HDC Ministry Night ~ by Alicia Kanode

The Firestarters team had an amazing time at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center on Sunday night! We were able to teach, lead worship and minister to the HDC staff and the YES (Youth Evangelism Service) teams who are currently in training at the center. We gathered in the carriage house and Chris Epp, the director of HDC, opened the evening with prayer.

After some introductions, Jen taught on God’s call on our lives and the different ways in which we can discover it. One way she said we could hear God’s calling was through a prophetic word. She went on to explain that prophecy is just God communicating with His people. After teaching about how we should respond to prophecy, Jen led us in worship. She invited any YES participants who play an instrument to join her and we had an instant worship band, with everything from guitars to djembes to a mandolin! During worship, Jen also encouraged everyone to listen to what God might be speaking to them and released the ministry team to pray for and prophesy over the HDCers.

At one point, Sean and Jen invited anyone gifted in the arts to come forward. We prayed over those individuals and Sean encouraged them to release their gifts, not just keep what God had given them to themselves. In addition, a couple girls were released in dance during worship. One shared that she had danced before in secular venues, but not in times of corporate worship.

Jen also invited people to come forward who felt they needed a revelation of the Father heart of God. A number of girls quickly responded to the invitation, but none of the guys moved. Josiah shared his testimony of how God revealed His Father’s heart to him and then he, Jason and Sean prayed for each of the girls. Jen then asked any guys who felt they needed the same thing to come to the front of the room. All but a handful came to receive prayer! It was awesome to see God touching His children as the ministry team prayed over each individual and ministered God’s hear t to them.

After everyone had been prayed for, we ended with one last worship song before dismissing. A few people stayed to continue worshiping, to talk, etc. A couple Firestarters team members continued to minister to those who needed it. As we left, we all agreed that it had definitely been a fun night! We look forward to returning to HDC next month!

Ignited ~ By Alicia Kanode

Firestarters, ACTS Covenant Fellowship and Threshold Church joined together to hold the first IGNITED event this past Friday night. The worship band members and intercessors began to arrive at ACTS around 5pm, followed by other volunteers around 6pm. It was awesome to see the unity of God’s people as individuals and families from all three churches/ministries joined together to prepare for the event, which would begin at 7:00.

Around 6:30, as the worship band was practicing, we faced an unexpected obstacle. Jen Achey (co-director of Firestarters and the worship leader for this event) had a seizure, even as she was leading the practice time. Band members, intercessors and other volunteers quickly surrounded her and began to pray. In Sean and Jen’s words, “…for the past 3-4 months Jen has had a handful of unexplained seizures. Since June when this started doctors have done every test imaginable and they say Jen’s brain is ‘completely normal,’ but it was found by a chiropractor that there is a vertebra in her neck that has not been aligned correctly and it is likely that this has caused some seizure symptoms. She is getting chiropractic treatment and it seems to be helping.”

Because Jen had been seizure-free for some time, her seizure on Friday night came as a shock to many, if not all, of us. Sean took her home and one of the Backdraft (intercessory) team members stayed with her when Sean returned to the event later in the evening. We continue to stand with Sean and Jen in prayer for complete healing for Jen. However, we are also praising God that Jen has recovered from this seizure much more quickly than from any of the previous ones she suffered. She also has experienced no memory loss, as she had in the past.

We also give God honor, glory and praise for the wonderful time of worship and ministry that occurred that night, despite the enemy’s attempts to thwart it. The prayer that kept coming to my mind that night was, “God, You’re bigger than this!” He certainly proved that as the worship band pulled together and flowed together despite the unexpected circumstances. One band member shared that she felt we went to a high place in worship that night. Many of those in attendance shared that they felt God’s presence among us.

Kelly Lapp, one of the worship band members who stepped up to lead, offered the microphone to anyone who felt that the Lord was laying something on their heart to share with the group. A number of people shared words that the Lord had given them. One young lady said that as she was worshiping, she began to weep and felt very broken. She felt the Lord saying to her that there were people there that night who felt so broken, that they didn’t think the Lord could touch them. She encouraged us to remember that no one is beyond God’s reach. Another word that was shared was about finding our identity in Christ. The man who spoke said that we first need to open our eyes to see God, before we can see who we are in Him. After these words were shared, a time of ministry was offered for anyone who felt these words were for them. The ministry team prayed for and ministered to those who went forward, while the band continued to lead in worship.

Sometime toward the end of the night, Sean Achey returned and closed the night by sharing that as God’s people, we are all family. His words really summed up the night, as it had been one of intense unity. Praise God! May He continue to bring His church together!

Ministry to Harrisburg Discipleship Staff ~ By Jen Achey

We had a great time at the Harrisburg Discipleship Center tonight as we ministered with the staff and some team leaders there up on their third floor "prayer room". I, Jen, led a time of worship and then Sean and Jen did some teaching about prophetic ministry. The goal was to see this gift of prophecy released more in the group by the group, and this goal was definitely reached! By the end of the night I think everyone without exception had prophesied, whether they knew it or not!

We had each staff member and/or team leader take a turn sitting in the middle of the group and the group spent some time listening for things God wanted to say to that particular person. During this time the group was coached through how to discern what they sensed God was saying and how to submit appropriate things to the person being prayed for.

My most memorable part of the evening was when I, Jen, spoke a prophetic word over a young leader saying, "God is going to give you the Father's heart and you are just going to overwhelmed with the emotions of God the Father." And he broke out in tears that exact moment! I was thinking it would be one of those "someday this is going to happen" - prophecies as prophecies are - but this one was fulfilled immediately!

It was a precious time and we always are encouraged to see the HDC volunteers' passion for God and their dedication to serve Him with their lives. We look forward to going back soon!