Roots for Christians,
Fruit for Jews
Together in the Word of God
How Great Are THY Works!
seeking and sharing spiritual truth
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Participant Stories
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Freddy got curious when he saw transformation in his son’s life.
He grew up in a Reformed Jewish family and felt most involved with Judaism at summer camp. Freddy married a “shiksa” who occasionally took their two sons to church. They divorced when the boys were 5 and 7. Feeling lost, Freddy turned to 13 years of Orthodox Judaism. Then his oldest son had a life changing born again Christian experience and encouraged Freddy to open his heart to Jesus. Freddy joined HGATW and connected with a Messianic Jewish congregation. He expresses “HGATW helps me realize how the two, Judaism and Christianity, are intertwined. Yeshua did not come to start a new religion. We’re all branches on the same Tree of Life.” Freddy hopes to “keep developing along with my kids and be a light to the world.”
Heather is a spiritual seeker who struggles with anxiety and depression.
She was raised Catholic and at age 13 lost her mother to cancer. In her teens Heather began experiencing what she believed to be alien abduction encounters. Later she ventured into Religious Science then got deeply involved with Native American healing rituals. Recently, her oldest son became born again Christian and insists she needs to believe in Jesus to be saved. Heather expresses “HGATW gives me a safe place to land − I can’t feel comfortable in any church. Until finding this community I was alone feeling unsettled, trying to make myself feel better, never had anyone to talk these things out with before.” Heather leads us into exploring whether Great Spirit is another name for God of the Bible. She loves discovering verses that resonate with the rich earth of her soul, planting seeds of peace and joy.
Dave felt he should be doing something more.
He was raised Episcopalian by “Rockefeller Republican” parents. His wife is a devout Catholic and he’s tried but just can’t relate to religion, especially when zealots cause conflict. Aware of his mortality, Dave wonders if there’s anything Beyond this life. He appreciates that our community of seekers keeps it real in grappling with the big questions, recognizing that if we’re honest it’s clear that no one here knows the answers for sure. Dave enjoys participating in HGATW monthly gatherings where we explore profound topics in a fun open interactive way.
Lydia is always searching for truth and a relationship with God.
She was raised Lutheran then in 1969 got born again with Billy Graham. At age 16 Lydia became Mormon for 6 months until starting to study with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Later she joined Desert Chapel for some Foursquare Christianity then transitioned to Ohav Shalom for Messianic Judaism. Lydia views the Bible as the inspired Word of God and believes “Jesus died for my sins, was resurrected, and is my Messiah.” She initially joined HGATW to study Hebrew because “I want to know more of God’s truth.” Lydia expresses “HGATW gives me freedom to talk about things I would be afraid to in my Bible Study group, like what do you think about the Ethiopian Bible that has 88 books.” She introduced us to First Nations Version of the New Testament which is written in beautiful Native American storytelling style, calling Jesus "Creator Sets Free." Lydia repeats “I want to know the truth.”
Lucy was scared.
She’s a mental health professional who has done lots of therapeutic psychedelic exploration. But a recent hallucinogenic trip with overwhelming visions of screeching geometric patterns felt like a terrifying near death experience. Lucy, while turned off by the structure and dogma of religion, is a genuine seeker of truth, healing, and love. As journey partners, we learn from each other’s perspectives as we pursue clarity of consciousness and insight into reality Beyond.
Doug prays for higher power and higher purpose to bring differences together in unity.
He watched his father transition from Episcopal to Anglican priest then to devout Catholic. His mother remained Episcopalian and this divided Doug’s family. As a board member of HGATW, Doug strives to promote higher understanding of our God and our spirituality. Doug appreciates how we share discoveries in the process of our journeys. He expresses “I feel my relationship with God is healthy with purity − I give a lot of love and care. The Bible speaks to us with stories and lessons − we need to listen. God is more than just the Bible − God is in everything.”
Hadassah has been through a lot.
She and her husband were leaders in their Messianic Jewish congregation. Her son is a talented pianist who struggles with mental illness. Sara joined HGATW mostly to learn Hebrew along with her son. Then in a horrible family tragedy, her husband was killed and her son incarcerated. Recently her son told her that in prison he began to pray to the ancient Roman god, Mithra. HGATW provides Sara with sanctuary for seeking understanding while embracing mystery, as we support each other through all.
Alicia identifies as metaphysical and seeks a like-minded partner.
She attended Catholic school and questioned a lot. In her teens and 20’s she explored Calvary Chapel with Christian friends and Jehovah’s Witnesses with her sister. Then she married an atheist. After they divorced, Alicia began chanting Buddhism and got involved with Insight Mediation Society. A chance meeting led her to Course in Miracles which “became my Bible.” Alicia expresses “We’re loving beings and our problem is we hold ourselves back from love. People need to identify spiritually rather than too much with their bodies. For healing any illness, the first step is forgiveness − we create our own life.” HGATW gives Alicia a place for open conversation in a community of seekers. Together we ponder her challenge “Growth is uncomfortable, you need to constantly review your perspective. The reason we are in relationship is to become the best we can be.”