1. Do I need to bring my Bible?

    Yes.  It is important that you can see for yourself what is being read and presented to you.  The real question might be can I use my phone or tablet to read my Scriptures and the answer is most definitely, Yes. 

 

2. Are men serving in Kids ministries?

    Yes.  However, note that we don’t have a separate ministry geared toward children at present.  We have a platform where families can engage with their children in learning the Scriptures.  We expect parents to participate at least on a rotating basis so they can learn with their children.

 

3. Do we practice church discipline?

    Yes.  It is one of the most miserable parts of being in leadership.  However, we must not allow the enemy to come in and cause division, strife, heartache, and confusion.  Dealing with sin that is in the body must also be addressed and will be.  What is important is to do this in a Scriptural way.  

 

4. Is there a mixture of people singing passionately and others not singing at all?

    Yes.  We believe this is a healthy reflection of how people are led by the Spirit to respond to different aspects during the gathering.  Not all feel comfortable singing but enjoy listening to those around them singing.  That’s wonderful.  At times one may not be moved or even like a particular song and chooses not to participate.  That too is fine as long as you take that time to let others enjoy their involvement and you can focus on the good of people praising together. 

 

5. Do the leaders like each other?

    Great question.  We do.  We don’t always see eye to eye but we enjoy being able to be together in fellowship and just hanging out when we can.  We also have a mutual respect for one another which is vital to have in a healthy leadership.

 

6. How does TCF serve the community?

    Currently, it is the individual families that see needs within the community (not just the Torah Family but the community we live in, whether a believer or not) and reach out to them and serve them the best they can.

    We have hopes in the near future to work together along with possibly partnering with Beaver Lake Community Church to establish a food bank service during the summer months to help in our community.

    We are always open to suggestions.

 

7. Where and how can I volunteer?

    We believe everyone is gifted within the body and that these gifts need to be applied.  If you don’t know what they are we will offer a spiritual gift form that will help you determine what your gifts are.  As far as volunteering to help there is a process that you need to go through with our elders so we can assess you just as you are assessing us.  To start, we believe it is best to come alongside those who are working and be a helper to see how things are done and be supportive of what the overall purpose of that particular area is about.  

 

8. What do you offer for kids?

    As a newer Fellowship, we have not yet formalized any youth programs or activities.  We do work together as families to participate in family activities both inside the Fellowship time and individual families gathering for hikes, sliding, and other activities outside of the Fellowship.

 

9. Will you ask me for money?

    Not generally.  What do I mean?  We do not take up an offering by passing a plate or bowl around.  We do not announce every Shabbat Gathering that there is a means for you to support TCF.  We believe Yahweh will provide.  That being said, from time to time we will have special needs that people may not be aware of that they might want to support and we will make that known to them.  We collect both online and have donation containers in the back of the fellowship.  Each week we print out the financial activities of the Fellowship and have it posted next to the donation containers for everyone to see.

 

10. What do I wear?

    Clothes…lol.  I couldn’t pass that one by.  We are a Torah community who get together to support and lift one another up and to learn and have fun and fellowship together.  Some people like to dress up for functions.  Some just get done doing a chore or task and don’t have time to change and come as they are.  Our ONLY requirement is that both men and women dress their gender and be modest.

 

11. When do you have your services and what time do you start you?

    We meet every Shabbat (Saturday) EXCEPT the first Shabbat of the month.  The first Shabbat of the month we encourage families to have family Shabbat to build their families.

    We start at 1:00 pm.  We like to start with some praise before we go into our Scripture studies.  Sometimes we have live instruments and other times we use media praise.

 

12. Why 1:00 pm Shabbat Services?

    Because we serve multiple family dynamics there are some that have rigorous morning duties on their farms that make it very difficult to get to an early morning start.  We have also found it is very difficult with families that have children (especially if you have a full house of them) to get everyone up, dressed, fed and ready to be somewhere early in the morning.  We also realize it is very difficult for our elderly to be out late and have to deal with it getting dark out and trying to drive in the dark.   We also didn’t want to get involved in having to deal with the evening mean that once you have eaten you really don’t feel like getting bundled up in the winter and dredge through the snow and weather to go to a function.  Most of us are settling in for the night.  So we chose this option, albeit it is not perfect, it helps the majority of the community.

 

13. Do you do luncheons with every service you have?

    No, we do not have formal potluck or other luncheons at every Shabbat Gathering.  This is often referred to as the 'Oneg' in Hebrew.   

   We do have a designated time for just Breaking Bread and fellowship.  That comes every month that has a 5th Shabbat in it.  On that 5th Shabbat of that month, we have a potluck fellowship time with no teaching, just fellowship.

    

14. Where do you meet?

    We meet at 9007 King Settlement Rd, Lachine, MI 49753.  The building facility is owned by Free Methodist Camp Ground.  They have graciously become our servant partner in allowing us to use their building for Shabbat Gathering.  We are very grateful for their vision of unity within the body of Messiah, Yahshua.

 

15. How long do you meet?

    We start at 1:00 pm and go until 3:00 pm.  After clean up we have found that some like to continue to sit around and fellowship.  There's never a feeling that one needs to rush out of there.

 

16. Do you teach from the Bible?

    Absolutely Yes.  We teach from all the “Scriptures.”  From Genesis to Revelation.  We believe that the entirety of the Scriptures are to be applied to and lived out in our lives. 

 

16. How are the finances handled?

    Monies received go to an accountant and is ear-marked for any specific use it was given for.  General funds go to help in any projects or need to operate and keep administrative functions going.

    One can ask at any time to look at our financial statement.  

    The Senior Lecturer nor any other elders receive wages. They are volunteers like everyone else. 

    It’s important to also note that we are NOT a tax-free charitable organization (yet).

 

17. Are you a church?

    Yes.  We are a church.  We are working toward becoming an established Fellowship.  We all have gifts of ministry we are to fulfill in helping our brethren and our fellow man.  What we are is a group of Torah believers who desire to come together with an organization to promote and live in the Scriptural context of what we are supposed to do and be.  Hebrews 10:24-25 is our Mission statement.