Activities at the Festival!

There is always something to do at Season of Our Joy.  Below are a number of activities you can take advantage of to enhance your JOY at the festival.

For the early riser, there is the morning Deuteronomy reading.  A Sukkot tradition based on the passage starting at Deuteronomy 31:10 where Moses instructed the Hebrews to read the Book of the Law every seven years at the festival of Sukkot.  We figure we've missed a few years, so we do it every year at the feast.  A quick reading with little discussion, but a great way to start your day!

Besides the numerous teaching sessions, SOOJ provides a number of social activities designed to bring our 'Hebraic community' together for these 8 days.  One such activity is the annual Hamburger / Ice Cream Social.  Each year, towards the beginning of the festival, we break out our grills and cook hamburgers, hotdogs, or whatever you bring (provided, of course, that it's really 'food' as defined by scripture).  Each family provides their own meat, to be cooked individually or to be put in the 'pot', and we just have a big cook-out.  No other activities are planned at this time, so you can sit around and 'shoot the bull' throughout the evening without pressure to get somewhere else.

The Fun Show is another opportunity to get to know each other.  If you have a song to sing, a joke to tell, or an interesting story that you think would be entertaining, you want to be a part of this.  This is your opportunity to serve your festival friends and neighbors through you talent.  Auditions for this show are usually the afternoon before, so be sure to set that time apart.  For those who just want to sit back and enjoy the show, all you have to do is show up!

Every year, we honor our seniors with a Senior Citizen's Luncheon.  This is a special time where we treat you to a special meal served by the Sukkot teens.  We also entertain you with a lively speaker with a message for the Elders of the Assembly.  There is no charge for this luncheon, but you must sign up for it in advance.

As in the past few years, we want to have a special luncheon for the Ladies.  The organizers of this event are always looking for new ideas to make this a special occasion.  If you have ideas, be sure to pass them on. 

Just about every evening, a number of people come together in the community room at the campground for a 'Midnight Midrash'.  Though not highly organized, they are never-the-less not a free-for-all.  There's just enough organization to keep things moving.  There are no 'off limits' topics, but we expect everyone to be considerate of those who are new to the Hebraic walk.  Come with your Bibles, computers, and topics and have a lively debate!

At about the same time the Midnight Midrash is going on, there are Dance Classes or simply Dance times when those who want can get together and dance to some of the popular Hebraic music.  This is usually faster music that is not necessarily conducive to congregational worship, but yet is good, wholesome Messianic music.   There's always someone willing to take the beginner off to the side to help get them up to speed, so come enjoy yourself.

 Like we did last year, we plan to have a free afternoon and evening where there is nothing planned.  This is a perfect time to organize a family outing, get a few families together for a softball game, rent a canoe or kayak, go hiking, or just go fishing.  Windermere has a number of watercraft available, and some feast-goers bring their boat and offer to take others skiing.  You might also want to take the afternoon to visit some of the local attractions.  Windermere is only about 25 minutes away from the Lake of the Ozarks attractions at Osage Beach.

There is never a dull moment at Season of Our Joy!  Come ready to celebrate and have a great time with family and friends!