"When are your services?"
We worship on the 7th day Sabbath (saturday). Our Shabbat (Sabbath) Worship Service begins at 10:00am, Sat. morning, Services typically end around 12:30pm. Occasionally, we have a small lunch afterwards, and all guests are welcome to stay and eat.
We also observe the set-apart days and festivals listed in the Scriptures (Leviticus/Wayyiqra 23): Passover, Festival of Unleavened Bread, Festival of Weeks, Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Festival of Booths. In addition, we observe the new moon, Chanukah, and Purim. These special services are usually held in the evenings at about 7pm. Please call ahead for exact times and dates (see our calendar).
"Where are you located?"
We are located in the Palmetto Plaza on Bacons Bridge Road in Summerville, SC (across the street from Taco Bell). We're in the building on the right as you enter the parking lot. Look for the sign that says "YAH-U-AH".
"What are your services like?"
Our Worship Service begins with the sound of the trumpets and introductory prayers and blessings.
On Sabbaths following Rosh Chodesh or a Set-Apart Day, we recite the Ten Commandments. Then, we continue with the weekly Scripture readings from the Law & the prophets (the Torah & Haftorah).
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After the readings, we have a message delivered by the ministers Mika'el and/or Ruth Dunn.
Then, we have praise and worship. This is generally the focal point of our services because our prayers and praises are our offerings to the Most High Elohim. Some of the prayers and praises are said collectively from the Scriptures or our Prayer Folder, which you will receive to use during services. We lift our hands, sing, clap, play the tambourine, and sound the trumpets, just as it's written in many of the psalms.
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We end with the Birkhat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing, and the blast of the silver trumpets concludes the service.
If it's a week that we are serving lunch, you are welcome to stay and eat and fellowship with us. This is a good time to get to know others and ask questions.
**We do NOT pass an offering plate during service. We have an offering box located just outside the entrance to the set-apart place. If you would like to make an offering/donation/gift, please place it in the box before or after Service. We try to avoid handling money on the Sabbath, so if it's possible, prepare the offering before you come so all you have to do is slip it in the box.
"What is your dress code?"
The Sabbath is a special day that was set apart and blessed by the Almighty YAHUAH since the time of Creation (Genesis/Bereshith 2:3). It is a very special, weekly, set-apart day, therefore, we dress in our Sabbath best for services. (This is pretty much equivalent to what some call 'Sunday best.') In other terms, business casual to business/professional attire is appropriate.
We strive for set-apartness and try to distinguish ourselves in dress by dressing modestly. Women do not wear sleeveless tops unless covered with a sweater/jacket/shirt. Skirts & dresses are at least knee-length, and the chest area should be covered (no cleavage please). We ask that the men also keep shirts buttoned.
We try to refrain from jeans, shorts, capris, t-shirts, tank tops, flip-flops, and other casual/recreational wear. In other words, please respect the set-apartness (holiness) of the Sabbath, even though it is 'saturday.'
We ask that congregants please not wear anything with evil and/or offensive pictures, logos, messages, etc, and please cover any offensive tattoos.
We also try not to wear too much black or dark clothing. We try to have an uplifting, joyful Shabbat assembly, and too much dark clothing can be a bit depressing (this isn't a funeral). Whites and light-colored clothing tend to uplift the being and create a lighter atmosphere.
**We understand that people have different circumstances and may not have 'Shabbat clothes' readily available. Please don't let this deter you from visiting. We welcome everyone, and anyone who needs help getting appropriate attire should speak to one of our ministers for assistance in this area. We are more than willing to help.
"What about headcoverings?"
Men in the assembly wear a cap on their heads (a large kippah) and a prayer garment, called a tallit, over their shoulders (they use it to cover their head during prayer). Women wear a prayer shawl (scarf) and cover their head at all times during worship service. If you do not have a covering, you can borrow one. Again, we try to wear lighter colored clothing, so we do not wear a black scarf on our head during service. We are serving YAHUAH with gladness, not in mourning (Ps. 100).
"Do you have child care/nursery?"
Not at this time.
We believe that it's important for children to grow up learning how to worship, pray, and be an active participant in service. Just as children learn to stay quietly seated and pay attention in school, so too they learn proper behavior in the assembly. However, parents may take their child to the next room to quiet their child if needed. We have a monitor so you can continue to hear the service.
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"Just to be clear, who exactly do you worship?"
We worship the Most High Almighty Creator of the universe – the Heavenly Father of All Whom the Scriptures speak about. We simply call Him by His Name, as the Scriptures tell us to call upon, praise, and give thanks to His Name. His Name is יהוה [YAHUAH].
We believe in the Messiah (the Anointed One) of יהוה. His name is יהושה [YahuShuah, pronounced Yah-oo-SHOO'-ah].
We believe that the Messiah יהושה lived in the 1st century BCE, before the age of Christianity, and He is not the Christ of the New Testament. YahuShuah is the Teacher of Righteousness written about in the Dead Sea Scrolls. He lived in Yahrushalayim (Jerusalem) and traveled throughout the land of ancient Israel. He was and is the true Messiah of Yisrael who had suffered sickness, pain, and distress His entire lifetime. He was viciously pursued and violently attacked but was delivered from the point of death by the Almighty. He fulfilled the words of the prophets and is now seated in the heavens with the Almighty (Dan. 7:9; Teh/Ps. 1, 2, 18, 22).
These are the true Names of the Almighty Creator and His Messiah – YAHUAH and YahuShuah. We do NOT use God, Lord, or jesus christ. God and Lord are titles, not names, and have been used as substitutions for the Almighty's True Name יהוה [YAHUAH] (read the preface to your bible concerning the 'Sacred Name' or 'Covenant Name of God').
Jesus christ is not the Name of the Messiah. The Messiah was never called by this name. This is a fact (not simply our belief or opinion) that you can easily check with minimal research.
So, in our services, you will not hear the words God, Lord, or Jesus. **We kindly ask that anyone visiting our assembly please respect our beliefs and practices and refrain from using these words as well.** We have returned to the ancient path, the way of truth and life, and therefore, we only use the true Names of YAHUAH and YahuShuah. (You may also hear us use the Hebrew words El or Elohim which means Strong, Mighty One.)
"What 'bible' do you use?"
We use The Scriptures published by the Institute for Scripture Research. This is similar to what most people are familiar with in that it contains all of the same books from Genesis to Revelation/Bereshith to Hazon (however, we focus mostly on the Tanakh, aka 'Old Testament'). The main difference in this version of the Scriptures is that more of the original Hebrew language is retained. Most notably, the Father's Name יהוה [YAHUAH] appears in Hebrew letters. (You can read more about this version here.) We keep a few extra copies for visitors to borrow during services. Visitors are free to use their own bible, however, you may wish to borrow one so we're all on the same page during collective readings.
"What if I don't live in Summerville?"
You can still be a part of Family of Messiah. Though we have regular worship services, we are not just a local assembly. We operate as a House of Prayer for all peoples – wherever they may be. We know that it is sometimes difficult to find a local assembly that shares the set-apart belief. So there are many people who are a part of our assembly but live in different states and different countries around the world. Some travel here for the set-apart days like Passover or the Festival of Booths.
You can be a part of Family of Messiah by subscribing to our mailing list. You'll be notified with our new blog posts, articles, and videos. This will keep you up to speed with what we are learning and the direction the Almighty is taking us. See our Contact page for more ways to connect with us. We are always happy to correspond with you via email or to have a chat on the phone.