March includes the start of Spring and of Lent – time of preparation for celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the birthing and commissioning of His Body the Church. The season is one of re-alignment, re-visioning, and re-dedication. In PrayNorthstate we find ourselves doing the things we have been doing for the past five years – but in a much broader context. For example, we were on the cutting edge of regional reconciliation – between Northern and Southern California – when that move began in 2003. But in this season we are set to do several conferences in Southern California and several in churches of my own denomination as God resurrects the Episcopal Church from the apostacy into which we have stumbled. It is both privilege and challenge we face – reaching further while maintaining the regional focus to which we are called.
Likewise I have been proud to serve on the leadership team of Pray California for some four of our five years in this ministry. It has been my privilege to be a shaping influence for this fellowship and for some of her pivotal projects. Yet for the past year I have sought the Lord’s word on continuing that commitment as it has seemed increasingly that my understanding of God’s call to the state has diverged from that of some other Pray Cal leaders. The Lord has made clear that I should remain staunchly supportive of this ministry unless to do so would violate my personal ethics and integrity. My letter of resignation from Pray California is inserted into this newsletter, although God has shown me that my leadership of the Listening Team is to continue – albeit not under the Pray Cal banner. We bless and pray daily for the fellowship as we and our team move on.
God also seems to be calling us into more and greater emphasis on the media dimensions of PrayNorthstate. If this proves out we will be concentrating more on projects like the Genesis Generation TV series and the writing projects that are underway. At the same time we can hardly forget that our calling and vision is to facilitate community transformation – paving a straight highway in the desert for our God in the Luke 3 sense – and reconciliation activities across the board as ambassadors of reconciliation in the 2 Corinthians 5 sense. We will be going anywhere Christians are hungry to see the Kingdom come and His will be done – first in Jerusalem (NorCal) and then in Samaria and anywhere in the world that will have us. We depend on your prayers and support. But what a challenge and joy to be called to do what we do – only moreso. Praise Him!
CURRENT PrayNorthstate EVENTS
The Intercessors’ Summit returns to Southern California in March. St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church will host Worship and Warfare– A Summit for Intercessors on Friday and Saturday, March 10 and 11. The summit is held from 7:00 to 9:30 PM on Fridays and from 8:30 to 5:00 on Saturdays. Breakfast and lunch are provided on Saturday and included in the $25.00 registration cost. (Yes, the cost is going up for the first time in over a year.) St. Timothy’s is one of the churches we have been privileged to bless in the past year and their heart is now to become a nexus for taking the Prayer Vanguard and Lighthouse ministries into their larger North County Communities. As always, local churches of all Christian denominations are invited to participate in the summit. Call 858-538-1267 to register or for information
We will be offering a couples’ retreat at First Presbyterian Church in Gridley in March. Building A House of Prayer – Some Assembly Required has proven to be a very popular way to spend a weekend. The retreat – based on Jesus’ statement in Mark 11:17 that the Father’s House is to be called a house of prayer – begins at 7:00 PM on Friday, March 24, and ends at 5:30 PM on Saturday, March 25. Topics covered will include the scriptural basis for a lifestyle of prayer; God’s understanding of the building blocks of such a house; healing and other practical stuff; worship as spiritual warfare; and prophetic or strategic intercession. Cost is still being determined as we print. All Christians are welcome. Phone the church at 530-846-5952 for information or to register.
PRAYNORTHSTATE RADIO and TV FOR MARCH
PrayNorthstate Radio enters March with a special month-long emphasis on parent-child reconciliation. Each weekly broadcast will feature parents and/or children who have been estranged from one another and for whom God has created reconciliation. On March 4 we feature Sharre Littrell and Sabrina Charlson – both from Carenet Pregnancy Services of Tri-Counties. Our guest on March 11 will be Judith Hanawalt of Christ the Rock Church. On March 18 we feature Pastors Roger and Maria Altizer of The Father’s House, Live Oak. We close March – on the 25 th – with Dan Ferrarese and Catherine Scriven of Simpson University.
PrayNorthstate TV opens on March 6 with Pastors Roger and Maria Altizer of the Father’s House in Live Oak reporting on the gathering of the churches and the partnering with the city that is happening in their town. Bill Price and Chuck Pike of Restoration Enterprises – a restorative justice ministry – join us on March 13. On March 20 we’ll visit with Sonya Vroman and Linda Kalanquin of the Secrets Seminars on sexual purity for girls preparing for marriage. And we close out the month with Doug Holroyd and Angie Woolery of Fox 30/Cable 2. Doug is the general manager and Angie an account exec.
PrayNorthstate Radio is heard every Saturday Morning at 8:00 on AM 1400 KQMS. Jim is also a periodic 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 Channel 30/Cable 2.
WHAT’S UP IN THE NORTHSTATE
The Bible: Up Close and Personal returns to Redding on the first week in May. The annual event (this will be our fourth year) is always held in the week of National Day of Prayer and will run from Monday, May 4, at 6:00 AM until Noon on Thursday, May 4. More than three hundred people from more than forty churches will read the Word of God over the city in fifteen minute increments. The reading goes on around the clock and even the TV film crews who come to cover it remark on the peace of God – which does indeed pass understanding – that permeates the steps of the Redding City Hall while the reading is taking place. This Bible reading marathon will be publicized in Shasta County churches during March and April and any who wish may sign up for a shift. However, anyone reading this newsletter and living in Shasta County may reserve a place now. People who want to sign up should e-mail us at praynorthstate@charter.net or call (if you do not have e-mail) us at 530-941-3470. Please specify if you want to read on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,or Thursday, and whether you prefer a morning (between 6:00 AM and Noon), afternoon (between Noon and 6:00 PM), evening (6:00 to Midnight), or night (Midnight to 6:00 AM) We will respond to all requests with a confirmation and instructions, and we do everything we can to accommodate special needs, but please do not request a specific fifteen minute slot as we must fill them on a first come-first served basis and the slot you request may already be filled when you ask for it. As slots remain we will give double shifts to those requesting them, although we strongly recommend staggering shifts for those who wish to read more than once. Thanks in advance and God bless you who participate.
In Shasta County – Businesstry Concepts will host a Spirategies Workshop for business owners and staffers who desire to learn about Holy Spirit led strategic planning. The workshop will be held on March 9 – Thursday – from 6-9 PM and Friday and Saturday, March 10 and 11 – from 9 AM to 9 PM. Businesstry Concepts is a for-profit consulting service that trains business people for their role in community transformation and vision-based commerce. PrayNorthstate has often partnered with leader Glenn White and – although we do not endorse for profit concerns on this page, we are glad to make an exception in this case. There is a charge of $395.00 per person for the three days and meals are included. The training also includes a two-hour personal coaching session. The location is the Hampton Inn & Suites on Larkspur Lane in Redding. Call Faith Buller at 530-247-7449 for info.
In Tehama County – Carenet Pregnancy Services of Tri Counties sponsored a Wild At Heart Men’s Retreat – hosted by Tom and Cindy Lau of Dove Acres – over the weekend of February 24 (Friday Night) through 26 (Sunday until 2 PM). The retreat is led by David Charlson of Summit Funding – Charlson and the Laus are sponsors PrayNorthstate TV. Based on materials from the bestselling book of the same name – by John Eldridge – the event seeks to facilitate recovery of the masculine heart in such a way that men become better husbands, fathers, and servants of the Lord Jesus – the most manly man of all time. The event will again be held April 21-23 – this time co-led by Pastor Danny Silk of Bethel Church, Redding, and the Love and LogicMinistry. The next location is TBA – watch the April newsletter for details. There is a charge for food, lodging and materials. Call David Charlson at 530-528-9056 for information.
In Siskiyou County – Well known author and teacher Josh McDowell returns to Yreka on April 1 – Saturday – for Youth Event at Jackson Street School. McDowell is best known for his work amongst young people and his passion to release the young generation into its God-given destiny. His best-selling books include Evidence ThatDemands A Verdict and Beyond Belief to Convictions. This event will include teaching for adults from 9-Noon and a youth event from 7-10 PM. The Christian band Stellar Kart will perform and lead worship. This event is expected to draw people from Northern California and Southern Oregon. There is a $10.00 charge for advance registration and tickets are $12.00 at the door. Call 530-436-2529 for information or to register. The event will be held at the Jackson Street School in Yreka.
Also in Siskiyou County– the Scott Valley churches have begun banding together to pray over their communities. They have established California Prayer Watch, led by Carla Gentry and Michelle Lack, and they are meeting regularly for prayer and to bless various locations in their communities. The pastors are also meeting regularly for prayer, and with the gathered pastors of the northern parts of the county. This was prophesied over a year ago and is the pattern that communities follow as they prepare for transformation. Call 530-467-3614 for information or visit www.californiaprayerwatch.com.
Celebrate Recovery is a national ministry that has been mentioned on this page before – and featured on PrayNorthstate Radio – in connection with chapters in Redding. This Bible based 12-step recovery program is also meeting at Scott Valley Berean Church in Etna – call 530-467-3715 for information. This ministry is for those in bondage to anything from substances to old heart wounds. It is not therapy, a place of rescue, or a quick fix for ailments. It is a setting for processed turning of one’s life over to God in the company of others in the same boat. The ministry meets on Friday Evenings.
In Butte County – Gridley First Presbyterian Church is sponsoring WROB on selected Tuesdays of each Spring month – March 10, April 7, and May 12. The program runs from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the church’s fellowship hall and includes a soup and dessert supper. The acronym stands for Worship, Relationship, and Obedience leading to Blessing. The focus is on a way of life that “doesn’t crash into walls, gets easier instead of harder, and pleases God while it blesses us.” Christians and pre-Christians alike are welcome and there is no charge for participation. Call Wanetta Henson at 530-846-5875 to help supply food – or Jenine Tanabe at 530-846-0630 for information or to make a special request.
In Southern California – TheAzusa Street Revival of 1906 brought spiritual gifts and a lively relationship to the Holy Spirit back into the Body and birthed several church denominations into the bargain! Many ministries and many thousands of Christians will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of this watershed event from April 25-29 in Los Angeles. Whatever branch of the Body is called home, this celebration is of historic and contemporary importance. Contact azusastreet100.net for information on participation.
UPCOMING PrayNorthstate EVENTS
The Intercessors’ Summit returns to the church out of which Jim was ordained to the sacred ministry more than twenty years ago. Church of the Good Shepherd in Bonita, California, will host Worship and Warfare on April 21 and 22. The event – like all intercessors’ summits – is held from 7:00 to 9:30 on the Friday and from 8:30 to 5:00 on the Saturday. Christians from all denominations in the local area are encouraged to attend. The resulting Prayer Vanguard and Lighthouses of Prayer ministries that will be established in Bonita will come under the leadership of Keat and Judy Wade, leaders of Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer – a San Diego county ministry that frequently partners with PrayNorthstate. Participants will also receive in instruction in the making of Prophetic Acts that impact their communities in direct and demonstrable ways. There will be a registration cost of $25.00 per person and breakfast and lunch will be provided on Saturday. Phone 619-479-0943 for information or to register.
If you have been wondering: Prayer Vanguard consists of interdenominational teams prepared to give on-site blessing to churches, schools and businesses in the local community. The ministry is grounded in the Joshua 1 calling from God that wherever Joshua sets his feet the Lord will give him that land. Participants learn to pray with boldness while humbly submitting their prayer ministry to the person in charge of the prayer site. Lighthouses of Prayer is grounded in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and deploys persons to pray daily for their neighbors – with insight. Summits this year will include a special emphasis on what we have come to call Prophetic Acts with Impact – prayer and ministry activities that tend to provide objective witness to God’s glory.
WHAT THE COORDINATORS ARE UP TO
Jim will be spending a lot of time in Southern California this month – and a great deal of that with Episcopalians who are seeking the resurrection of their denomination in the wake of the disastrous departures from the Word of God taken by denominational leaders in recent years. He preaches at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Rancho Penasquitos ( Northern San Diego County) on Sunday, March 12, after leading a summit there. He preaches at Church of the Good Shepherd in Bonita on Sunday, March 19, after addressing a meeting of interdenominational clergy on Saturday Evening, March 18. He returns to NorCal to preach and preside at St. John’s EpiscopalChurch in Marysville on Sunday, March 26. Jim says, “PrayNorthstate will always be a ministry to the whole Body of Christ. But it sure is nice to bring what God has taught me home to my brothers and sisters of that branch of the Body.”
Jim will also be participating in a regional clergy retreat in San Diego from March 20-22. He will speak at the dedication of Francis Court Transitional Housing Project in Redding on March 1. He will meet with all three of the Paah-ho-ammi prayer teams during the month and lead another prayer visit to the state capitol. He and Diana host a table at the Carenet Pregnancy Center Banquet on Thursday, March 16. Diana – meanwhile – is singlehandedly remodeling the Wilson kitchen after appliance breakdowns in December. “Is that all you can come up with to do this month, Diana?”
PrayNorthstate PRAYER LIST
Please pray for the Board of PrayNorthstate: Jim and Diana Wilson, Dr. Andre VanMol, Supervisor Mollie Wilson, Charles Davidson, Charlie Harper, Bob Newell, and Frank DiSalvo. Please pray for PrayNorthstate and for the radio and TV sponsors: Taylor Motors, Hue and Cry Security, Dr. Andre Van Mol, B& T Satellite, New Song Music, Nicolette Glass, Carl Van Dyke Allstate Insurance, Fox 30/Cable 2 TV, Crown Motors, Dove Acres, David Charlsonand Summit Funding, Children First Foster Family Agency, and Dr. Todd Royse. Pray for Imago Dei Ministries, Pray California and Pray Cal’s Listening Team.
Pray for Emmaus Way Ministries and for Israel, for missionaries Bill & Lori Gardner (Kenya), Doug & Dianne Phillips (Mexico), John & Jana Knoch (Fiji), Eljon &Jennifer Ago (Albania), Bob & Lorelei Newell and Jeff & Julie Watson (Philippines), Erin & WendyO’Neil (Northern Ireland), and Tugsuu & Gantuul (Mongolia and China). Pray for the KingdomInstitute School of Business,Businesstry Concepts, the Hignell Group, Anne Kalvestrand, Clint & Annette Emry, and Carenet and LifeLight Pregnancy Centers.
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.
