Participants: Jim Gilley (Host), John & Laurie Tompkins
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY015044A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Well, welcome, we're so happy 01:09 that you can be with us today, and this is going to be 01:13 a very interesting and exciting program for me 01:16 because in some ways 01:18 it's kind of a walk down memory lane in a sense. 01:21 When I became a pastor, 01:24 I was a young ministerial student at Andrews University, 01:29 man with the name of Merrill Mills 01:31 came to the campus looking for pastors 01:34 and he talked to me and he talked to Camille 01:37 and we prayed about it, 01:39 and we had some other opportunities 01:40 to go other places but after praying about it, 01:43 we decided to go to New England, 01:46 spent a year in South Lancaster as a intern, 01:49 back to the seminary for few more studies 01:52 and then out to my first district. 01:54 That first district was Plainville, Meriden, 01:58 Middletown, Portland, which was one church, 02:02 but this is right in the heart of Connecticut, 02:05 just south of Hartford, 02:07 and we have so many great memories there. 02:14 I want to show you some pictures 02:15 if sometime if some of the things that 02:19 with our family with Jimmy. 02:21 We only had the one child at that time. 02:23 So it was an exciting thing when 50 years ago, 02:28 50 years later we were invited to go back 02:31 which is a few years ago. 02:32 Two years ago. Yeah. 02:34 And to be there for the 50th anniversary of that church 02:39 because that church was a merger of two, 02:42 Bristol and New Britain 02:44 came together and formed Plainville. 02:48 And so we were just really excited to be there. 02:52 Brought back a lot of memories. 02:54 It was great to see the church doing well. 02:57 Now this is not an easy place to minister, believe me. 03:02 It is unbelievably Catholic. 03:07 Across the street from the Plainville Church 03:09 is one of the most powerful Catholic churches 03:12 in all of Connecticut. 03:13 Five to ten thousand members. 03:15 Right. 03:16 And every single Sabbath afternoon at 4 o'clock 03:21 they start mass and that's to help people 03:24 for convenience to get through. 03:26 I used to say wow, they're keeping the Sabbath. 03:28 This is wonderful, you know. 03:30 And but they-- And first time I ever saw 03:34 I thought what's going on, have they changed but, 03:37 you know, with them they just can't change the day of worship 03:40 whenever they want to, 03:41 so they have a Sabbath afternoon 03:47 mass and then several sessions. 03:49 Then Sunday morning and you've never seen 03:52 so many cars in your life. 03:54 Here's our little church across the street. 03:56 It had been a Methodist church and it came up for sale 04:00 and Tilley Rin who was a member of the congregation there 04:07 actually paid for that church. 04:09 Tilley paid virtually every time 04:13 I think it was paid that she paid for that church. 04:16 Sometimes she thought she owned it too, I loved her. 04:19 It was some $15000 in those days. 04:21 It was a lot of-- Yeah, 04:23 but she paid for it. 04:25 And then I got the opportunity to be 04:28 one of the first pastors there. 04:30 There was a pastor there before I came 04:33 and then I was able to come and be the pastor. 04:36 So we were excited when we were able to go back 04:40 and to be there, and lo and behold, 04:44 I meet once again John Tompkins. 04:49 Now, John was a teenager. 04:51 And John you were a real teenager. 04:57 Yes, indeed. 04:58 I remember you very well. 05:00 And, you know, the amazing thing is, 05:04 of course I was a teenager once too, 05:06 and you all hear the pastors tell the stories about me. 05:09 But John's dad was one of the leaders in the church. 05:12 He was always a deacon, elder whatever was needed, 05:16 and his mom was very active in the church. 05:19 Whole family committed to the third angel's message. 05:25 And so I was really, really felt good 05:29 when I got back there. 05:31 In fact I held an evangelistic meeting in, 05:33 if my memory serves me right, 05:34 you made your decision for Jesus. 05:35 That's right. 05:37 During that evangelistic meeting. 05:38 From your evangelistic series. 05:39 I was a rough neck then and I told it, 05:41 we got to go and get this people in here. 05:43 Yeah, right. 05:45 And you said we can't exactly bang them 05:46 over the head and drag them in, 05:48 they got to come on their own free ride. 05:50 But you know the Lord did bless us 05:52 and our membership doubled in that. 05:54 I was only there 9 months, 05:56 and then they made me the conference evangelist 05:59 but it was the most exciting 9 months of pastoral experience 06:05 that a young man can ever have. 06:07 Had every experience that you can imagine, 06:09 I can just go on for hours. 06:12 We're good training ground. 06:14 It really was. 06:15 And then when we got over there 06:19 for the anniversary two years ago. 06:22 We found out about a program that they have initiated there 06:28 that has really been an outreach ministry. 06:33 You know Jesus talks about reaching out to people. 06:37 And He says in Matthew the 10th Chapter. 06:41 "And whoever gives one of these little ones, 06:46 only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, 06:51 assuredly, I say to you, 06:54 he shall by no means lose his reward." 06:58 Just a cup of water. 07:00 So you can imagine the impact of helping to feed 07:05 those who are poor, those who are in need. 07:09 And, folks, there are people that just do not get 07:12 an adequate diet today, 07:14 no matter with all those social programs 07:16 that are out there, there is still 07:18 so many people that we can feed. 07:21 So I'm extremely happy to introduce 07:26 to you Laurie Tompkins and her husband John, 07:30 and we're going to be talking about God's Grocery Store. 07:36 And I love that name. 07:38 And as I look at these t-shirts 07:40 you've got it all laid out there. 07:42 Tell me-- Explain 07:43 the shirts to me a little bit? 07:44 This of course is for yourself and your lovely wife. 07:48 Oh, thank you very much. 07:50 I'll wear this when I'm out feeding my guineas. 07:54 But here God's Grocery Store things I need. 07:58 "Love, we all need. We'll get plenty. 08:01 Wisdom, the more the better. Two packs. 08:03 Faith, where we will be without it. 08:05 Large sack. 08:07 Salvation, without it we're lost. 08:10 Big box. 08:11 Prayer to help me against sin, enough to last. 08:14 God has all of that. 08:16 How much do I owe? Nothing. 08:18 Jesus paid my bill a long time ago." 08:21 And then on the back. 08:24 This one doesn't have it there. This one doesn't have it. 08:26 All right. 08:27 But we'll talk about some of the other things 08:29 that you're involved with because on some of them, 08:32 you have about this walk a thought 08:36 that you have every year 08:38 that brings attention to God's Grocery Store. 08:43 We're going to hear more about this 08:46 but first before we do, 08:47 I want to have a word of prayer and we gonna have a song. 08:50 And I want you to focus upon those that are in need, 08:56 those that have spiritual problems, health problems, 09:00 and I want you to be praying for them 09:02 right now with me if you'll join. 09:05 And if you have a very special need, 09:07 lay it before the altar, right now would you? 09:11 Father in heaven, I just thank You, Lord, 09:13 that we can come to You in prayer 09:15 and know that You hear us and that You answer. 09:20 I just got a letter from somebody today 09:23 and they said, Jim, I've been praying 09:25 and looking for the answer 09:27 but I guess no is also an answer. 09:31 And sometimes, Lord, we know that's the best answer, 09:34 but we don't realize it, not always but often. 09:39 So I pray that You'll help us, Lord, to be in tune to You. 09:44 Lay our finances before you and trust You. 09:48 Lay our health before You and receive Your blessing 09:55 but trust You in it. 09:57 Lay our children before You, Lord, 09:59 because there are so many challenges. 10:01 Help us to pray each day for our families 10:05 and pray for the power 10:06 of the Holy Sprit in their lives. 10:08 Pray to be that they'll be covered with the blood of Jesus 10:11 and pray Lord that they'll be protected from evil. 10:17 Thank You, Lord, for hearing us. 10:20 And thank You for the Tompkins and for the ministry 10:22 that they and those that work with them 10:25 are doing in Plainville. 10:28 And today, Father, we pray that this program will be 10:31 an inspiration to others to be ready 10:36 to give a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus 10:41 for we ask it in His wonderful and powerful 10:45 and loving name, amen. 10:48 Amen. 10:49 Well, I'm ready for some music if you are. 10:53 And Jaime Jorge is one of my favorite people. 10:57 He has been to your church. 10:58 That's right. 11:00 And he has been to most churches in this country. 11:03 We love Jaime. 11:05 And right now he is going to play 11:06 a song that we all love. 11:08 It's almost a theme song of Seventh-day Adventist, 11:12 "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." 14:19 Thank you very much. Jaime. 14:20 We always enjoy when Jaime comes by here 14:24 and tapes for us. 14:26 He is a wonderful, friendly, loving, kind person. 14:32 And I know that for many years he also helped out with La Voz. 14:37 And when Frank Gonzalez was the speaker director, 14:42 and I had the privilege of being 14:44 their board chairman for five years. 14:46 And I would tell you that working with those fellows 14:49 with Frank and with Jaime, it was just a real blessing. 14:55 Well, listen, tell me 14:56 how did God's Grocery Store get started? 14:59 Well, it was a big answer to prayer. 15:02 The church family got together 15:03 with the Pastor Rollin Shoemaker at the time, 15:06 and they wanted to be able to help the community 15:11 and you know give them services 15:13 and witness to them and do things for them, 15:16 and we couldn't figure out how to do it. 15:20 And so we all knelt down and prayed, 15:22 and we asked the Lord for guidance and wisdom. 15:25 And He answered our prayer in a big way 15:28 because one Sabbath afternoon, 15:30 we were just finishing vespers and a young man came in, 15:34 he had tears in his eyes. 15:36 And he said, he had just been released from prison 15:40 and he needed food for his family 15:44 and he didn't have any money, he didn't have any resources 15:47 and he did not want to go home empty-handed. 15:50 And so we took up a donation, 15:53 because at that time our community service was, 15:55 it was in the process of, 15:58 you know, we used it but we didn't do much with it. 16:00 Right. 16:01 You know, we didn't have a lot of food and stuff on the shelf, 16:03 so we took up a donation 16:06 and we went to a local grocery store 16:08 and purchased food for him, 16:10 him and his family then had food. 16:12 Well, that was great 16:13 because you didn't just give him the money. 16:15 We so many times we're tempted to do. 16:19 You actually took him to the grocery store, 16:21 bought things he needed and wanted, 16:24 not just what we want, so that was your first contact 16:29 when God's Grocery Store was using another store there-- 16:33 Exactly. So right. 16:36 So then what happened? 16:37 So then the sisters of the church got together 16:40 and with the help of Beverly Gray, 16:43 we got together and decided that 16:46 why should we be rushing around to, you know, 16:49 get food and things like that, so we actually joined 16:53 with a local Foodshare program in the community. 16:57 And this is their organization with their staff members. 17:00 Okay. 17:02 And we decided to put food on the shelves 17:06 and be able to witness and give services to people 17:09 that came through the door. 17:11 Right. Wow. 17:13 So we grew to serving 12 people and by the time 17:17 that Beverly was-- move, 17:19 kind of moved to Michigan, 17:20 we were serving over 50 families 17:23 but just getting food sticking 17:25 in boxes and handing in to them. 17:26 Right. Okay. 17:28 Not in the store. 17:29 Right. Right. 17:30 Now, you've got a whole different process, right? 17:33 Yes, we do. 17:34 We had to change that process 17:36 because every Saturday night we've to come together 17:38 and put things in these boxes for the people, 17:42 and that was just too time consuming. 17:45 It took a lot of staff to do that. 17:48 So I decided to create God's Grocery Store. 17:50 Okay. 17:52 Now we lay the products set on the table 17:54 and people come through and they shop. 17:56 All right. 17:57 And it's all free. Because Jesus paid it off. 18:00 All right. 18:01 Now, when they come through, let say they got cans of corn. 18:07 They get what? 18:08 Two cans, one can. 18:10 What do they get? 18:11 Whatever they need. Whatever they need? 18:12 Yes and if they need more, they're given more. 18:15 We have to make some quick organizational changes. 18:18 Yeah. 18:19 Laurie first of all had far too much paper work to do. 18:22 Oh, yeah. 18:23 Because there is paper work involved in this, right? 18:26 You're dealing not only with this Foodshare, 18:30 but also the State of Connecticut. 18:32 And the federal government. And the government. 18:33 We have to report to them what you're doing. 18:35 Right. 18:36 The single item which hurts these organizations 18:39 when they come together with meetings every two months. 18:41 Yeah. 18:42 The paper work is too onerous. 18:44 Some of them just won't do it because of the paper work. 18:47 Right. 18:48 So, Laurie, made one of our first changes. 18:51 I asked my son Scott. Okay. 18:53 He is a computer programmer to build me a database, 18:57 that would keep track of all these statistics, 18:59 and so every month now I can just push one button 19:03 and have my statistics ready for Foodshare 19:06 or the government and whoever needs it. 19:08 Isn't that amazing? 19:09 We have a picture of what the boxes 19:11 used to be like on the table 19:13 that's when were amassed up for that. 19:16 Yeah. Let's look at that. 19:17 Okay. 19:20 We'd just have boxes with some stuff 19:23 and stuff them in bags and hand them to the people 19:25 we really couldn't interact with them. 19:27 Right. 19:28 Oh, and then the people would actually stop 19:29 in line and say, 19:31 oh, I don't need this and I don't need this. 19:32 So they were getting a prepackaged box of stuff 19:36 they might not-- they might not 19:37 like broccoli or spinach. 19:39 Exactly. Exactly. 19:41 So we decided to let them pick and choose what they want. 19:43 Yeah. 19:44 So the next pictures that you'll recognize, pastor, 19:48 is the backroom of the church. 19:49 Okay. 19:51 The community room. Yes. 19:53 We have to have-- Every week we have 19:54 to empty everything out of there from the potlucks 19:57 and all the community stuff for the church, 20:00 make a bare room and we have to bring in the pallets. 20:03 Okay, pallets? 20:04 And the next picture. 20:06 Well, and of course we didn't have a door big enough 20:08 for pallets to come in. 20:10 So Laurie had to get these doors installed 20:12 on the side of the church, the back wall of the church. 20:14 We had to cut a hole in the side of the church 20:16 where we had a window, 20:18 and I had these doors put into the side of the church. 20:21 Just big enough for a pallet to go through, 20:23 because my volunteers were having 20:25 to bring everything in, you know, piece by piece. 20:27 Those are full pallets. 20:29 Full pallets. 20:31 So you put it inside with the forklift 20:33 probably there and then have a pallet jack, 20:36 and you pull it back into place there. 20:39 And then we break it down and spread it out 20:42 on the tables and store whatever is extra downstairs 20:45 and the little down-- little downstairs area 20:47 has been converted to ten freezers 20:50 and that's our storage. 20:52 Wow. Wow. 20:54 That's where we break it down for people and then 20:57 now they can be registered. 21:00 Right. 21:01 You know it's amazing what's happening 21:04 because I saw the church 21:06 starting to come really back to life. 21:08 In '98 we were out in that part of the country. 21:13 They had Dwight Nelson on, I remember. 21:16 And my wife and daughter and I were driving. 21:21 We were actually not driving on the Sabbath 21:24 but we were driving up 21:25 from New York up through New England. 21:27 And I said, "We're going to go to church in Plainville." 21:30 We walked in, they had it up, they were singing beforehand, 21:36 I knew Tilley was still there. 21:37 You hear her singing. 21:39 And then the television went on 21:45 and we watched Dwight Nelson in 98 21:48 but there were only a handful of people. 21:51 I was just heartsick because the church-- 21:54 when your dad was there, when you were young boy 21:57 and we had pastor after pastor there. 22:00 It was a live vibrant church and all of a sudden 22:03 it was basically dead. 22:05 But I've seen that God has used you 22:08 and this program to revive that church 22:11 and it's not just feeding people. 22:14 There are lot of things that take place there. 22:16 For instance, I know you have a time 22:20 where you bring everybody together. 22:22 Yeah. 22:23 And the next picture that we have shows 22:25 some of our volunteers. 22:27 This is now Tilley's passed away long time ago. 22:31 This is like the mother of the church 22:33 now, Sister Freckleton. 22:34 She comes there and helps out every week 22:37 and most importantly 22:39 she is an excellent Jamaican cook. 22:40 Oh. Wow. 22:42 And she makes food for the volunteers. 22:43 She cooks for volunteers every week. 22:44 She makes peas and rice or rice and peas. 22:47 Yes. 22:48 And this, Laurie, is our youngest-- 22:50 This is our youngest volunteer. 22:52 Okay. At two years old. 22:53 Derrick. Yeah. 22:54 And he is two. 22:56 And he helps every week by passing out stuff. 22:58 What's his name? Derrick. 23:00 Derrick? All right. 23:01 And he helps-- He helps pass out 23:03 stuffed animals to the children or give them, 23:06 you know, juice or cookies or something they might have. 23:08 Little things we can get for them. 23:10 Oh, yeah. And he loves to help out. 23:12 Okay. 23:13 Well, keep telling us the story 23:15 'cause I know you've got some pleasant pictures. 23:17 Now I think we have the-- 23:19 Debbie who registers for Debbie classes. 23:22 This is my sister and I brought her up 23:24 from Texas to help me out with this program. 23:27 All right. 23:28 Because it's getting very large. 23:30 And she registers the people. 23:32 All they have to do is come in and give their name. 23:35 Now, this is the people sitting in the church quietly, 23:39 waiting now for their turn, right? 23:42 Watching 3ABN. 23:43 It's hard to see it in the monitors. 23:45 One monitor is in the back and two are up front. 23:47 Okay. 23:49 We start at 9 o'clock and put 3ABN on for them. 23:50 All right. Keep it going. 23:52 I must say the people seemed to love your cooking classes. 23:55 Oh, really. 23:56 That's a big hit. That is a big hit. 23:58 Oh, that's great. 23:59 They love the music videos. Yeah. 24:01 And those things there, 24:02 but I think the cooking classes are-- 24:04 their interest in health. 24:06 They're interested in-- Right. 24:07 We give them whatever food they need. 24:09 Now what day of the week is it you are there? 24:11 Wednesday. Wednesday? 24:12 Wednesday, from 10 to 4. 24:13 So that on that day we are-- today show is a cooking show. 24:17 Yes. 24:18 And many times Jill Morikone whose grandfather 24:24 used to be an elder in that particular district 24:26 where Brother Paul Wearthy. 24:28 He had the Middletown, Portland. 24:31 Him and my father Charlie were the builders. 24:33 That's right. 24:35 Built most of the churches in the area. 24:36 Yeah. Yeah. 24:37 They were very good friends. 24:39 They really were. Yeah. 24:40 And the Wearthy family and us, 24:41 I went to school with several of them. 24:45 Bill Wearthy was my age here, 24:46 we went to same classes together which is Jill's uncle. 24:49 Right. Right. 24:51 Well, so, they are able to watch a girl 24:54 from the district so to speak 24:56 do a cooking show on Wednesday morning 24:58 'cause she is often the host on that show. 25:02 And so people would come into the door. 25:04 They just give their name and their address. 25:06 They're looked up in the database. 25:08 It automatically registers them, 25:09 calculates the statistics and keeps the reports, 25:12 so Laurie hits print at the end of the month. 25:15 All right. 25:16 And it spits out a little ticket for him 25:18 which that has a number on it, the details of the church 25:22 and the distribution and we're going to put 25:24 on the random Bible verse like in fortune cookie. 25:27 Yeah. All right. 25:28 Customer get to keep this. 25:30 Oh, that's good, yeah. 25:31 But then he said in the program, 25:33 we really open the doors at 9 25:35 but we don't even start serving till 10:30. 25:37 Okay. 25:38 In many days so these people, 25:40 we have a nice audience for two, three hours 25:44 every Wednesday morning to try and reach. 25:46 Right. 25:48 And when they come, they sit, so that there this is the order 25:51 in which they go through the line later. 25:54 Because only 10 people 25:56 'cause shopping area is so small. 25:58 There only ten people can enter at a time. 26:00 Okay. 26:01 And they shop for what they want for groceries. 26:03 Yeah. All right. 26:05 So now you have this time together. 26:08 Do you have any prayer time or anything of that nature? 26:11 Yes, before we start, we have the people sitting there 26:14 and before we start we shut off the programs 26:16 and my husband I will go up front 26:19 and I will give all the instructions for the day. 26:23 We have people who'd come in the back 26:26 that sit in the back for insurance purposes 26:28 like if you need help filling out insurance forms 26:31 or if you-- 26:33 Or if you have need help filling out for snap 26:35 which is for to get food from the government 26:39 to get food stamps and... 26:44 When they're checked in, they're asked 26:46 if they have any prayer request. 26:48 And then Laurie also ask, 26:50 "Do you have public prayer request." 26:52 We have a private prayer box so people can just write their 26:55 prayer request on put it in, 26:57 nobody ever reads till we pray over and burn it. 26:59 But many people come to Laurie with prayer request 27:02 and we mention those up front. 27:04 We pray for the people. 27:05 And you can tell about some of the people 27:07 who've come back with answers to our prayer. 27:09 Oh, I've had incredible answers to prayer. 27:11 The one that sticks out of my mind is one young girl 27:14 and she came to me and she has like 10 children. 27:17 They're not all hers, but in the situation 27:20 her sister couldn't keep some of these kids. 27:23 And so she came to me and she said, 27:25 "Laurie, I'm short of my rent tonight, 27:27 I don't know what I'm going to. 27:29 They're going to evict us and I have all these children. 27:31 And I said but the first thing 27:32 we need to do is sit down and pray. 27:34 So we sat down together and we prayed 27:37 and then I told her to go home and, 27:40 you know, just wait and see what happens. 27:42 The Lord will take care of things for her. 27:44 And when she got home, you know, 27:47 she told her husband what she had done, 27:48 and they had remembered that his father had given them 27:53 a credit card about 12 years before that 27:57 when he-- then he had died. 28:00 And when he gave the credit card, 28:01 they didn't know how to get into the bank 28:03 'cause they didn't know the pass code for it. 28:06 And so when they went to the bank, 28:09 they tried a couple of times and it didn't work. 28:12 And the third time, you know, they take your card 28:14 and they destroy it and that's it. 28:16 You can't get into that bank so. 28:20 So the third time she said, 28:21 let's think really hard about, you know, 28:24 so that we can get this right and we can see what's inside. 28:28 And what she needed was $400 for rent. 28:32 And so she said to her husband, 28:34 well, you were your father's favorite. 28:35 Why don't you try your birth date? 28:37 And so they tried his birth date 28:39 and in that bank account was $401. 28:42 Wow! 28:44 And she came back the next week into Foodshare 28:47 and she was so excited and she was just bubbling over 28:50 and she said, you've got to sit down, 28:52 I've got to tell you what happened. 28:53 And she told me the story, and she let me share 28:56 with the other clients that come in, so. 28:59 Well, that's a dramatic answer. 29:01 Yeah. 29:02 We have young man came in and he was there and he was-- 29:05 it was disappointing for him to come to a food distribution. 29:10 You know, I mean, he'd never think he would be 29:12 in this position in life, you know. 29:13 Sure. 29:14 But he lost his job and jobs were hard to find. 29:18 Since the recession, everything got worse, 29:20 and that's when the program expanded. 29:22 We have 2,500 people in our database 29:25 and we serve upto 500 families each week. 29:29 But this young man asked us, he said, well, 29:31 maybe you can pray that I can get a job. 29:33 I've been trying for year, year and half. 29:36 Pray that I can get a job. 29:37 Then we didn't see him for a couple of weeks 29:39 and he came back and said and he right 29:41 in front of the whole church, I got a job. 29:47 People have come to us especially with anybody 29:49 that has any medical issues now 29:52 because several other people we prayed for, 29:54 the Lord had seen fit to heal and the people come back 29:58 and they just, they instantly want as if we're magical. 30:03 Prayer request for their people in the hospital. 30:06 And then we visited some of them in the hospital. 30:08 Wow. 30:09 These experiences are what keep you going though. 30:11 Exactly. 30:13 Because what you're doing 30:14 is not just having people maintain food on the table. 30:21 It's reaching out to them spiritually 30:24 with encouragement and with prayer. 30:26 That's what we're trying to do. 30:28 And I'm trying to figure ways that the Lord can bless them 30:31 and touch their hearts and get them into the church. 30:33 Yes. 30:35 And so, we planned a one day event 30:39 where we're gonna serve them breakfast. 30:41 And then we had some songs in between 30:45 and then I gave the message for the day. 30:47 Okay. 30:49 We thought maybe that would help get people 30:51 into the church and it did. 30:52 It did. 30:53 Because I'm the director and they're pretty close to me. 30:56 Absolutely. 30:57 And they had a wonderful time. 30:59 And I knew that they were listening to the sermon 31:02 because I put a little insert in the bulletin. 31:05 And it was just a small little insert 31:07 but I wanted to give them something to do, 31:09 so that I can witness to them. 31:11 And on this paper it just said, 31:13 there is a little picture of a flower and it said smile, 31:16 God thinks you're wonderful. 31:18 And I told them to take that paper with them 31:20 and just walk up to somebody and hold it up to them. 31:22 You don't have to say anything, 31:24 just hold it up to them and see what reaction you get. 31:27 And then I said, if you're really scared to do that, 31:29 you can put it in your car window or something in, 31:31 you know, just see if anybody has any reactions. 31:34 The next week I had so many people come back to me and say, 31:38 "What a reaction? 31:39 It was so beautiful. This was wonderful." 31:41 And somehow they're happy to do that. 31:43 And with conservative New Englanders, 31:46 they would never think to do that. 31:48 No. No. 31:49 But once they do it, they find out 31:51 the New Englanders are like everybody else. 31:54 Exactly. 31:55 Once you get them going, 31:57 they're just as friendly and open 31:58 and wonderful as people in any other parts of country. 32:02 We have our next slide show 32:04 some of the other services request that-- 32:07 This is where we're actually the people come in, 32:10 we try to talk to them 32:11 when they get into their groceries. 32:12 We try to see what's going on in their life. 32:15 They're very-- You need to be 32:17 personally interested in them. 32:18 Laurie's motto is love them, serve them. 32:21 We make sure every volunteer is not wearing the t-shirts. 32:25 Right. 32:26 But treating them with respect. 32:28 With respect. 32:29 And love. Yeah. 32:31 And so as you saw in that picture there was-- 32:33 lady was there. 32:34 We actually-- We're not just 32:36 witnessing to the people, we serve now. 32:39 We became, Laurie became 32:41 the largest organization in all of Connecticut. 32:45 And our sister church Grace in Hartford 32:49 is the second largest. 32:50 So the Seventh-day Adventist in Connecticut 32:53 are the first and second largest. 32:55 And that's for food distribution to the needy. 32:57 To relief services and things like that, 32:59 any of their needs that they need. 33:01 But our good friend in Novell. 33:04 Novell McGregor. 33:05 McGregor runs the Grace program. 33:06 Okay. 33:08 And Pastor Jackson is our pastor for both churches now. 33:11 All right. 33:12 But, you know, these people that come in. 33:16 One week there is nice elderly couple and they-- 33:21 we try to carry their groceries from, 33:23 we have people there. 33:25 Carry the stuff of the people, you know. 33:26 Treat them well. 33:28 And I said to the lady, I said, 33:31 I'll carry your groceries home for you. 33:33 And she said, no, no, no, we get picked up by Dial-a-Ride 33:39 over in the Catholic church's parking lot. 33:42 And I said, that's no problem. 33:44 My car is parked over there now. 33:48 And I'm walking there anyway. 33:51 She's no, no, no, it's a problem, you know. 33:55 So they struggled with their groceries. 33:57 They cross the street dial an emergency, 33:59 you know, the neighborhood there, 34:00 I went around the back and I was delayed 34:03 a few minutes making one of my duties 34:05 is to make sure people are not parking in no parking zones. 34:08 Right. Right. 34:10 And that's a full time job sometime. 34:11 And parking is very difficult there. 34:13 Very difficult. Very difficult. 34:14 Especially if you have these many people. 34:16 Yes. 34:17 You know, the town police was asked by the town manager 34:21 isn't this a problem traffic wise. 34:22 He says, yeah, on Wednesdays are problem of traffic here. 34:26 On Saturday and Sunday when church is going on-- 34:28 That's real problem. 34:30 Across the street. 34:31 You know, he said, if I had more officers, 34:33 I'd more in the street. 34:35 Right. Right. 34:36 But these poor people walked all the way across the street. 34:39 I was late getting out to my car. 34:41 And as I came out to the car, 34:43 they were just coming out of that little backroom 34:46 which is the priest would study. 34:48 And then they were embarrassed. 34:50 And they said, well, 34:51 probably you folks don't want to service anymore 34:53 and I was what are you talking about. 34:56 You know, we only afford only Dial-a-Ride. 34:59 So we got to come to your place, 35:02 get our groceries, then go over and see the priest 35:04 and then Dial-a-Ride takes us home. 35:06 Yeah. 35:07 And I said, this-- 35:09 Sounds like an organization to me. 35:11 I personally know this priest. He is not a bad person. 35:13 He is a good person across the street. 35:15 You come, come to our food distribution, 35:17 we'll serve you. 35:19 We'll bring your groceries over to his office here. 35:22 See your priest and then 35:23 the Dial-a-Ride will take you home. 35:25 There is no effect on us whatsoever, 35:28 so you know, people like that that come 35:31 and there's a senior center in town 35:36 now that probably wasn't there when you were in there. 35:38 There is a big senior center 35:40 take care of lot of the retirees and people. 35:44 And the two young ladies that run that program 35:48 are about Jill's age, you know. 35:50 Yeah. 35:52 And run the program for them. 35:55 And they wondered why do the seniors come 35:58 when they have their own program there 36:00 to our program as well. 36:02 And 'cause we have so many of the seniors 36:05 that come to it and they said we dress up in wigs 36:09 with all this makeup. 36:10 And we made ourselves appear like elderly ladies 36:13 and we didn't recognize them. 36:15 We did not recognize them. They were made up well. 36:17 Is that right. 36:20 And they came in to the program and they said, 36:23 nobody treats people as nice as these people do. 36:27 Oh, that's great. That great. 36:29 So they were checking you out. They were kind of being spies. 36:33 Couple of spies in there, but you know, 36:35 people offered to carry their stuff from, 36:37 helped them through their shopping experience, 36:39 you know, and we try to talk to them and meet 36:42 with them and Laurie's really made 36:45 the volunteers over here 36:46 had a big thing of love them, serve them. 36:48 Yeah. 36:50 And she-- amazingly to me knows 36:51 all these people by their name. 36:53 Right. Oh, that is amazing. 36:56 And if you, you know 36:57 that we don't do these things as a hook. 37:00 We're not trying to say, okay, 37:03 so many pounds of food, so many baptisms, 37:05 so much church growth. 37:08 We serve like that Lord has told us to do. 37:10 Exactly. 37:11 We let Him and the Holy Spirit 37:13 do the work of bringing people to God's truth, 37:18 but if we're demonstrating it through love, 37:22 it will pay dividends. 37:24 And when you have an evangelistic meeting, 37:27 I think you'd be surprised eventually 37:30 how many of those people. 37:32 By the way, I strongly recommend that you work, 37:35 that you either now back of my card for instance, 37:40 I tell people how to watch 3ABN and wherever I go, 37:45 if I'm on a plane, Camille is always telling me, 37:48 one of these days somebody is going to call you 37:53 and say you, you know, you gave me a card. 37:55 The other day I was traveling and went 38:00 into a little quick store the place and the lady was-- 38:05 I saw her reading a spiritual book. 38:07 And so I asked her, I said, "Are you Christian?" 38:11 And she said, "Yes, but I'm discouraged." 38:14 I said, "Why are you discouraged?" 38:17 And then she told me, she said, "We moved to Atlanta 38:20 and one of the big name pastors there, 38:23 we went to his church and then we were so discouraged 38:27 because he built a multimillion dollar home." 38:31 And she said, "With the world, there're so many needs 38:35 the way it is for somebody to build something like this. 38:38 We were discouraged, we left, 38:40 we came back to Florida she said. 38:42 We have this little store now." 38:45 And, but she said "It has really hurt our faith." 38:50 And then she told me about the people 38:53 she bought the store from have ripped them off. 38:56 And so I was able to pray with her for her to forgive. 39:00 She and her husband later with her husband came in, 39:03 we both, prayed with both of them 39:05 that the Lord would heal them, help them to forgive 39:10 because this is something that when God helps us to forgive, 39:15 it helps to clear things up. 39:17 So then I shared 3ABN with them. 39:19 And we do this wherever We're going out 39:22 and I don't know you got them watching 3ABN 39:24 but we shared the different ways 39:26 they can watch on iPad or iPhone or android, 39:31 we're on the app, streaming live at 3ABN, Roku, 39:37 Dish Network 9393, a lot of people watch on dish 39:41 and Cable One, Channel 393, Verizon FiOS: Channel 291. 39:48 People don't realize that they are getting Verizon 39:52 that they can request that if they've Verizon FiOS 39:56 which is the computer, 39:58 their phone and their television, 40:01 they can ask for our channel in free. 40:03 Doesn't cost anything more. 40:05 So we can share this kind of thing with people. 40:07 You start to-- they will start to watch, 40:09 they won't watch it all the time, 40:11 but they will start to watch. 40:12 Many cables of course and then other ways 40:15 that they can watch. 40:16 So if you can begin to get them to do that tie 3ABN in, 40:23 I think you'll see even more. 40:25 Yeah, I'm gonna-- I'm gonna-- 40:26 We can have those instructions out. 40:28 And so but this will, 40:31 is one way to tie these people in, 40:35 so that they can watch at home. 40:38 The demographics of our area is a lot of well to do people. 40:42 Yes. 40:43 You know, which don't feel indeed in many cases. 40:45 No. 40:47 And then the poor people 40:49 and of course of people that supervises. 40:51 The people you saw in that picture originally 40:53 with the 3ABN people. 40:55 Some of those people have 40:57 dedicated their lives to serving. 40:58 Yes. 40:59 One of the young man George 41:01 that I know well was a Peace Corps volunteer, 41:03 you know, and all of these things. 41:05 So we witness to these other people 41:07 that are interested in serving people. 41:09 Right. 41:10 We need to reach the-- so we can reach 41:12 the upper level where we couldn't reach before. 41:15 We can reach the lower level, you need to reach the middle. 41:17 And of course, Heidi was here this week. 41:20 Yeah. She is reaching the middle. 41:22 People are interested in health. 41:23 Yeah. 41:25 They're interested in your cooking programs. 41:26 They're interested in healthful living 41:29 and health messages. 41:31 So we ultimately want to have the God's Grocery Store 41:36 that distributes the product. 41:38 We want to have Heidi's Kitchen in a good restaurant. 41:42 All right. 41:43 And we want to have God's greenhouses. 41:44 Okay. 41:46 We gonna grow the food in God's greenhouses fresh 41:49 and supply to restaurant what it needs, 41:51 sell the rest commercially. 41:53 But then with the leftovers we'll distribute 41:56 because you know, the Bible says 41:57 you don't harvest the corners 41:59 and you don't pick up the drops, 42:01 you leave some for, for the people of need. 42:04 So are you planning a new facility somewhere some place. 42:07 Yeah. We're looking. 42:09 Down the line. 42:10 That we want to now start the greenhouses 42:12 and get them up and running. 42:14 Heidi's doing a great job on her restaurants in cooking. 42:18 And her food is incredibly delicious. 42:20 Oh, yeah. 42:22 In fact, for Christmas, 42:25 we gave everybody that came in as a client, 42:28 a little bag of three sample carubies, offered desserts. 42:33 And people kept coming back and saying, 42:36 how can we get in line for a second? 42:38 You brought those down to camp meeting too in Florida. 42:42 And we really enjoyed them. 42:45 I tell you we had people asking us, 42:47 do you have any one of those left in. 42:49 And so they really did enjoy. And they're healthful. 42:51 They're healthful. 42:52 They're very healthful but it taste very good. 42:55 Yes, you had the gluten free ones, 42:56 you know, she had for me which I appreciated. 42:59 Yeah. 43:00 Well, Heidi's into a plant based. 43:02 You know, vegan diet. Not just vegan but plant based. 43:05 Right. 43:06 My sister Charlotte is into the same things. 43:09 You know, several of the family members are, 43:12 and we wanted to expand this for some time. 43:15 My business with the energy project 43:17 is still been quite busy. 43:19 But I've to stop, I've to taper off that. 43:23 Right, I understand. 43:24 And let the other workers in the company 43:26 and the CEOs, let them do the work. 43:27 Let them work. 43:29 And get this other business going. 43:30 Yeah. So that we can do this. 43:32 And then you can reach the middle level. 43:34 And, you know, something that in many ways 43:37 it can be operated as a non profit business, 43:41 and where it will actually still be based from ministry. 43:46 And it can be very effective thing. 43:49 The first one would be like that, 43:50 it will be a research facility. 43:52 We built a small model of this. 43:55 Chuck Gilbert did in our-- 43:57 in his PhD studies at University of Rhode Island. 44:01 We built a model lab of everything that we-- 44:04 the principles we want to use-- 44:06 Okay. 44:08 But, you know, when Heidi comes to town, 44:11 when Laurie goes over to UConn Med Center. 44:13 A good friend of mine is Dr. Sammy Eulgi, an MD PhD 44:17 from UConn Med Center. 44:18 Right. 44:20 So we know a lot of the people over there. 44:21 All of those people are in excellent health. 44:23 Oh, yes. 44:24 They all want Heidi's products. 44:25 Yeah. Yeah. 44:27 And that's the demand that's out there. 44:30 And that's the way I think we can reach more people, 44:34 and witness to more for the church. 44:36 Well, we're told by Ellen White 44:39 that the health message is the right arm. 44:42 And this has been the focus of Elder Ted Wilson 44:47 is to reach the cities with the health message. 44:50 In fact Heidi was there in New York City 44:52 for that outreach that was that took place there. 44:55 And you've seen the combination of the message, 44:59 preaching message 45:01 and the health messaged tied together. 45:02 Well, listen, tell me any more pictures 45:04 that we're gonna see here or we're just about through. 45:07 Let see. 45:08 This of course is one of the special events 45:10 we have every year is twice the year 45:14 for Thanksgiving and Christmas, 45:16 and that's the turkey distribution. 45:17 Okay. 45:19 We did 750 turkeys. 45:23 We get a little bit larger turnout 45:25 when we get close to the holidays. 45:27 Right. 45:28 And in this year we helped the organizations 45:32 by actually going and helping them get the turkeys. 45:35 Right. In the trucks. 45:36 We rented a truck. 45:38 We rented a truck and we went into Hartford 45:41 and all these businesses came and donated turkeys 45:45 and we put them in the back of the truck 45:47 and deliver them where they needed to go. 45:49 Something that Beverly did and something 45:52 that Laurie does as well. 45:53 These people have to fill out special turkey request form, 45:57 you know, these things here. 45:58 Inevitably somebody either doesn't fill it out right 46:01 or tries to cheat and get two turkeys. 46:05 Yes. 46:06 And that doesn't work for them 46:08 because they gonna get kicked out of the system. 46:09 Yeah. 46:10 We get some extras that we acquire ourselves 46:12 and we get a lot of-- we stack up 46:14 on chicken too before the turkey distribution. 46:17 So that people have something even 46:19 if they try to come to program. 46:21 You get, get them something. 46:23 Well-- 46:25 And we participate in the fund raising for the-- 46:27 for the Foodshare organization. 46:28 Yeah. 46:30 We just did the mock for 100. 46:32 It's a three and half mile walk, 5 K. 46:37 Walk against hunger. 46:38 Right. Yes. 46:39 And I had quite a few volunteers that came 46:41 and participated in that, it was very nice. 46:44 Very enjoyable and it was interesting 46:46 this year because Foodshare doesn't really, 46:49 you have to be very careful when you're talking about God. 46:52 All right. 46:54 Well, listen, if you want to find out 46:57 how you can get in touch with John and Laurie, 47:01 and God's Grocery Store, this is how you can do it. 47:07 If you'd like to know more about this ministry, 47:10 then you can write to God's Grocery Store, 47:13 97 Broad Street, Plainville, Connecticut 06062. 47:18 That's God's Grocery Store, 97 Broad Street, 47:22 Plainville, Connecticut 06062. 47:25 You can call 860-680-6668. 47:30 That's 860-680-6668. 47:35 Or you can email them at ejtsbabe@gmail.com. 47:42 That's ejtsbabe@gmail.com. 47:52 Well, get in touch with them because this is something 47:56 that you may be able to do in your own, own church. 48:00 And get some people working with you. 48:03 They will tell you how to do it. 48:05 How to put all this together. 48:07 I know they've got something's written out 48:09 and some of them we'll share with you verbally, 48:12 but you just get in touch 48:15 because this may open the door to your community 48:19 for your church in a way 48:21 that you've never seen that door open before. 48:26 And I'm excited about some of the things 48:29 we were talking about, 48:31 just off the air here about the future and future plans 48:36 and what I believe that God is gonna do. 48:38 Well, listen, we've got time for another song 48:41 by Jaime Jorge, "Jesus Paid It All." |
Revised 2015-08-06