Church of the Living Word Annual Passover Seder 2011

    NORTH HILLS, CA, April 17, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Church of the Living Word is on the cutting edge of bringing traditional biblical celebrations back into Christianity. Many of these celebrations are held solely as Jewish holidays, seldom practiced outside of Jewish faith. Since 2004, the Los Angeles area based church has been hosting a Seder dinner in the San Fernando Valley for its congregation and friends. From the leader of the Seder to the smallest child, every person has a role in this lively, interactive evening as the story of the Exodus from Egypt is recounted.

The Seder, a ceremonial dinner which marks the start of the Feast of Passover, commemorates the eve of the Israelites' deliverance from captivity in Egypt and the meal they were commanded to prepare. For thousands of years the Seder has been integral to Jewish faith and tradition, observed annually as a remembrance of their suffering and celebration of their freedom, but little recognized in the Christian community.

The Seder is a Jewish celebration, so Church of the Living Word celebrates it from the perspective of the Jewish people and not as a Christian adaptation. It is celebrated from the perspective of one who was personally delivered out of Egypt.

The story of how Church of the Living Word began hosting Seders begins in the mid 1960s, when John Robert Stevens, founder of the church, determined to observe the biblical Feasts, including the Feast of Passover--the time in which Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Gary Hargrave, successor of John Robert Stevens, realized the Seder was an integral part of the observance of Passover. He set out to find a suitable Haggadah--used as a "script" for the Seder. In the process, Gary and Marilyn Hargrave ended up producing a new Haggadah. This Haggadah is used by many of The Living Word Fellowship's churches, from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Niteroi, Brazil, and is available on the fellowship's online store.

On Sunday, April 17th, Church of the Living Word will join many across the globe in celebrating the start of the Feast of Passover with a Seder dinner at the Marriot in Woodland Hills. As Christians, the congregation participates in this meaningful and educational experience with great respect and honor for the Jewish people, which is the heritage of Christ.

About The Living Word Fellowship

The Living Word Fellowship is a group of nondenominational Christian churches founded under the ministry of John Robert Stevens, located throughout the United States and internationally. Living Word Publications is a ministry of The Living Word, the publishing house of The Living Word Fellowship. The Living Word was established in 1968 out of a vision to capture, preserve, and publish the teachings of John Robert Stevens. The Living Word continues in its ministry today--carefully recording, editing, and publishing teachings of Stevens' successor, Gary Hargrave, and others who teach and minister the Word.

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