Golden cherubim in Bethlehem

Photos: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The Bethlehem College Performing Arts Centre was nearly packed on Saturday night for the Tabernacle of Worship.

The inspiring performance by the Jubilee Dancers was led by Gaynor Schiff and involved dancers from Whakatane and Tauranga.

The evening of celebration and praise through music and dance was a journey through early biblical Israel's expressions of worship.

Starting with Moses's wilderness Tabernacle, and leading on to the Temple built later in Jerusalem in King Solomon's time, the Messianic message culminates with the arrival of Christ.

The creative dance journey incorporates the historical Israelite artefacts of worship which include a bronze laver, golden lamp stand and altar of incense.

These led early Israelite worshippers through the courts closer in to where the presence of God was experienced.

These artefacts of worship have become powerful symbols for early New Testament Jewish and Gentile Christians and studied around the world in Christian communities. Each scene of the musical journey that leads into the deeper courts of the Tabernacle is resplendent with colourful costumes, flags and large pieces of silken fabric that floats over the dancers.

Thanks to Gaynor Schiff and her team of designers and seamsters, the colour and costumes are at times quite breathtaking. The audience broke into delighted spontaneous applause when the two golden cherubim emerged from the top of the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies scene.

Gaynor started the Jubilee Dance Ministries International in 1987 after a trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.

"We ministered in South Africa from then and formed six more Jubilee teams in various cities there," says Gaynor. The groups are still dancing."

"We staged the first 'Tabernacle of Worship' production in 1995 and performed it in the Cape area in South Africa. My husband Brian and I immigrated to New Zealand in 2010 and the seventh Jubilee team was formed shortly afterwards in Tauranga."

A former Miss Rhodesia, Gaynor is now dancing into her mid-70's.

"In 2015 I was overwhelmed by the abundant blessing in the Bay of Plenty of blossoms and fruit everywhere and had the vision to do a 'Feast of Tabernacles', which is a harvest thanksgiving festival. I phoned Graham Preston out of the blue as I did not know him and told him of my vision and immediately he caught the vision and has been behind the Jubilee team in every possible way, through the Christian Education Trust - CET- which is the foundation of Bethlehem College."

The Minorah in the College's badge is a symbol of the foundation of the school built on an understanding of the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith.

"The Jubilee Dance Ministry has also always had a Hebraic foundation and supports Israel wholeheartedly," says Gaynor. "Our aim is to bring the word of God to life and to touch people's hearts through music, drama and dance."

Gaynor's daughter Kerry danced with her from the start at the age of 13 and is responsible for most of the choreography. She and her husband Peter and children travelled from Wellington to take part in Saturday night's production, opening the evening as a family dancing to 'O Israel'.

"I have had amazing and overwhelming support from Graham Preston, the CET, Bethlehem College, the Jubilee team here in Tauranga, from my own fellowship, Ha Derech - The Way," says Gaynor, "and many wonderful talented people coming alongside me giving of their talents, time, energy and resources unstintingly and freely. I could not have done it without every single one."

The Jubilee Dancers are a Tauranga based Christian praise and worship dance group. They see themselves more as worshippers rather than dancers.

You may also like....

2 comments

Wish I had Known

Posted on 24-04-2017 12:55 | By carpedeum

Sounds absolutley fantastic- wish we had know it was on


Prophetic Dance

Posted on 25-04-2017 01:48 | By JBSandifer

:-) thank you for sharing!


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.