Award-winning artists, special event for children, featured at Rappahannock Area Celebration
FREDERICKSBURG, Va., June 27, 2022 – A total of 5,195 people attended the one-day Rappahannock Area Celebration with Will Graham in Fredericksburg on Saturday, June 25. Volunteers representing more than 170 churches and 41 denominations across the region participated in the evangelistic outreach, which was held at the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center.
“Are you looking for a second chance in life? You can get a second chance tonight. Our God is the God of second chances,” said Will Graham during his evening message, sharing the Old Testament story of King Manasseh of Judah—a wicked ruler who repented and was returned to the throne by God. “Jesus can change your life. He can forgive your sin and restore you.”
More than 250 responded to the invitation to make a decision for Jesus during the event, and will be followed up with by local churches.
Along with the message from Graham, the Rappahannock Area Celebration featured a free concert with music by award-winning Christian artists Newsboys, Rend Collective and Aaron Shust.
On Saturday morning, a special event for children, KidzFest, was held. The program included music by Go Fish, an interactive cartoon called The Quest, and a short message from Graham, followed by bounce houses, face painting and games.
“We believe that the hand of God has been on this whole preparation – from the timing of the pandemic, even to the delay of the event until this year – which led us to a place of much more desperate status in the body of Christ. The pastors and the churches were more willing to really engage,” said Dr. Steve Mandell, who gave leadership to the local committee organizing the event. “We believe that this is a catalyst going forward to move through the churches and bring the churches together for God’s purposes, in unity and commonality. The unity will really dictate the evangelism going forward for our community.”
The Rappahannock Area Celebration in Fredericksburg came on the heels of a multi-city outreach that Graham held on the island state of Tasmania, Australia, in May. More than 5,400 attended the Tasmania Celebration, with 616 registering a decision for Christ. In July, Graham will travel to South Dakota to preach the Gospel on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Rosebud Indian Reservation.
About Will Graham
Will is the third generation of Grahams to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the banner of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). He is the grandson of Billy Graham and the oldest son of Franklin Graham. He also serves as vice president of the BGEA, and as executive director of the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, North Carolina. Follow Will on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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