UPDATE June 2011

Shalom Dear Brothers and Sisters in Yeshua!

Greetings to you from Northern Israel!

In the midst of all the upheavals in the Middle East, we at Return to Zion are labouring at restoring faith in Yeshua here in Israel. At times it can be a challenging task, and we thank all our dear partners for standing with us along the way. Your prayers and financial supprt have been and continue to be a real blessing.

With the help of these photos we want to introduce you further to Return to Zion congregation and its ministry center in downtown Haifa. Return to Zion is a medium sized Messianic congregation reaching out to the local neighbourhoods, mainly through the soup kitchen ministry, childrens' music school and through Oasis, an evangelistic news magazine.

PRAYER POINTS

1) Return to Zion is negotiating about the prospect of buying the building where the congregation is currently renting 1,5 floors. Please pray or this project. If you want to partner with us financially, please email us at info@shaveitzion.org

2) Life in Israel tends to be hectic, and even more so for the many immigrants, who are still learning how to get by. Even us believers get caught up in the business of everyday life. Please pray for God's wisdom and direction.

3) Pray for Israel's protection from all her enemies in the middle of the political upheavals in the neighbouring countries.

4) Shavuot (Pentecost) is the Harvest festival marking the giving of the Torah to the Jewish nation and for us believers the receiving of Ruach haKodesh (TheHoly Spirit). Please pray for a fresh anointing of the Holy spirit for the Messianic body here in Israel to bravely spread the knowledge of God and to bring in the harvest of souls. We are especially yearning for the young generation to rise up in faith!

The period between Passover and Shavuot is called S'firat Ha'omer (Counting of the Omer). During this period the priest would lift up the “omer”, a sacrifice containing an omer-measure of barley.

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the omer of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete; 16. even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto the LORD.”   - Leviticus 23: 15-16

The omer can also depict the Messianic body in Israel. As the Nations continue lifting her up in their prayers, we shall soon see a great harvest of souls in God's covenant Land.

May God bless you and fill you with more of His spirit and mercy. May he direct you daily and give you peace.

I invite you to visit our website at www.shaveitzion.org

Yours in the Messiah,