In spite of the rain delay, the second annual Amalgamated Service of Bermuda Churches, hosted by Bermuda Faith-Based Tourism, the service, which was relocated to the First Church of God, North Shore on Monday, could certainly have been seen as a success, at least among members of Bermuda's churches.

Beginning at 7.30 p.m., the service lasted until 11 p.m., with Bishop John Francis of Rauch Ministries, preaching all but an hour of the service.

Bishop Francis and his wife, Penny, are the pastors of Rauch Ministries, located in Brixton, London, UK. They are also the proud parents of three daughters, Juanita, Telesia and Charisa. He is also a third-generation minister.

Born after his mother was miraculously healed from cancer, according to Bishop Francis, he had long been told that he was special and that God had called him to great things. He did turn his own way for a period of time, but thanks to music, his life turned around.

"You have to come to accept the calling for yourself," explained Bishop Francis. "I came from a background where my mother had cancer. I had to find who I was in Christ." Through singing with a gospel choir, he ended up on television, with the choir, singing with a pop group. The song became a chart topper and the choral group ended up ministering to a number of non-church groups, including conferences for major corporations like Ford and Mattel, and also for the Oxford and Cambridge Ball.

Through the singing ministry, Bishop Francis was eventually called to be an evangelist, and later a pastor, working through his father's church, until 1986, when he felt God calling him to start an inner-city church in London. Rauch Ministries grew from a congregation of only 18 to a present congregation of more than 5,000 with five services every Sunday. The church seats 1,400 and there is an overflow of more than 250 at every service. Rauch is a Hebrew word meaning, "breath" or "wind of God", and is taken from Genesis 1.

While the focus of the church has been in working with those in the inner-city, Bishop Francis shared: "We've transformed the area and people that come. We're inner city without the inner city mentality." The church's ministries focus on rehabilitation, a wholeness team and also a food bank, with a desire to change negatives to positives.

"Our theme is everybody is somebody," Bishop Francis said.

As the ministry has grown, Bishop Francis has had the opportunity to see the church's ministry, "Order My Steps," reach across the globe through the power of television on Inspiration Network, The Word Network, Daystar TV, TBN Europe, BET, Atlanta 57 WATC, the Church Channel, CVM TV Jamaica and Television J Jamaica. He can be seen in Bermuda on Trinity Broadcasting Network at 7 a.m. on cable channel 13.

He is also the recipient of the British Gospel Association's "Contribution to Gospel Music" and "Gospel TV Series of the Year" awards, and is the author of several books.

The opportunity to come to Bermuda came through the invitation of André Curtis at Bermuda Faith-Based Tourism. While he was initially given the subject of "Unity" for the event, he wanted to wait and see where God was leading him to speak when he came to the Island.

"I have to feel what I think the church needs," he said.

The topic of unity certainly was high on the list at a leadership breakfast and when he spoke with several local pastors one-on-one.

"I think Bermuda's a beautiful country," Bishop Francis shared. "I just think there is so much more for the Country to do, but it takes the Country being unified in order to bring it all together."