The Twelve Tribes of Israel

Tonight I enjoyed the hospitality of a wonderful group of people on the mainland. Our friend Jo and I attended dinner with two dozen members of "The Community", an extended family of Christians who live and work communally from their large home off Union Street. They run a great bakery and are building a restaurant nearby. Ryan and Katie met one of their members, John, over Christmas while he was doing some carpentry work for Jo. Tonight I got to meet some of his beautiful family. Amazingly, two of his daughters live across the street from Ryan's work at DeLorme in Yarmouth.

The Community celebrates Shabbat beginning at sundown on Friday and the Sabbath on Saturday according to the scriptures. The evening included a social time of conversation, music, singing, dancing and thanksgiving. A fine meal was served including organic spaghetti, fresh baked bread and mate, a Brazilian green tea. Delicious!

The men wear beards, their hair long and pulled back with head bands. The women also wear their hair long and wear long flowing dresses. The children and young people are precious, participating fully in the dancing, serving the food and conversing with guests. There is a clear light in their eyes.

These people found their origins in the Jesus Movement of the early seventies. I spent time with those "Jesus Hippies" in those days, in my seeking early 20's and always wondered what had become of them. They are still here. And they are thriving. They have communities in a dozen countries from Brazil to Australia to Germany. And there are groups living simply and productively throughout the United States; Brunswick and Savannah Georgia, Chattanooga Tennessee, Colorado Springs, Bellows Falls and Island Pond Vermont, Cambridge NY, Gorham Maine...

These are gentle, peaceful people living life according to their understanding of God's call. In their thanksgiving, He is referred to by his Hebrew name, Yahweh and Jesus, Yahshua. They live communally, sharing their resources and their talents, home schooling their children and welcoming anyone who walks through their door.

So thank you John, for the fellowship and the meal. And for sending some of that outstanding jalipino bread up to Ryan and Katie via your daughters on their return to Maine.

Is is possible that all the syncronicities of life are simply random?.... Don't think so. God is great..