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Church Grows As Couple Spread Word

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By MAUREA SLEESMAN Hernando Today correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 18, 2008

HUDSON - Members at Nature Coast Family Fellowship come from Spring Hill, Brooksville and points south to worship at this growing nondenominational church. The husband-and-wife pastoral team is overseeing its new local multichurch Angel Food Ministry food outreach, which they give some credit for church growth. But they give most of the credit to the Lord.

"We both feel that God sends us each person," said Pastor Tom Almond. His slightly older wife, Jackie, agreed. "We'll I'm Tom's 'boss' and I'm also wiser by being older, right?" Dutifully, her husband nodded in affirmation.

The couple met in Utica, N.Y., when Tom applied for a job and didn't get a callback. He called the person who interviewed him and she hired him, partly for his tenacity. Since Tom and his new boss became romantic, fraternization caused the two to leave that business and marry in 1991. They eventually followed God's calling to church ministry.

"It was really a big promotion for both of us," Tom said.

The Almonds decided to move near Jackie's brother, and chose New Port Richey for their home base.

"Yay! No more snow to shovel," said the sun-loving preacher.

He did his seminary training at Liberty Bible University in Lynchburg, Va.

When asked of a favorite inspirational book he would recommend besides the Bible, he smiled and shook his head no. He prefers keeping the focus on God's true word and having people attend church in community.

"We have members who come from varying church backgrounds," he said. "We founded this fellowship one year ago, with some faithful friends we met in another church.

"Pastor Richard Brunk has been a minister and professor of religion for some 50 years. He has helped this fellowship in many ways as an adviser and mentor and he has helped me to understand the importance of God's calling and being obedient.

"He and his wife, Charlotte, are advisers for this church. Brother Brunk starts people's involvement each Sunday morning with interaction about Scripture and topical concerns that tie in. He served as a missionary in Honduras, so he is a seasoned pro for the Lord for sure. His son and wife are missionaries in Paraguay."

Via a phone conversation Brunk extended accolades to "young Pastor Tom Almond and his wife, Jackie, for their Christian enthusiasm and heart for loving to help people. In my years of experience it proves again that small churches can offer that personal name-knowing familiarity where members really get to know about each other, where the pastors can keep abreast of individual needs, where prayer becomes so personally targeted."

Jackie Almond attested to the power of prayer and God's help in her overcoming cancer. She said she is "continuing to 'pay back' by helping others who have major health concerns in prayer and personal witness."

Sandy Conignione directs praise and worship and her husband, Dominick, handles the sound media, Tom said.

Art and Jerry Beatty act as treasurers. Art said he is glad the Angel Food Ministry will attract and help people, and he spoke of Almond's excellent sermons.

"He was a little rusty at first but now he has really blossomed out and gives great messages without mincing words. No light, just 'feel-good' messages but right from the Bible. There is a hell, you know. Sometimes you'll squirm in your seat but that's as it should be, too."

The other founders are Marge Lohrman and Shirley Jones.

Jackie Almond is coordinating the local Angel Food Ministry work by taking orders for the various food packages.

"If you eat, you qualify for this food outreach," the Almonds said. Begun in 1994 as a Christian-based program to help unemployed workers at closed textile mills in Georgia, the outreach provides quality food at a much lower cost than the grocery store. There are more than 4,700 nonprofit distribution centers, mostly churches, serving 2.5 million people.

"We take orders every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday noon to 3 p.m.," Jackie Almond said, "except Distribution Day, which is the fourth Saturday each month from 9 a.m. until 10:30."

She said orders must be prepaid by cash or name-designated food stamps.

There are no order limits. Large empty boxes and bins are suggested for pickup ease.

Foods in the popular $30 "Regular Box" package provide more than $60 worth of offerings to feed a family of four for a week. It includes nine pounds of meats: rib-eye steaks, chicken breasts, meatloaf, pork chops and hot dogs. Also, there are eight pounds of vegetables and some pasta, milk, eggs, tortillas and a dessert. Other food packages concentrate on fresh produce, party wings and pizzas, seasonal holidays including gifts, and a new heat-and-serve 10 balanced meals for the "Seniors Box" for $28.

The ministry's Web site, www.angelfoodministries .com, describes the food packages each month, giving recipe and serving tips to add spice.

Fliers for the food outreach have been distributed locally and the response has been good, according to the pastors.
NATURE COAST FAMILY FELLOWSHIP
WHERE: 14832 U.S 19 N, Pasco Center Plaza (southeast of New York Avenue), Hudson

CALL: (727) 271-2078

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