We are a Messianic congregation located in Lucedale, Mississippi.
We believe that the Torah (Old Testament) is the foundation for all the New Testament has to teach us.
We hold the seven מועד [appointed] חגג [Feasts] of the Lord as Lev.23 commands. These were given by the Father, for the Father. They are the Lord’s Feasts, not Jewish feasts.
These were given as a perpetual statue. They foretell of the Kingdom that we will one-day share with Messiah.
Although there are a total of seven feasts (the divine number for perfection or completeness in the Bible), Adonai divided the seven festivals into three major festival seasons.
The feasts of פּסח Passover (Pesach), מצּה Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), and ביכורים First Fruits (Bikkurim) are in the Hebrew month of Nisan, which is the first month of the Creator’s calendar in the spring of the year.
The Feast of Weeks שׁבוּע (Shavuot), or Pentecost, is observed in the third month, which is the Hebrew month of Sivan.
The Feast of תּרוּעה Trumpets (Yom Teruah), כִּפּוּר Atonement (Yom Kippur), and סכּה Tabernacles (Sukkot) are observed in the seventh month of Tishrei, which is in the fall of the year (Exodus [Shemot] 23:14-17; 34:22-23: Deuteronomy [Devarim] 16:16-17).
Three is the number of complete and perfect testimony and witness (Deuteronomy [Devarim] 17:6; 19:15; Matthew [Mattityahu] 18:19-20; Luke 24:44-45; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; 1 John [Yochanan] 5:8).
So the feasts are a witness to G-d’s divine plan and the role of Messiah (Yeshua) fulfilling that plan. This is the message being communicated to Bible believers concerning the three major festival periods in the year.
- more on....Mark McLendon
Mark McLendon has been an elder at River of Life Tabernacle since 1988. He has been studying and teaching Torah (YHVH’s teachings and instructions…Scripture) since the early 1980’s.
He is an electrician by trade. He is the son-in-law of the now deceased Pastor and Founder of River of Life Tabernacle, Bill Goff.
As a result of the death of Pastor Bill, Mark was ordained as the Pastor of River of Life Tabernacle September 23, 2004, by Rabbi Josef Boleware and the Elders of Congregation Beit Lechem of Jackson, MS.
Mark and his wife, Tammy, have been married since 1982. They have two children and eleven grandchildren. All of the grandchildren are the delight of their Saba and Savta (Grandfather and Grandmother in Hebrew).
- more on....Tammy McLendon
Tammy McLendon is the pastor’s wife at River of Life Tabernacle.
Tammy served her father, Pastor Bill, as his assistant and secretary from 1985 until his death in 2004.
She and her husband Mark home educated their two children from K-12th grade as well as served on the State Board for Home Education. She and a team of help currently coordinate the annual Biblical Feasts and local conferences for worship and study according to their Hebrew Roots.
She also teaches Torah (God’s teachings and instructions) and throughout the year holds discipleship classes.
Tammy leads the King’s Daughters Dance Ministry and Congregation in Hebraic Dance. She has a vision and desire to lead and inspire others to worship the King, יהוה “Y-H-V-H”, with their whole heart and to pull out the gifts and creativity that the Father has placed in His people to worship Him.
Some of the various ways that this is done is through the dance and many different “Instruments of Praise” (tambourines, banners, silk fabrics, etc).