Praise in the Park is the annual region-wide outdoor Sunday worship gathering open to all.
Praise in the Park 2012 will be Sunday, July 15, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING NEW!!! Praise in the Park will move to evening to make it possible for virtually all churches of the region to join without impacting morning worship gatherings. All are welcome at Arnolds Park Amusement Park for the afternoon. Then, from 7-9 pm the annual celebration of Christian unity and outreach will have a different flavor than past morning gatherings.
The guest speaker this year is Bob Bardwell, motivational speaker and wheelchair athlete. Read more about Bob here.
The event is held at Preservation Plaza (the Green Space) adjacent to the Arnolds Park Amusement Park. A diverse crowd, sometimes approaching 2000 gathers, annually, the Sunday after the July 4 weekend. Attendees represent local church-goers, joined by visiting Lakes Area guests. The event features unified worship, usually in a relaxed, contemporary style, led often by a guest band. Faith stories are shared.
A special time for kids is included and then a speaker shares a message of faith and hope in Jesus Christ.
The gathering was initiated nearly a decade ago by Pastor Chris Holck, then of Faith Evangelical Free Church in Spirit Lake. Faith Evangelical Free Church continues to assist with the event, now joined by teams from other churches and Christian non-profits, coordinated by Intersect. In recent years, KJIA Christian Radio (88.9 FM), and Cherish Center have joined as a co-sponsors of the event, providing gifts for kids, cold water and a warm welcome to Praise in the Park guests.
Recent Praise in the Park guests included:
2011 – Worship Leaders: John Schlitt and team from Celebrate Church, Sioux Falls, SD
Speaker: John Schlitt, former lead singer of PETRA
2010 – Worship Leaders: Heart of the City Band, Minneapolis, MN
Speaker: Heather Simington, Milford, IA
Overseas Missionary Fellowship
2009 – Worship Leaders: Addison Road, Nashville, TN
Speaker: Pastor Clint Loveall, Spirit Lake, IA
First Presbyterian Church
2008 – Worship Leaders: Wendy Gordy and Ten Seven
Speaker: Rob Roozeboom, RISE Ministries, Sheldon, IA
2007 – Worship Leaders: Steve Samuelson and SOS, joined by area worship leaders
Speaker: Mike Wells, CEO Wells Dairy, LeMars, IA