Connecticut church leaders cry out for transformation

This past Thursday some 150 pastors and ministry leaders from around the State and from a host of different backgrounds gathered at Wellspring Church in Kensington to seek the Lord for the transformation of Connecticut. This was a powerful and, above all, encouraging time of prayer and fellowship.

One of the highlights of the day was the premiere of the video, "When Connecticut Prays," produced by Gerry and Barbara Lachance. This DVD featured numerous Connecticut leaders speaking on prayer and community transformation. Both the DVD and Pastor Rick McKinniss, our host, ably set forth the vision for a series of prayer meetings to be held in each of our eight counties, leading up to a great statewide meeting to be held in Hartford on Pentecost Sunday, 2006, the Global Day of Prayer.

Other significant elements included:

• Anointed worship times led by Quigley Foran
• Wonderful fellowship and new friends made
  
• Times of free intercession where people cried out to the Lord for our State
  
• Prophetic word concerning the coming together of dried bones and the breath of God coming into them according to Ezekiel chapter 37. It was prophesied that God would turn our State into a Garden of Eden.
  
• Prophetic word concerning God coming into our State this year and 2006 like a fire and a hammer that breaks the rock. It was prophesied that He would come into churches like a fire and also come into certain places like a hammer, shattering foundations of evil and exposing it in Hartford, New Haven, Willimantic, Milford, Danbury, Litchfield, and throughout Litchfield County.
• Much thanksgiving was made to God concerning how much change there had been in the spiritual atmosphere and in the level of cooperation between Christians in the last several decades. Clearly we are not the same as we have been.
  
• The night before the meeting, one pastor had received the word "check," as in a game of chess. He shared how our nation was in a precarious position as though we were in "check" on a chessboard. Prayer, repentance, tears, and faith would be needed to avert trouble.
• Corporate prayer was offered to eliminate the effect of an occultic ceremony that was taking place that day in Massachusetts and which would affect the Connecticut River. We later learned that an earthquake occurred that afternoon only a few miles south of Plymouth, Mass.
  
• Another pastor received the message that it was time to go through the gate. Symbolically and prophetically, the attendees went through the gate and believed God for the beginning of the new season of advance which so many have been promised. This provided a powerful close to our time together, and participants committed to support the work of prayer leading up to the Day of Pentecost.

I don't think it would be any exaggeration to say that this meeting was a significant and, although we should always hesitate to use the word, historic event in the life of our State. Special thanks again to Pastor Rick McKinniss, his congregation, the Lachances, and many others for facilitating a great day of advance for the Kingdom of God in our State.