spring I met a friend who was also preparing to teach others principles and she has made a principle-based cookbook about families who gathered to share in their harvest. It's called Humble Pie by Ali Eisenach with Lemon Poppy Inc. and she is one of our sponsors for this years family Celebration. The first 25 families will receive this cookbook FREE with their family ticket.

And there is only room for 35 families! Registration ends THIS Thursday, Sept 22nd!