Blog Posts - House of Aaron

Fall Feast Calendar and Tentative Schedule

9/14/2020

Ephesians 2: 12 remember that you were at that time separate from the Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in the Messiah Yeshua you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yeshua Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

For the Feast Season of 2020 we are emphasizing connection and family.

Sukkot 2020 House of Aaron

September 19 Rosh Hashana Yom Teruah

September 28 Yom Kippur

Erev Sukkot October 2

Sukkot October 3 – 9

Shemini Atzeret October 10

House of Aaron Observance weekend October 3-5

October 3
5:45 pm Supper
7:30 pm Introduction to Feast
9:15 pm snack in the tent

October 4 Shabbat
Brunch 10:00 am
12:00 Daily Sacrifice and Communion
3:00 pm Activity
5:45pm Supper
7:30 pm Evening Service
9:15 pm snack in the tent

October 4
9:30 am Morning service Special numbers?
12:00 pm Feast Meal

A Word from John Conrad

9/13/2020

Living on a farm often furnishes us with valuable life lessons. Yesterday as I was checking the maternity group (pen where cows within 3 weeks of calving are kept) I discovered an old cow that couldn't get up. She was obviously very close to calving but because of milk fever (low blood calcium) she not only was not able to get up but could not initiate parturition.
So I went to the dairy office and got some calcium solution. We administer this intravenously in the jugular vein. This requires restraining the head (usually with nose tongs fastened to a hind leg) and inserting a large 14 gauge needle into the jugular vein. Usually 500 ml (about 1/2 a quart) of 23% calcium solution is given over a period of a few minutes.
Even though this therapy was critical not only for the calf but for the cow's life, she wanted no part of it. Even though weakened by the hypocalcemia she fought me every inch of the way. When I tried to introduce the nose tongs she forcefully emptied her nasal passages of assorted mucopolysaccharide secretions (snot) all over my shirt. Supplemented by loud bellows she swung her head and attempted to rearrange my rib cage. I finally succeeded in getting her head secured to her back leg. However, even restrained like this, when I tried to pop the needle in her vein she bowed her neck and tried to commit mayhem on my person.
I finally was able to get the calcium solution into the cow and released her head. I left her alone while she continued to say uncomplimentary things about me and my family. Not long after she was able to stand and then a few hours later successfully delivered a healthy bull calf. Both she and the calf would have died without my intervention but she was not grateful.
Many times we shake our fist at God and denounce his methods and his ways as harmful and dangerous to us. We are convinced he doesn't know what he is doing and fight everything that life throws at us. Later when the storm settles down we usually fail to see that what God administered was just what we needed and what the situation demanded. As the late Brad Scott was so fond of saying, "God is smarter than us."

A Word from John Conrad

8/5/2020

In 1 Corinthians 7: 1 the apostle Paul states "Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman." This is a bizarre statement especially if it is shorn of its context and not viewed within the entire corpus of the Bible. And yet entire theological systems have been built upon the concept and the idea of love between man and woman condemned or at least disparaged. St. Jerome was reputed to have stated that the form of a woman was repulsive and disgusting. The fact that this point of view does not fit the Biblical narrative at all is discounted or ignored.
I offer this example as representative of something we call "cherry picking." Finding a statement and pulling it out of context to either discredit someone or to substantiate our belief system. If you find a statement shared and repeated over and over by people who oppose the one who made the statement be aware that you may be viewing an example of this very "cherry picking."
We are most vulnerable to the toxicity of "cherry picking" when we don't know the field or have a scant knowledge of the topic. Ignorance is fertile soil for planting the seeds of slander and character assassination. This tendency is also seen in the fervent search for damning material regardless of date, context or accuracy.
Something that follows the "cherry picking" is the willingness to believe scandalous purported statements without checking to see if they are true. I don't know how many quotes I have seen recently on FB that the person never said. It is so easy to check up on it and verify whether there is any chance the person said it. What is so horrifying about all this, is that the body of believers, who are called to "cast down the accuser of the brethren," have become his greatest fighting force.
Our biggest enemy right now is not Trump, Bill Gates or Dr. Fauci. The gifts of the Spirit were given so that we could edify, exhort and comfort. I have to remind myself of this all the time.

A Word from John Conrad

7/4/2020

There has been some debate on celebrating July 4th and the founding of our nation. If you know history you know that the ratification of our constitution hung in the balance over the issue of slavery. It was finally ratified by keeping statements that allowed slavery in some southern states.
While we may hate this fact, reflect upon the truth that the Declaration of Independence contained the words that would ultimately bring slavery down. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,..."
It is these words that have continued to direct our nation in the right course and allowed us to repent and correct our path. We will not have become the nation God created us to be until those words ring true for every human in our country--both born and unborn. By God's grace these words which spring directly from the Bible that man was created in God's image will be our final destiny.

A Word from John Conrad

6/19/2020

The sun just breaking over the horizon this morning. Those who know these mountains will recognize that it is coming up north of Thunderhead. This is about as far north as we ever see the sunrise.
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2 Watching the glorious sunrise and the light spilling out over the mountains and into the valley reminded me that Yeshua (Jesus) said "You are the light of the world," and "You are the salt of the earth."
Even though we shine with His light we are called to shine. I also recall the time that the water of Jericho was bad and the land unproductive because of it. Elisha called for a bowl, put salt into it, and threw it into the spring and the Lord healed the water.
I wonder if today wouldn't be a good time for all of us to be light and salt. To bring grace and healing to our hurting land, forgiveness and repentance where necessary. Wouldn't it be wonderful if our impact on the bitterness so pervasive today would be like the salt in Jericho's spring--that we would bring healing and relief?

A Word from John Conrad

5/11/2020

Last Friday I had a busy day. Traveled to Beaver, UT, which is about 120 miles from home and transferred 4 embryos into Angus cows and then another 60 miles to Centerville to put 56 Braunvieh embryos into Jersey and Jersey cross cows. What are Braunvieh cows? Glad you asked--Braunvieh means "brown cow." It is a breed originating from Switzerland that was originally a triple-purpose breed--milk, beef, and draft animals. I knew nothing of the breed. Always love working with farmers, definitely the salt of the earth, so I enjoyed my day albeit my left arm needed therapy afterward.🙂
I had an interesting experience when I filled up with gas in Beaver after putting in the Angus embryos. It was about 8 in the morning and I had already put in a half day's work so I was hungry. I bought a pint of milk (pasteurized but excellent) and two granola bars. Carefully keeping my distance I set the goods up on the counter so the clerk could total up my bill. When the amount flashed on the screen she gasped. The total read $6.66. She huffed that nowadays no one is Biblically literate so they don't know what that number means and who Satan is. Her foreboding look kind of scared me so I grabbed my food before she threw it in the trash. I thanked her and made my exit. The milk and granola bars were delicious.
In many ways many of us seem to be afraid. Revelation definitely talks about a mark of the Beast and his number being 666. However, it connects the mark to the worship of the Beast and ties it to the hand and the forehead--what you do and what you think. It is clearly harking back to the tefillin which are bound on the arm and the forehead. They contain scriptures one of which is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength."
I am just reminding all of us today that you are not going to accidentally take the mark of the Beast. It involves worship and is clearly intentional. Remind yourself today how much better you live than your parents and grandparents. There is a lot of bad stuff in this world but it doesn't define us--God does. Take time to enjoy your day.

Socially Distancing

3/27/2020

Due to the current best practices of safe-distancing, we will NOT be holding our Pesach Celebrations the weekend of April 10-12. If possible, we will be celebrating a postponed Seder meal together in EskDale on May 7, 2020. However, we will still be observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread at its regular time, which starts the evening of April 8th and continues until the night of the 15th. Enjoy your matzah as you quarantine. ;)

Additionally, we will not be holding regular Sabbath services this week (March 28, 2020). We will hopefully be streaming live (or recording and then posting) worship and John Conrad's Torah Portion, starting at 10:30 AM Sabbath morning. Details will follow both here and on the House of Aaron Facebook as we figure them out. :) Social Distanced Church is new to us.

Reunion 2020

3/6/2020

UPDATE:
A big thanks to all who have registered and plan to attend. We look forward to seeing all of you.

We are going to start posting monthly updates, where we will be asking for your participation in surveys, stories and your help in meal setup and cleanup.

March:
Hidden Canyon Retreat is almost full.

Generations Gather at EskDale, Utah and Hidden Canyon Retreat, Nevada

Join us in reminiscing about the past, celebrating the present and anticipating the future. The best is yet to come!

Purpose:
A time to reconnect with friends and loved ones, form new relationships and share what good things are going on in our lives. Many people have been associated with EskDale and the House of Aaron and this is an opportunity to reconnect.

Date:
June 26-28, 2020

Place:
EskDale Community and Hidden Canyon Retreat

EskDale – In the high western desert of Utah, 8 miles from the Utah/Nevada border, is the small Christian Community of EskDale. The early pioneers of this community started clearing brush, leveling land, and applying for water rights in 1955. By January of 1958, a school house, 2 story dormitory, 4 dwellings and a kitchen/dining center had been built. Education has always been a major focus of EskDale, and a private school was established in coordination with the community development. Long time associations and friendships were formed in those early years that continue through this day. We are so blessed and grateful for the people that God has brought into our lives; relationships that have stood the test of time as well as new ones still being developed. EskDale continues to provide an opportunity for education with a public junior high, high school and preschool. They have a nationally acclaimed dairy and a robust farming program.

Hidden Canyon Retreat – Tucked away in the foothills of eastern Nevada and in the North Fork Big Wash drainage, lies Hidden Canyon Retreat, owned and operated by EskDale School alumni. This peaceful retreat center with a single story motel building called Roseberry Court, single unit cabins and a large kitchen dining room area, is the perfect place to rest, relax and enjoy God’s creation.

Lodging:

The Planning Committee has made arrangements with Hidden Canyon Retreat for lodging on a first reserved, first served basis and rooms are going fast. Please contact Hidden Canyon Retreat at 775-234-7172 or by email at; hcrreservations@gmail.com.

Other lodging options at your own expense are houses in Baker through AirBnB, Gateway Accommodations, Stargazer Inn, Whispering Elms or The Border Inn. Visit www.greatbasinpark.com for more information.

Meals and Activities:
All times are listed as Mountain time.

Friday, June 26, 2020
* Check into place of lodging after 4:00 p.m.
* BBQ, meet & greet @Hidden Canyon Retreat 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 27, 2020
* Brunch - EskDale Center 10:00 a.m.
* Sabbath Communion Service - EskDale Auditorium 12:00 p.m.
* Singing, Fellowship & Program - EskDale Auditorium 12:45 p.m.
* Afternoon Snack - EskDale Center 2:30 p.m.
* Reunion Meal, Activities - EskDale Plaza or Center 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 28, 2020
* Breakfast at Place of Lodging and Travel

Cost:

An all inclusive registration fee of $25.00/adult, $50.00/couple or $75.00/family will be charged. This registration fee will include lodging at Hidden Canyon Retreat and 4 meals. Please send your reservation and payments to; Anita Hansen, PO Box 67, Garrison, UT 84728. Make checks payable to; House of Aaron. Credit card payments can be made here on the Square store: https://squareup.com/store/house-of-aaron/item/reunion. (Also by clicking through the Ticket link on the FB event)

Please make reunion reservations by June 1, 2020.

Help us spread the word about the reunion…tell your family and friends.

A word from John Conrad

2/28/2020

Many things that are helpful as we are growing up become limitations as we mature. Specifically I am speaking of the ability we have to label things and place them in categories. It is very helpful for a child to discover that Dad is a man, Mom is a woman, my dog is an animal, my cat is an animal but not a dog, etc. Knowing where particular things fit help us make sense of the world.

Unfortunately, many of us don't progress past the state of putting things in categories and then realizing more fine-tuning is necessary. In 2 Chronicles 35 King Josiah, easily one of the best kings in the Southern Kingdom's history, dies when he refuses to hear God's voice coming through Israel's historical enemy, Pharaoh Neco, the ruler of Egypt. His experience, his DNA, told him that Egypt was the enemy and must be resisted. In this case, God was telling him through Pharaoh Neco to just let Pharaoh through the kingdom's territory and nothing amiss would occur. He couldn't hear and so he was killed.

An absolute essential for a grown-up is to be able to detect nuance and shades of meaning or function. We laugh at memes on Facebook but they often are bastions of stupidity. Jews don't all act alike, neither do blacks, Mormons, Catholics, Muslims, you name it. I don't always act the same in similar situations. Communism is generally thought to be a dictatorial type of socialism. There are many types of socialism that are not communist. Equating all socialists as communists or communists in embryo makes us look stupid and ill-informed.

The richest thing I am now beholding is people using Putin as a force against socialism and communism. I like Putin a lot better when he is far from me and I am not doing something he doesn't like. His enemies seems to have abbreviated life-spans. I don't measure Putin by his politics--I don't care for his behavior.

We need to learn to know people for who they really are. Not their group, their political party nor their religion. All of these contribute to the identity of the person but none determine who he or she actually is. It is lazy thinking to place people in boxes we detest so we don't have to think about them or learn to know them. The political rhetoric in this country right now is a great example of what to avoid. Because a person is a never-Trumper or an always-Trumper doesn't tell you much about that person except what Presidential candidate they will likely vote for. I am amazed how many people I truly like if I just make the effort to get to know them and jettison my labels and boxes. I have a list of names I would love to eliminate but I don't need everyone mad at me at once. (The "names" I would like to eliminate are not people--they are the names and labels we use to marginalize and demonize those we disagree with.) When the "right" and the "left" continually scream that the other side is ruining the country I sadly agree. Because after the "right" has eliminated the "left" and the "left" has eliminated the "right" we have all achieved a pyrrhic victory. The final blessing in the Aaronic benediction from Numbers 6 proclaims "the Lord lift up his face toward you and grant you shalom (peace.) May you enjoy a blessed Shabbat.

Feast Cycle 2020

2/20/2020

Passover/ Unleavened Bread/ Pesach- Seder, April 8, 2020
Pesach Feast Weekend Celebration April 10-12, 2020 (Firstfruits)
Shavuot/ Feast of Weeks/ Pentecost- May 31, 2020
Shavuot Feast Weekend Celebration May 29-31, 2020
Feast of Trumpets/ Yom Teruah - September 19,2020
Yom Kippur/ Day of Atonement- September 28, 2020
Sukkot/ Feast of Tabernacles/ Feast of Booths- October 2-9, Feast Weekend October 2-4, 2020

We need you in order to have a holy convocation, so consider joining us in keeping the commandments to observe the Biblical Feasts! Registration links on the Home page.

Leviticus 23 New King James Version (NKJV)
Feasts of the Lord
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.

The Sabbath
3 ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.

The Passover and Unleavened Bread
4 ‘These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. 5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no [a]customary work on it. 8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.’ ”

The Feast of Firstfruits
9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the Lord. 13 Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the Lord, for a [b]sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. 14 You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

The Feast of Weeks
15 ‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the Lord. 18 And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord. 19 Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats as a sin offering, and two male lambs of the first year as a sacrifice of a peace offering. 20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. 21 And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.’ ”

The Feast of Trumpets
23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. 25 You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’ ”

The Day of Atonement
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall [c]afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall [d]celebrate your sabbath.”

The Feast of Tabernacles
33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred[e] assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.
37 ‘These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day— 38 besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord.
39 ‘Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. 40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the [f]fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. 41 You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in [g]booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, 43 that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ ”
44 So Moses declared to the children of Israel the feasts of the Lord.