WOW!!!!!!!!!!

This is a copy of an email that I received from LeRoy King. Just 8 weeks ago LeRoy and his small group started the Gathering at MC3. The Gathering was designed to be a small group setting but with 65 adults and 20 kids (not including volunteers) showing up on this past Tuesday I think God is really up to something amazing.

Tuesday, August 19th Gathering:

MC3 "Gathering" is going through the "Source" series. We began
with the "Power Above You." What a special night it was. Our
guest started lining up at the door before 6pm. Once the doors
were open, you just knew it, was going to be a good night. The
atmosphere was charged with electricity. Was it because they
were anticipating my usual entertaining and well thought out
talks? Was it that they somehow knew that Mark Beeson will be
funny and engaging when he tells his "Judo Boy" story? Or, was
it the, soon to be devoured, Egg rolls, stir fry, and soup thing-a-ma-jig?
Umm, Umm, Umm.

The doors opened. The door men, the check-in lady,
waiters/hostesses/whatever we need them to do volunteers were
greeting and seating the guest while Jazz music is lightly
playing in the background. Another group of volunteers are
making magic in the kitchen, and the those working with the kids
are somewhere pulling their hair out. The drinks and appetizers, Egg
Flower Soup, is distributed to the seated guest while name tags
are being handed out.

A little later, after concluding my welcoming spill, I was about
to pray when "it" happened. A volunteer raised her hand, "This
man right here wants prayer for depression, his name is Paul...
Yeah LeRoy, I need prayer to...Hey LeRoy, pray for my
ex-husband he has cancer." Another volunteer pointed out a lady
in a lime green T-shirt, "she is asking for prayer." Wow, real
stuff. And we prayed.

After a short introduction, we showed Mark Beeson's "Judo Boy"
story. They laughed and applauded when Mark finished his story.
I led them in an activity. Then we stop for our dinner break.

As I was talking to some of our guest during the dinner break, I
heard someone call out, "LeRoy! Mr King!" Yes. "We did not pray
over the food!" "I didn't include it in the opening prayer?" The
whole room shouted, "no!" So I prayed over the food. After
everyone said "Amen," they applauded. Wow...

The second section of the evening started with the Man on the
Street media, "Who has Authority over you." Afterward, I did a
short talk, then we showed some more of Mark's message. And boy,
they got right with Mark.

"...Lift your eyes higher still!" "That's right!" "There are
prosimate powers, but there is a higher power" "Amen!" "If you
look to yourself...then your god is a wee, little god!" "YEAH!,
AMEN!, WELL!"

It was great. When Mark message ended, they applauded again. (I
just wanted to say that they responded to my talk in the same
manner...umm...in case anyone was wondering...umm...I'm just
saying...you know...lol)

I prayed...then we played the "My King is..." DVD. They really enjoyed
the presentation and they began singing with the GCC band at the end
of the DVD. But what happened next I did not expect.

While the "My King is..." DVD was playing. One of the guest came
up to me and asked if they could give their testimony. I could
not tell if she was a man or women. Most of her body was
disfigured. "What's your name," I asked. "Teresa." When the DVD
ended she began telling us how that a few years ago, she was
blown out of the window of her apartment due to a stove gas
leak. She began to sob. The crowd responded, "...go ahead
Teresa...that's okay...take your time Teresa." Teresa composed
her self and stated that she has had several surgeries, and she
has a few more to go. She recently moved back to South Bend to
be with family and friends. She said that this was the first
time they had seen her since the accident. She concluded by
saying that God has been there for her and she gave him the
glory. I didn't expect this... Several of our guest and
volunteers gave Teresa a hug, thanking her for sharing her
testimony. What a powerful night.

Oh yeah, you remember the lady in a lime green T-shirt? One of
our volunteer couple took her outside to pray with her and they
inform me after the event that she wants to get baptized. Woo!
Wee! (If there are people from the Gathering who would like to
be baptized, is there a way that we can get them to GCC? I'm
just thinking outloud!)

Remember Lula with the broken car window? She has attended the
GCC's Sunday service for the last two weeks. This is the first
time she has been at GCC. She is also making plans to attend the
mid-week services as well. Praise God!