Mike Wicksall shares with those attending the Diocese of Saginaw Charismatic Conference on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Our Lady of Visitation Church in Bay City. Sandra Burch/Saginaw Weekly
By Sandra Burch
The Catholic Weekly
BAY CITY — Keynote speaker Mike Wicksall targeted how Catholics respond to others and to God on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Diocese of Saginaw Charismatic Conference at Our Lady of Visitation Church.
Speaking to a gathering of about 40 people, Wicksall, from The Barnabas Message based in East Lansing, spoke in the morning about Catholics going out to evangelize.
He suggested people use “The Coffee Shop” method. Make a sign that reads “Free coffee if you will tell me your story.”
“Just sit in the coffee shop and pray/read your Bible,” he said. “You’ll be surprised how many people will want to tell their story.”
He urged the participants to listen carefully and then say these five words: “May I pray for you?” Then, he said, ask if they would like more peace and share with them where you go to Mass or to your prayer group.
In his afternoon session, Wicksall talked about the hard time people have responding to God, when He tells us to “go!”
He used the example of Moses. Moses came up with many different reasons why he shouldn’t go.
“We first need to prayerfully find out what our ministry is,” he said. “What do you enjoy doing? That will point us in the correct direction.”
Everyone has a problem or a situation they can give for not responding to God, he said. Catholics, he said, need to be open to evangelizing everyone they meet.
“God will open the door for us,” he said. “We need to finish strong”.
The praise and worship sessions were led by Ron Haeske from St. John Vianney Church in Saginaw.
Bishop Joseph Cistone celebrated the closing Mass