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History of Bless Rochester
In January of 2004, pastors and ministry leaders in Rochester
formed TEAM Rochester to work for the transformation of Rochester
and its region. The three goals are to mobilize prayer, evangelize
the lost and bless the poor.
In the summer of 2004, pastors and leaders began meeting weekly
for prayer. Some also observed the effect of prayer-evangelism on
the city of Elk River. In Elk River churches, schools, businesses
and government all experienced measurable spiritual, economic
and social renewal.
On June 29, 2005 the following pastors and ministry leaders
committed themselves to implement prayer-evangelism in
praying for and prayer-walking their neighborhoods:
| • Wesley Gabel – Bethany United
Methodist Church |
• Jim Filbeck – Rochester Assembly
of God Church |
| • Larry Orth – Calvary Evangelical
Free Church |
• Rich Bontrager – Journey Church |
| • Dave Genberg – Berean Community
Church |
• Rod Marquette – Mount Zion Christian
Center |
| • Wendell Amstutz – National Community
Resource |
• Gary Downing – Rochester Covenant
Church |
| • Bob & Betty Walker – Jonathon
House |
• Jerry Flores – Iglesia Cristo
El Rey |
| • Santiago Pena – Iglesia de Dios
Emanuel |
• Jeff Utecht – Evangel United
Methodist Church |
| • Roland Burt – Lighthouse Family
Church |
• Ken Burget – Word of Grace Foursquare
Church |
On October 9, 2005 two prayer networks were launched. Medical
workers from the Mayo Clinic began praying monthly together,
and people with a special call to pray for Rochester also started
meeting monthly.
Five churches organized Bless Rochester Week, April
30 – May 7, 2006 that launched a coordinated effort to
cultivate prayer-evangelism in Rochester. The week included:
- April 30th – A Sunday morning bilingual, united
worship service was attended by six churches and commissioned
around 300 worshipers in prayer-evangelism. Sunday afternoon
teams prayed at various sites in the city
- May 1 & 2nd – Hour-long bilingual radio broadcasts
helping listeners dedicate their homes as embassies of
heaven and bless their neighbors daily
- May 5 & 6th – a Friday evening and Saturday morning
seminar helping people bless their workplace
- May 6th – a 2-hour Festival of Prayer offered
prayer for people’s need at Soldiers Field park
- May 7th – a Sunday evening service of praise and
testimonies shared some of the immediate impact of a
week devoted to blessing Rochester
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TEAM Rochester
