July 2000 Newsletter
SWAT Team for Christ

"I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear."  Jeremiah 22:21

KEEPING THE NOOSE LOOSE

With great joy I can file several reports of VICTORY in the field of legal wrangling in publick ministry. Amarillo, TX tried to tighten the noose on pastor Larry Hickam for publick ministry in a public area designated for a private function but with the right method of legal pressure the city capitulated and wrote him a letter of apology. Terrell Bear is also the proud recipient of a letter of apology nearly one year after his arrest for proper publick ministry from the city of Decorah, IA. Also Dave Harper was successful in reopening the streets of Portsmouth, NH. I was with Bro. Harper as well as his pastor Tom Bard and church on this city’s streets during a warm New England July day. The streets were filled to overflowing with tourists and the sidewalk café’s were bustling. As I preached the police approached and first objected to the volume but then showed me an ordinance which stated that disorderly conduct included a section which stated that if anyone objected to "offensive words" the "violator" was subject to arrest. This was the most blatant, anti-constitutional, communist law in this area that I have ever seen. But a few minutes with a reasonable man (2 Thess. 3:2) which happened to be the city attorney and all things were back to original freedom. Please pray for Pastor Jimmy Hood who has an battle raging against him in Columbus, OH. He has ministered publickly there for 20 years or more and now they want to restrict him from the Capitol building grounds and designated public yet "private" areas of special events. Keep the noose loose in your communities.

30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

It was July 4th fireworks on the river in Jacksonville, Fl. In the year 1970. I had done publick ministry for about two years but it was now time for me to organize my own meeting. I obtained a flatbed truck, a PA system, 5 preachers from Trinity Baptist Church and most of the youth group and we ministered publickly to a captive audience for several hours until the fireworks began. This past month I was able to enjoy this pleasant reflection as we ministered with Fair Haven Baptist church in Manchester, NH at a fireworks show on July 3rd.   We preached in several locations and had several saved. There was a high rise hotel on one side with many patrons hanging out on their verandas so we preached to them from the middle of some RR tracks. This was a perfectly protected area from which we could reach both crowds. We managed to keep things on track this way. Serving the Lord sure does provide a rich treasury of memory. Pr. 10:7 "The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot."

ON THE STREETS

We also ministered on the streets of New Haven, CT with some dear friends, Mike and Barbara Strorm. The Storms traveled with us earlier this year for a couple months and were a blessing. Providence, RI is a fabulous place to preach. A tall statue with steps provides elevation and backdrop for the hundreds waiting on the busses below. I strolled through the six bus shelters in this massive area playing, singing and preaching. Pastor Brian Speroni has done an excellent work in this area for many years. Boston, MA is always a favorite of mine. We had the Zander family with us for several weeks in New England and they joined us this day in Boston. We ministered in the common where Geo. Whitefield, Geo, Truett and many other famous publick ministers of years past have preached. Then we walked up the street a few blocks to an ancient cemetery dating back to 1600’s. Many tourists read the tombstones as I preached about what it might say on theirs. Portland, ME is a great place during a business day. Pastor Bill Darrah joined us for a great preaching time. There seemed to be an abundance of "existentialists" who wanted to argue whether we were all "really, like here, after all man". Saco, ME inhabitants could not pass their main intersection without a mighty witness from our many scripture signs and banners. Farmington, ME reverberated from the shock of so bold a witness in their community. After so many years of complacent unrighteousness, righteousness always shocks a community. Pastor Tim Cronan has trained his small town of Littleton, NH not to bother calling the law when they hear the publick gospel. But it has not come easy, he has been hassled on this for nearly 5 years. We enjoyed a pleasant day of uneventful publick ministry with Bro. Cronan. On the other hand, just down the road in Franconia, NH the police gave a warning to Bro. Zander after telling him he was not breaking any law. This fight is going to be funny. We ended the month in a big way: by ministering with Bro. Mike Veach’s church in New York City…PREEEEEEEEECH.

IN THE CHURCHES

July afforded us the privilege of ministering the following churches. Fair Haven Baptist, Pastor Tom Bard, Manchester, NH., Community Baptist Pastor Brian Speroni, Pascoag, RI., Milford Baptist Pastor Carl Kuhn, Milford, MA, New Testament Bapt, Pastor Bill Darrah, Saco, ME., New Hop Baptist, Pastor Brian Rebert, Farmington, ME., Littleton Bible Baptist, Pastor Tim Cronan, Littleton, NH. and First Bible, Pastor Mike Veach, Staten Is., NY.

ULSTER SWATETTE

It was a joy to have Caroline Richards to spend most of the summer with us traveling through New England. Caroline was just 8 years old when she was in our ministry in Northern Ireland. We had not seen her in over 5 years. She is just as pleasant now at 15 as she was so many years ago.

LAST MINUTE PLANS FOR WEST COAST BLITZ

Just a friendly reminder to make your plans for attending the Blitz and let us know by August 25th.  You have all the info on the flyer you received last month plus it is all on the web site.

We continue to have need of nothing but your prayer...

CONTACT US ANY TIME
Nationwide Voicemail: 800-428-3660
Cell Phone: 530-304-6107
E-mail: gsutek@ix.netcom.com

Preaching the gospel on your streets and around the world,
Gerald Sutek
and the S.W.A.T. Team for Christ
2 Tim. 1:8, Amos 5:10