Dick Blank
Pastor Richard Blank is a former associate at St,
Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Roseville, MN
1970-1977. He is currently assisting at New
Jerusalem Christian Fellowship, Somerset, MI
Phone: 517.431.2188
Email: richardandbettina at yahoo dot com
Dick, and his wife Bettina, are active Praise Warriors (members) of our Wellspring Praise Center – a companion to our PraiseToys web-based ministry.
ABOUT:
Dick Blank’s jazzPRAISE Ensemble
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Rev. Dick Blanks explains:
jazzPRAISE is a dynamic music ministry. We minister
the Good News of Jesus Christ through praise music,
testimonies, and prayer ministry. We play everything
from Bach to Amazing Grace to contemporary praise
music, much of it original , all with melodic improvisations
on top of latin and swing rhythms.
When I was 4 or 5 years old my mother read to me about
Jesus and I believed. In grade school I became very
active as a choir member at Trinity Episcopal Church,
Toledo, Ohio. In high school God called me into the
ordained ministry. I also enjoyed playing saxophone in
dance bands and jazz groups. At the time I assumed
that when I entered the ministry I would have to give
up playing saxophone (My pastor was a former saxophone
player himself). However in seminary I picked up the
vibraharp and a few years later I composed and began
playing a jazz mass and a bossa nova mass which I
performed at many churches.
In 1971 I was introduced to the charismatic renewal
and soon after Jesus baptized my wife Bettina and
myself with the Holy Spirit. We had a whole new
awareness of Jesus and we became part of a dynamic
prayer and praise group at the church where we served
in St. Paul, MN. During the following years the Lord
blessed us with three children, Bettina (Gillen), Michael
and Katrina. In 1977 we moved back to Michigan.
In the 90’s I transferred my ordination to New
Jerusalem Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational
church and became part of the praise team. In 1998,
one day I heard in my mind myself playing praise music
with a gifted jazz guitarist, Don Hales. He had played
a tour of college chapel campuses with me in the 60’s.
I hadn’t seen him since. He was living in Columbus,
Ohio and playing music. I tracked him down and phoned
him. Much to my surprise, but not God’s, Don was
moving back to the Toledo area. I shared my vision
with him. When he arrived we put together a group and
jazzPRAISE was born.
Two years later we added our gifted church vocalist
and keyboard player Donna Howland. Thanks to my
wife Bettina’s encouragement, I returned to playing
alto saxophone as my primary instrument. I can’t tell
you how much joy it is to praise the Lord on it.
The Lord provided very good musicians for
our first two recordings. However, with our
newest members I believe the Lord is taking
us to a new level of music ministry. He has provided
Pastor Rick Braman on bass and Bill Latocki of
PraiseToys on conga drums and percussion. Don Hales
moved back to Columbus in 2005. In his place the Lord
has provided jazz guitarist and vocalist Pastor Bill
Walbridge. Bill also assists with the prayer ministry
which concludes our engagements. And the Lord has
been giving me many new praise songs which we plan
to record in the coming year.
Testimonies such as the following are shared.
My good friend Dick Smith is a retired pastor in
Minneapolis, Minnestora. He is filled with the joy of
the Lord, just fun to be with. In the 1970’s a church
member of his approached him with a small lap poodle
that was sick and asked Dick to pray for the poodle.
Dick had never prayed for an animal before but it was
a nice dog and a nice church member so Dick agreed.
The dog’s name was Missy. In telling the story Dick
added “You never know how the Lord is going to use
your prayers.’He laid his hands on little Missy and
prayed for healing. The next day Missy was better.
Sunday morning came and at the coffee hour a lady
approached Dick. She told him, “I haven’t been in
church for seven years, but last week I had an
encounter with the Lord and you are going to see me
from now on.” The lady became very active in the
church. Her name was Missy. In 2004 when we visited
Dick. He requested prayers that he be bolder in his
faith. He’s bolder than I am. Is that the secret of
his contagious joy?
One man in our church at about the age of thirty
accepted the Lord into his life. A few weeks later he
received a phone call late on a Friday night. It was
from his business partner who was not a Christian. His
teenage son has just been in a terrible automobile
accident and had been transported to the hospital. He
was in critical condition and it was uncertain if he
would live through the night. The new Christian said
that he would come right away. On the way to the
hospital he asked God for a sign that his partner’s
son would live. On the highway he spotted a large sign
which read “Pepsi Gives Life!” “Thank you,” he said to
the Lord. When he arrived at the hospital the family
was very upset and fearful. He had them come together
and led in a prayer for the boy’s healing. The boy
slipped into a coma which lasted several months. By
this time many churches were praying for his recovery.
Sometime shortly after Easter he awoke form his coma.
He awoke singing the Pepsi song.
Our ministry concludes with a time of prayer for
healing and personal needs. It is intergral to our
ministry and many lives are touched.
jazzPRAISE reviews:
“I highly recommend jazzPRAISE to your church. We
enjoyed a Sunday evening of musical praise,
testimonies, and a meaningful time of prayer, and our
congregation was touched. The Rev. Dick Blank is
sensitive to the Spirit, appropriate in his
presentation, and effective in ministering to others,
regardless of denominiation. If you want something
different, fun, enjoyable and ministry oriented,
invite jazzPRAISE to lead in a unique service. The
Lord will bless your congregation for it.”
– The Rev. Clark Cothern, Formerly Trinity Baptist
Church, Adrian, MI.;currently at Living Water Community Church, Ypsilanti Township, MI.
“I’m always intrigued with the creative ways of
communicating the grand story of the Faith and
entering into the worship of Jesus Christ. This
creative group, jazzPRAISE, offers such an option.
They’re a talented group, whose music and message
communicates the genuiness of faith and the joy of
following Jesus. jazzPRAISE communicates the classical Christian faith in a classical jazz venue. When they shared their talent and testimony at First United Methodist Church
of Saline, I greatly enjoyed and genuinely enriched by
their presentation, and by their and my participation
in worship. It was purposeful, joyful jazz that I can
readily recommend.”
–Dr. James Tuttle First United Methodist Church Saline, MI.
“I strongly recommend the Rev. Dick Blank and his group
jazzPRAISE. They combine quality Christian music in a
professional jazz style with the ability and desire to
minister to the needs of those present.”
–Pastor Robert P. Norman New Jerusalem Christian
Fellowship Somerset,MI.
For engagements contact:
The Rev. Richard Blank
517.431.2188
jazzpraiseministry at yahoo dot com
904 Pentecost Hwy. Onsted,MI 49265
jazzPRAISE is an outreach of New Jerusalem Christian Fellowship, Somerset, MI
