December 2005

Dear People of the Northstate Vision:

Diana and I witnessed a sacramental outburst on our trip to Southern California last month. We led an interdenominational team from Pray California on a prayerwalk through three churches threatened with confiscation of their property in retaliation for standing on the Word of God in their denomination. As we walked and prayed we simply claimed these congregations for the Kingdom and declared ourselves members in the Name of Jesus. We anointed the churches with oil and prayed over pastors and staff members – again claiming in the Name that we were they and they were us. When we began we discovered only a small drop of oil in the bottle we carried but we determined to anoint until we ran out. At the end of the day we found that the oil had increased four hundred per cent over the amount when we began. The more we spent the more we had!

When God makes a sacramental outburst – miracle, visitation, intervention – whatever we might call it – He blesses, instructs – and makes a promise. He blesses with a taste of His ultimate bounty – whether by feeding thousands people or in communion – forgiving sin or healing a paralyzed person or bathing/baptizing that same person into the Kingdom. He instructs – in LA He showed that if we spent lavishly what we had on Him there would be more at the end than at the beginning – that is the pattern of our participation in His work. The promise is that glory and grace escalates. He shows His hand in something small enough – like an oil bottle – that outlines are see-able, so we can recognize and remember when He moves in spheres too large to see or comprehend. He speaks this reality in Mark 8:14-21 when he points out that there were more fragments left from the feeding of five and four thousand respectively than there were to begin with.

Christmas is like that. He comes as a baby – seeking our care and devotion before we even comprehend how lavishly He has cared and devoted Himself to us in that very sending. As He grows and spends Himself ever more lavishly He is always calling us to do the same – if we would grow into the fullness of His measure – which is His incomprehensible promise to us. In John 14:12-14 He even declares that we will do greater things in His Name than we have seen Him do in our presence. All of this is to prepare us for the greatest outburst of all – His death and resurrection for our death and resurrection. Let us commit ourselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the praying in this season of visitation called Christmas.

CURRENTPrayNorthstateEVENTS

Paah-ho-ammi swings into the last month of what we are calling Phase 1. Teams are meeting each month and we urge those in our network to pray daily for reductions in crime, unemployment, traffic fatalities, and cancer admissions to the hospitals in Shasta County. We are also praying for protection of youth against sudden or violentdeath. Statistics will be gathered in January on all of these topics of prayer and compared to the baseline we established in September. The results will be unveiled at the closing worship service on Sunday, January 30, at 7:00 PM in Room 204 of LaBaume-Rudat Hall, Simpson University. However, anecdotal information is very promising. For example, youth deathsaveraged two each month for the past year. Yet the young homicide victim in Anderson of the past week is the only youth death reported so far in this quarter and there have been no serious injuries in high school sports during the fall season. Keep praying and seeking His face for our region every day.

PrayNorthstate prayerwalks Pacheco Elementary School on Wednesday, December 1, at 3:30 PM. This will mark the fifteenth school walked and blessed in Shasta County this school year and we expect to schedule approximately four more in the near future. Teams led by our representatives are blessing approximately twenty schools in four counties as well. In addition we are continuing this month to walk out the vision of prayerwalking every media outlet in the northstate. To date this year we have blessed radio outlets KVIP, KQMS, Oldies 105.3, K-Shasta, FM 99.3, Rock 106X, and ESPN; TV KGEC 26/Cable 15, and FOX 21 and 30. Anyone reading this newsletter who would like to invite us to bless a media outlet – print, broadcast or TV – call Jim at 530-941-3470. God invented the communications media; He wants to bless them.

Excalibur Group will meet on December 2 and 16 at DeMercurio’s Restaurant on Hartnell in Redding from 12:30 to 2:00. The interdenominational prayer group is composed of businesspersons who know Jesus and are willing to pray for the transformation of the region over lunch. First Sunday will not be held in December.

WHAT THE COORDINATORS ARE UP TO

Jim and Diana will be taking a few days of needed rest at the home of some friends in Oregon from December 2-10. Jim will be preaching at Christ the Rock Church in Anderson on Sunday, December 12, at 10:00 AM and at Copco Community Church in Montague on Sunday, December 19, at 11:00 AM. He will also offer his Worship asWarfare workshop at 2:00 PM at Copco Community on the 19 th. Jim will travel to the coast for meetings and a speaking engagement on December 14 and 15 – details are still TBA. We celebrate our 29 th wedding anniversary on December 20 and the 19 th anniversary of Jim’s ordination on December 21.

Jim and Diana are in the exploratory stages of developing a new PrayNorthstate TV project that will focus entirely on what God is doing in the younger generation. The working title is Genesis Generation and prayer and support are needed.

WHAT’S UP IN THE NORTHSTATE

On the statewide front, we have mentioned in this space before how a determined group of intercessors based in Chico have been resolute for the past twelve years in praying blessings on the Chicoabortion clinic and those who use and work in it. The annual numbers of abortions performed in that city have fallen by two thirds in those years – because God transformswhatever He blesses – and the intercessors intend to pray until that number is zero. Pray California is taking this ministry as both model and mandate for 2005 – and PrayNorthstate joins with enthusiasm – as we address in prayer the reality that 25% of the abortions done nationally occur in California and – with the recent passage of Proposition 71 – virtually all of the embryonic stem cell research. Pray Cal is committed to praying blessing over our state until these practices wither away. We urge everyone in our network to pray Matthew 11:2-6 over our state without ceasing.

Jay Nelson , of Red Bluff, reports another record setting season for the Operation Christmas Child ministry of Samaritan’s Purse (Franklin Graham). The NorCal chapter of this ministry collected just shy of 12,000 gift boxes to be sent to children hungry for Christmas gifts and good news about their source all over the world. Nelson credits a cooperative effort of Radio KVIP, K-LOVE, and KQMS and Family Channel26/Cable 15; promotional messages at the recent Evening of Worship at the Redding Convention Center, the Tehama County Fair, Mt. Shasta’s Coffee Connection, A DAY IN THE SON and PrayNorthstate. The Yreka Sears store and the Smuckers Company of Chico provided free transport of the boxes. This was and is a Body activity in our region. He adds that many churches participated for the first time.

In Shasta County a number of churches have joined together to help Neighborhood Church of Redding promote the visit of Phillips, Craig and Dean to Redding’s Convention Center on Thursday, December 2. The concert event is co-sponsored by the Food for the Hungry ministry and additional funding support from each appearance of this music ministry goes to provide scholarships at various colleges and universities for aspiring music and worship ministers. Tickets are $15.00 at the door and the concert begins at 7:30 PM following a Christmas carol sing-a-long at 7:00. Phillips,Craig and Dean have recorded eighteen number one worship singles and have been nominated for DOVE awards.

Simpson University’s Music Department will take over the Cascade Theatre in Downtown Redding on Sunday Evening, December 5, for a presentation of Handel’sMessiah. The performance will include a sing-a-long of the Christmas choruses in the work and all who wish to participate will be given a dress-rehearsal pass. Tickets are $15.00 at the door. Call Robin Tella at 530-226-4507 for information. Proceeds will benefit the university.

Two Redding churches – that we know of – are spending one Sunday afternoon each month at different residence motels feeding the residents and chatting about Jesus. Call Vineyard City Church at 530-223-0919 or Bethel Church at 530-246-6000 for info. The Vineyard Church also conducts monthly outreaches to residents of TransitionalHousing, local businesses (they get a Marie Callender’s pie) and Shasta Healthcare.

Redding Transformation sponsors a City Prayer and Minister’s Lunch at Redding Christian Fellowship on Thursday, December 2. They are also urging all Redding churches to set aside time during services on Sunday, December 5 to Hug the City inPrayer – just praying God’s blessings on the city. They will offer their monthly Night ofWorship in the cafeteria of Enterprise High School on Friday Night, December 10 at 6:33. The time refers to Matthew 6:33 – Seek ye first the Kingdom…

The Celebrate Recovery Ministry holds meetings at First Church of the Nazarene and Risen King Community Church in Redding. The group offers social and educational events on a variety of topics in addition to Christian support for people recovering from addictions of various types. Margaret Blackford directs the ministry and can be reached at 530-549-3485. Their web site is www.ptscrecovery.org. Topics for December include Connections with the Church on the 3rd; Amends on the 10th; and a Holiday Celebration on 17th.

In Butte County the Gridley folks are tearing up the pea patch for Jesus! In the past month they led special services at First Presbyterian Church and prayed over the new Youth and Worship Center of the First Nazarene Church. In December they plan to bless Gridley High School and in January they visit Sycamore Elementary School. This ministry is the first in our network to pray over every school in their city, and they lead the citywide prayer walks for Gridley as well. Leaders Dwayne and Jenine Tenabe participated in the recent Touching Heaven Changing Earth conference in Nevada City as well.

In Paradise the congregation of Resurrection Power Ministries recently hosted a regionwide conference on contemporary prophecy and their leaders spoke blessings over each of the cities in the region of the Chico hub. This is noteworthy in part because Resurrection Power Ministries is – numerically – one of the smallest churches in the region, but one dedicated to blessing its neighbors with all of the resources the Holy Spirit can provide. God says, “Despise not the day of small things.”

In Nevada County a Nevada City a chapter of the national Men’s Fraternity has formed. This ministry takes as its inspiration the materials and concepts of John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart books on faith as a manly activity. The Dallas chapter – for example – now boasts one thousand members and they have – by faith – purchased andrenovated for the Kingdom whole city blocks of their city. The NorCal chapter meets on Wednesday Mornings. Meetings begin in January for a Thursday Evening group and a feature of this chapter is its emphasis on interdenominational fellowship, prayer, and growth in Christ. For information contact Pastor Dan Prout of Sierra Ministries International at 530-478-1478.

UPCOMING PrayNorthstate EVENTS

Worship and Warfare: A Summit for Intercessors will be offered at River ValleyFellowship in Redding on Friday and Saturday, January 28-29 – 7:00 to 9:00 PM on Friday and 8:30 to 5:00 on Saturday. There is a $20.00 donation asked of each registrant and breakfast and lunch are provided on Saturday. The summits provide training and hands-on experience in the ministries of Prayer Vanguard and Lighthouses of Prayer. Each participant will be ready to join our larger ministry of establishing beach-heads of blessing in neighborhoods and communities – from blessing home andneighborhood blocks to the churches, schools and businesses that make up the glue of communities. The updated statistics on the impact of Paah-ho-ammi will also be available at this time. Call 530-247-1850 for information. The summit is co-sponsored by River Valley Fellowship, The Standard, and Faith Assembly Churches of Redding.

PRAYNORTHSTATE RADIO and TV FOR DECEMBER

PrayNorthstate Radio kicks off the last month of the year with Missionary AnneKalvestrand on December 4. Anne is on a yearlong mission to Bahrain and she shares her hopes and dreams in a pre-recorded segment. Dean and Michelle Adams will guest on December 11 – live – as we discuss their short-term missions in Mexico and how it is that Dean – a Redding police officer – prays healing for people he arrests. We will feature Bill Price and Dave Martin of Restoration Enterprises on December 18. Restoration has been restoring criminal offenders for some years in our region – it is the vision of Under-Sheriff Larry Schaller and it has drawn interest from across the nation. We will conclude the Christmas month on a high note when Diana joins me on December 25 – Christmas Day – and we share how our celebration of Jesus’ birth day has grown from the days before we knew Him personally until now.

PrayNorthstate TV announces each Monday Morning that we spend time with ordinary people who serve an extraordinary God. The program begins December with Allen Schuster on December 6 – an ordinary grocery clerk who has a passion to serve the people of Romania and introduce them to his personal Savior. We spend December 13 with Ken and Darla Petranek, a couple who pastored churches in LakeCounty for many years – until God called them to Redding to set up healing rooms and a Christian School of the Arts. On December 20 the focus will shift to Sam Graham and Doug Tooley. Sam is a sponsor of PrayNorthstate TV and Doug helps make our radio broadcasts possible with his support. They are competitors in the satellite TVbusiness – and best friends – who would rather help and sharpen one another than do each other in. The last broadcast of the year for PrayNorthstate TV will feature RainMahan and Sharon Joorgie of Life Light Pregnancy Center on December 27 – the day the babies of Jerusalem were slaughtered as Herod sought to murder the Christ Child.

PrayNorthstate Radio is heard every Saturday Morning at 8:00 on AM 1400 KQMS. Jim is also a periodic and frequent contributor to KVIP’s Saturday Magazine, heard at 1:00 PM on FM 98.1 and AM 540 KVIP. PrayNorthstate TV can be seen each Monday Morning at 6:30 AM on Family Channel 26/Cable 15.

PrayNorthstate PRAYER LIST

Please pray for the financial stability of PrayNorthstate and for our radio and television ministries. Pray for the Kingdom transformation of the Northstate – in the spirit of Matthew 11:2-6 – brought about for such a time as this. Pray that God would bring about resurrection and reconciliation in our heavily polarized land. Pray for Outreach America, Redding Transformation, and Paah-ho-ammi – that God’s People would indeed Cry Out. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Pray for missionaries Bill and Lori Gardner, Coleen Schafer, Teresa Hancock,Ron and Christine Hamstad, Eric and Linda Zane, and Anne Kalvestrand.

Please pray for Faithworks Coalition, Restoration Enterprises, and the Good News Rescue Mission. Please pray for Carenet Pregnancy Center, Lifelite, Anderson- Cottonwood Christian Assistance, Youth For Christ, Outreach America, Endtimes Ministries, Noble House, Cornerstone Ministries, Teen Challenge, county YouthPastors Networks, Law Enforcement and Campus Chaplains, the Northern California Burn Foundation, Radio Station KVIP, Regent Broadcasting (KQMS), and Family Channel 26/Cable 15. Please pray for Aglow International, for the various men’s ministries in Northern California, and churches without pastors at this time. Please pray for the Quills of Faith Christian writers’ group and the Excalibur Group.

HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

Correspondence – and donations – may be addressed to PrayNorthstate, P. O. Box 493743, Redding, CA 96049-3743. Call us at 530-941-3470. Our web site is www.praynorthstate.org; our e-mail is praynorthstate@charter.net.