Practice of the People
We are committed to following Jesus of Nazareth, trusting in Him for salvation and upholding the scriptures he taught and the religion he practiced.
Beth Immanuel means "House of Immanuel." Immanuel means "God is with us" and it is a title for the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. We are a growing, family-based community centered in Hudson, Wisconsin.
Though the majority of our congregation is Gentile, we practice Messianic Judaism in keeping with Jesus of Nazareth and the Apostolic-age community of Christians. We are modern Sabbatarians meaning we honor the seventh day, biblical Sabbath and the biblical holy days.
At Beth Immanuel, we believe that God's Law is still the binding and unchanging standard for the Jewish people. Jesus taught His disciples to keep even the least of the commandments of the Torah(Hebrew) instruction, guidance; specifically, the five books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Often translated "law" or "Pentateuch" (Matthew 5:19). According to the Apostles, Gentile believers are not held to the same rigorous standard as Jewish believers, but they were expected to participate in the Sabbath, Synagogue and Torah along with the Jewish believers (Acts 15:19-21).
This fundamental belief has implications for everything we do at Beth Immanuel. We keep the Sabbath and biblical festivals according to God's prescription in Leviticus 23. We keep the Bible's dietary laws in keeping with the instructions in Leviticus 11. More than that, we endeavor to preserve a basic form of Jewish practice and tradition within our community.
A Sabbath Fellowship
Beth Immanuel is a Sabbath fellowship.
The Sabbath day is a day of peace. It is a day for setting aside the troubles of our world. On the Sabbath, we close the doors to the troubles, stresses and anxieties of this present age and we enter into the calm spirit of peace that comes from the presence of Christ. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful," (John 14:27) says the Master. On the Sabbath day, we quiet ourselves enough to feel the presence of His peace.
The prophets tell us that when Messiah comes, all mankind will keep the Sabbath. "'From Sabbath to Sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before me,' says the LORD." (Isaiah 66:23) Every time we keep the Sabbath, it is a little foretaste of the perfect Sabbath rest that will be ours when Messiah comes.
A Family Congregation
Beth Immanuel is a family-oriented congregation, encouraging and embracing young families. Babies are a common sight and the ruckus of children spilling through the halls is a regular feature of our community. Every Sabbath sermon comes with a special story for the children. Over-flow, nursery and children's classes are all available to families during services. A shared (kosher(Hebrew) proper, permitted by Jewish law. Often used to describe food that it is permissible to eat.) meal after Saturday Service contributes to the family atmosphere.
But don't get the idea that you need to be in a family to belong at Beth Immanuel. We are, in a spiritual and relational sense, all family in Messiah. The community at Beth Immanuel is as diverse as the Body of Messiah, yet we are all one in him. We are a congregation created for believers of all ethnicities to gather and celebrate our common Biblical heritage together.
A Real Community
Because the Torah cannot be functionally lived outside of a community context, we are mutually dependent upon one another. This means learning to get along with each other even when we don't always agree on every point. Community means working through the difficulties and acknowledging that, in the end, we really are family. Whether you are just curious about your Jewish Roots, just beginning to pursue a Biblical path or already fully engaged in a your Hebraic Heritage, Beth Immanuel is a place to find fellowship and acceptance.
At Beth Immanuel, we are dedicated to making community happen. Several families live within walking distance of the congregation building. We regularly host one another in our homes on Friday evenings to welcome the Sabbath. On Saturdays, we share a community meal after service. We keep the building open until after sunset so that we can enjoy common fellowship, prayer and study throughout the Sabbath day.
Shabbat [(Hebrew) Sabbath; the seventh day of the week, which God blessed and set apart for rest and holiness.] Worship Services
At Beth Immanuel, our worship services are anything but innovative. Rather than trying to create a new, contemporary service, we have reached back to the Synagogue model, the matrix from which church worship was birthed, and reinstated the prayers of the Sages, the disciples and YeshuaThe Hebrew/Aramaic name of Jesus of Nazareth. (lit, "salvation") Himself. In so doing, we boast "the oldest worship service of any church in town." In addition, we devote a significant portion of our service to the public reading of scripture- the original charge of the LORD's Assembly. We take time for at least a token reading from the weekly Synagogue lectionary of Torah, Prophets and (our own addition) the Gospel.
However, in today's world, many people are unfamiliar with the liturgical mode and find it difficult to worship in that form. That's why Beth Immanuel has two services every Saturday morning. The traditional, liturgical service begins at 9:00 AM. Our contemporary service begins at 11:30 AM with engaging, spirited worship music, followed by a children's story and sermon.
Study and Mitzvot
One of our highest priorities at Beth Immanuel is the teaching and studying of God's Word. In addition to the Shabbat sermons and after service commentaries and classes, we sponsor and encourage several ongoing large and small group Bible Studies in the congregation, in congregants homes and in other churches. Hebrew language classes are available through the congregation. Children's classes are available on Shabbat mornings during the service. Members of the community are encouraged to study, to learn and to develop their own teaching skills. At Beth Immanuel, the study of God's Word is not an end in itself, rather we study to transform our minds, to conform ourselves to the Master and to apply His instruction to our lives. We study to learn, and we learn to do.
The doing of God's Instruction, that is the practical application of His Word, is our highest priority. We desire to be a congregation characterized not by our peculiar mode of worship but by our sacrificial generosity and simple obedience to the Master. Have we achieved that goal? Not yet, but we are surely determined to make a worthy effort.