When breakthrough prayer moves through a congregation, big things can happen in the life of the church and all the people the church touches.

At Watertown (SD) First UMC, the congregation had been hosting an annual Easter egg hunt on the church premises for a few years with about 150 children in attendance, it was not a bad event. Enter the Breakthrough Prayer Initiative, and last Saturday, that good-sized event suddenly became a God-sized event, with over 500 children hunting for eggs, bouncing through castles, cuddling with bunnies, getting their faces painted, and feeling the love of Jesus through the 50 volunteers who came together to make it all happen.

Sandee Cole, First UMC’s Children’s Ministry Coordinator, said, “It was overwhelming. The energy level was so very positive and uplifting” She said this year, a signup was posted and a special prayer team was formed to ask the Spirit to breakthrough and reach new people. The prayer team was praying for 500 children, plus their parents, to come to their event and receive an invitation to Easter services next Sunday. Over a thousand people came, each received an invitation and that’s not the end of it all.

Watertown First UMC is undergoing a revival with the Missional Church Congregation Initiative (MCCI) program, which begins with a Breakthrough Prayer Initiative. The specific prayer team for this event began praying many weeks ago. The event was moved from the church property to the National Guard’s Readiness Center for the increased capacity. The prayer team held a prayer walk around the Readiness Center on Friday night before the event. They prayed during the event and continue praying afterwards. Their prayers for the next seven days are for 600 to attend Easter worship services, where they will also distribute even more invitations to a family dinner and movie night on March 30.

At least 50 volunteers came together to make this event possible, and bring the love of Jesus to so many children, many who had’t been involved in the church. The volunteers wore bright First UMC t-shirts and assisted with everything from face-painting to the bunny booth, from the bouncy castles to the egg hunt, all having positive interaction with children and parents. Cole said, “Although this was the first time we didn’t hold the event at the church, everyone knew this event was hosted by the church. The face painting station included crosses, and the bunny booth had a poster proclaiming Jesus loves every-bunny.”

Photos from the Bunny Booth were posted on the church’s Facebook page, and many children found prizes including a golden egg for a Green Machine bicycle, the grand prize. The event was bigger and better than the church had ever had and was literally a breakthrough for what a congregation and prayer can do to reach people.

Cole was recollecting how the volunteers and the children interacted. “It was a really great fun event, to see all the smiling kids and their families. The volunteers who stepped forward were just amazing, too.”

Who knows what will happen in the weeks and months to come, as the Spirit breaks through at Watertown First UMC.