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David Peralta, music missionary at Knights Creek Evangelical
Methodist Church at Scio, and a member of the Simon Bolivar Venezuelan National
Symphony Orchestra, will play at the Mission Genesee Valley coalition of
Allegany County churches spiritual pavilion within the Wellsville Main Street
Festival this Saturday. Music will be
one feature of the group's focus on "What God is Doing in Allegany County.
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A broad representation of "What God is Doing in
Allegany County" will be the focus of a coalition of Allegany County
churches at a spiritual pavilion within this Saturday's Wellsville Main Street
Festival.
Features will include
music by a world-class orchestra player and an opportunity for children and
adults to try a musical instrument, a new outreach center to help children and
adults with a variety of life issues, including literacy skills, a new September
focus by churches on bringing individuals and families back to church following
summer vacations, and various ministries to help individuals and families who
are struggling.
Activities for
children and adults, along with information on "What God is Doing in
Allegany County" will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the
David A. Howe Memorial Library on Main Street as part in an ongoing effort to
bring individuals, families and the public together to experience community
transformation and revival throughout the area.
Some of the focuses
at the spiritual pavilion will include:
-- Information on the Hope Center, a soon-to-open outreach
and information and referral facility located at 4194 Bolivar Road in
Wellsville. The center, for "Help,
Hope and Healing" for individuals and families who are struggling with all
types of life issues, will feature reading learning assistance for children and
adults, a Christian lending library to include free books and videos, and an
education center to acquaint county residents with intergenerational and
multicultural resources, often available without cost.
It also will provide workshops and seminars for church
leaders, congregations and the public on how to serve persons in need on a
deeper level through a focus on holistic -- physical, mental/emotional and
spiritual -- health.
-- Celebrate Recovery and Celebrate Victory, 12-Step support
ministries for individuals with any type of hurts, hangups, destructive habits
or struggles. These are available weekly
throughout the year at three Allegany County locations, including Yorks Corners
Mennonite Church at Wellsville on Tuesday nights, Knights Creek Evangelical
Methodist Church at Scio on Saturday nights, and Tuesday nights for inmates at
Allegany County Jail. Facilitators
report significant emotional healing by many participants who have experienced
a variety of life struggles.
-- Components of DivorceCare, GriefShare, and Help Grieving
Children, along with other trauma supports provided in various parts of
Allegany County.
-- Door of Hope, a support group for families of children
with special needs, will highlight how members of the public can better
understand assistance for those with disabilities and their families and how
individuals with disabilities can be contributing members of society.
-- PhotosforSouls.com of Alfred, an international ministry
that incorporates free nature photographs as part of an outreach to connect
individuals with Christ, will display some of its artwork, both from local and
travel venues, and discuss its ministry impacts. Area online missionaries from Global Media
Outreach, a similar non-photo venture that shares Jesus in countries throughout
the world through online connections, also will be present to share the impact
of that ministry.
-- National Back to Church Sunday in September will be
highlighted by Mission Genesee Valley, helping connect and re-connect
individuals and families with churches in their communities following the
summer vacation period. Information also
will be available on Compassion International Sunday, during which churchgoers
and others will have an opportunity to sponsor needy children in other
countries.
-- David Peralta, a music missionary at Knights Creek Church
and a member of the Simon Bolivar Venezuelan National Symphony Orchestra will
play at various times during the day, with children and adults having an
opportunity to try out a musical instrument.
The church is working with others in the county to provide free music
camps for children during the summer and already provides free Sunday dinner
and lessons each week for both children and adults following its Sunday morning
worship services.
-- Children with STEPS Dance Studios in Wellsville and
Houghton will perform at 11 a.m.
-- Kids games, balloon animals and figures, and other
activities and prizes for children will be available during the day.
Saturday's spiritual pavilion continues an initiative of
renewing of individual minds and hearts to combat issues of addiction, abuse,
racism, suicide, poverty, family dysfunction and more that pastors say is
growing throughout this area, the United States and world.
In January of last year, Christian churches joined together
for a three-day Allegany County training by the international Sentinel Group to
equip church leaders and attendees about the process of revival and
transformation of communities, including information on locations throughout
the world where this has occurred.
In May 2017, dozens of church-goers also participated in a
followup Solemn Assembly gathering for prayer, worship, testimonies and
declaration of community needs.
Since that time, twice-a-month Sunday night praise, worship
and prayer gatherings have been held around Allegany County, often focusing on
specific topics such as families, schools, veterans, economic vitality,
substance abuse, and more.
These have included joint church commUNITY picnics,
including one earlier this month and another scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday,
August 12, at Island Park at Wellsville.
Rotating prayer gatherings also are held around the county
from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, and an additional set of community prayer
gatherings for individual and general concerns are held from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30
a.m. each weekday at Knights Creek Church, Scio; 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesdays at
Belfast Free Methodist Church, 11 Chestnut Street; and 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saturdays at the Power House Youth Center, 23 West Main Street, Fillmore.
Further information about the spiritual pavilion is
available from Casey Jones, activity coordinator, at bps461@msn.com or (484)
435-0503, with information on the Journey to Transformation initiative at www.facebook.com/TransformationJourneyUSA,
Pastor Dan Kenyon of Wellsville Bible Church, Mission Genesee Valley chair, at
wbc@ne.twcbc.com or (585) 593-6471, or most area pastors.
