Aug 25 2002 County Wide Prayer Walk

What a difference a year makes, this year’s prayer walk expanded from the City of Santa Rosa borders into five other cities which include Healdsburg, Petaluma, Sonoma and Sebastopol. Some 57 churches were represented and spoke in one voice as one church from many congregations united in Christ through prayer.

In Santa Rosa at the Foothills Community Church
the Church of Sonoma County
Made this Proclamation to the Cities in County of Sonoma

Today we gather to recognize our need for each other to fulfill the call of God upon the citizens of Sonoma County. In the past year a group of Pastors from each of the five cities in the county have invited Christian to pray with them for their ministries and their cities. We have focused on the needs of the particular city in which we prayed and then upon the needs of each ministries that acted as host.

Santa Rosa, as the county seat and the geographical center of the county, welcomes those of you who represent your particular city at this gathering. Our purpose is to honor the Lord and to bless each of the other cities in the county. Christian from Sebastopol, Healdsburg, Sonoma Petaluma and Santa Rosa have come together to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to bless and pray for Gods Blessing for each of the other cities.

Voice File  Play time 15 minutes 27 seconds

In the past bitter rivalries and apathetic indifference has characterized our relationships. Most of us have focused upon our own lives, families, careers, or at best our own city rather than show concern about what was going on in another part of the county.

As we have continued to pray for the transformation of Sonoma County we have realized that God has been calling for unity of His body. The rivalries and indifference of the past must be put away not just because it has been a poor witness to our skeptical fellow citizens, but because God has shown us that we not only desperately need Him, but His will remain unfulfilled unless we work together. We cannot get it done in Santa Rosa without the redemptive gifts of the Christians from Sebastopol, Petaluma, Healdsburg and Sonoma.

So today, we have come together to pray for each other and to bless each other in the name of Jesus. Instead of acting like we can fulfill His purpose for our county all by ourselves, instead of vying with our brothers for spiritual superiority, we are speaking the words of Gods heart towards the other cities in our county.

We are not asking the Lord to bless the other Christians or even the other churches. We are asking God to bless the city, it’s government, it’s schools, it’s citizens, it’s climate, it’s productivity, it’s law enforcement, its trees its animals, … everything about it that God intends to be a blessing.

On the back of each map to each city is a short cultural description of each city that may help you as you consider how to bless that city.

 

In Healdsburg at the Christian Bible Church
the Church of Sonoma County
Made this Proclamation to the City of Healdsburg
Voice File  Play time 13 minutes 27 seconds

Healdsburg-North Sonoma County
Sonoma- East Sonoma County
Sebastopol-West Sonoma County
Santa Rosa- Sonoma County Seat

Proclaimed for all inhabitants to hear both human beings and spiritual beings, on this Twenty-fifth day of August in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Two.

As fellow ambassadors, representing the Kingdom of God in Petaluma, we have been chosen by grace, and saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We have been appointed by the risen Lord Jesus Christ to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

We are proclaiming the good news to our city, your city of Healdsburg, Sonoma County and throughout the world that God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

We declare that this city of Healdsburg belongs to God. God is the one who created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. The earth therefore, is the Lord’s and everything in it, Sonoma County, the world and all that live on it; for He founded it upon the upon the seas and established it upon the waters. In the names of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, we declare victory over the devil, the accuser of the brethren, by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of our testimony. We acknowledge that Satan is filled with fury, because his time is short. Therefore, the church is imploring the people of this city and county on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

Therefore, we the pastors of Petaluma reach out to our brothers and sisters of Healdsburg and all the regions of Sonoma County to extend God’s blessing upon your homes, prayers, efforts and as you stand fast and firm for the salvation of your neighbors and friends in this area of our County.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ abide with you all the throughout this year as we work together to spread the good news of Gods Kingdom among US throughout Sonoma County as we pray,

Our Father in the heavens, hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come your will be done in Healdsburg and
throughout Sonoma County as it is done in Heaven.
Give these your saints their daily bread.
Forgive their debts, as they also forgiven their debtors.
Lead these blessed people of your church not into temptation
but deliver them from the evil one.
As they live to share your grace and peace in this city and throughout our County.

Amen
Read by Pastor Al Colton
Penngrove Community Church

Healdsburg: Across the Russian river from the bulk of the county, Healdsburg stands apart yet remains connected to the affairs of the Santa Rosa Plain. Its quiet streets and gourmet restaurants epitomize the reflective nature of this quaint town, which lends a sense of order and appreciation to the perspective of the bustling towns which have formed south of it. By Harry Skandera

Voice File  Play time 12 min 31 sec

 

In Sebastopol at the Town Square Gazebo
the Church of Sonoma County
Made this Proclamation to the City of Sebastopol

Voice File  Play time 12 minutes 12 seconds

In the spirit of how God instructed the Levites to Bless Israel.

The Priestly Blessing
22 The Lord said to Moses,
23 "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 "The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace."
27 "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."

It seems appropriate to me that from the City of Sonoma, we should bless the other cities, not so much by praying for them (which we should do) as Speaking a Blessing to them, in the form or style of the above “The Priestly Blessing”

As brother and sisters in Christ from the City of Sonoma where there have been questions raised by so-called “scholars” about the validity of Gods Word,

2 Samuel 17

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

The Lord blesses you and keeps you by granting your pastors boldness and faithfulness in proclamation of God’s Holy Word;

The Lord bless His church in this city of Sebastopol,
That it may faithfully uplift Jesus Christ in His Sovereignty, Deity and true humanity, so that our risen Savior may draw men and women, boys and girls into his saving grace.

The Lord bless you so that will honor and love Jesus Christ and His word that you may be a beacon and lighthouse to the lost around you

The Lord turn His face to you and give you peace.

Amen
Read by Pastor Tim Arensmeier
Sonoma Valley Community Church

Sebastopol: Named for a famous battle in the Crimean War, this city of mercy has been a haven for many of the counter –culture of the 1970’s and beyond. Despite its agriculture roots and corresponding conservation, an underlying culture war has often characterized this town nestled on the backside of the coastal foothills. Like the fog that emerges into the crevices or the orchards and vineyards, which dot the hills, this is a community where light and darkness collide.

In Sonoma at the Sonoma Valley Community Church
the Church of Sonoma County
Made this Proclamation to the City of Sonoma

BLESSING FOUR CORNERS OF SONOMA COUNTY CITY OF SONOMA August 25, 2002

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine upon you And be gracious unto you.
The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
The Lord bless you and keep you by granting your pastors boldness and faithfulness in the proclamation of God's Holy Word.
The Lord bless His church in this city that it may faithfully uplift Jesus Christ in His sovereignty, deity, and true humanity, so that our risen Savior may draw men and women, boys and girls, into His saving grace.
The Lord bless you, that you will honor and love Jesus Christ and His Word, that you may be a beacon and lighthouse to the lost around you.
The Lord turn His face to you and give you peace. As this was given to the Levites to bless Israel, so has it been give to you to bless your communities, your leadership, your civil leaders and your churches, so that you will put on the name above every name, Jesus Christ, and that you will also take this and bless them. In Jesus' name we pray,

Amen

We come to speak these words of proclamation to the City of Sonoma. We, the Church of Petaluma, as fellow ambassadors of Christ with you, representing the Kingdom of God in Sonoma County, have been chosen by grace and saved through faith in Jesus Christ.

We have been appointed by the risen Lord to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are proclaiming, this day, the Good News to the City of Sonoma, that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

We are declaring that the City of Sonoma belongs to God. God is the one who created the heavens and the earth in the beginning. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all who live in it, for He founded it upon and established it upon the waters.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, we are overcoming the devil, the accuser of the brethren, by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony. The devil is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.

Therefore, we are imploring the people of Sonoma, on Christ's behalf, Be reconciled to God. We pray for you a blessing of grace and peace. May you be not drunk with wine or the intoxicating sense of wealth or affluence, but may you be filled in overflowing measure with the Spirit of our risen Lord.

May your rich history in the state and the county become a glorious future to God's glory. Our Father in Heaven hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth and in the city and county of Sonoma as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also have been forgiving of our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Amen

We pronounce blessing on Sonoma. We ask, as was prayed earlier, that Your kingdom would come and Your will would be done in this geographic location. Father, would you displace the powers of darkness. Come in with your glorious light and shine on the hearts of people, Father, saints and sinners alike that they would behold your glory, That you would displace those powers of darkness, Father, that the eyes of the unbeliever would be unblinded, that they would be uncovered, that the life of Christ would be known in this city. Father, change this spiritual atmosphere. We pray, Father, that You would send revival spirit in Sonoma County.

We ask You, God, to take and move out the spirit of apathy, and that that spirit that says, you can be no more than what you are. Let the church arise in this place to change the spiritual placement, that the city would be different because of the church revival that takes place. Father, we stand in agreement tonight, and we ask and declare that Your name would be great in this place. Father, do Your will.

Father, let kingdom authority come upon the Church of Sonoma County. Let kingdom government come in this place. Father, let kingdom blessing and kingdom power be known in the Church of Sonoma. Father, do Your will, we pray. Release Your Spirit upon this place. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen
Read by Carter Woods
Christian Life Church

In Petaluma at the Open Door Church
the Church of Sonoma County
Made this Proclamation to the City of Petaluma

Petaluma - Flat Mountain in the native tongue began its history as a city as a hunting camp exporting venison and quail to the hungry appetites of San Francisco. Later it became the “Egg Capital” of the world as local Jewish immigrants saw the food markets of the Bay Area and beyond as a source of treasure. Its rivalry with Santa Rosa is well-documented and its desire to be the county seat of Sonoma or its own county hints at the aspirations of a city that is often had a vision for things beyond its borders.

Petaluma 1  Play time 2 minutes 4 seconds

Petaluma 2  Play time 15 minutes 5 seconds

Petaluma 3  Play time 7minutes 55 seconds

Special thanks to Sidney Schallert for transcribing the voice files.