TRU Family Service #1
Attending:
Cascade: Pastor John Burkholder and 12 volunteers.
His Harmony: Rich Fricks and four ladies.
Guest Volunteers: Bob Jordan (sponsor), Tim Coleman (PFC), Darin Goff (MCC Program Leader), John Thayler-Sanborn
Officers: Six
Inmates: 20
Inmate Adult Guests: 20
Inmate Children Guests: 10 (from three families)
Seating was at tables to accommodate four people (some tables moved together for larger families/guest attendees). This worked out very well and is an improvement over rows of chairs.
Cascade was in the institution by 4:30 to set up refreshments and music equipment (note: next time Rich would like the mixer in the back – he has longer cords to accommodate the speakers/mics. Also, next time he will not bring his sound gear – maybe only the longer cords and his mic stands). Cascade also had a very large and professionally created 2-color banner that said the following:
Through Faith, Hope, and Love
All volunteers were in the Visiting Room (V.R.) by 6pm. Most guests arrived by the time the service began (6:30pm), though some came afterward (all in by 7pm).
The service began at 6:30 sharp with His Harmony opening up. Angie led the ladies in the singing and the song-skits. As usual His Harmony did an excellent job, using costumes and a variety of songs with a message. Their ministry was well-received by the attendees. They sang all the way up to 6:55pm.
Pastor Burkholder quickly set up the overhead projector and arranged the front to accommodate the preaching ministry. He opened up by introducing the church plant vision and that if all things went well and according to plan Cascade would be here for church every first Thursday of the month, and this announcement too was well-received. John set the vision for this new work to be “Cascade Family Church of Twin Rivers” and would be an extension of the Cascade Community Church of Monroe.
John began ministering at 7pm sharp. He opened with a testimony that included his past association with Jesse Ventura (Governor of Minnesota) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Governor of California). Johns delivery was excellent and he kept everyone's attention, even the kids!
The sermon began at 7:04; a message on “Truth.” The text was John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me.” There was much practical application of this message and John handled it with great skill. He included directness and challenge in his presentation, but it was very well done and he tied in with it the vision again of the church plant and why Cascade is doing it. John then shared from John 8:31-32 (again, on overhead – he had six in all and the visual was a very nice touch).
John then introduced his volunteers at the front of the room by name, this occurred between 7:11 and 7:13. John invited persons who did not have a home church to attend at Cascade. The message concluded with “Do you believe Jesus was telling the truth?” He challenged all present to do God’s will and to practice righteousness and justice (Psalms 89:14). He was done at 7:15pm with the sermon.
Tory (the Cascade worship leader-to-be for the Family Church) closed with a song and he played the keyboard. This concluded at 7:20pm. John then thanked everyone, announced the times again of the next Family Service, and closed in prayer. Refreshments began at 7:21 and went to 8:30pm.
During the refreshment time there was much family visitation as well as volunteer and inmate family visiting. Three lady guests are making plans to attend Cascade Community Church this weekend!
It is noted that some of the inmates present did not have any visitors. The Cascade team made sure to sit during the entire service with those inmates. That was a heads-up move on their part.
There was plenty of refreshments brought in by Cascade. Almost all of the cookies were eaten and the entire sheet cake was eaten. Much juice was brought in, and about half was taken back out. The inmates used the vending machines a lot; this is clearly a positive as Darin pointed out earlier.
It was said by some visitors that they enjoyed the service and would have liked it to have been even longer. Yet from my perspective the 25 minutes of singing followed by the 25 minutes of total speaking time was just the right amount. There was ample visitation time and no one was squirming or being distracted. Because the service ended by 7:30pm, anyone who had to get their children home because it was a school night could easily have left at that time.
The success of this first service is a testament to John Burkholder’s leadership with Cascade, his in-prison ministry to the inmates of TRU (for the past 8 months), the vision of the Cascade pastoral leadership, the up-beat and inspiring ministry of His Harmony, the pioneering work of Central Christian Church and the subsequent incorporation of the lessons learned and observations of Central’s Dad’s and Me services at WSR, and the blessing and anointing of the Holy Spirit on the work and ministry. It was a very good night of blessing.