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Dear People of the Northstate Vision:
As we prepare to celebrate Easter before the end of this month we need to remember that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is itself a sacramental outburst of grace from the Lord Our God. Sacramental outbursts – miracles – have three common elements that set them apart from more ordinary events. They function as deposits on the Kingdom of God, they contain within themselves instruction on how we can sow into that promised Kingdom, and they are part of an escalating process of God’s grace and glory.
Whether we are speaking of a healing miracle, a miracle of multiplication, or the miracle that enables a new citizen of the Kingdom to be born again these are deposits on what is promised as ultimate reality. In the Kingdom all of the sick are healed, there is abundance for all, and every knee bows while every tongue confesses Jesus as Lord. We need to view these signs not as isolated events but as guideposts with the intention of whetting our appetite for God – and encouraging us to pray and minister more aggressively in His Name.
They contain instruction that helps us to pray and minister with greater authority and purpose. When last month I reported the multiplication of oil used for anointing I noted that the team made a concerted decision to spend our limited supply lavishly and let God worry about the outcome. The miracle of multiplication simply encouraged us to adopt this strategy as a regular feature of our life in Him – just as the many blessings we have seen while praying blessing in places we might have thought to curse has encouraged blessing prayer as a normative way of intervention into dark and impoverished places.
They are part of an escalating process of grace – normatively. One of the churches over which we prayed in that day of the multiplying oil harbored a dark page of history that was revealed to team members supernaturally. One was bold enough to broach the subject and we prayed repentance and forgiveness with the pastor’s permission. He now reports his people are ministering with a freedom he has never seen before – and most know nothing of what happened that day of our visit. This is a much greater miracle than the mere multiplication of a supply of anointing oil!
Our destination is the Kingdom as described in Matthew 11:2-6. Easter is the first step.
CURRENTPrayNorthstateEVENTS
It may not happen until the first week in May, but the 2005 edition of The Bible: UpClose and Personal is gearing up right now and that explains its inclusion on this page. For the third time PrayNorthstate sponsors a reading – out loud and around the clock – of the whole Word of God from the breezeway at Redding City Hall. Site captains – who volunteer to supervise the reading for three hours at a stretch – have been selected. Christians who wish to read may volunteer for one or more shifts of fifteen minutes. Call us at 530-941-3470 or e-mail to praynorthstate@charter.net and give us a postal mailing address, phone number, and your preference of a day – Monday throughThursday, May 2-5 – and a timeframe – morning (6 AM to Noon); afternoon (Noon to 6 PM); evening (6 PM to Midnight) or night (Midnight to 6 AM) during which you wish to be assigned. The process will be completed at Noon on Thursday, May 5, so that we can join the National Day of Prayer observance on the patio of City Hall. This is an event that blesses the entire city – and especially the workers at City Hall. Typically some three hundred people from about forty churches get involved. Please call or e-mail rightaway – to make Jim’s administrative load a lot lighter as he assigns the places.
PrayNorthstate TV is off and running on Fox 30/Cable 2 and has received a good response so far. People are watching and enjoying. We take a moment here to say goodbye to George Cooper who went home to the Lord this month. A good friend, George was the inspiration for both PrayNorthstate TV and Genesis Generation.
PRAYNORTHSTATE RADIO and TV FOR MARCH
PrayNorthstate Radio features locally based missionaries to Northern Ireland Erin Wendy O’Neil on March 5 – talking about transformation locally and abroad. On March 12 our guests will be local realtors Ken Gilchrist and Shelley Ridings – they’ve just opened a new office on faith. On March 19 we welcome back Africa and Mexicomissionaries David and Tovah Potter – because we didn’t get finished last time. And we finish March with local restaurateurs (and program sponsors) Chris and AngieHenderson from Tac(o) the Town Tacqueria.
PrayNorthstate TV begins March with a visit from Judith and Roberto D’Amico on March 7. We will hear about a wholistic approach to educating kids who have been left behind – but not by God. On March 14 Skip Tyler comes in to talk about the RRR (respectability, responsibility, righteousness) Boys’ Ranch – a supernatural gift from God to at risk kids. On March 21 we talk with Jack and Diane Lauritzen who minister – through Teen Challenge – to young people beyond at-risk – but not beyond God. We round out the month – on March 28 – with law enforcement chaplain leaders Sergeant Scott Mayberry (Redding PD) and Cyndee Thomas, chaplain director.
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 Fox/Cable 2 at 6:30 AM.
WHAT’S UP IN THE NORTHSTATE
Pray California is sponsoring – and the Church in Oakland is hosting – the secondannual statewide prayer summit for pastors and intercessors on Monday and Tuesday, April 18 and 19. There is no charge for attendance although we are responsible for the costs of food and lodging. This is a wonderful opportunity for pastors to come together to bless the City of Oakland and to come together before the Lord with no agenda but to be in His presence. It is an invitation-only event but any pastors or intercessors receiving this newsletter are invited – call Jim at 530-941-3470 or e-mail us at praynorthstate@charter.net and we will make arrangements.
The Northern California Burn Foundation made NorCal history on Sunday, February 13, with the first locally generated telethon of its kind. People were treated to entertainment and testimony about Jesus – and His care and concern for children and adults suffering the horror of burn injury. The foundation raised more than $55,000.00 for the building of Camp Eagleflight – a facility to be established on land donated by Sierra Pacific Lumber Co. near Shingletown and the first in the nation of its kind – completely dedicated to hosting children who have burned and the people who rescue them. Perhaps the most heartwarming aspect of the day was the fact that all of the major network affiliates – Fox, UPN, CBS, ABC, NBC and PBS donated equipment and resources to bring it to pass and be seen throughout the region. Win River Casino donated the facility – even though that meant the sacrifice of Sunday’s bingo revenue – and the equipment was manned by Butte College film students. Foundation Director Ed Ballentine says they are already working on next year’s telethon – and that Fox and UPN have already signed on. Jim was proud to share some of the master-of-ceremonies responsibilities with Royal Courtain of the CBS affiliate – he even wore a tie!
In Shasta County: As another triumph of faith and vision trumping worldly obstacle Carenet Pregnancy Center held its annual fundraiser at Redding’s Holiday Inn on Thursday, February 17. The affair was underwritten by local business and the ministry raised more than $28,000.00 to fund its mission of caring for women in crisis pregnancies – and for the men in their lives. Carenet Director Sharre Littrell attributed the great success of the evening to the simple fact that it was all about honoring past and current generations of people who make the ministry possible, that one generationpassed a spiritual batonto the next, and the presence of so many companion ministries who came to support their sister ministry. Jim was privileged to MC the event – and to share his own conviction that faith-based non-profits are paving the way into community renaissance – but he was back in aloha shirt for this one.
An interdenominational group of high school students representing the Christian clubs of several area high schools are making plans for a peer led concert to seek revival for their friends who already know Jesus and to introduce Him to their friends who do not already know Him. They plan for Friday, May 20, from 6-11 PM and their lead band will be Myriad. This is the kind of leadership that God is raising up in this generation and this time – ten weeks out – is just the time for the rest of us to be blessing and praying for them. Adam Proveaux – reachable at 530-549-3513 – is the contact person.
Larry Randolph Ministries will present an interdenominational gathering of contemporary prophets at the Redding Convention Center on Thursday through Saturday, April 14-16. The event begins with registration at 4:00 PM on Thursday and will include morning, afternoon and evening meetings until its conclusion. Speakers are all of international repute and include Rick Joyner, founder of Morningstar Ministries of North Carolina; Bob Jones, a prophet and mentor of prophets associated with the Kansas City Prophetic Revival; Don Potter, a prolific psalmist and prophetic songwriter; and Larry Randolph, author of the widely acclaimed User FriendlyProphecy. There is a registration cost of $65.00 per person. Phone 530-229-1100 or go to www.larryrandolph.com for information or registration.
Redding’s Bethel Church hosts a conference titled Pastoring Kids in Revival on March 29-31 at the church. The conference is intended for youth and children’s pastors of all denominations and walks out the conviction of Sr. Pastor Bill Johnson that, “There is no child-size Holy Spirit.” There is a per-person cost of $75.00 and a sliding scale for groups. Phone 530-246-6000 or go to www.ibethel.org for info or to register.
Also in Redding the Women’s Refuge holds its annual Take Back the Day/Take Back the Night event on Thursday, April 14, at the Redding City Hall located at 777 Cypress Avenue in Redding. Although the refuge is a secular agency it is largely led by Christians and they are making a particular effort this year to reach out to the Christian community with offers of booth space and programs tailored to people of faith. Phone event coordinator Linda Cadd at 530-244-5683 for information. The event – which is the centerpiece of Sexual Assault Awareness Month observances – will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 PM.
In Humboldt County – the Healing Waters ministry has been in operation in Arcata for the past eighteen months. Leaders Gary and Jill Kennedy coordinate multiple healing rooms where people can receive soaking prayer from trained volunteers, a war room in which intercessors pray blessings over their city and county, a Christian bookstore, a clothing outreach for homeless people, and a room that awaits God’s call for its highest and best use as a center for the arts and worship. The facility is a former medical office that now hosts the Great Physician and some of His friends. Ten localchurches offer their covering for this ministry of the Body of Christ.
In Siskiyou County – the gathered churches came together for a celebration of unity in Christ at 6:00 PM on Sunday, January 16. Yreka United Methodist Church played host to the multiple choirs and groups of worshippers. This after-the-fact notice is timely because they take the Church’s ancient Nicene Creed as their statement of faith and they choose to love one another within that framework – to whatever degree they understand one another – and the recently healed-from-cancer Pastor Gerry Sprunger was their featured speaker. They represent the length and breadth of the Church with integrity.
UPCOMING PrayNorthstate EVENTS
The intercessors’ summit returns to Southern California when we offer it at HarborChristian Fellowship in Costa Mesa on April 22 and 23. Jim and Diana will come to lead the summit, but this opportunity is the result of the dynamic ministry of our SouthernCalifornia Prayer Vanguard leaders Paul and Dana Herman – people see this couple as they serve and they just want to be a part of it! The pastor of one Southern California church recently visited by the Vanguard ministry told Jim, “My youth ministry has just exploded since your team came here – and there is a new sense of freedom to minister throughout the church that we have not seen before.”
As in all of the summits the training will be offered from 7:00 to 9:30 PM on the Friday Evening and from 8:30 to 5:00 on the Saturday. Breakfast and lunch for Saturday are included in the $20.00 registration cost and participants will be trained and practiced in the ministries of Prayer Vanguard and Lighthouses of Prayer. Call the church at 949-631-7730 for information or to register.
PrayNorthstate has developed a men’s retreat that is growing in demand. House of Prayer: Some Assembly Required will be offered May 13 and 14 – a Friday and Saturday – to a grouping of four San Diego County Churches. Watch the April newsletter for more details.
WHAT THE COORDINATORS ARE UP TO
Jim leads a men’s retreat at the Richardson Springs Conference Center Friday through Sunday, March 4-6. The House of Prayer event features five teaching and practice sessions and will conclude with the Supper of the Lord on Sunday. Jim will speak at A Celebration of Marriage for the gathered churches of Gridley on Friday, March 18, at the First Presbyterian Church.
Jim and Diana will be introducing the Prayer Vanguard ministry to the first school to be blessed in Siskiyou County on Saturday, March 19. They host a Day of Prayer for the parents of George Fox University students on Saturday, March 12 – daughter, Malorie, is a soon-to-graduate senior at George Fox. They are both hard at work finishing work on the pilot episode of Genesis Generation and Diana continues to prepare her studio and – prepare the year-end reports for IRS on PrayNorthstate are required of religious non-profits.
A Special Victory Note: We put out an update about ten days ago asking special prayers for two missing teenaged girls. Many thanks to all who prayed and the parents tell us that the girls are both at home safe and sound. Praise the Lord.
PrayNorthstate PRAYER LIST
Please pray for the financial stability of PrayNorthstate and for our radio and television ministries. Pray for Kingdom transformation of the region – as Matthew 11:2-6 describes it. Ask God to bring resurrection and reconciliation to our heavily polarized land. Pray for Outreach America, Redding Transformation, and Paah-ho-ammi. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Pray for missionaries Bill and Lori Gardner, Jennifer and Eljon Ago, Coleen Schafer,Ron and Christine Hamstad, and Eric and Linda Zane. Pray for Teresa Hancock, Gary and Jill Kennedy, and Anne Kalvestrand as they advance frontiers.
Please pray also for Gary and Jill Kennedy as we highlight their ministry this month. In operation since mid 2003, they obtained a former medical office in Arcata for use as the Healing Rooms of Humboldt County. The ministry includes Healing Waters Bookstore, multiple rooms where people are soaked in prayer by volunteers, office spaces, a clothing outreach to homeless people, and a room as yet undesignated but over which prophecy was recently released naming it a “womb of creative explosion for the arts and the Kingdom.” These healing rooms are part of the national network under the auspices of Cal Pierce and they are under the covering of ten local churches.
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.
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