‘Rock the City’ about ministry, fun

CNJ staff photo: Alisa Boswell Mike Napier explains how to use a pamphlet on faith during evangelism training to prepare for Rock the City from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Hillcrest Park.

The annual block party, Rock the City, kicks off with music, games and food noon Saturday at Hillcrest Park.

The event is hosted by Clovis’ local Southern Baptist churches and is a ministry outreach.

Central Baptist Church hosted evangelism training Sept. 18 for volunteers who will be working this year’s Rock the City.

Mike Napier of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico, which is sponsoring tomorrow’s event, led training. He said the important thing was that no one walks away from the event without a message.

“People are for accepting salvation,” said Napier. “But serving him unashamedly, not so much.”

Rock the City began in 2008 as “Block Party.” It originally began with the coming together of three local churches of different denominations.

This year, Southern Baptist churches decided to take on the event and call it Rock the City. The number of churches involved has increased each year and now includes seven.

Pam Martinez, a full time missionary in Sudan and another leader in volunteer training, is currently visiting her mother in Clovis. She got interested in participating when she heard news about the block party through her mother’s church, Sandia Baptist.

“It’s a wonderful way to be available for people,” said Martinez. “Especially children with questions they have.”

Martinez teaches face painting volunteers how to approach children by giving the paint colors significant meaning, such as yellow representing heaven and black representing sin.

Martinez said being a part of the event is “a wonderful way to be a part of what God is doing.”

The event also includes bounce houses, a bungee run and hot rods.

Volunteer Chuck Pardy said the goal is to bring families together for fun without any obligations or financial cost.

“The block party is not about churches or Christians,” said Pardy. “It is about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Rock the City is open to the public.