“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” 

ISAIAH 58:13-14

Worship With Us

Services are held weekly at:
Casey Community Center
810 S. Frederick Ave. (2nd Floor: Aspen Room)
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

[Click for directions]
Services Begin at 1:45PM

Virtual Meeting (GoTo Meeting):
For the meeting link, email us at info@cgimaryland.org

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts…These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.” Leviticus 23:2-4

Holy days are observed beginning sundown the previous evening and end at sundown on the days listed. Passover is observed at sundown on the day listed.

Just as it keeps the weekly Sabbath, the Church of God also observes the annual holy days that were ordained by God, kept by the ancient Israelites and continued by the early New Testament Christians.  The seven annual “appointed feasts” pictures God’s plan of salvation for man.  God has established annual Sabbaths which are to be observed by his people. Each annual Holy Day is a memorial to some great act or deed of God.  He uses these memorials to keep alive the memory of his deeds. In observance of these annual Sabbaths, we magnify the LORD’S word in remembrance of his past, present and future works. The power of salvation is found in obedience to God’s word.  For it is better to obey than sacrifice. 

The annual Sabbaths can be best understood by us if we bear in mind the preeminence of God over man. The things which God does, has no equal. His ways are above our ways, his thoughts are above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). The things which are impossible with man are possible with God. There is simply nothing available for us to measure God by. Therefore, we must measure him by himself (Isaiah 40:18-31; Hebrews 6: 13-14). “He sitteth upon the circle of the earth and he has no equal.” Again, we must take heed to the things which God does and speak.  These two statements are foremost in understanding the annual Sabbaths. What God does is forever; what He says man must live by (Psalms 19:9; Ecclesiastes 3:14; Deuteronomy 8:1-3). 

2024 Holy Day Calendar

NEW TESTAMENT PASSOVER
April 21 (Observed at Sundown)

FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
April 23 – 29

PENTECOST
June 16

FEAST OF TRUMPETS
October 3

DAY OF ATONEMENT
October 12

FEAST OF TABERNACLES
October 17 – 23

LAST GREAT DAY
October 24

Download Holy Day Calendar through 2025

God maintains links to his past through His memorials.

The Annual Sabbaths both memorializes and perpetuates the words and mighty deeds of Yahweh. They are the spiritual anniversaries of Yahweh’s mightiest deeds; each one of them being an eternal memorial of some distinct, divine accomplishment in the great program of salvation.  They stand as beacons in the lives of His people. Each Feast also signifies and attribute of the LORD. They serve to teach us of past and future relationships we have and will have with God. The Annual Sabbaths are listed and summarized in the 23rd chapter of the book of Leviticus. Observance of the Holy Feasts of God spans a period of seven months in God’s sacred calendar, beginning with the first month of the year and ending with the seventh month (Leviticus 25: 1-8).  

The Passover Service introduces us to the first of the annual memorials in the sacred calendar.  God began the annual Sabbaths with the birth of His nation Israel. He decided that Abib was the beginning of months (Exodus 12:1-2). One of the most dramatic incidents in the history of mankind began, with an announcement to the whole earth, that the true God of all creation had chosen a nation unto himself (Exodus 5:1-3; 6:1 -8).  In the process of delivering his nation, God brought the nation of Egypt to its knees. And in doing so, he placed fear in the hearts of all nations.  In that well known episode of Scripture, Yahweh “passed over” the houses of the believers who had obeyed His command to apply the blood of a literal lamb to the lintel and doorposts of their dwellings.  The Almighty spared the lives of the Israelites but allowed the destroyer to kill the firstborn of the Egyptians who refused to obey.  This mighty work of deliverance is memorialized and perpetrated in the observance of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Almighty institutionalized and proclaimed Abib 14 as the memorial feast of Passover. 

The week of unleavened bread is often referred to as the Passover Week.  The first and last days of this week (Abib 15th through Abib 21st) are Sabbath days, and believers are commanded to assemble to worship the Almighty God (Leviticus 23: 5-8).  God established a seven (7) day period, proclaiming that unleavened bread must be eaten seven days (Exodus 12:15).  Included, within these seven days, are both Passover (Abib 14) and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Abib 15). These facts are evident in the Scriptures and were observed in like manner by Jesus and his disciples (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7- 8).  Leviticus 23:4-8, recaps the seven (7) days of unleavened bread known as (Leviticus 23:6), the feast of unleavened bread. The origin and law of observance, which establishes the seven-day period is found in Exodus, chapter 12.  The same period of seven days appear in Numbers 28:21-25, and again in Ezekiel 45:21-25.  In the New Testament, Jesus and his disciples, were not confused about the period, according to Luke 22:7-8, they knew that the Passover Lamb must be killed on the day of unleavened bread which is the first day of the seven-day period.  Leaven is a symbol of sin, hypocrisy, and false doctrine.  The week of unleavened bread symbolizes the church, which will be purged by God of every trace of sin.

The next annual Sabbath occurs during the 3rd month of the Hebrew Calendar, which is Sivan.  The Feast of Pentecost, also called the Feast of First Fruits.  This feast falls on the 50th day after the Passover Sabbath.  This feast is a reminder, a guarantee of Yahweh’s power to produce spiritual fruit in the field of human salvation.  The first fruit of the Holy Spirit are the true believers won to God by His Son the firstborn (Corinthians 15: 20, 23; James 1:18; Revelation 14:4). Pentecost is also the anniversary of the founding of the New Testament Church.  It initiates God’s plan of salvation for the world.  Just as Pentecost marked the spring of first harvest, Pentecost also symbolizes the first small harvest of individuals through God’s Church.  In the salvation of the individual, Pentecost represents the receiving of the Holy Spirit.  This Holy Spirit enables the convert to go forward in spreading the gospel just as the disciples did, like never before, after they received the Holy Spirit.  The pouring out of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Act 2, was the early harvest a kind of” firstfruits” of an even greater out-pouring of divine power to fall upon the church in the future when the main harvest of believers will be gathered.  The feast of Pentecost prefigures and commemorates the early harvest, the first fruit of human souls: and those who celebrate it declares their willingness to be part of the spiritual multitude gathered and presented to the Almighty by His Son – the firstborn! 

The Feast of Trumpets is celebrated on the first day of Ethanim (Tishri), the seventh month in the sacred calendar (Leviticus 23:24).  The Feast of Trumpets is a memorial Sabbath, a day of special significance designed to bring believers into remembrance before the Almighty.  This memorial of trumpets is a continual reminder to us to watch for the second coming of our Lord. The sounding of the Shofar, lifts the hearts of God’s people together in singing and praising Him. Trumpets marks the new moon of the seventh month, during which month, our hearts are to be both humbled and made glad.  This Feast of Trumpets also symbolizes the resurrection of all who died in Christ and the change of all who will be living in Christ.  The stunning event – the achievement of eternal life for millions through birth into the Family of Yahweh, will occur simultaneously with the return of Jesus Christ at the last trump.  “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet will sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed “ (I Corinthians 15:52).  Only when that even happens can we justifiable say the Feast of Trumpets has found fulfillment. 

The day of Atonement is observed on the 10th day of  the seventh month (Tishri) by abstinence from daily labor, by a holy convocation, and by fasting.  It is the only commanded fast in the year and is the most solemn day in Yahweh’s sacred calendar (Leviticus 23: 27-32).  The word “atonement” means to make amends for, to reconcile, to restore, to repair, to make at-one again.  This is exactly what the Day of Atonement prefigures.  It points to a specific time in the future when the great High Priest of the Melchizedek Order (The Messiah) will literally bring the redeemed host of mankind right into the very presence of His Father, to be at-one with Him.  This solemn day symbolizes the reunion of God and man after Christ returns to earth.  At this time Satan shall be bound and no longer allowed to deceive the world (Revelation 20:1-3). 

The Feast of Tabernacles (Booth or Shelters) is celebrated on the 15th day of Tishri, the seventh month in Yahweh’s sacred calendar.  It is a memorial of the time when Yahweh made His people live in tents and temporary shelters in the wilderness when He brought them out bondage from Egypt.  This festival analogously acts out the Millennium – the 1000 years of Christ’s reign on earth.  The true harvest of mankind can now take place when all nations can be brought to God. The Feast of Tabernacles is a time of great joy (Deuteronomy 16:13-15).  We can rejoice and share with others the bounty God has provided us (Nehemiah 8:9-18).  The Golden Age shall reign, happiness and peace shall be reality and worldwide salvation shall be possible.  At a higher level, it is also a reminder or memorial of the fact that the Almighty’s astonishing act of love to come down to earth to tabernacle or pitch His tent with humanity in the person of His Son.  For Jesus Christ is Immanuel, GOD WITH US incarnate taking up His abode in the tabernacle amidst His people (Exodus 3:7-11) in order to redeem us.

The Feats known as the Last Great Day, occurs just after the week of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36).  The Last Great Day prefigures the endless cycle of eternity when the life-giving power of the Almighty God will flow to His people on the earth made new.  It must be remembered that millions have lived and died without ever having the knowledge to understand salvation.  The Last Great Day represents the time when they shall be restored and given that chance – not a second chance, but a first chance, a chance they will not have had before.  Only then shall Yahweh’s initial plan for mankind be at an end.  Thus, this last great holy day of Yahweh pictures the greatest period of salvation for mankind – the Great White Throne Judgement (Revelation 20: 11-15).