Succoth 09 - Camp Meeting and Conference

The Feast of Tabernacles or booths, Succoth in Hebrew, is a seven day festival that is meant to commemorate a time when Ancient Israel dwelt in temporary huts or shelters (see for example Leviticus 23:41-43). It is one of the three pilgrim festivals. It also seems to point to a time in the future when God's people will once again dwell in booths (See Hosea 12:8-10).

This will be our 3rd Annual Camp Meeting and conference during this Ancient Hebrew Festival. The past two have been incredible times with wonderful fellowship and stimulating Bible teaching. Past conferences have featured the teachings of James Tabor, Ralph Buntyn, Joseph and Debbie Good, and Walter Oakley. We have also had a local expert give an insightful lecture on the Jewish influence in the south (Anne Butler).

This year's conference will prove to be the best yet! The congregation of Beth Lechem (South Carolina) will spend this entire festival with us at the camp site! They will be working along with our local congregation to make this Succoth the most memorable event for all who can join us.

Some will want to spend the entire time (7 days) with us, while others will chose to spend only the conference with us.

The conference will be held on October 9th, 10th and 11th. According to the standard Jewish calendar, the first night in the succah would be Friday, October 2nd and the last night would be Thursday, October 8th. Over the conference weekend (October 9-11) we will celebrate Simchat Torah together and initiate a bond around the coming year's torah cycle.

Some of the attendees follow the Karaite method of observing the months and so we have booked the campsite through the morning of the 13th.

Begin planning now to join us this year as we celebrate this festival under the stars in Saint Francisville.

The conference as well as the camp out are open to all, whether you are Jewish, Ephraimite, Bnai Noach, or "other" ...so long as you seek to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and live your life according to the principles of the Hebrew Bible.

Our local group is trying to make this experience comfortable, and we are facing several expenses. We welcome your support in covering these costs.

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Comment by Web Hulon on October 6, 2009 at 11:57am

Shalom,
We are in St Francisvtille and having a great Sukkot. Lot's of fellowship, food, and fun! It's not too late. Come on! we will send some pics soon.

Comment by James Tabor on September 17, 2009 at 7:59am

My plans are to attend the weekend Sukkoth gathering in St. Francisville, LA this year (October 9-11). I know some of you will be there for that weekend and others for the entire week. Due to local commitments involving Sukkoth I can only be present for the weekend but I am so pleased that this has worked out for me to be there. From what Ross Nichols has told me this event is going to be quite amazing with more folks coming, and from longer distances, than ever in the past. You can find information and details at http://swwsukkot.homestead.com/Index.html, and though it is too late to enroll in the meal plans at the campsite I am sure attending the weekend events is still open if any of you are on the fence and might decide to join us.

Anyway, I wanted to announce that my topic at the gathering is going to be: "The Five Fundamental Flaws of Christianity." Basically, this one is "back by popular demand." I gave a lecture by this title back in the 1990s at the Emmanuel Conference and I think of all the things I have done over the years this one has received the most interest and attention. I have a book planned by this title for late 2010--after the Paul book comes out in the Spring--I hope around Sukkoth next year, but at Sukkoth this year I want to present an entirely new and revised version of that lecture.

My understanding is that it will be broadcast live from the historic Temple Sinai in St. Francisville, LA, which in itself is an amazing setting for such a topic. It will then be available for downloading and distribution over the Internet thereafter.

I hope to see you face-to-face, but if not, then via Cyberspace. In the meantime I wish each and every one of you a meaningful Yom Teru'ah this coming weekend--the Day of the Blast! More on that later...from both Ross and me via e-mail and the Web.

Shalom,

James

P.S. Whether you can attend or not I hope you might consider pitching in to contribute to some of the overall costs involved in Ross Nichols and his group hosting this event. They have taken on a lot of responsibility and committed themselves way beyond their individual means for the sake of the rest of us, whether coming or just listening in from afar. See the little Chip In Logo above...

Comment by Remez on September 14, 2009 at 8:34pm

I want to add a second witness to Allen's. While technically the Sukkoth tithe is agricultural (like the other two tithes in Torah), not very many of us right now are farmers (though it's not a bad idea these days, and I do try to practice a memorial version of the firstfruits from my small garden). Most of us think in terms of tithing our finances, and while in exile that's probably the closest thing many of us can do to approximate the impact of the tithe in ancient Israelite life.

In the several years since we realized that there was a second (and third) tithe (having never been told about that when in the church!), we have found YHWH's word to be true: "Those who honor Me I will honor." While logic would have said we could never afford to do this, we determined to live as closely as we could to the Torah in this as well, and YHWH has always enabled us to keep the bills paid one way or another. That's not to say we don't have to use credit cards for some other things (with five kids), but that's part of His provision too, and as we set aside this tithe, one time of year that we DON'T feel poor is Sukkoth! I think that was His intent in telling us to set it aside--that everyone in Israel, rich or poor, can have a lavish feast at this time.

In my opinion, if you're going to spend over $600 for a motel room anyway, you might as well invest in a high-quality tent that you can use year after year at the feast, since living in tents is a great way to experience what our ancestors in the wilderness lived while in YHWH's tangible presence. We've found the Alaknak by Cabela's to be durable, raintight, and roomy, though up front the price is steep--but not much more than the Zachery Inn! By saving up the monetary tithe for Sukkoth we were able to pay cash for it--unthinkable otherwise!

In Malachi, YHWH even told us to put Him to the test with tithes, so... let Him prove Himself!

Comment by Ross Nichols on September 9, 2009 at 4:41pm

For those who wish to "chip in" financially and help us with expenses for the conference and campout, we added a chipin link on the event page. As always, your contributions are very much appreciated. No amount is too small. I have always believed that people should not be pressured to give and therefore I seldom ask. Those that can give usually do, and those that cannot will never be pressed by me to do so.

Comment by Web Hulon on August 25, 2009 at 6:11pm

Here is the SWW info. site:
http://swwsukkot.homestead.com/Index.html

Comment by Madeline Cole on August 23, 2009 at 8:13pm

These are hotels in Zachary.

Comment by Madeline Cole on August 23, 2009 at 8:10pm

This is a link to hotels around St Francisville

Comment by David on August 22, 2009 at 6:23pm

I can email you my phone number if that will help.....let us know!
as I would love to see you at this event!
dave

Comment by David on August 22, 2009 at 6:22pm

Billy let me know how I may be of service! I am a local to the area and may be able to help!

dave

Comment by Sandra Inglis on August 19, 2009 at 8:05pm

Sorry I will not be able to attend. I did not saved for this, as I did not think I would have anywhere to go. Last year I had to keep the Feasts alone, as I did not know anyone I could keep them with. Also the air fare is way too expensive for me.

I hope you all have a wonderful feast.

Shalom,

Sandra.

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