ProclaimNYC Report
March 2025
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
Pastor Once Again—Pastor’s Meetings Well it feels like old times—in some ways. I’ve attended my first conference wide sectional pastor’s meeting. It’s called multi-ethnic. That’s because there are some (3?) caucasians, but many others from Haiti, Romania, China, Ghana, India (roots), Ukraine, etc. All speak English and minister to congregations widely varying from traditional churches, say, in the south, mid- or northwestern churches where we have served. It took a good hour and a half to get here (less than fifty miles from home) driving at a good clip but traffic is still a factor in metro NYC. I only made one mis-step as I attempted to drive without GPS. In the process of getting back on the freeway I went through a suburban center and lo and behold I saw a street-preacher at about 10 am, holding forth alone on the corner with practically no one around except cars whizzing by. It was cold out but he was dressed for it and had a portable PA system. This is a considerable distance from the population center of NYC.
As I said we had our first in-person meeting. I was greeted and welcomed by the Multi-Ethnic Director and also by the Conference president Dr. Smith. All officers and pastors close by were cordial. We were scattered around a large room sitting at tables, in a large hollow square. We had a meaningful exercise with groups of four focusing on a book of the Bible and summarizing some of the most important parts. Our group chose Daniel with a chief theme being Fidelity.
After some important news and dialogue with the conference leadership team, the group broke for lunch, which proved to be the concluding activity. I had some business to attend to being new in the conference. But before I left, I had by ministerial credentials and had filled out some important papers. All in all it was a profitable first meeting with some of my colleagues in ministry.
Taxes I’ve had to reacquaint myself with tax mechanics at this season. But the Lord has been with us as we are working through it. And He is faithful to have provided all our needs as He promised (Phi. 4:19).
Our Stricken Sister As we’ve reported, “our young sister”, (almost age 18) is approaching two years of incapacitaton from a brain aneurysim. As a church we have maintained a daily prayer vigil for her that meets at least twice a day (typically with 2-5 praying members). I had opportunity to visit her where she resides in St Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Queens, not far from the conference headquarters. Her residence which requires full care is an excellent facility. It is very clean and she has stellar care, not least because her mother is an almost daily watcher. And she is very vigilant. The Hospital is residence for many children and youth who’ve been left by congential or other tragedies in a helpless condition. Some have no one to visit them because they’ve either lost their parents or parents are not visiting them on a regular, if at all, basis. Only Jesus’ Return can solve their dilemma. May it be soon!
Social Media I’m hoping to see our church Manor Road become increasingly proficient in social media. One of our young adults has produced a “short” as they’re called and I’m posting it on my blog post www.ProclaimNYC.org as a preliminary post before we put it on YouTube. Tell me what you think.
Plant Based Cooking Classes We had a very nice response to our cooking classes. The groups were small this time but some very pleasant people including young people attended. One nice aspect about these classes was the interest of the people in the FREE literature table we made available at the conclusion of the last class. We had health and other important pamphlets and books for them. And they took them! We were especially happy to see them take The Great Controversy!
World Conditions The world is broken and continues to fracture. The natural disasters here in America of the last 90 days are remarkable: Fires destroy 16000 structures in Los Angeles. Air crashes one after the other, with varying degrees of tragedy. Storms in unseasonable ways. And now most recently, the earthquakes affecting Myanmar and Thailand. When will it end? My conviction is that it won’t end but rather it will continue and increase in number and intensity. In some respects, we haven’t seen anything yet! (See The Great Controversy 590:0.) And there are other factors developing which call for caution and the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove. May God grant His people His Spirit to guide each of us through these troubling waters, to safety.
Next… Next time I’ll be able to report on our Learn MS Excel Class which happens this coming Sunday. God be with you all! Be faithful and true!
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta
ProclaimNYC.org Report for February 2025
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
I know I say it a lot but…here goes again… Where has the first two months of 2025 gone? It’s a whirl. Personally (see below) and nationally. Events are all pointing to the coming of the Lord Jesus. Soon the Holy Spirit will descend upon His people and the Loud Cry will reach every honest heart. This is our goal.
History. Well for the third time in our experience we are now back into the Seventh-day Adventist ministry (officially). As of February 1, Steve is now the pastor of the Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist church, part of the Greater New York Conference. It’s too long of a story to tell here but circumstances pointed in our direction and well, here we are. It’s a “part-time” position but we are happy to be part of the official team. We’ve always been akin to both aspects of the Lord’s work that we have been part of—self-supporting ministry & the conference ministry. The bottom line for us is reaching the lost here in Staten Island. There are very few places in America like this one, in which there is a mission field with international people, unchurched, unaware of the Third Angel’s Messages, and unready for the crisis looming over the world. We have a work to do here. Manor Road SDA Church is strategically positioned to be a center of influence in this city. It has a highly visible location and has recently invested to refurbish its 80+ year old building, inside and out. May the Lord help us reach the people.
Plans. Last year was busy and this year will be similar. In two weeks we will have a Plant Based Cooking Class with special emphasis on hands on Bread Baking. Then we are scheduling a class on Excel to help those interested in that topic. We’ll have a Health Expo and then in June we are planning an Exploratory Series of three nights to probe for interests in one of the many “neighborhoods” of this borough. There’s tens of thousands packed into these communities, bounded by streets or beach or bluff. We plan a three day series of several sessions per evening. These will introduce the message in this area. Follow up will be personal Bible studies and invitations to our full series in September at the church. We’ll offer a VBS this Summer and will also have a lady’s tea this May.
Weather. The weather this Winter (which is almost over!) has been heavy here, For the first time the temperature and rain/sleet/snow have been pretty heavy. But the sunshine is starting to warm things up and that has been such a blessing!
Finally.
Her name is Zhi and her two beautiful kids are very active. We met her at our Health Expo last October. Since then she has begun bringing her two kids to our Adventurers Club (pre-Pathfinders). More recently she’s been bringing them to Sabbath School and church!!! What can we say, but Praise the Lord! She and her small family are a work in progress and there are hurdles to surmount but we see God working to bring people to the truth!
That’s it for now. More soon! Thank you for your prayers and notes.
Pr Steve and Alberta
Staten Island, NY
ProclaimNYC.org
January 2025
Dear Friends
This month began with 10 Days of Prayer. During that time the nation was hit with savage fires in Southern California. Over 16,000 homes and other structures were destroyed/damaged and dozens of people died. Losing a home to fire is very traumatic. It happened to Steve at the age of eleven. The memories are seared into my mind forever. But this trauma is part of a pattern for our lost and dying world. We, as part of the remnant people of God, have a mission to fulfill (Rev 14:6-12).
In contrast to fire, here in New York, we’ve been contending with a serious winter snow storm and very cold temperatures. It’s beginning to break now, for which we’re grateful. Our Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking was hit dead center by the storm. But there hadn’t been any registrations and so we weren’t terribly surprised when no one appeared, except an elder, to shovel snow! In the future we’ll address the smoking cessation needs one-on-one.
LinesUP We’ve been encouraged by the responses to our LinesUP texting ministry. Its going to over two hundred people (about half of which are not church members). One lady we met a couple of years ago at a mall in New Jersey, not far from here. I mentioned this to her and here’s what she texted last Sunday: “Yes, it is 2 years and I thank God for it. I look forward to every Sunday and getting your messages. They are very inspirational, lifting me up every time and at times fit what I am going through at the moment and will give me insight to my own self. You have been very helpful in ways you cannot imagine. Thank you.” My response was “PTL. Our meeting you that day was a divine appointment.” To which she replied: “Absolutely it was. I wasn’t going to go work that day because it was my wedding anniversary and was feeling down. My husband passed away 30 years ago but that would have been our 48th, for whatever reason I really felt that one. Then you both came in the store and made me feel so much better. The last two anniversaries I think about both of you and I get through it. So I am very thankful and grateful for our meeting.”
Another lady that we met in a doctor’s office waiting room a couple of years ago, to whom we’ve been sending LinesUP also wrote very positively. She and her husband wants to connect with us sometime when they come to NYC. They presently live in Florida but have relatives here.
Another lady whom we met door to door also requested info about our church so she could attend. It may have surprised her when she discovered that our church is Seventh-day Adventist. And it was during a very cold period but we haven’t heard from her since then.
Another lady that gets the text is also meeting with Steve on the phone once a week to review the text and pray together. She is not Christian but is very sympathetic to our work and we hope will be led to accept the Lord Jesus as her Savior.
Esplanade Assisted Living Center Every Sunday we continue to sew seed in this small group of precious people, including one agnostic Jewish lady. Each one is a dear person. Most are Biblically illiterate or I should say were. May God grant them an entrance to His eternal kingdom is our prayer.
Manor Road Prayer Ministry Seven days a week we gather at 6 am for prayer (and, at times, at 6 pm too) for the needs of one individual in particular but also others whose needs come to our attention. We’ve been praying for Berline for 630 days now. She was stricken with a brain aneurysm and is still incapacitated. We pray for her healing but always yield to God’s will. He knows what is best for her. But He has kept her alive all these months and has helped her and her family through many times of difficulty.
Pentecost 2025 We are developing plans for this outreach throughout the year. Our major evangelistic series will be in the Fall (Sept-Oct). But also, other events will include Tech Made Simple (March), Plant Based Cooking (April), Health Expo (May), and Vacation Bible School (July). Then the year will conclude with Seasonal events such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. (We’re even going to invite the community to go caroling with us!) The Manor Road Church is making a huge investment in church pews but it’s long overdue. It will be an enormous step forward in the ambience of the church. We’re also going to be working with an Adventist company to develop Social Media marketing strategies for all of these events. Without the Holy Spirit it’s all in vain. So we pray and work and trust for God to bring the harvest that will endure into the eternal future!
The Staten Island Korean-English Church is also planning outreach for this New Year and has signed up for Pentecost 2025. They are reaching out with Signs literature and community invitation letters.
I think I mentioned this before but encourage your pastor to make plans for Pentecost 2025. There are abundant resources available and the time is right. Now is the time! Tell your pastor that you can be counted on to participate and help out as the Lord guides.
Your friends in Staten Island,
Pr Steve and Alberta
Proclaim Report December 2024
Dear Friends
Where did 2024 go? For that matter where did the first quarter century of the 21st C. go? It seems like just a while ago we were gearing up for Y2K. We preached at midnight on the turn of the calendar that year—and baptized a couple of young people the next morning at church in Portland OR. Where does time go?
Queens Visit Early this month we went to the Queens Korean SDA Church across the city to participate in a multi-church Christmas concert. (It takes about an hour and a half to get there, due to traffic issues.) Because the church is not far from where Berline is living now in St Mary’s Hospital for Children, we had the opportunity to briefly visit her before the concert. Berline has been incapacitated by an aneurysm for over a year and a half. She is in one of the best hospitals for children here in NYC. Her mother vigilantly visits her and oversees much of her care. We prayed with her and shared some encouragement. It is impossible to tell how much she understands but from what we know she realizes to some extent her dilemma. We continue to pray daily for her.
From the hospital we went to a jam-packed Korean Church. We’ve been associating with our Korean brothers and sisters for over five years now. We met some old friends and then had a long ride home through the Bronx and into New Jersey. It was the most efficient route home but it still took longer than an hour because of a traffic accident that delayed us on a bridge for nearly half an hour.
Christmas Concert This year, our annual Christmas Concert went well with a good selection of participants from the church and elsewhere. All who attended seemed to appreciate it. We saw at least two from the community in attendance.
Caroling More memories came back as we joined in Christmas Caroling nearby the church. It was cold but exhilarating when people came to the door and expressed appreciation for the group singing. We also gave them a free wrapped copy of Steps to Christ. I was especially appreciative of the young lady with us who bounded up the stairs to ring the bells and deliver the books! One elderly man came to the door with tears in his eys (someone said) and another lady gave us a contribution (which went into the evangelistic fund)! Memories of my childhood came back of the many evenings we’d go out caroling collecting funds for Ingathering (missions). It’s gone out of style these days for the most part here in the USA but hearts are still prone to open up at this season.
Christmas Cards We felt impressed to share Christmas cards with some of our neighbors: Justin & Brie & family; Donny, Helen & Kelly; Fran & Carl; Kevin & Kelly, Joe & Courtney & family; Jordan & Melissa & family; Joe & Melissa & family; Jo; Joe & Anna; and then some that live a ways off from our immediate neighborhood, but we’ve been walking these streets for years now and have had opportunity to meet people like Joe and Jean & family; Vincetta; Tim & family; Gary & family; John & family; Robert & Daniella & family. And so we prepared a Card with an original poem (see pictures) and put them at their doors. Several responded with cards of their own appreciative words.
Concetta While we were distributing the cards, we walked by a house that has been vacated and is being renovated. I hesitated as I saw a couple of ladies leaving the home and asked them what had happened to the former resident. This home is just around the corner from us. To my amazement, one of the ladies recognized me before I realized who she is. Concetta is well known to us! As it turns out her daughter happens to live nearby. Concetta has attended our Cooking Class and also has come to an event with the Korean SDA Church as she works in a bank nearby.
Anthony Another pleasant surprise was the visit to our Korean-English SDA Church here in Huguenot of one of our neighbors. He came with his girlfriend on a very cold Sabbath morning and remained for Sabbath School as well as the church service. His mother is one of our oldest friends that we have made by walking in the neighborhood!
Esplanade We continue ministering the Word at this assisted living center where the group is small but the affection is large. Last year we had a Christmas program and they served refreshments. This year they forgot (we were just as glad!). But these dear ladies remained afterour annual Christmas presentation on the Birth of Jesus and we shared friendly conversation with them. They come from different backgrounds and one has a Jewish heritage. Roberta, Ilene, Suzie, & Ethel; Dennis was missing.
Christmas Funeral Just a few days before Christmas, the nephew of one our Manor Road members passed away suddenly. Details are sparse but he was working out in a local gym when he died of a sudden heart attack. He was 26 years of age. We were asked to speak at the funeral just a couple of days before Christmas. The venue had many young people as well as family and friends. We spoke to a very attentive, largely, non-Adventist, group about the brevity and fragility of life. We told of the great conflict that is the backdrop to the tragedies of this life. Not all is explained but we know that a day is coming when there will be no more death! We spoke of the serenity of death and how it is like sleep. And we spoke of Jesus’ victory over death and how when He comes the dead will wake up to see the Lord. We read those famous and comforting words from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. I got the impression that these were some new but welcome thoughts to many present. After we concluded, we went around and greeted many of the people. And then remained to hear memories of his friends. He was a much beloved brother and friend to many people!
LinesUP friends A lady I’ll call Mary, texted recently about how she has been blessed by the LinesUP messages she receives each week. As it turned out, that particular day, was exactly 2 years since we met in a doctor’s office waiting area. She and her husband live out of state but still have relatives here. She wants to get together with us next time they are in town. Also, she asked for the links to the services when we preach. We pray that it will bear fruit! It all started with a comment in a doctor’s office waiting room… The power of words!
WD Frazee Memories Believe it or not I think I can trace, what has come to be, the ubiquitious use of the word “Amen?!” with the inflection on the end back to its origin: Eld. Louis Torres. But he did not make it popular without assistance. From Elder Torres it went into the mind of David Asscherick, who was trained in Eld. Torres’ Missionary Institute over 25 years ago in South Dakota and then to the four corners of the Adventist world! But before there was Amen? to elicit a response, in my mind, there was’ ‘What do you say?’ Yes, this seemed to be Elder Frazee’s favorite expression to stir up the people and get audience ‘feedback’. If you listen to his recordings it won’t be long before these words will come out and you almost can’t help but say ‘Amen’!
LinesUP Bible Study Offer This year we offered a free set of It Is Written Bible Study Guides to anyone who’s not had the opportunity to study God’s special, last day message. We had a good response. Even some members want the lessons!
The year 2025 is just hours ahead. It holds promise for great opportunities for outreach. If you have not heard of Pentecost 2025 ask your local Seventh-day Adventist pastor for more information. It’s a bold endeavor on the part of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists to hold some 3000 evangelistic series in 2025. Church leaders at all levels are willing to commit much to this. There is simply no good reason not to reach out this coming year and “proclaim with a loud voice” the imperishable riches of the gospel entrusted to us! God be with you as you say personally and together with church leaders: “I will go!” What do you say?
Thank you for your prayers and interest.
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYC.org
ProclaimNYC.org Report
November 2024
Dear Friends:
As is customary for us, these Fall months scurry by so quickly. It’s probably that way for many of you. Things also seem to come in clusters. Last weekend it was our Thanksgiving program and then the very next day it was attending an evening gathering for an organization dedicated to helping the homeless.
Thanksgiving
Well November was preparing for our International Thanksgiving Dinner. It was successful from the point of view of attracting some of our program participants of the past year and some of the people who seem to come into our sphere of influence from time to time. I’m attaching photos of the event. We preceded the dinner with some of the seasonal patriotic songs such as America the Beautiful, God Bless America, and My Country ‘Tis of Thee. Then we told the Thanksgivng Story of how the Pilgrims came to America in 1620 after enduring many trials and how ‘the earth helped the woman’ through the Native Americans here. It’s a wonderful story of God’s providence in helping this great nation of ours to come into existence ‘for such a time as this’!
We’ve also found a use for the leftover literature at the church, e.g. Gleaner, Journey, Sabbath School Study Guides. We have a Laundromat Route of some 9 or 10 locations around Staten Island. We approach the manager and request permission to leave free Christian literature. And so we “plant” the literature rather than discard it.
WDFrazee Memories
One of Elder Frazee’s fascinating interests was Hepaticas. He made it a habit to walk the trails of the upper part of Wildwood’s campus. And in the Spring of the year, maybe as early as February, he’d be sharing these beautiful and delicate wildflowers with the people of the campus. I can remember how he’d bring a small bouquet bundled in a “vase” made of aluminum foil and then pass it around at the beginning of Vespers to the entire congregation. It was a delightful touch of the Frazee genius that made his ministry so memorable.
LinesUP Replies
LinesUP is a text that we send out each Sunday to over 200 people. It’s designed to encourage people—especially outside of our church to trust in the Lord. And the Lord is so faithful to give us ideas of what to say in that brief communication and what verses to share. Here’s a recent reply that was heartwarming: “Happy Thanksgiving Steve and Alberta. I am very thankful to have you both in my life. You bring so much positivity and happiness to me…Thank you”
Pentecost 2025
If you haven’t heard about this venture, contact your pastor. He knows what it’s about. The North American Division is promoting 3000 evangelistic proclamation initiatives next year. We encourage you to be part of it! More on our participation next time!
Finally, a woman we’d had a part in encouraging, was baptized this month. Our paths crossed in 2022 after we’d held meetings. She wanted us to baptize her but since she lived in Manhattan and for all practical purposes would not be attending here in Staten Island, we encouraged her to connect with a church closer to her. She did. We stayed in touch via LinesUP and finally got the word that her baptism was approaching. I encouraged her to send us a picture. (This is the first time I’d seen her.) Praise the Lord!
God bless you all and thank you for your prayers and support!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Staten Island, NY
ProclaimNYC October Report 2024
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC
October is a special month for us because it was 54 Octobers ago in a small town in southern Oregon and then on a beach in southern California, that God gave Steve a new life. It seems like God has showered us with tokens of His affection for us this month.
Health Expo Our main event, the Health Expo ’24 proved to be successful. Although we’d seen a number of Expos before, we’d never organized one ourselves. It proved to be taxing. We had to get out the materials for the various stations, as you probably know, all based around the eight natural remedies (NEW START). There was advertising and flyer distribution and getting personnel for each station and so on. But the day arrived and the room where we had the event was buzzing like a beehive. (See attached pictures.) We had a good number of visitors and we had opportunity to speak with them about their spiritual walk with God and the importance of spiritual food, the Bible. We gave away a number of Bibles and Steps to Christ. A number of ladies said they would come to church! And praise God they followed through and came!! Even better, they said, “We’ll see you next week!” We pray that that happens. As I write this, it is still unfolding. Well, I was so impressed with the event that I am going to recommend to the church we do it annually or even every six months or so. We’ll see.
Decisions for Baptism A couple of weeks ago, we were impressed to extend an invitation for baptism at church at Manor Road and two people came forward. The older of the two was accompanying a young Peruvian woman with Adventist roots who has recently come to America. We’ve started her on Bible studies and are preparing her for baptism soon. That same day another older woman approached us with a request for re-baptism after a recent health crisis and—well she just believes that she needs it. All of this was very encouraging!
Striking Recently I had been reading and came across a striking Spirit of Prophecy statement, that I don’t believe I’ve ever read. It so impressed me I felt led to share it with a number of friends that live at a distance. The response was immediate and most encouraging.
Conversations. Just this week I received a text from a relative living at a distance from us, opening up for spiritual counsel. That conversation so encouraged us because it indicates that God is at work in the person’s life.
Last Sunday we walked around the block to see the progress on our neighbor’s renovation. And he was out front of his home and we bagan to visit with him. He opened up like never before about his experience in restoring the home after he bought it and other things. He also told us how he and his wife arrived in the US with $15 in his pocket and expecting their first child and he was only 19 years old! But they worked hard and God blessed them for their diligence. We are mingling with the people as those who desire their good. We know many of our neighbors by name. It’s taken five years to get there but we feel that it’s worth it.
Esplanade A couple of Sundays ago I was preaching to the Esplanade group (assisted living home). I am doing a series on Jesus in the Book of Daniel. I spoke of how “Belshazzar…drank wine” (Dan 5:1). You know the story well. But to many of the people we speak with these stories are all new to them. One lady asked me directly at the end of the presentation: “Do you drink wine?” I was happy to tell her that, no I don’t drink. Religion with many here is a formality that has little to do with real day-to-day life. I was blessed when that same lady, a week or so later this month said to me ‘You’re Seventh-day Adventist!” I was so grateful to hear those words from her. Very few among the teeming hundreds of thousands have ever heard of us. What a mission field!
Another blessing the Lord gave us was recently at the Korean/English Church we encouraged the ladies to reach out into the community. We assured them we’d help them and mentor them in this endeavor but that they would have to carry much of the responsibility. They followed through and met with the pastor later the foillowing week and with others about their project the following Sabbath. We’ll get more about that this coming Sabbath.
Toronto Blessing. Chain reaction: Four and half years ago It Is Written initiated Hope Awakens Online evangelistic series. We got on board here in NYC and a lady in Toronto, Can. Attended and was moved to return to Christ and the church and went to a local evangelistic series and was re-baptized! This past Monday evening she shared with us that her two daughters, ages 19 and 17 were baptized last Sabbath! If you follow this chain of love back far enough it reaches to the throne of God Himself. Praise His name for reaching out to each one of us!
And there have been other incidents. Just last Sunday, I was forced to swerve changing lanes when a car came streaking toward us passing on the right side. It was a close call. The driver was going at least 80 miles an hour because in seconds he was lost to view ahead of us. We thank God for His love and constant providential care.
WD Frazee Memories Many years ago I associated closely with Elder Frazee in my work at Wildwood Institute in Georgia. Elder Frazee was a spiritual giant. A true genius, before I even knew what a real genius was. He was a one-of-a-kind preacher that in the simplest ways could rivet your attention with his messages. I suppose he was a pioneer in the tape ministry of the ‘60s and ‘70s and maybe even earlier. In a more personal way, at times he’d have me quote a verse to him and then say ‘That was word for word perfect!’ Another of his personal characteristics was his handkechief. He carried in his back pocket a perfectly folded handkerchief that I saw him use from time to time. After using it he folded it back up and put it back in his pocket. Is that why I carry a folded handkerchief in my back pocket to this day?
Until Next Month, may God be with each and every one of you dear people!
Your friends in New York City!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYC.org September 2024 Report
Dear Friends
Prophecy Odyssey This series of evangelistic meetings is underway currently. Attendance in Manhattan appears to be outstanding. They’re meeting in a hall that has two balconies stacked on each other. The main floor of the hall is well filled as of the fourth night of the series (9/24/24). We’re not going into the city for the meetings as the Manor Road Church elected to live stream the series and invite people to attend. So far we’ve had modest attendance but here that has exceeded expectations! We have four ladies that have come (2 of them 4 for 4) and the other 2/3 and 1 for four.
So far the meetings are going well. The music has been excellent and the messages are vintage Doug Batchelor. Clear, spiritual and moving. I believe Pr Batchelor almost came to tears last evening recounting the death of his son Micah as he shared the love that moved the God of Heaven to voluntarily give His Son for our redemption! It was a moving moment for sure.
These meetings are about half over now and have been a blessing. Attendance has been modest but steady for the most part. One lady has made it to 8 out of 9 of the evening meetings. She wasn’t quite ready to come to church last Sabbath. One lady who has been associated with another well-known non-SDA church and has become concerned over their teachings went with us to one night. Even though the teachings of her church are strange by her own reckoning she couldn’t bring herself to return to another session. But we are still in touch via text.
W D Frazee Memories One interesting feature of my memories of Elder Frazee was his association with Elder Mark Finley. They had become friends after Elder Frazee had preached in Southern New England Conference in the late 60’s or sometime in 1970.
I don’t have all the dates crystal clear except one: September 3, 1971. It was a Friday. And the day before I had ventured forth from the Pacific Northwest to Northwestern Georgia—I’d come to Wildwood. And as it happened, Elder Finley with his wife Teenie and young daughter Deborah had arrived with a moving truck and I helped them unload it and move in to their home-Beechdale- on the Wildwood campus.
Elder Finley had come to work with Elder Frazee as an associate pastor in the Wildwood district of which Elder Frazee was the district leader. Somehow my interest in evangelism and soul-winning opened the way for me to be able to work with Elder Finley.
As it turned out his stay at Wildwood was rather brief. Just three years later in the Fall of 1974, Elder Finley and his family, (now including second daughter Rebekah), moved to Massachusetts to serve as conference evangelist. When they left I was asked to continue on as director of Field Evangelism for Wildwood outreach. This was a three hour period twice a week in the afternoon and took us to Trenton or Tiftonia/St Elmo. For a time I was uncertain about going north with Elder Finley or remaining at Wildwood. As it turned out, it became clear that I was needed most at Wildwood.
Elder Frazee became my mentor in that process. And through the ensuing years I had opportunities to counsel with him and assist him in pastoral experiences, such as funerals, various meetings, and of course in his Friday evening vespers presentations. Eld Frazee’s advancing Parkinson’s Disease made it difficult for him to speak at times and so he’d ask me to read scriptures or quotations during his meetings. The interesting thing is that little did I recognize the privilege I had to associate with both of these giants in Adventism for the few years that we had to work closely. I have enclosed one picture that I have of both Eld Frazee and Eld Finley together. See below.
The Great Controversy, Book Distribution We completed helping distribute over 2,500 copies of The Great Controversy. We have seen God’s hand in this endeavor.
Alberta met a young mother who’s going through turbulence and has since reached out to us via text. I even got one into the hands of one of my neighbors, who promised me he’d read it (or have his wife read it to him). It was curious how that happened. We have a hornet’s/paper wasp nest under contstruction in a tree just down the street that I pointed out to him one morning. This led into a conversation about the wisdom that these little creatures have and how that wisdom must come from the Creator. My friend assured me that he believes in creation. Well that opened the way for me to offer him the book. I told him that God loves him and his family (words like that). There is a sense in this community that ominous times are before us—perhaps already upon us! We saw a yard sign a few days ago which sums it all up—Jesus—Our Only Hope.
Dear friends, the Three Angel’s Messages are designed to give guidance at this very time! A crisis is stealing upon the nations. Now we need personal faith, and a very real experience with God. Nothing else will do to take us through what is just ahead.
Misc. We continue to reach out to the Esplanade group on Sundays. We never fail to be encouraged by their response to the simple Gospel truths we present week by week.
Also, we are preparing for a Health Expo in a few weeks. Every event seems to connect with someone and some times they’re the same ones who’ve come to other occasions. That is what we like. In that way we can be more influential for Christ!
May the Lord Jesus be with you and your family in the closest sense as we come closer to the events just preceding His return.
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Staten Island, NY
PS: Thank you all for your prayers, notes, visits and love.
ProclaimNYC.org Report for August, 2024
Dear Friends
This has been another swift month. Even people not acquainted with our faith notice the swiftness of passing time. Jesus is coming! Soon! Let’s believe it and prepare for it!
A Busy Weekend Here is a look a parts of last Sabbath including the Preparation Day. We’re participating in putting out The Great Controversy. (The church purchased 2700 copies.) Alberta was at home making bread and I went to the church and collected the 100 copies that I was going to distribute. We have a carry-on roller bag that someone gave us and it holds about 25 copies. Then I added 25 more in a bag and so off I go. It takes about an hour or more depending on the type of home concentration we encounter.
On Sabbath morning, after devotions, which, on Sabbath includes reading in Acts (I write out a verse every day in a journal and make comments on it.) Then I read in the gospel of Mark. Then I read two pages in Manuscript Releases vol 14, then I read a paragraph, in the book Fundamentals of Christian Education, then I read in the Psalms and a commentary on it. Then I read two pages in the EGW 1888 Materials, vol 2, then I’m reading and summarizing material from a commentary on Daniel 11, then I translate from a Hebrew Lexicon a verse or portions of it from Daniel 11. Then at 6am we’re part of a prayer line that has been meeting each day for over 15 months. We’re praying for a young lady that is lying in bed, victim of a brain aneurysm. The prayer time has enlarged to include various needs among the Manor Road Church. I pray as I walk in the area. After breakfast we meet with a Korean woman in Long Island via Zoom for a brief time of Bible Study. Then we went to church where Alberta had a health nugget and I preached after giving special music! After church we went to a neighborhood and delivered door to door another 100 Great Controversies.
Then on Sunday, we send out a text message to over 220 people many of whom are not part of our faith—yet! These are people we have met in various circumstances (more on that in a moment). After that we go to the Esplanade for a weekly Bible study with between 5 and 6 precious people. Most are almost completely illiterate on Bible subjects. Lately we’ve been sharing stories of the gospels and miracles of Jesus illustrating them with pictures we’ve taken from freebibleimages.org. Check it out as it is a nice resource for free pictures. Some of course are better than others.
Windsor Walkers This past Sunday, after the Esplanade and some grocery shopping we went to the Silver Lake Park for the 3rd Windsor Walker. The name comes from the side street where the Manor Road Church is located (Manor and Windsor). It was an idea that has some merit but this time no one from the community showed up. Two church members did however and that was encouraging. But the Lord gave us a consolation gift: At the time appointed we approached the entrance to the park and a lady was seated there. We did not recognize her but as we were waiting for owo thers to come, we struck up a conversation with her explaining our ‘walk in the park’ as an outreach from our church, the Manor Road Church. She lit up! And then told us that she grew up in that church!! It just so happened that the two people who decided to come on Sunday, know this lady and she knows them. I was able to get her name and phone number for our LinesUP ministry. And then I asked her which Adventist Church does she attend now? It came out that she is not attending currently. Well that was a providential meeting if ever I have seen it!
Vacation at Valley Forge
A couple of weeks ago we took a day to visit Valley Forge. The country we love and that has been the cradle of the Great Second Advent Movement was not handed to the founding Fathers on a silver platter. There was blood, sweat, tears and a lot of cold weather. Especially at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Over the winter of 1777-1778 the Continental Army under the leadership of General George Washington was just surviving. The British were occupying Philadelphia, just a mere 18 miles away to the southeast. Some 12,000 soldiers were encamped here. They built rude cabins and drilled and prepared for the coming season of battle. Men died here of the diseases that plagued the army. General Von Stueben, a Prussian officer, on the recommendation of Benjamin Franklin arrived at Valley Forge and was soon drilling the men in more sophisticated moves and tactics. One thing I heard about this was that Von Stueben gave orders in the old country and was obeyed without question. Here in the colonies he gave orders and was also obeyed but with this additional fact: the soldiers wanted to know “Why?” My take on this factoid is that Protestantism teaches people to think—for themselves and so this land, in its history has raised up generations of independent, self-motivated individuals who did not wait for things to be handed to them but were determined to live free!
W D Frazee Memories One thing I remember about Eld Frazee was that he practiced what he preached. I saw him get exercise in the dead of winter for example. Early in the morning when I was at Stonecave assisting him in a week of prayer, I saw him in his heavy overcoat walking in the darkness of early morning. He would also walk either to and from the Wildwood Chapel and his home Forest up on the mountain. If you had an appointment to speak with him, frequently it would be done on foot, along a trail, down by the lake or around Haskell Hall.
And so we conclude another episode of our New York City saga. By the way, this next week marks five years since we arrived. As we said, time is swiftly passing. God be with you all!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook Staten Island, New York
ProclaimNYC Report July 2024
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
It has been a HOT month—literally! Definitely the hottest weather we’ve experienced since coming to New York City. Can you believe it? Five years ago this September 2!
Time is racing. The situation in the world is becoming more and more confirmatory of our position on prophecy. Now is the time to proclaim the everlasting good news of Christ’s love and power to save completely.
We’ve been doing house to house literature delivery. We’ve had another Windsor Walker occasion. And we’ve been sending out our LinesUP text every Sunday morning to hundreds of people. Most live here in NYC but some live elsewhere. I want to share some of their responses without divulging names, of course. And we’ve completed a year of services at the Esplanade an assisted living community high-rise here in Staten Island. Finally I’ll share a memory from one of my experiences with the late Elder W D Frazee.
Windsor Walkers These are largely outdoor activities that get people to consider nature and learn some history of Staten Island at the same time. We’ve done Clove Lake Park and now Snug Harbor. We also point out some nature features and especially show off some of the park’s beautiful mature trees. The weather has been a bit warm but we had one community gentleman join us and a family from church. It was warm and there was a Middle Eastern cultural even happening in part of the park to raise money for people in Gaza. Fortunately there was a very nice free museum that we took in as a group. There are a few pictures you’ll like. For me the best part of that was learning that a Mastodon was here in Staten Island. They found its molar here and they have a very lifelike reproduction which we posed by. While I believe there was an “ice age” it’s chronology must post-date the Flood when there were so many changes happening to the weather of the world.
LinesUP It’s such a simple idea but people express appreciation for the encouraging words. For example these come from our latest text: “Hello Pastor Steve, Your devotional speaks volume[s]”; “Thank you very much for your service. It strengthens and inspires”; “Thank you I really needed this today.” “Thank you again, is like you are reading my mind.” “Thank you Pastor Steve This is very much needed”
In this connection I have to tell you of our interaction with the stocking clerk at a local grocery store. Let’s call her Doris. Well we were looking for something like aspirin and the choices were many. So we asked for guidance from Doris as to where a specific product could be found. A bit later after that we went back to Doris who was busily stocking shelves in this large department We went back for more guidance to find a particular item. We thanked her and went on. Later, we stopped and asked a lady customer where we might find toothpaste. (I guess you get it that this is not our regular store.) Well the lady directed us back to that same department where we’d met Doris and so we asked her for the 3rd time for help. By then I’d awakened to offering her a tract which she took. Then boldness happened and I invited her to receive my LinesUP text every Sunday. And she agreed! She said I guess it’s safe enough since your wife is here. We all had a good laugh at that! We have well over 200 people receiving it. Most are not Seventh-day Adventists. Yet!
Esplanade We’ve grown to love the people who come and join our Bible Study on Sundays from 10:30-11AM. We keep it very simple. Right now we’re studying the parables of Jesus and also taking the group through Discover Bible Lessons and reviewing the Question and Answer sheet. We have one lady who really tries and last Sunday got all of her questions right!! PTL. The group has a strong Jewish heritage. But the gospel makes so much sense and the messages we share are so rooted in the truths of the Jewish faith that there is hardly a ripple of dissent. Sometimes there has been but more frequently now the response is “That was a good sermon!” We give and receive from each one a hug after the service. (This month we also “just happened” to meet the sister of one of these ladies at the grocery store nearby. We had a nice visit and hinted that we’d like to take this lady to church on of these days. And she wasn’t against the idea!!)
W D Frazee Memories In the early 80s I had a rare opportunity to travel with Elder Frazee to Atlanta where we were going to attend a stress conference hosted by an old friend of Elder Frazee. We stayed in the same motel room [not in the Hilton where the seminar was being conducted.] and got to visit some of the nearby sites as a diversion. Among my meals was Elder Frazee being a bit self conscious I think when he pulled out his crackers for a light evening meal.
Some of the biggest names in health and nutrition were on hand for this Hans Selye Stress Conference. It must have cost the producer Elder Elman Folkenberg, many thousands of dollars to host these people, such as Dr Karl Menninger, a famous psychiatrist, Buckminster Fuller, Mervyn Hardinge of Loma Linda, Herbert Benson of Harvard, Kenneth Cooper of aerobics fame and others. This was forty years ago and most of these have passed off the scene. Elder Frazee wanted to see if the new health journal that Wildwood was producing, could be utilized by the seminar. Ironically, during the seminar someone who had checked into the hotel leaped to his death by jumping off the balcony of the atrium. To my knowledge he was not attending the seminar (which had some 400 registered guests). Also, it was an occasion where I got stuck in one of the hotel elevators and had to be rescued by staff. Needless to say it was an unforgettable occasion.
God be with you all!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook Staten Island, New York
ProclaimNYC June Report 2024
Dear Friends:
Well the dominant element of this month has been heat. We’ve had lots of it! But, thank the Lord, it didn’t keep us from having our Windsor Walkers first event. A walk in the Clove Lake Park here in Staten Island.
Windsor Walkers is an idea for a mingling type of event. Getting people—ie. New Yorkers— to think about God is not easy. They are protective of their discretionary time and wary of religious events. But…they will come to events of a more middle of the ground sort. Like a guided walk in the park. One of our guests last Sunday was a former guest at earlier seminars. The other guest was new! Praise God that she was able to make it out. We led the group (a total of 16) through on of the most beautiful parks in Staten Island. Many beautiful mature trees dot the landscape. It is also beautifully maintained with mowing, and bridges and waterfalls.
The star attraction for this event was a monumental tulip poplar tree. It’s considered one of, if not the oldest, living things in New York City. It is over 300 years old and tops 108 feet!. It is truly massive for a deciduous tree. (No, it doesn’t begin to contend with the redwoods of southern Oregon or the Sequoia.) But here in NYC this tulip poplar is a massive thing of beauty. We took a picture of the group in front of the tree. (Which will come next month!) Later I saw the tree from a distance and asked someone to take my picture in front of the tree. You get a better perspective on its size in this shot.
As we viewed the trees we pointed out God’s handiwork of beauty in their individuality. And I quoted “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.” 1 Cor 15:41. We also brought in the history of the topography of the park and how it was shaped by a large glacier. Large is an understatement! This helps explain the geography and topography of Staten Island. It was here that the glacier which reached this area some years after the Flood. It pushed the ground forward like a giant earthmover and left a line of hills across the island. It also left large boulders, known as erratics in the area (Central Park has one, and even the Greater New York Conference is located near one!).
There will be two more of these walks this summer.
We are also sending follow up notes each week to our City Gardening Class to encourage them to continue their gardening venture. We include a shot of our garden. It truly is a gem and a jewel! The greens and lettuce have been prolific. Squash—giant leaves and all—have flourished. Our impatiens and pansies are doing pretty well for the hot weather we’ve been having.
“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me’” (MH 143). This well-known statement helps guide us as we seek to come close to the people. We hope and pray that our efforts will be crowned with eternal success.
WD Frazee Memories – 5
Elder Frazee was a person of great wisdom and influence. I heard someone say—and this person at Wildwood to this day—‘That man (referring to WDF) doesn’t open his mouth but wisdom comes out.’ And I saw that as a compliment. He was friends with leaders and I know that the conference president came to his office on at least one occasion. When he spoke people listened. He’s the only person I know of that could give a lecture, lying down, from the loft of the log cabin to the rest of us squeezed in (early 1978) during an embryonic Leadership Retreat. His sermons were taped and duplicated by the thousands and probably tens of thousands. I know of one professor from Southern Adventist University who came over regularly on Friday evenings to hear Elder Frazee preach. Often the Chapel was so packed that the overflow room was opened up. The point is Elder Frazee had something important to say. He was influential because he aligned himself with inspired sources and sought to live them out. May God help each one of us to have that calibre of influence in this drifting world.
Until next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYC Report for April 2024
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
Well this month began with a strong earthquake on Friday, April 5 at 10:20 am. I was sitting at my desk and Alberta was in the kitchen. It began gradually and before I could take it in I was shaking like a leaf, as was the entire house. “What next?” was what came out of my mouth. As it turned out it was a rare earthquake for the New York City metro area. It originated about 40 miles west of us in New Jersey. It did little damage but was a “shot across the collective bow” of this region (it was felt in Philadelphia and on up to Boston).
Birdhouse Seminar That aside, the month was highlighted by our “Build Your Own Birdhouse Seminar.” We got the idea from building a birdhouse earlier in the year from salvaged lumber found in our neighborhood. It’s really a simple idea with the purpose in mind of directing minds to nature and the God of nature. We offer a simple tool to give people a new window into the wonders of nature. Many don’t know about wrens and their beautiful songs. This birdhouse is designed for a small bird, and the hole is only 1 1/8” in diameter. We pre-cut the lumber, which was donated by a member. We pre-drill holes where the guests will then attach the pieces in a particular sequence with screws. Screw-guns were available (as pictures indicate). We had a good response and nearly 20 people showed up to take advantage of this offer. The response was positive. Several guests had been to previous seminars and that was encouraging.
W D Frazee Memories Elder Frazee was very generous. This was demonstrated when Alberta and I were married. We essentially were without financial resources. Elder Frazee gave us $500, even more valuable nearly 50 years ago. He was also generous with books. He gave us an autographed copy of Ransom and Reunion Through the Sanctuary. I still have the copy of A T Jones’ 1895 General Conference Sermons he gave me 40 years ago!
City Gardening Seminar Right now we are preparing to offer a Beginning City Gardening Seminar. (We’ve already had ten people register!) We’ll give e more details next time. This year is packed with different offerings which, so far, are proving to be effective at continuing to develop Manor Road as a center of influence. It is a well-established church at the corner of a highly visible street in Staten Island. God has blessed this church with leaders who desire to hold up the truths of Adventism.
What a surprise! We had some old friends visit us last week and shared a lot of memories and enjoyed the fellowship. Trevor and Colleen Louw from Berrien Springs MI were on an assignment from ASAP Ministries based in Michigan. We shared a meal and wonderful fellowship for a couple of hours.
Well that’s all for now. More to come in the next month. Remember—build on the Rock and though your “house” will shake, it will not fall down! See Matthew 7:24-27.
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
PS: To review the entire ProclaimNYC saga, go to www.ProclaimNYC.org for each monthly post with pictures included. And of course we’re here on Facebook.
ProclaimNYC Report March 2024
Dear Friends
Finding Oats in ShopRite It seemed straightforward: find oats at a good price. We’d wanted a name brand but they were too expensive. We were there examining the store-brand when a fellow that seemed more out of Tennessee (was he an angel?) approached us. Now you have to understand that New Yorkers seldom approach you. Much less speak without being spoken to first. He did both. And told us of a place in the store where we could find that name brand oats at a good price. We thanked him and continued to shop. Eventually we found ourselves in the area he’d pointed out and looking for the oats. And somehow the man found us there again! And the oats are packged in two five pound packages and were for sale at a great price with a very good expiration date! I still don’t know whether the man was an angel or not. What I do know is that God is interested enough in our shopping to help us find a good price for oats!
W D Frazee Memories WDF was a great one for following through on his promises. It taught me an important lesson. When you say you will do something, do it! Eld F., from time to time, would promise to get me a book he’d mentioned or a statement he’d found or something like that. Inevitable it came through. How did he do it? Well he carried a home-made memo book in his hip pocket with the name of the month on it. And he’d jot down the promise he’d made and that is probably one big reason he was able to be so faithful on his promises.
Daniel and Revelation Seminar We concluded a two week+ seminar and the results, while modest are still encouraging. We had one brand new, walk-in person who attended very regularly and even came to church. Another guest was a follow-up from a previous seminar. And one lady is confirmed for baptism (she’d been coming to church already)! She hardly missed a single night of the ten night series. We had double sessions each night and so covered a lot of information. Church members supported the series very well and we had a full session the closing night of the meetings. It was done old-Revelation Seminar style with tables and chairs, and notebooks. It was much more informal and gave everyone an opportunity to ask questions.
Contacts Recently we made acquaintance with a lady in a hospital. We’ll call her Olga. She is from an Eastern European country and still speaks with a heavy accent—even though she’s lived here in NYC for fifty years! She called and asked us to come over and bless her home. She’s lonely. We visited her home and found her to be very pleasant. We are sending her our LinesUP text and just realized that she’s not able to read it in English. So have decided to translate it and send it in her native language!
Another lady we recently met in a hospital also responded to our weekly text. She had awakened just the day before to find her husband had not awakened! We reached out to her and offered condolences for which she expressed appreciation.
Another situation arose from the hospitalization of someone attending our Sunday morning Bible Studies at Esplanade, an assisted living center here. When I visited him I made the acquaintance of his sister-in-law. I was struck with the affection she showed to her sister’s husband. To my shock the man passed away some days later. The sisters contacted me to help with the funeral. The man was a Christian and had made arrangements long before we’d met him to have this pastor conduct his service. But I was able to make some remarks and gently affirm that he is resting until Jesus returns! I was able to meet many non-Adventists and family members of this large and tightly bonded family. It all started with stopping in to share tracts at the Esplanade. I wish you could see the ladies (two of which are Jewish) who regularly attend those studies. They are hearing the gospel for the first time. And the Jewish lady says, ‘maybe at some point in the future, she’ll think differently but for now she’s not a believer. But she agrees that Jesus was a good person!
Build Your Own Birdhouse Seminar Here’s an original. We built one and then as we pondered the new year and what to do, there it was. Will people come? We’ve gotten four so far from the community and others from the church. I’ll give you a report next time! And that’s a promise!!
God be with you as you seek to influence people around you with all you have.
Your friends in Staten Island (New York City)
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Proclaim NYC.org
Report February 2024
Of course February has always been special. Forty-seven Februarys past, the 6th of the month, 1977 to be precise is when Alberta and I were married. It was a crisp and clear, Spring-like day that year. As Alberta puts it we walked down the aisle unmarried and left never to be the same!
Well here we are spending our sunset years in New York City. We have been busy this month. First of all getting ready for the Breadmaking and Plant Based Cooking Classes and also preparing for our Daniel and Revelation Seminar coming early next month.
Yes, we have a lot going on. (The Manor Road Church has embraced a year long outreach strategy. It involves some innovative ideas which we’ll share next month.) Not to mention, our on-going participation in a prayer line seven mornings a week—offering special prayer for our 16 year old sister Berline. With divine intervention—sooner or later—this committed young lady will walk and interact again! Of this we are certain. If it’s God’s will for her to do it sooner rather than later we are grateful to commit her into His hands!
We had a good session with the Breadmaking and Plant Based Cooking Classes. We were especially happy to see new faces demonstrating recipes! We’re including pictures. And they pretty much say it all. It was a good sized group that signed up and about half of them showed up. But we are grateful for each and every precious person God has sent our way.
We’re also sharing a brief mini-series with the young people at the Staten Island Korean Church on the book of Daniel: Meet Jesus in Daniel.
WDFrazee Memories These are brief snapshot incidents that I can recall of my interaction with one of the great men that I have had the privilege of being associated with. Elder F was of course a minister and evangelist who was well into his 60s when this took place c 1971-72.
There was a colorful and original character visiting Wildwood at the time by the name of Elder Ben Glanzer. In his earlier years he had been a singing evangelist and was part of the Voice of Prophecy Quartet, the King’s Heralds for a time. I’m putting his picture here and if you google his name on youtube you will find a beautiful rendition of the Holy City. Well Elder Glanzer was in attendance the Friday night Elder Frazee was preaching on Justification. And when he was right in the midst of a thought emphasizing Grace, all of a sudden, Elder Glanzer commenced to sing out with his powerful tenor voice: “Grace, Grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within…” I never asked Eld F about it but his only reply at the end of the short musical interlude was “Thank God.” And he resumed preaching. That was an extremely rare expression of spontaneity at Wildwood.
That’s all for now. Your prayers make a difference and we need that difference as we reach out with Bible truth in the coming weeks.
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYCorg Monthly Report December 2023
Dear Friends
What a year this has been—tragedy, trauma have stalked our land and the world. But through it all we have this hope, the return of our Saviour is drawing near. Events on the horizon are ominous, but the gospel of the Third Angel’s Message is Luminous with guidance and assurance that we are on the Lord’s side in this conflict of the ages.
One event we’d been looking forward to was “Hark the Herald Angel” a Christmas program at Manor Road which proved to be well received. I’m putting a photo of a family that came and thoroughly enjoyed it.What is remarkable about these people is that they have now come to several events—as a family! And it’s great to see a family that is as close as this one. We had a pretty full house upstairs and in the Fellowship Hall afterwards.
The next day we also took our message and music to the people at the Esplanade and served us Carols and Cookies! You may remember we did this at St Elmo for a number of years. Well we served it up to a modestly sizeable group (for the Esplanade). And we brought home enough cookies that I’ve been “working” on for a couple of weeks now! (I restricted myself to one a day. Or every other day.)
One of the regulars at the Esplanade was in the hospital and I had occasion to visit with him. Providentially I met his sister-in-law, whose sister, the man’s wife, is one of our regulars at the Esplanade. I’ve also met via the phone her other sister. These are a very devoted extended family. To my shock, they contacted me a few days ago to let me know that the man had passed away! I knew that he had serious health issues but none of them seemed to be that serious.
Well it has proven to be an opportunity to get acquainted with the entire family as I had a part in the funeral service this week. I got to meet many family members and share a few thoughts during the service, as tactfully as I could, about the truth concerning those who have passed away. I pray that God will bring those seeds to fruition
Speaking of seeds, our literature work continues to put relevant material in the hands of thousands of folk throughout the area. This year we (my wife and I and others in the Manor Road Church) put out over 30,000 pieces of literature and invitations to health events.
WDFrazee Memories December. 2023
Elder Frazee was a rare person of principle and the practice of his faith. On one occasion he was walking down to the Wildwood Chapel from Haskell Hall (in those days, early 1970s). As he went I joined him and and began to describe something I’d seen that concerned me at an institution I’d visited recently. He said, somewhat abruptly, “Yes, but don’t talk about it.” There is strong counsel in the Testimonies against criticizing others. Elder Frazee backed that up by practice.
Well that is all for now. Tonight we start our Ten Days of Prayer online. May God be with you all in this momentous year unfolding now!
Your friends & fellow workers in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
PS: Happy and Blessed New Year!
ProclaimNYC.org
Report for November 2023
Dear Friends:
This month, to no surprise, has gone by very quickly. Unfortunately, Steve had to spend a good part of it under the weather. It was some kind of virus, that is making the rounds. Nevertheless, we were able to preach at Staten Island Korean SDA Church but had to miss the Esplanade on Sunday morning because they are very particular about allowing people in who are not well. Which we can certainly understand!
We’re getting ready for two Christmas programs—one at Manor Road SDA Church and the other at the Esplanade. We’ve put up banners for the Church program (Photo attached).
While I had the time I made a wren-house (photo attached) and it gave me an idea for an outreach project—helping people make a birdhouse for the Spring season. It would be great to get people outside or at least looking outside and watch the new wrens! What do you think?
Recently we were delivering pamphlets and a couple of kids were on tricycles and were following Steve. “What is this?” they asked, as they held up the pamphlet. I explained to them that in the last book of the Bible God has a special message to tell people of His love and help them be ready for the coming of Jesus! “Can I have one?” Both the little boy and girl wanted a pamphlet. Of course I shared it. Their looks of utter innocence touched me. O that we might find seekers, with that spirit!
I went into a bank to make a deposit and was speaking with the teller about her name, which turned out to be Arabic (I guessed correctly) but she is from Bangladesh. As we were chatting I noticed the teller a couple of windows down and she looked familiar. Then I went over and asked her: “Are you Nancy?” “Yes!” she said. And we were able to renew our acquaintance. She was one of our first contacts in the pre-covid era. Anyway I was able to update her contact information. It was providential that I saw her, because I’ve never been in that branch.
Total literature distributed in November 2023: 2529. I’ve described this before but in case you missed it. We each take a packet or two of the Signs tracts entitled “God’s Last Message” and walking on either side of the street proceed to leave the pamphlets in a secure location at each home. This we have discovered is often at the mailbox. NOT IN the mailbox. But tucked by the flag of the mailbox. We’ve done this because of physical limitations. Putting out many pieces of literature in this way is fairly simple. May the Lord bless each seed to spring up and bear fruit for eternity! (See attached photo for a sample of things we see in neighborhoods.)
W D Frazee Memories: Elder Frazee loved to pray.He strongly advocated prayer bands (7T 21) and whenever we met on campus or began a walk, he would have us pause at some point to kneel down and pray. For me it was in the basement of Haskell Hall, Near the junction of the Girls Dormitory and the Lake in the woods there, are two places I remember praying together with WDF. He had habits, like we all do and one of his was when I was praying he would take out his handkerchief, (he always carried a neatly folded handkerchief in his pocket) and would blow his knose! I have to admit that I had to concentrate but this act uncosciously riveted the occasion in my mind!
Well, that’s all for this month! Thank you for your prayers on our behalf in this city mission. More to come!
Pr Steve & Alberta Cook Staten Island, NY
Report for October 2023
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
What a year this has become! Strife, turmoil, and tragedy are all around us. Surely we are nearing the end of all things. But our prayer is that the Lord hold the winds of strife until the work is finished. So we labor on—hunting for the lost sheep until the last one is found and brought to safety!
In addition to literature ministry, which usually involves delivering pamphlets to people’s doors and to businesses we hold online meetings three nights a week, beside additional meetings with individuals at other times. We’ve been reading the Spirit of Prophecy for nearly a couple of years now with groups. We’ve completed Patriarchs and Prophets and Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1. Recently we’ve felt impressed to study the testimonies. And the Lord led Sr White to write in 1907: “I am instructed to say to our churches, Study the Testimonies.” 3SM 358. What does that little word “study” mean? I’ve put together some points on that which I’m posting here in a picture. So we’re working towards it with our Testimonies study group.
We’ve been blessed in the “city garden” we’re growing here. Collards and cucumbers. It has saved us quite a lot. Food is expensive here (as it must be elsewhere)! We harvest c 75 cucumbers from our modest patch and the collards are still going. But this week the weather is starting to change toward winter.
We concluded three months of Sunday services in the Esplanade last Sunday. We have developed a nice friendship with the people there and hope to have a Christmas program there in December. There were five people there. The group is pretty much Biblically illiterate. So we’re working through the stories of Scripture and it is always encouraging to see their interest. And we have several of Jewish heritage. Two of those have become Christians sometime in the past. Another lady is Jewish but not devout. She too appreciates the presentations.
Our major outreach this month was our cooking classes. We had an outstanding response to the advertising. We had so many people sign up that we thought we’d have to have an overflow room. Of course, some didn’t come at the last minute. But it was a nice size group. Unfortunately, there was a verbal altercation right near the beginning between two guests. It was almost like the enemy threw a ‘verbal hand-grenade’ into the room. Near the front a lady was talking on her phone. A lady in front of her on the front row asked her to be quiet. Then the lady complained about that lady out loud to my wife who was giving (trying to give) a lecture! She was complaining about the lady on the front row who had her hand on the man beside her (it was her husband!) Does this sound absurd? Of course, it does! So the lady on the front row got up with her husband and left! Then a couple others did likewise. It was only by the grace of God that we pressed on.
At any rate we concluded the classes and many want to come to more of them! A lady said she would come to church. Here story illustrates the international nature of this place. Her son was sent home to Africa from America some years ago and ended up living on the street. He was befriended by Adventists and eventually joined the church! Since then, he tells his mother to come to the Adventist Church. So finally, she saw the classes and came to both of them and said she would visit the church service. But that is still pending!
The following note just arrived yesterday. It’s a voicemail transcription from one of the guests at our cooking classes and I include it here to give you some idea of the impact of this health ministry in the life of one lady. We found her words very encouraging.
“Hi Pastor Cook and Alberta. This is ______ ______. I didn’t get a chance to call before this but I wanted to thank Alberta so very much for her wonderful, um showing of how to make the wondaful protein foods that is plant based and also all the work that she put in to cooking it for everyone to taste. It was absolutely delicious. And I have the recipes. When I get ingredients, perhaps it will be something that I can work on doing. OK, thank you so much. I’m looking forward to the Christmas celebration! Thank you and be well!”
Well before we go, let me share another WD Frazee Memory. Elder Frazee was a habitual walker. And because he lived up on the mountain above the Wildwood campus he would often walk to the Chapel or Haskell Hall for meetings. On one occasion when I accompanied WDF to Stonecave Academy to assist him in a week of prayer, I recall early one morning in pitch darkness seeing him in his woolen overcoat briskly tromping over the campus. His habit is a good example for all of us!
The future for all of us may be filled with uncertainty in the near term. But thank God it is not uncertain with regard to our not-too-distant future. Jesus, our Redeemer and King is soon to come, streaming down the corridors of the sky with the finishing touch of immortality for all those who love His appearing. Maranatha!
Pr Steve and Alberta
Staten Island, NYD
ProclaimNYC Report
September 29, 2023
Dear Friends:
The Esplanade is a luxury assisted living residence here in Staten Island. For two months now we’ve been sharing every Sunday with the guests who come to our session. Attendance has been modest. But we’ve had a total of between 8-10 altogether. Typically we have 3-4 people. But we see progress. One Jewish lady who repeatedly affirms she’s not a believer, was in awe recently when we shared about the love of God for each one of us personally. And how He sent His Son to take our place. What love! And she responded very positively. We don’t push controversial topics but are sharing the Book of Daniel. We get the impression that most of them have never heard anything like this!
– March for Freedom
Recently we participated in anchoring a march for freedom sponsored by the Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church. It begins at a park some blocks from another park and proceeds through a neighborhood. A drumcorps brought in from sister-churches in Brooklyn highlights the march. People come out of their homes to watch and listen. Literature is passed out and flyers advertising our upcoming Cooking Classes were also given out.
Alberta and I were at the destination park in Tompinsville, a mile or two from the point of origin. Typically a police escort is arranged and so everything moves smoothly. While in the park, we passed out literature and flyers for the cooking classes. I also got to use my Spanish and conversed with some men from Oaxaca, Mexico. They are quite amazed that I can speak as fluently as I can. Invariably I tell them that it’s the gift of tongues that the Lord gave me so many years ago (1978-1980!).
W D Frazee Memories.
Memories of W. D. Frazee
For some time I have been thinking about writing out some of the memories of one of my mentors, W. D. Frazee. He had a special influence on me that continues to this day. Here are some glimpses that I had of this special worker for God.
Nol.1 How I met Elder Frazee, (btw, he frequently expressed a preference for being called Brother Frazee. Because, he would point out, ‘We are running a lay program here.’ But elder was too deep and respect for the man overrode his request. I rarely heard anyone refer to him as brother Frazee. I knew him from 1971-1996 the year of his death. Some of the years we were in closer proximity than others, especially since my wife Alberta and I left Wildwood in 1985. But our paths continued to cross even after that.
My very first distinct memory of Elder Frazee was seeing him enter the platform at the Wildwood Chapel on Friday evening, September 3, 1971. It was his suit color that struck me. It was dark and since the Testimonies advocated dark colors for ministers I could immediately see how he lined up!
The Chapel was packed for that vesper service. A new minister had arrived atWildwood the day before, (the same day I had arrived). That minister was Mark Finley. Well that same evening after the service I expressed some misgivings to Elder Frazee about my future at Wildwood. His answer, while brief, was right to the point and I recall it clearly. He quoted a verse from Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord shall guide thee continually.” It was indeed a good first impression!
-Alberta found $9!
This is the second time that we’ve found money—significant money—on the street! This time it was Alberta. Just a block away, there it was $9 in one dollar bills lying on the street. No one was nearby. There’s no telling how it got there. You many remember that some years ago we found over $8 in coins on the street.
We continue to distribute literature like the leaves of autumn. Recently, one lady was walking down her sidewalk just as I approached her home. She said I was ‘right on time’. And did I have the winning lottery numbers? I told her it was something much better. I expressed my desire that she live forever! Her unexpected, and uncommon, friendliness will not be soon forgotten.
Breadmaking Cooking Class, Oct 15, 22, 2023
Once again we’re gearing up to welcome new people to our church for a Breadmaking & Cooking Class. We’ve been working on recipes, flyers to the community, and banners on the church building. We have some community friends that have been asking when we plan to have another class.
This month we begin our 5th year in NYC!
It’s hard to believe but this month marks the beginning of our fifth year in New York City. We pray that it will a fruitful year!
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
PS: Pictures attached
ProclaimNYC.org Report for August 2023
New York City
August 31, 2023
Dear Friends Near and Far
A day recently was special in four ways. First, we’d met our old neighborhood friend the day before and she told us her son had completed the book we’d given him. And because he is leaving for college, we needed to provide another book, which we are most happy to do!
So, we wrote in The Great Controversy and went to his home a street over from us. When he came to the door he was very receptive. This was the first time we’d met face to face. We were quite impressed with his spirit. He gratefully accepted the book and shared how he’d been blessed by the other book Messiah (an adaptation of The Desire of Ages). From there we got no further than his next door neighbor with whom we stopped to talk. He had shared some old furniture with us a few months ago and we talked a bit with him.
From there we continued on our walk and then saw a lady pushing a baby carriage. (She is a nanny.) Well Alberta knows her and so we crossed the street to say hello. She’s a native of Kazakhstan and of course, you may recall that we have been to her native land years ago on a mission trip. The upshot of that brief conversation yesterday was that she wants to stay in touch and offered her phone number! That is rare; it’s usually the other way around.
From there we continued on our walk and met the mother of the young man out walking her dog. She was out when we first stopped by to deliver the book. She said her son had already texted her to let her know we’d stopped by. She is so proud of him and should be. He’s a spiritual young man and seems to be a seeker. And his mother is too, in her own way. But she’s deeply embedded in her religious tradition. The young man, not so much.
Later that evening we attended Vacation Bible School which runs this week. It has attracted a number of people, some very young and age-appropriate for VBS. One young man came with his mother the first night and let it be known that he’s seeking to re-connect with God and become stronger in his faith. Well, last night he approached me and wants to study the Bible. He doesn’t have an experience in regular Bible study. Well we’re scheduled to begin next Monday.
All of this happened in one day. May God grant us more divine appointments!
And He did on last Sabbath. It started with a text. ‘[husband] in hospital can you come here to pray” And so we went. Well as soon as we got in the door their son was hostile, but we weren’t sure to whom or why. The mother was panicky about her son (he’s well advanced into middle age). Shortly he asked me if I could go and pick up his father at a nearby hospital. So I left Alberta with the mother and when I returned with the father things had calmed down considerably. The father had passed a kidney stone (which he had in plastic jar). And now things were much calmer at home too. The mother was sitting on her couch clinging to Alberta. And still calming down. The son was in his room nearby and I thought he would remain there but for some reason he was intrigued and came out and sat down beside me in their cozy front room. The upshot was he talked and shared some of his frustrations—particularly with politicians and preachers out for money. Another text came today: “Did the laundry.” This from someone who is a somewhat incapacitated. But she’s doing better now! Praise God for these encouraging developments.
Finally it seemed as if the time was right to leave and so we gathered for prayer. And so we joined hands, including the son and I prayed. (I don’t think it would be overstating it so say that this is perhaps the first time they’d experienced a family prayer with a pastor in a long time!) When we concluded the son’s comment was, ‘That was a good prayer.’ Well, God blessed the prayer because his mother texted me the next day to say that we’d restored her son’s confidence in pastors! Praise the Lord!
We’ve now completed one month of Bible studies at the Esplanade, an assisted living center here. We had three ladies attend our Simple Daniel Studies. One of them is Jewish and she likes the fellowship. It’s a beautful facility and they advertise our meeting. But it’s predominately the prevailing faith group of Staten Island so many choose not to attend. But we have been blessed to go through this open door which brings us into contact with staff and residents as well.
Such is the work of mingling, sympathizing, ministering, winning confidence—and then… Well we certainly anticipate that coming soon!
Gardening in the city. Yes, if you have a patch of ground that is available you can grow vegetables in the city. We did it with a grow box and some poles. Netting/screens was given to us which came in handy to limit cabbage moth damage. We started the last week in April with the collard seeds and the first week in May with the cucumber seeds. It seems like we’ve been eating from the collard patch all summer! And the cucumbers have proliferated. I’d vigilantly search the cuke patch but invariably I’d be shocked by one that would escape notice. It’s like playing hide and seek and they didn’t always win but sometimes they did and got fat. They were bigger than we like. But we’ve harvested 71 cucumbers and put up 35 pints of lemon juice pickles. Steve likes pickles on sandwiches. We haven’t kept close track of the collard harvest but we’ve had several pickings each week for about two months. We’ll estimate the total for tithing purposes. God has blessed our ‘city garden’. I’ve attached a picture of a portion of the pickle harvest.
God be with you. Remember us in your prayers!
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta
Proclaim Report July 2023
Dear Friends and Fellow-Workers
We greet you from the sweltering neighborhoods and communities of the Metro New York City area. We have seen some torrential rain but upstate New York/Pennsylvania has been hard hit. It was described as a “one-in-a-thousand year-storm”. Vermont was also devastated. Here as we said, we have seen some heavy rain—on one day, so much that it drove us off the streets and as we began to drive home we entered a street only to find that we were on an off-ramp going the wrong way! Thank God, we got turned around soon enough to avoid a collision. The rain was coming so furiously that we couldn’t see properly.
We have also been hung up because of physical limitations. I think we mentioned last time that Steve’s knee has been bothering and to rest it we just didn’t go out for a week or so. And now it’s improving but not to the point that we go up the many stairs here. So lately we have been leaving pamphlets and cards at the doors of people. We still see some people. Yesterday an older but active gentleman followed me and I returned to his yard and the conversation resulted in me offering to pray with him for his sister in law. He happened to be on the phone with his wife and he handed me the phone so I explained to her. She said ‘But we are catholic!’ and I said it doesn’t matter, we pray to the same God! And so I prayed for her sister!
We have initiated Mid-week Bible studies and have had two of our Bread Making Class come and they seem to enjoy it. They are from the prevailing religion here and do not have a strong Bible background. So much of what we share is somewhat new to them.
We also are interacting with a lady who claims to be having harassment from spiritual forces.
We are meeting by Zoom with a lady who is also very limited in her knowledge of English and of the Bible. But she seems hungry for Bible knowledge.
And of course we continue to pray for our sister Berline who has now been stricken for 88 days! We visited her hospital room this past Sabbath. Her mother is vigilantly staying by her side.
Praise God, our cucumber and collard green patch is doing well, in spite of cabbage moths. We eat the greens and fresh cucumbers and also can them as lemon-juice pickles. So far we have 19 pints put up. (From a total of c 11 lbs. of cucumbers!)
Just yesterday as we distributed literature, we entered a high-rise assisted living building. There was pretty tight access restrictions (which are good for the residents). I spoke with the lady at the desk and the upshot is they took some literature to make available to the residents and as a result of our conversation we’ll be able to have a Bible study for the guests (who want to attend) on Sunday mornings! That’s coming this Sunday (Aug. 6).
We officiated at a wedding vows renewal service for some members at a country club here. They said that there were 350 guests coming and so it proved to be so. Most were non Adventists as the wife is the only Adventist in her family. We were able to briefly speak with some neighbors of the ‘groom’ and get a little acquainted. Steve also ‘preached’ a 30 second sermon to one of the photographers who appeared to be open while preparing for the start of the ceremonies. It was an occasion to be remembered.
This is an unusual summer. Very warm. And events keep coming that indicate we need to be ready for the Latter Rain. Read the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. Determine to have on the wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness. Love people and forgive them; someway spread the Three Angel’s Messages as far as possible. Embrace health reform and share it with others. Ultimately daily hide your life, with all it’s deficiencies in Jesus. Bring all your issues to Him and accept His love and His promise to do more for you than you can ask or think!
We are sending this a bit later than the end of the month. We took a vacation to Cape May, New Jersey, with a side-trip to Philadelphia on the way home. Something interesting happened the day we arrived in Rio Grande, NJ. We went to Walmart and as we were checking out a woman with a small child asked my wife “Are you Seventh-day Adventists?” Now that is a complimentary question if I have ever heard it! She too is SDA and is a respiratory therapist living in the community. She noticed how clean we look. Praise the Lord!
May God be with you and until next time please remember us in prayer!
Pr Steve and Alberta
PS: I’ve added some shots from our vacation.
proclaimNYC.org
Proclaim NYC.org June 30, 2023
Dear Friends,
We’re just hours from the midway point in 2023! Time is accelerating—at least here it is! And we suspect it’s the same everywhere.
Just yesterday, last evening to be precise, we saw a good development. Two ladies from our cooking class came to our LinesUP Bible Study at the Staten Island Korean SDA Church. This is where they’d come to the cooking class. But I have to back up a bit. Near the beginning of this month, these two ladies and a friend of theirs agreed to come on a church outing to Tallman State Park about an hour north of NYC. We had a nice picnic and saw the Korean churches of the Greater New York Conference meet for a day of athletic activities. The guests had a very good time. While there we went for a walk and got to talk with them about spiritual things. We discovered that one of them is quite interested in studying the Bible.
As a result we invited them to a group study and all two of them politely declined and the one who’d shown interest said she was unable to come because of ill health. So we persevered and tried again the next week (this week). This time the lady with the interest came andt brought her friend. The Korean pastor and another member were also there and the Lord blessed us with a good response from our two guests. And so, in the process of the departure, someone invited them to church and it appears that they will come this Sabbath!
I’ve said all that to say, don’t give up in approaching your community friends. Pray for wisdom and venture to ask them to come to a Bible Study!
Also, near the beginning of the month we were invited to attend a gathering of community leaders in Project Hospitality. One of our Adventist friends was being honored for her activities in recruiting and helping minister to needy people in Staten Island. It was a blessing to hear more about her story and the stories of other people who are active in sharing their blessings with people in need. Some pictures were taken at this event which we’re posting here.
Speaking of needs. We are in Day 53 of the crisis for Berline, a 15 year old girl we baptized last year. She experienced a brain aneurysm and has been in a coma/semi-coma state ever since. Her progress has been slow. She was just moved day before yesterday to another hospital, her fourth now since this happened to her. Her church family have rallied to support her with prayer three times per day. The Lord has spared her life thus far and we continue to pray, that according to God’s will, He completely restore this young lady. She was active in Pathfinders and is part of an active family in the Adventist Community here. Needless to say as this has developed the way it has our faith has been stretched. We trust the Lord and everyone has been faithful to pray with submission to His will. We still pray for complete restoration. And we rest in God’s infinite love and wisdom.
We’ve experienced something of a setback in our work here. Steve’s left patella (AKA kneebone) is crying out for relief. We have gone up and down literally thousands of stairs and it’s finally come to the point where this type of mission work will be more limited. As of now we continue to distribute tracts but we are not going up stairs and are leaving them in a conspicuous place at their porch or something like that. At any rate, Steve’s knee is showing signs of wearing out. We’re seeking appropriate medical care for it. Thank you all for your prayers and notes. God is the Proprietor of our Future.
Ending on a more positive note, we are happy to say that our City Garden is doing well! We’ve eaten collard greens and the cucumber patch is proliferating. At 40 days we spotted our first tendril and now there are unnumbered tendrils and numerous blossoms. More about this next time! See pictures posted here.
Your prayers and notes are greatly appreciated.
May God be with you until next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Staten Island, NY
ProclaimNYC REPORT May 2023
Dear Friends,
May has been marked by crisis in one of the churches we serve. A sixteen year old girl was stricken with a brain aneurysm in the early morning, three weeks ago. Since then she has been fighting for her life in the neuro-intensive care units of two hospitals here. But the church has rallied to support her and her family with prayer, in person and via zoom, three times a day, seven days a week. She is responding to treatment but in slow steps. But praise the Lord, she is still with us and we hope and pray for a complete recovery, God willing!
On a much smaller level is Steve’s knee. After climbing so many stairs to get to the doors of Staten Islanders, his knee is complaining! Hopefully it will respond to rest. We’ll find another way to complete the literature delivery. So we’ve been resting his knee for about a week now. But for the last two days we’ve been out again but severely limiting the stairs.
Our cooking class went well in SIKor (Staten Island Korean SDA Church). And comments were encouraging from the guests. (See below.) They want to continue attending events we have there. And so we invited them to a church Sunday, fellowship outing in a park upstate from here. And we know of three that are planning to come!
Uplifting remarks: About the cooking class: ‘You’ll never know what this means to me!” About the LinesUP text message: “I do appreciate receiving this message more than my words can surely express.” All we can say is THEY don’t know what it means to us to hear these kinds of words.
This latest area where we have been working has been notoriously difficult in certain ways. Not necessarily physically, although the stairs are a constant challenge. But at times vileness comes out of the people who do not appreciate what we are trying to accomplish. But we press on believing that at the “end of the day” we will see “sheaves” for our efforts.
One incident that I will relate has to do with the perils of door-to-door ministry. Steve entered a small alley-like area to get to a door. It was an unusual area but not to far off the sidewalk. But it was a confined area with no place to go except farther in or back out. Just as he was about to return to the sidewalk around the corner came three dogs with a pit bull at the head roaring away at me!! Fortunately they were on a three leashes. And they had a strong guy walking them. So it was only apparent danger and I left the man the literature and went on as my blood pressure came back to earth—as you can imagine. I can’t help but make an application here: many of the challenges we face in life, the threatening ones, are tempered by the mercy of Christ our Heavenly High Priest. “Nothing can touch [us] except by the Lord’s permission.” (MH 489:0).
Book recommendation: I know that the size of this nearly 900 page tome will be intimidating at first to some but I encourage you to secure A Song for the Sanctuary: Experiencing God’s Presence in Shadow and Reality, by Richard M Davidson. Biblical Research Institute: Silver Springs MD, 2022. It is a gold-mine of Biblical and Spirit of Prophecy light on this topic. Every phase of the subject is considered from a Biblical and scholarly viewpoint. Again and again, the Spirit of Prophecy is called in and confirms the latest scholarship on this central teaching of our faith. Get it and read it. I am 400+ pages in and chew on a paragraph or two each morning. The section on Ezekiel is worth the cost ($35) of the book! I was blessed when our pastor gifted me with his copy! I will always treasure this volume.
Thank you for your prayers and interest in this city ministry. See you next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYC April Report 2023
Dear Friends of City Evangelism
Ups and Downs
The kind of approach we’re taking right now to reaching people has it’s ups and downs. Today they happened within 20 or 30 minutes of each other. First came the downs. “Hey,” yelled a man from his car as I was at another door about 30-40 feet away. “Stop banging on people’s doors! You’re scaring people.” Then with an air of authority which I’ve encountered before, he said: “Did you hear me?” To this I answered: “I heard you sir.” But I kept at what I was about. The man in the car muttered some things that sound expletive-like and drove off down the street. First of all I don’t bang on the doors. I knock. I have toned down my colporteur door rap. People here definitely can’t take it. Typically I ring the bell first and if there’s no response will knock a couple of times and then move on if there’s no response. And it’s around 11:30-12 Noon.
Well at the end of that very street a distinguished looking gentleman answered the door and listened politely to my brief speech and then received the literature and mentioned that he is Jewish. I told him that the literature is for all people. He shook my hand and expressed appreciation for what we’re doing. (We get that comment fairly often from the people.) We talked some more and I remembered that it’s Passover and he agreed. Then he shook my hand again and I left feeling that this visit had offset the one back up the street quite nicely.
We’ve discovered that you have to take the big picture to get the right picture. At any given moment it might be “bad” but don’t worry, just keep at it and it will brighten up.
“Bill and the Ladies”
Just a few days ago, Alberta met a gentleman whose knowledge of the Bible appeared to be very minimal. He continued to talk and she eventually offered to share a book with him. He agreed to accept it.
While she was talking I was waiting by the corner just down a couple of doors and a car stopped at the curb near where I was standing. The window rolled down and it was a couple of ladies looking for a street. I opened my phone and gave them directions and also gave them a packet of tracts. I can’t tell you how many Amazon drivers, UPS drivers, postal people that we encounter that have received literature from us. Be ready!
Stairs, Cares, and Shares
Yes, we’re not as young as we used to be. And one thing that we’ve noticed is that there are a lot of stairs in Staten Island. Many homes have seven stairs out front and eleven is not unusual to encounter. Well I went up one of those and it may have been more, rang the bell and the man came out, received the literature, expressed appreciation for what we’re doing and then offered me some water. Typically I turn it down because I usually have some with me but that day I’d forgotten to bring it. So I accepted it and then he brought me a bottle of water, an orange and a napkin! That was very kind of him. Kindness is such an inexpensive luxury!
“Mary’s” Growth
One of our long term friends has been making progress. She has completed Desire of Ages and now reads Peace Above the Storm (Steps to Christ). She gets our weekly text message and Alberta also shares texts with her. She’s confided that she appreciates the written prayers that she receives because she doesn’t know how to pray that well.
For some time I’ve been interested in having a daily texting ministry of encouragement. At first I wasn’t quite sure how to do this. Then it occurred to me that Twitter might be the solution. So I’m trying it. I’ve had an account for some time but haven’t used it. But now I changed my “handle” as they call it to @stevecooknyc. If you go to Twitter you can search for it and become one of my followers and you will get a daily text message. Today (6/28) was my 11th Tweet. We’ll see how it goes.
Plant-Based Cooking Classes
We’re beginning a second cooking class this coming Sunday; bread making and vegan ‘meat’ will be the featured recipes. They’ll also learn to make pinwheels, calzones, ‘Mega’ Mac and Cheese, Buns and Rolls. One unusual feature of these classes is the hands-on feature in which they actually make a mini-loaf of bread and in the second class will make some vegan ‘meat’! The folks who came to Manor Road last month seemed to enjoy the classes and we hope for a similar response. (I will update this post in a few days.) Our methods of advertising are a banner at the front of the church, posting dozens of flyers in strip malls, and taking flyers house to house. We also notify previous guests in our interest database.
Data: Spoke with over 650 people; knocked on/visited 1450 mainly doors but also some stores; and were turned down only 90 times.
Until next time,
Have a great May!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook Staten Island, NY
Proclaim Report for March, 2023
Dear Friends of Proclaim
“The work in the cities is the essential work for this time, and is now to be taken hold of in faith. When the cities are worked as God would have them, the result will be the setting in operation of a mighty movement such as we have not yet witnessed.” –(RH Nov 17, 1910) Medical Ministry 331:3
Alberta’s four encounters A number of weeks ago we were in Tottenville and working through a neighborhood when Alberta had a series of profitable meetings with total strangers. The first one turned out to be a Jehovah’s Witness that listened to Alberta’s witness and accepted literature! Just a door or two later a lady also received the literature from Alberta. Then on the next street she met a lady living in a basement who said that God had sent her to her door that day! ‘I’m not a Christian; I’m Catholic.’ The fourth person was a gentleman just leaving who also received literature.
Cerebral palsy home In that same neighborhood while Alberta was having those good meetings across the street, I found myself approaching what didn’t exactly look like a regular home. Sure enough it is a home for victims of cerebral palsy. One of the aides was leaving just as I approached the door. After giving her literature I enquired if someone was there whom I could speak to about visiting the facility. I spoke with the nurse in charge and got a phone number to call. I spoke with Mr. Moses and the way is open for us to visit the guests anytime. They are all incapacitated but perhaps our presence will be an encouragement to them and to the staff.
My Dentist’s wife asked me about Lent! Visiting the dentist a couple of weeks ago brought an interesting question from the dentist’s wife that went something like this—‘Are you doing any thing for Lent?’ I told her very directly that I am a Protestant and do not observe Lent. She seemed to like that answer. It appears that her daughter is engaged to a Protestant and she is interested to know more about them. She has a Catholic background. While my teeth are being cleaned I tell her that I have a book for her. She reiterates: “I’m interested!” That was music to my ears. I gave her a beautiful copy of The Great Controversy. The one with the picture of Jesus coming in the clouds. We pray the Lord will open her eyes to the truth.
Expressions of appreciation: One day I was by myself in a neighborhood so exclusive that one section of the street was enclosed with a massive gate. But there was a handy box to call the people. None accepted my offer unfortunately. Later I did get to share literature with a worker close to the gate when it was open momentarily. He told me not to wait too long. I didn’t as the gate was starting to shut. One person told me that I had made his day. He seemed sincere. That was encouraging to hear.
Cooking Classes at SIMan We concluded a Plant Based Cooking Classes seminar at Manor Road this month with many new friends who are open for more. We probably had a total of 30 community guests including a lively group from the Spanish SDA Church. We are including some pictures.
Generosity of friends We have been blessed this month with unexpected generosity and it is greatly appreciated. There are many needs in the world but one of the greatest is right here in New York City. It’s challenges are far more than financial but those are not insignificant just to be here and try and influence people who have never even heard of Seventh-day Adventists.
Bible Student comes to church! This month saw a lady we have been studying with for some time now come to church for the 2nd time. And that was a great blessing!
LinesUP We continue to sign up people to receive our weekly portion of Biblical encouragement. Just a couple of days ago (3/29) I signed up a native of Nepal who identifies as Buddhist but is very open to learning more about our faith.
And today (3/31) I signed up another woman whose home has been seriously damaged by a broken pipe.
Upcoming Cooking Classes at SIKor We are preparing to launch our 2nd Plant Based Cooking Class at SIKor at the end of April. It will include two classes.
That’s all for this month. Thank you for your prayers and notes. May God bless your gospel outreach wherever you are. Let’s all pray that we may be part of the “mighty movement” that is coming soon!
Your friends in NYC,
Steve and Alberta Cook
February 2023 Proclaim Report New York City
Dear Friends
This month has been fairly “normal”. We’ve been preparing for the cooking classes, preaching 3x a month, studying Revelation with our HopeAwakensNYC group once a week (last night we delved into one of the most challenging chapters in Revelation and for that matter the entire Bible, ch. 9 on the 5th and 6th Trumpets) and our Reading Patriarchs and Prophets, Reading Testimonies Vol 1 groups which also meet for half an hour online, once a week. We also send out a weekly text called LinesUp which is aimed especially at people we meet from week to week in our door-to-door visitation.
Our primary outreach is visiting door-to-door. We take literature and introduce ourselves to the people in the countless neighborhoods of Staten Island (I’m attaching a picture of the map that chronicles the extent of this particular aspect of our work). We mention to the people that we’re from the Adventist Church. They typically do a double-take on that but are generally hospitable. We offer free literature to encourage them to have hope and health. When they almost invariably take it we move on to the next door. In the event they decline the offer I pocket a card to keep track of that fact and that is how we know that 70% of the people we contact accept literature. Sometimes we talk to people through their doorbell. We understand. People are not home or are wary of coming to the door for a stranger. But we offer to leave the material at their door or in their mailbox. And they accept it. We pray that they read it. This is pioneer work because the vast majority of these people have never heard of Seventh-day Adventists! And if they have we’re frequently mis-identified with other religious groups.
This February we have met over 550 people after knocking on over 1100 doors and being turned down about 87 times.
We try and knock on all doors that potentially have people living behind them. Often we find people living in basement apartments. Recently a lady came to the door and received the literature with these words: ‘I needed this. Maybe God sent you.” I immediately affirmed that He had and affirmed that ‘God cares for you’. When I walked up the street I met another man who was walking his dogs and he accepted the literature and I went on. But after the next door across the street he called me back: ‘Are you a vegetarian?’ I don’t get that question often. Yes, I said, I am! Why do you ask? Well, he’s a retired teacher from Brooklyn and years ago he had some students who were Seventh-day Adventists and they left a good impression on him. Some of them even came over to his house and cooked food for him. He hadn’t forgot after all these years.
I went on and came to a home decorating store. There I met a lady who told me that her daughter is engaged to a young man that has been raised as a Seventh-day Adventist. She wanted to know more about us. The lady I’m speaking with is a devout Roman Catholic (like most people we meet). She even goes to the Latin Mass! Even though she doesn’t understand it she says that she feels a blessing from it.
We had a pleasant conversation and then I told her about our texting ministry and signed her up by getting her name and telephone number. Another lady, on a later day but on the same busy avenue, expressed appreciation for my coming by and sharing the material. Another gentleman, in a different part of the city, recognized that what we are doing is very difficult. We talked enough that I signed him up for LinesUP! And then there was the lady walking here dog in the street. Typically we don’t walk up to people on the street but in this instance the lady spoke to me first. That is very unusual. In that few minutes she accepted the literature and I invited her to the cooking classes and also got her name and number for LinesUP.
Another lady that we met probably two years ago is studying with us, over the phone. She has come to church one time, is persuaded about the Sabbath but not sure of the depths of God’s claims on her life—her time. She says she has bills to pay and works on Sabbath. We pray for her.
Another positive thing this month was taking one of the members of the Staten Island Korean Church out with us to introduce her to this ministry. She went with Alberta on one side of the street and I was on the other. She had a good experience and we hope she’ll have another opportunity soon!
As I mentioned above we have been preparing for our “hands on” breadmaking class which we had day before yesterday. We and others in the Manor Road Church took flyers out and put them up in businesses and left them at homes. We also put up two large (4ft x 8ft) banners which proved very effective. People would see them, take pictures of them and call to register. One lady received a flyer handed out by a church member and brought two of her three children and her husband and next week (it’s aa 4 week class) she’s going to bring her other son! Another lady who came to our last class there three years ago returned and expressed appreciation that we are putting on the class again. Another man said he’d lost his wife some years ago and his other children are no longer at home and he wants help with his cooking. Another group came from our sister Spanish church and enjoyed themselves so much. Another member brought her daughter and her friend and they also had a good time!
We also made samples of bread, empanadas, and sweet rolls which were all devoured. I was informed that we had 35 attendees and 8 helpers from the church. My estimate is that of the guests, about 20-25 were non-Adventists. By the way, one couple asked about our services. And we did make available Steps to Christ and other appropriate sharing literature as they were leaving.
Please pray for us that the Lord will impress these dear people to remember this good experience and return this coming week for more! “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs. and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” (MH 143).
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYC Report Monday, October 31, 2022
Dear Friends of this Ministry
With our message this Sabbath we have now preached in four of the five boroughs of New York City—(we’re only lacking The Bronx!). Our visit was to Voice of Hope, pastored by Pr Courtney Wilks. (Pr Wilks was my colleague as a chaplain at Wildwood Lifestyle Center about 2015ish.) Five years ago he got married Shaina and shortly after that became a pastor of a two-church district in the Northeastern Conference.
Voice of Hope, Pr Courtney’s church is just about 30 miles from us, but it took about an h if you were tour for us to get there. We drove across the Verazzano Bridge, (the longest suspension bridge in the USA) then took the Belt Parkway East around the South side of Brooklyn. We then took Pennsylvania Ave and threaded our way into the New Lots district. It’s solid city all the way. Block upon block of homes, apartments, businesses, highrises, intersections, on and on. Finally we pulled up to the front of the church where the pastor assured me we’d have parking space reserved—and we found plenty of parking because we were early. We almost beat the deacon. When we got out and I looked up into the trees above, I spotted a hornets nest about the size of a basketball. It was high enough to be safe but something you’d want to avoid if you could.
We had a delightful time at this church and met some more good Adventist people. I preached on “Family: Seven Ingredients to a Happy Home”. This came from the seven dedicated families featured in Genesis.
This past month has been fairly calm. We’ve been putting out hundreds of tracts. On occasion we’ll find someone who is more receptive than just willing to take literature. If they come out of their house/apartment and talk or if they ask a question, we’ll offer to sign them up for LinesUP our weekly text that now reaches out to over fifty non-Adventists plus as many Adventists near and far.
Sometimes, like last week, we’ll get a simple and brief text: “Pray for me.” Those three words. I recognize that they are responding to one of the many cards we’ve left with people or at doors where no one came to the door. So I responded with a brief message and “prayed with them” through a text. Their response was: Thank you Amen and the praying hands emoji.
Sometimes, it’s only happened two or three times, I suppose, we’ll get a crank call. It’s usually kids. They’ll say something that reveals their insincerity and I’ll not hang up but continue speaking with them. This may be their first and only contact with a person of faith. I tell them it’s unfortunate they’re not open to God’s love right now but maybe some time in the future. When it gets personal like that they hang up. Even contacts like that, as well as those we meet at the doors who decline the literature offer, we feel that it’s still sowing seeds for the future harvest. We’ll only know in eternity the outcome of many of these contacts.
We’re presently studying with a lady whose interest is very good and she’s approaching testing truth. We hope and pray she’ll continue to grow and embrace all that God’s Word proclaims.
On a more somber note, Manor Road was hit by a tragic death of a young member, Tracey Austen. She had relocated to Florda and was killed in a car accident. She was just thirty three. Her memorial service was last night and was attended by hundreds of family and friends, from church and from community. Her mother Judey is a long-time member.
Here are some statistics for the record. This month of October we met 525 people who were willing to receive literature. We knocked on 1,312 doors and handed out a total of 2,225 pieces of literature including our cards, tracts, and books. Of those 525 people, 99 turned us down. We know not which will prosper, this or that.
Thank you for your interest in ProclaimNYC. God be with each and every one of you!
Pr Steve and Alberta
ProclaimNYC Update
September 29, 2022
Dear Friends:
At the beginning of this month Steve was in Grant Pass, Oregon. This place holds many sacred memories for him as he grew up in the Rogue River Valley. He was there only a few days to give a weekend seminar. He was able to meet some old friends. Let me tell you about a couple of them. One of the people that the Lord gave us in an evangelistic seminar twenty years ago is still in Grants Pass working as interest coordinator with the pastoral staff. This is Sandy Page. She is constantly connecting with people and through her winsome ways leads them to Jesus and to this message. We praise the Lord for her ministry. Another couple is Pr Daniel and Liva Trethewey. We have known them for about ten years from our days in Wildwood. Daniel and Liva are now serving as a pastoral team in the Grants Pass Church! In the attached picture Liva’s mother Erika and Daniel and Liva’s daughter Lynn Grace is in the photo!
One of the high points was meeting our old friends Jerry and Maureen Wright. We met them years ago as we walked through their neighborhood which was adjacent to where we lived there in Grants Pass back in the 2000’s. We’d remark to them if they were working outside in their yard and they were very friendly. We began a friendship that continues after more than 15 years. Anyway, when I visited at the beginning of this month I called them to see if I could come by for a visit. When I went over my friend Ron Davis, who was driving me, came along too. We had a very pleasant visit with these people. I was thrilled to learn that Maureen’s mother lives nearby the people that were hosting me in their home during my visit—Jack and Marcella Lynch. Maureen and her mother is well acquainted with them. And then Ron recalled a time when he was driving through the Wright’s neighborhood and his car broke down. Somehow he recalled that it was Maureen who gave his battery a boost and got him on his way. Now Grants Pass is not nearly as small as it used to be years ago, and yet here were several people whose lives were intersecting. We pray that this friendship will continue into eternity by the grace of Jesus.
BTW when I was in Grants Pass, I had the privilege of being interviewed on Better Life Television, for two half-hour segments. This is about our work here and a bit of my history in Grants Pass. I will share the details of when/where they’ll be on the air.
On this trip I was sitting in the airport in San Francisco and saw a Hispanic family sitting across from me. I took a chance and said in my rustic Spanish, “Excuse me sir, would you mind if I practice my Spanish with you?” His surprise was expected and we began a friendly conversation that soon engaged his wife, (who had been asleep by his side). They were travelling to see his son elsewhere in California. I was able to tell them how I’d been given the gift of tongues many years before in southern Mexico. He complimented me on my Spanish. I asked their daughter to take our picture which I am posting here. They were very kind.
I also met an executive who was one of my seatmates across America and had the opportunity to tell him just briefly about Seventh-day Adventists. He thought he had heard of us but as it turned out he had us confused with another church. It continues to amaze me how few people in the northeast have even heard of Seventh-day Adventists, much less know anything about us. I shared literature with him and with another young Chinese lady on my other side who’d slept the entire five hour trip. (On my return trip, which was overnight, I had a Muslim man sitting beside me. He is a professional poker player from British Columbia who makes this trip quite frequently. I think his destination was Atlantic City, NJ. He claims that he makes money at it! I told him that I was going to be preaching on gambling soon (which I did last Sabbath).
Fom time to time we see things that need to be shared. Here’s a few pics of “Honesty NYC”; “City Greens” grown by Alberta. As we see more we’ll share them.
I have to add a note about the city greens. We shoveled some old sand and dirt from off the street where rain had caused it to pile up near our driveway. I put it in a box and left it out back of the house. Alberta noticed that weeds were growing out of it and decided that maybe some greens could grow too. So we got some bags of real dirt and made a series of mini-container gardens and voila! God blessed this garden venture.
We continue to put out literature and talk with people about hope and health. This year so far we have connected with some 4379 people. These are people who have opened their doors or responded through their doorbells and have accepted literature. We have left cards on thousands of doorsteps. So far this year over thirty thousand pieces of literature, spritual and health, have been scattered across this part of New York City. O may God grant that these seeds of truth will spring up in a great harvest soon!
God bless you and thank you for your interest and prayers.
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
.
August 29, 2022
Dear Friends of Proclaim NYC:
We are just hours away from completing the month of August and completing three years in New York City! Is it possible? Is time going by as fast for you as it seems to be going by for us?
There seems no way to slow it down.
One thing about this month—it has been hot. We did have some time away. We went north! But it was just about as hot there as here (not quite). We stayed in the vicinity of Lake George NY. It is a beautiful lake. Quite long and yet narrow. There are a number of these lakes here. It is a resort community. We walked through it and enjoyed as much of the lake scenery as we could but most of the lake property is privately owned and can’t be approached. It can only be seen from a distance.
We did walk around the grounds of the Sagamore Hotel (rooms there—with a view—go for many hundreds of dollars a night. We walked around and another person, a guest we think, offered to take our picture. I am posting it here.
We also hiked in the Adirondacks. It was tough hiking. Steep hills and rocky paths. Some of it reminded us of Georgia. It is a very mountainous area. What distinguishes it is these long, narrow and deep lakes carved into the land. They are a magnet for sightseers who flock here from the cities.
In this vicinity is Low Hampton NY. The place where Adventism in America arose in the ministry of William Miller. It is a sacred spot. Quiet and well maintained. It is now a possession of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. While we were visiting the small chapel that adjoins the property, some local residents drove up and began to look over the place. We, our tour guide included, had the opportunity to share. One lady paused to express that she didn’t know what she believes. We offered to send her a book. Which we did. May The Great Controversy‘s light shine into her soul with the power of love and truth!
From there we drove north to visit famous Fort Ticonderoga on beautiful Lake Champlain. This lake reaches into Canada at it’s northern end. It is a larger version of Lake George. We saw people dressed like the pre-Revolutionary soldiers and heard a very loud cannon go off!
Looking elsewhere this month, Steve’s been asked to go to southern Oregon to share some in a Men’s Meeting. Preparation for that has occupied a lot of his thoughts. ‘He’s presenting The Call of the Hour:Who Will Answer It?
This illustrated series profiles four of the most significant Seventh-day Adventists in our 178 year history. Their lives, and ministries, present important lessons—warnings and correctives, as we face the issues of our time and the soon coming of our Lord Jesus.
Friday evening: Elder E. J. Waggoner—Righteousness by Faith—Jesus Saves!
Sabbath morning: Ellen G. White—The Testimony of Jesus—Jesus Speaks!
Sabbath afternoon: Elder A. T. Jones—Religious Liberty—Jesus Frees!
Sabbath afternoon: Dr. John Harvey Kellogg—Medical Missionary Work—Jesus Serves!
Your prayers for a successful series in Grants Pass, OR are greatly appreciated. It happens this coming weekend, Sept 2-3.
We have also continued reaching out with our Literature Ministry. People accept the literature and some times offer us free water and words of appreciation. (I think I have mentioned how men sometimes come out and shake my hand! Well a lady did that a few days ago!!) Somehow I think they’re impressed that something we’re doing is on target. Although we live in such a darkened area—and some tell us that they’re not interested—yet they’re in the minority. Praise God!
One of the highlights of this month was being invited to our neighbor’s 70th birthday party. These are folk that live across the street from us. She is the agent that we worked with to rent this home. They have just completed a nearly 2 year process of tearing down their old home and building a new one on the same corner lot. Steve would take pictures of the progress and text them to the lady. We’ve kept in touch. Well we went to this gathering with some concern as to how it would go. We knew there would be drinking there. But somehow we have to mingle with folk. Anyway as it turned out it was a nice opportunity to get acquainted with their friends. We ended up sitting in a circle with three of our neighbors from our side of the street and with some of our neighbor’s friends. We rubbed shoulders with school teachers, administrators, sanitation workers, etc. One older lady, the mother of the neighbor who invited us, she called me ‘the reverend’. “You’re the reverend”. I knew what she meant. It was nice to get acquainted with many of their friends. As it turned out, the drinkers pretty much congregated in the corner of the yard and our circle drank soft drinks or like us, nothing!
Yesterday (8/28/2022) Alberta was scheduled to give a health lecture at the Hope for a Hurting World evangelistic series being put on by our sister churches in the Northeastern Conference. They secured the use of a nice piece of property adjacent to the Salvation Army store and pitched a large tent. Alberta spoke on Heart Disease and also presented some free samples of Oatburgers and Date Nut balls. (A picture of this is being posted.)
And so the work goes forward. We are laying plans for community health programs over the next few months. We need God’s wisdom so much in “reaching the people”.
And more than that we, as a people, need the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives and make our efforts for Jesus truly effective. “God calls upon you to humble yourselves under his mighty hand, and to confess your sins and put them away, and he will lift you up. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Ministers, high and low, you have no time now to complain of your unsuccessful labor. Flee to Jesus, take hold of him by living faith, lay hold of his strength, and make peace with him. You have too great a desire for the praise of men.” Ellen G White, 1888:439 Address to the General Conference 1889.
May God be with each of us and make our lives fruitful through His abiding presence in our hearts,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Staten Island, New York
ProclaimNYC Update
Friday, July 29, 2022
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
“A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold” Proverbs 21:22 NKJV. This is what we aspire to do here. But how? How do you scale the city of the mighty and bring down its trusted stronghold. Here in New York City it is daunting. We need the wisdom of the Wise Man—the man Christ Jesus. The following paragraphs describe something of what has been happening here during the past month.
July has been—like just about everywhere else in the country and elsewhere—very hot here! But withering heat has not prevented our literature work from going forward. This month we’ve delivered thousands of pieces of literature to homes here on Staten Island and spoken with over 700 people. I say “we”. Church members who participate in Outreach Sabbath from both the Staten Island Korean and Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Churches, young people and older alike. One business owner gives packets to his customers that show an interest. And the pastor of the SI Korean SDA Church typically goes with me once a week, home to home, making “cold calls”. Of course there was nothing cold about them this month!!
For some time now we have been hesitant about knocking on the doors of our neighbors, in our immediate neighborhood. But this month that hesitancy ended. On one of those beastly hot afternoons I began. While there was some indifference, by and large people were hospitable. I even had a man offer me water (it’s happened several times in this weather.)
One lady I met in front of her house. She has a son we’ve spoken with a number of times. They own a pit bull. We had a friendly conversation and she told me her son is going into Law Enforcement as a career. She took the literature and I told her we’d pray for her son!
Another Filipino lady was friendly and Alberta had met her earlier. She let me know that she has many Adventist friends back in Manilla. She and her husband have just moved into the neighborhood.
If I am reading the faces of people correctly, quite often there is a look of disbelief that I am not asking for money! And again and again, in recent weeks I have had men step out of their doors, shake my hand and thank me for what I am doing.
This is not to say that all is smooth sailing. This month one man called to “chew” me out for trespassing on his private property. “Why did you do it?” he asked me repeatedly. I tried to be direct with him. “We’re trying to help people.” “No”, he said, “why did you come on my private property?” I told him that I didn’t see a sign. “There doesn’t need to be a sign!” I was informed. What I’d done was go to the side door of a side by side home. These side doors are at the bottom of a concrete staircase—it’s all outside—and often we find people living in these apartments. Anyway the conversation was resolved somewhat amicably. His last words to me were: “Keep praying!” Another lady called me just a couple of days ago as the pastor and I were completing an area. She was distraught that someone had opened her door to leave a red card. I assured her that we do not open doors. Anyway, thank the Lord, she eventually calmed down and let me pray with her.
But generally speaking we do not meet with too much resistance in this work. We do it because the Lord’s messenger said: “Carry the word of God to every man’s door…” (5T 388). The Lord has promised that His word will not return void (see Isa 55:11) and they who go forth, weeping, bearing precious seed will doubtless come again rejoicing, bearing the fruit! (See Ps 126:6). And then we have this sweeping promise in reference to the influence of the Latter Rain and Loud Cry: “The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side” (The Great Controversy 612:2 emphasis added).
It is my conviction that even those people who decline the literature, sometimes quite abruptly, are being influenced. They hear the words “Adventist Church”. They hear about hope and health. They see a Seventh-day Adventist. We believe the Lord can do wonderful things with those fleeting impressions. God can bless one but I believe we are limiting the Lord if we do nothing. I believe there are Seventh-day Adventists all over this land that could do just what we are doing in their communities. Be systematic. Mark off the streets you visit. Take literature to every door including businesses. Go out for an hour each week. As Sister White says: “Important results will follow.” (Ch S 151:1)
This month we received an encouraging text from a man in which he wrote: “Steve I would like to thank you for all your blessings cuz they are helping me and my wife through a rough time I thank you your wife and your church you guys are Heaven Sent and I mean with all my heart and soul. I want to thank you again for all the prayers” We know something of what they are going through, so we got a spare Sabbath School Guide Book and dropped it off at their house (btw speaking of the SS Lessons, if you haven’t noticed already, there is a continuing mission story that runs through the entire quarter. So far it is quite interesting. Check it out!)
We had a visitor this month—Joseph Olivier. We knew Joseph in Wildwood about 5 years past. And he has kept in touch. He is a native of Venezuela but has lived in the USA since he was a young boy. He is a recent graduate of Andrews University. He is working as a Bible worker but hopes to enter full-time pastoral ministry soon. We did some house to house work and he did well.
One of our friends who was recently baptized witnessed to one of his friends, a lady with whom we are acquainted, and now she has begun studying for baptism. Sometimes, people show interest and it doesn’t work out. Their interest is short-lived (or maybe there was no interest to begin with); at least that seems to be the case with the two men I mentioned at the close of last month’s report. It fizzled out. But nevertheless we continue to “scale the walls” because the Lord is coming soon!
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimUPdate Thursday, 6.30.22
Dear Friends of Proclaim
It’s hard to believe, but half of 2022 is nearly in the history books. It is going by so fast, and world events are continue to come at us with such rapidity. Jesus is coming soon. Please take time each day to commit your ways into His merciful hands and prepare to meet Him and help others be ready too! We are nearing home!!
Wayne and Veronica Strandberg of Staten Island were baptized on June 11. Wayne is joint owner of NY Tile Center, a remodeling business. His wife is a life-insurance broker. It was a re-baptism for Veronica. She is a native of Jamaica and has a dramatic testimony of her own from years ago. I am posting a link here: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bSHWfq4G1I&t=413s>
Wayne, likewise has a story to tell of redemption. What has really changed him recently is becoming better acquainted with the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. He also is very much a musician. Years ago he played in a rock band but laid down the guitar until a couple of years ago during Covid. Now he is enthusiastic about teaming up with us to play every other Sabbath at Manor Road.
We continue to host HopeAwakensNYC weekly and recently passed the 100th session mark for that. If you ever want to pop in send me a note and you’ll get the link right back.
I can’t tell you how many times total strangers have thanked us recently for delivering free literature to their doors. One gentleman, just yesterday, stepped out of his house, extended his hand and shook mine vigorously. Yes, there are those who are indifferent but just a few days ago a lady told me that I couldn’t know how timely my visit was.
Sometimes Catholics, of which there are many, will say, I am Catholic. I say, this will nourish your faith! Some take it. Even our Jewish friends, which often do not receive literature, are polite and sometimes actually take literature. One Jewish lady strongly suggested that I not knock on anyone’s door in her cul-de-sac. I spoke kindly to her and did not tell her that a young expectant Jewish mother had moments before accepted the packet from me. We try and knock on all doors. Some decline. All who open the door or respond on their doorbell are influenced. We pray that it will make an eternal difference.
As of today (6.27.2022), this month, we have spoken with over 750 persons about encouraging them to have faith and be healthy. The year-to-date total These people have accepted our literature and we pray they will read it. Please pray for our ministry to be eternally effective.
A couple more encouraging developments: Wayne, whom I mentioned above, wants to distribute literature at his Tile and Remodeling Store! He asked for literature to hand out. He’s unafraid and unashamed to witness for the truth in the setting of his business. Already he is talking to others including customers about the gospel.
Finally, last week I received a call from two men who seemed interested in learning more about the Bible. As always their interest has to be assessed as to its genuineness. We texted the contact person about a potential time but there was no response. Was their interest genuine or not? But yesterday, I received another message from this man and we set up a time to get together on the phone to study the Bible. I’ll let you know how it went next month.
Your friends in NYC,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Proclaim NYC Update
May.31.2022
Dear Friends:
Yesterday (5.30.22) we took an excursion to Snug Harbor, a “home” developed for mariners in 1833. It was built by a wealthy patron and to this day impresses with its fabulous buildings and impressive grounds (although there is a sense that it has seen better days). It’s a wonder that so much land has survived in the shadow of Manhattan. But here it is. There are flower gardens, statuary, fountains and a living archway. And there are also cultural events. It was quite an enjoyable visit, just 12 miles from where we live.
This has been a month of ups and downs and devastating events, with the shootings in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX. Perhaps it has affected people we meet. Sometimes it is hard to tell. But in our day to day work we meet people. And, while I only have circumstantial evidence to support it, I am convinced that this past week I met doctors, lawyers, judges, surgeons, brokers and who knows who else. These were young to middle aged men (and women), at home who answered their doors and most of whom received literature. And these were homes in an area of close to million dollars in value.
To my surprise, one such man, admitted knowing who Seventh-day Adventists are. That is rare. He seemed to be reaching for the person he’s watched on TV. Doug Batchelor? I asked. That’s it! He replied. I’ve only had that happen twice. But Pr Doug’s reach is extensive.
Often the response is polite indifference and acquiescence. They take the literature and for that I am glad. I believe if the literature is in their home it has potential to reach someone—if it is in their possession. Sitting on my shelf or at church is not good enough.
Maybe about two weeks ago I had visited some doors and no one was home and now was on the opposite side of the street. Eventually it became obvious that a gentleman on a porch was yelling to me. He said in effect not to leave any more literature at his door and for effect he tore the card in half. I couldn’t help think that the chances of visiting his door again are very low. At any rate I went on down the block.
Last week I was on the opposite side of the acceptance spectrum. Again I had begun the process of visiting in a neighborhood when about 15 minutes in I noticed a car down on the street below where I was. It finally sank in that the driver was wanting to speak with me. What about? As it turned out his story was unusual. He told me that he had noticed the time just before I’d knocked on his door around the corner of the block. It was 4:44pm. Ok. Then I’d knocked and it was 4:45pm and he’d brushed me off. Right after that it had hit him and he’d felt guilty or unlucky or something like that. So he got into his car and went looking for me. After about 20 minutes he’d finally found me and was wondering what I was doing out here. I explained it to him and had to hear his story a couple of times to really make sense of it. This time he took the pamphlets.
Last night we had our 102nd Hope AwakensNYC online session. Yes, it started in May of 2020 and continues. As it happened in the course of the discussion, one of our participants mentioned how she had been out of church since she was 17, over 35 years! But she’d returned and now she’s really back. Hope AwakensNYC had a small part in helping to answer the prayers of her parents. Her mother went to sleep in Jesus without knowing whether her prayers were answered.
Another young lady told us candidly that there is no comparison between the Seventh-day Adventists and the people she has been worshiping with. She has been under strong conviction to join the SDA faith and we continue to pray that she will.
Another husband and wife who attended our seminar last month at Manor Road are also scheduled to be baptized in a little more than a week. I hope to give you more information about them next time.
One very encouraging experience came through our neighborhood friend, I’ll call her Mary. She’s been our friend for about 2+ years now. We talk on the sidewalk. Recently she shared with us that her son is not completely satisfied with his religious instruction. We volunteered to share some books with him which we did. He is 16 and seems very spiritual for his age and background. We now have him in our phone and send him our weekly LinesUp text of encouragement. He has written very appreciatively. It all began with our comments 2 years ago to a stranger along a street in our neighborhood. We pray that God will continue to bless and open hearts to the truth.
Another lady that Alberta has spoken with also asked her to come by and walk with her anytime.
Please pray that God will use these points of contact to make an eternal impression through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Finally, no one can miss the evident trajectory of society in our day and time. Soon Jesus will come and take us to the real “Snug Harbor” he has been preparing for His people. May that day find us rejoicing in the ones we’ve been privileged to have influenced to find true safety in Jesus!
Your friends in city ministry,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Staten Island, NY
PS: Attached are some photos we took on our visit to Snug Harbor yesterday!
PROCLAIM UPDATE
Friday, April 29, 2022
Dear Friends:
Now that was a compliment I could appreciate! It happened at a local drugstore where I was sitting waiting earlier this week. Another couple, a bit older than me, sat down beside me to wait their turn for attention. Then they began to share that “we’re being pushed out”; “we’re leaving soon” and so we don’t matter. I think I understood what they meant. Society sees them or they see themselves as getting old and getting ready to die—to be direct about it.
Well, just then, I looked at my watch and it was time for me to go. As I stood up I told them I was a retired preacher. Then the man said: “I thought there was something different about you and that I should watch my language!” I hadn’t really said much about anything. But now I preached them a 30 second sermon and told them that they weren’t getting pushed out. I told them God is looking after them and nothing can touch them without His permission. I told them ‘God bless you!’ And all I can say is I was blessed by my brief time with them!!
Blessings are flowing! We just concluded a 21 session Unlocking Revelation’s Mysteries at the Staten Island Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church. (By the way, you can watch the entire series at <<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gigatt67 >> Please note that at that site other messages may be mixed in. So sort with care as the site may also have other messages that did not come from us.) The members were very supportive and gave us much to be encouraged about. We had a baptism last Sabbath with three precious people. Two were rebaptisms and one was a teenager’s first time.
During the baptism of the teenager Berline, her mother was testifying about her daughter and began to be emotional—which is normal in these situations, it is the emotion of love and gratitude for the decision of her daughter to be baptized. But just then, out of the right eye of Berline who was standing beside me in the baptismal pool, a tear appeared. And then I began to get emotional! That tear spoke volumes of the love that we all see in this family.
Another lady, named Loida, was re-baptized. And her husband was there to witness her baptism and hear her testimony. By the way, he attended our Bread Making Class two years ago in this church.
I now want to share the sequel to a story we’ve shared before. Madeleine had drifted away from the Church. She’d held a very responsible position for years there but something caused her to wander. But the Master of all Providence orchestrated a series of exquisite circumstances to tug at her heart.
First her only daughter was expecting her first child and Madeleine’s only grandchild. Then the child arrived on November 4, early enough to get Madeleine up and stirring around. About that time someone rang her doorbell. Then knocked on the door. Then he spoke through the door as Madeleine listened: “My name is Steve and I’m with the Adventist Church here in Staten Island. We’re sharing a couple of pamphlets to bring hope and health.” Then Madeleine spoke up and said: “I’m a Seventh-day Adventist.” I could hardly believe my ears! “Who are you?” I asked.
Then she cracked the door and spoke briefly with me. I asked her for her phone number to follow up this visit. Which I did. The next time we visited the church she was there with her husband, a regular at Manor Road. She began to attend services regularly again. This last Sabbath, after attending the evangelistic series, she was baptized to confirm her return to Christ and His remnant church. I am including a picture of Davina, the granddaughter here, shared with permission.
There are a few others who also have decided to be baptized soon. Plesase pray for God’s blessing on these dear people. I will update you on on their progress in the future. And please pray for X, another person whose story is also thrilling but is still in the developmental stage at this moment. We hope that we’ll have more news on all these people in the next month or so.
I also want to report that somehow, we’ve reconnected via the internet with an old friend of many years back. They have been watching our series this month, although they live in a different part of the country. They are making comments and asking questions that give us opportunity to renew our friendship. I hope and pray that it will strengthen their love for God and for the truth for this time in Earth’s history.
Our weekly online ministries of studying the Sabbath School lesson and reading in the Spirit of Prophecy continue with good attendance. We are encouraged to see people absorbing the inspired material that comes from the pen of Ellen G. White.
Unfortunately, half-way through the evangelistic series, Alberta came down with Covid and that caused her to have to remain home for the rest of the series. She and her health feature was dearly missed. But she is doing better now, (she has now tested negative!) for which we are so grateful to God! We’ve tried to figure out how she got it; but there is quite a resurgence here at this time.
I am sharing some photos of the baptism and others we’ve seen in our literature ministry over the past month.
Until next time, we remain in the service of Jesus Christ here in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Proclaim Update & Praise
Thursday, March 25, 2022
Dear Friends,
It was 50 years ago this afternoon, 1972, in the Wildwood Chapel that a young minister named Mark Finley, recently having arrived there to be a district pastor, baptized me. It was the culmination of weeks of Bible study with Pr Finley. (I kept his xeroxed studies for many years in my files.)
The next decade (1982) found Alberta and me married (we celebrated 45 years together just a month ago!) and serving as leaders in the Country Life Restaurant in Chattanooga. And this was after we’d spent two years in administration in Mexico.
By the year 1992 our ministry found us serving as a pastoral team in the Wisconsin Conference in Milwaukee/Sheboygan district (there were several configurations in the metro area. We pastored all of the Anglo SDA Churches at one time or another during our nine years there.
Ten years later found us in full time public evangelism in the Oregon Conference By this time both of my parents had gone to their rest. Right now (20 years ago) we were holding meetings in the coastal communities of Waldport/Newport.
By 2012 we were living once again at Wildwood, from where I’d go off to hold evangelistic series in the south and also up in the Northeast.
And I guess that brings us to right now. A week from tonight we begin Unlocking Revelation’s Mysteries—right here in New York City (Staten Island to be more precise). Manor Road is hosting the meetings. It is our privilege to unfold the imperishable riches of Christ in the setting of the last book of Holy Scripture. The times are urgent. The invitations are coming from heaven to earth through feeble channels but the message is powerful.
Please remember us in prayer. I just met a young couple today that show promise in being interested in the meetings. They’ll be live and online.
God has been very good to us and I can never forget a young minister whose influence has blessed me all through these fifty years. They have passed all too quickly. And we know that we’re nearing home!
God be with you!
Until next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Proclaim Update
Monday, February 28, 2022
Dear Friends,
This is a short month—and it has been a cold month too! We’re coming out of it now and something else has changed. Praise the Lord! Masks are no longer required! It has now been about 2 full years since Covid-19 severely curtailed our activities here.
We continue to sow seed up and down the streets and blocks of Staten Island. This month we have put out nearly 3000 pieces of literature including our Prayer and Information Cards. We have spoken to over 350 people at the homes.
Not only that but we continue to minister to over 60 people on a weekly basis through our Lines Up texting ministry. We also are scheduled to to conduct our 89th session of Hope AwakensNYC which happens every Monday, via Zoom. This connects with Adventists and others as we explore the first couple of days of the Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. It is especially impacting the Manor Road Church. And it’s fascinating to see how reading the Spirit of Prophecy has taken hold among some members and one guest. We read Patriarchs and Prophets on Tuesday and Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1 on Thursdays for one half hour in the evening. It’s been going for over three months now! Praise God!
Speaking of Manor Road we are scheduled to conduct Unlocking Revelation’s Mysteries starting this coming April 1. That’s going to be the first in-person series here since the pandemic began in 2020.
We also conducted an online Five-Day Plan to Stop Smoking this month and praise the Lord, one person came and one person quit! He’s married to a church member and that was the way he heard about the seminar. He’s doing well. He plays the guitar from many years past in a style that I used to relate to. He plays quite well. I am hoping to play a duet with him in church some day. I will keep you posted on that.
One very promising person is our friend that we have been studying with . She originally found our card on the street and phoned us. That was last year. She has been coming with us to church now and has only missed once in the last six weeks. She’s learned a lot and still seems hungry for truth. She has even turned in tithe!
At the beginning of the month (Feb 5) we were blessed to be able to preach in the New York City Chinese Seventh-day Adventist Church. We also did outreach in the vicinity of the church which is located in Queens. This is one of the five boroughs of the New York City and is really a vast assembly of communities. We were in one of them named Elmhurst. It was a bitterly cold day but there was an interested group that met to hear our message on how our ministry is reaching people here in Staten Island. It was different going home to home. There are more barriers to getting to the people than out here in Staten Island. But we were still able to put out literature even there.
Please continue to pray that we will be fruitful in reaching the people. Nearly all of our connections with New Yorkers have come through doo-to-door labor. It’s difficult at times but it is also a blessing to look into the eyes of people and introduce our church and the connection of hope and health. This is a pleasant surprise to some who are unused to hearing of that connection.
Pray for us. We go forward hunting for souls that are looking toward heaven.
Another encouraging development is we now have Outreach Sabbath in each of the churches we attend (Staten Island Korean and Manor Road). That is a blessing because we are systematically making inroads into each of the areas of these churches. Then on the other Sabbaths we and some Russian members have a project to reach another area of the island. I am attaching a picture that was taken by Alberta’s partner in Outreach last Sabbath near the Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church. The pastor of the Korean church regularly goes with me during the week as we visit from home to home.
Remember to pray for Ukraine!
Farewell for now.
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
ProclaimNYC Report
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Dear Friends:
“Laura”—we’re still not using her real name—is the really encouraging feature of this month’s report. We’ve mentioned her before. She found our card on the street. The one that says “God hears your cry!” And she was crying! She called and hung up immediately. But, according to Laura, she says we called her right back. And that began our friendship. That was last summer. It has been an off and on association—that is until we discovered that she lives just two blocks from us! And the Lord has been impressing her to go deeper with Him and so we have had numerous studies with her here at our place and online. She now attends our Hope AwakensNYC Monday evening Bible study. And, she came to church with us last Sabbath!!! Our studies continue—please remember her in your prayers.
Others also continue to reach out in response to our Prayer Request Card. On Monday this week we entered the home of an elderly couple who’ve cried out for encouragement. The lady feels abandoned. This was the first time I’d actually seen the couple in person. But a previous contact with a Seventh-day Adventist, and the card we left at her gate, has opened the way for this friendship to develop.
That is not to say it’s always easy. One door this past Sabbath, the man unleashed foul language at me for knocking on his door. But, nearby I was encouraged by words of appreciation for sharing hope and health in the printed word. And that’s pretty much how it goes. We are sowing for the harvest and praying that our lives will make a difference. By faith we know that that is happening.
We are reaching out to influence the many smokers of this community. They are everywhere—or at least their buckets of stubbed out cigarettes are on many, many porches we visit. We are targeting a specific area with lawn signs, pole placards, and cards. It will be an online series of Five Nights. (For that matter, if you know of anyone that needs and wants to quit anywhere tell them of this series. It is Free and will be from 8-9pm ET, starting Sunday, Feb. 13.
And we are planning with the Manor Road SDA Church to hold an evangelistic Series there in Spring of this year.
We now have monthly Outreach with both the Staten Island Korean and Manor Road SDA Churches. This month has been brutally cold but we’ve bundled up and reached out. Sometimes we hesitate on these cold days but even in the coldest weather people still open their doors and receive literature.
Each Sunday we send out a text message—Lines Up—to eoncourage spiritual life. Here are some comments I received this past week. These are people new to our faith. One from a lady we’ve only met one time who requested help raising her sons. I brought her a copy of the book Education. She has said more than once, our messages “always come on time” and she went on to request prayers for protection for her sons “from any bad friends” and because she is expecting and wants a healthy and good boy for [God’s] hands.”
Another lady cried out “Terrified. I don’t want to die. God has abandoned me. I have no family…”
Another lady writes: “…some days I feel lost.” This is the same lady that we visited yesterday and today she writes: “Your visit helped us to feel hope again.”
A young paralegal that we met recently, writes: “Thank you so much for your encouraging words. May the Lord bless your day:)”
Another way we are seeking to minister is through the Fellowship of Adventist Young Adults or FAYA. They have a weekly Bible study and I have been invited a number of times to present and this has blessed me especially in the study of the book of Esther. These young Adventist Christians reside here in NYC but also are scattered from Dallas to Detroit.
Other points of contact are our “Reading Patriarchs and Prophets” and “Reading Testimonies vol. 1.” We keep it concise at just 30 minutes with comments to a minimum. We want to help others see the tremendous value in these inspired writings. They are remarkably fresh and relevant to the times we live in today.
About a week ago I had the opportunity to to share with one of our neighbors—he is a “commodities broker”— a souvenir from our trip to Ketchikan AK. He really seemed to appreciate the refrigerator magnet and postcard I gave him. In the course of the conversation (at 7am-ish on the sidewalk in front of our house) he remarked at how crazy it has gotten. He said that before Covid, it would take him 2 hours to drive to Manhattan from here to attend a sporting event. Now it is just 45 minutes—because so little traffic now! What is with that? I ventured to suggest that at some time in the future I could share with him some things that would help explain what is going on in our world. And he was agreeable to the idea!
On a slightly different note, we have a friend in Oregon, named Ed. He’s one of our friends whose life was touched by our ministry 20 years ago when we were doing full-time public evangelism with the Oregon Conference. His life then was “undone” but somehow God has been putting Ed back together again and now, some 450 miles to the east of his former location in Newport, he is an influential member of his local church and a powerhouse for Christ where he works in the local hospital as a housekeeper. He is a dedicated prayer warrior whose prayers have touched dozens and scores of people. All of this has come to our attention in the last year as we reconnected via texting. I have encouraged him and he encourages us in our outreach. I have been so impressed with his prayer ministry that I told Ed that I would write an article about his ministry for one of our church papers. (I have attached a collage of pictures featuring Ed’s ongoing prayer ministry in Enterprise OR.)
Finally, this coming Sabbath we are scheduled to preach at the New York City Chinese Seventh-day Adventist Church in Queens. The pastor has helped me put together a Chinese card for people we meet and it has been received quite well. He wants us to present our ministry to his church. We hope to visit in his community as well. Thank you for your prayers. (A snowstorm is looming and so this Sabbath’s schedule is up in the air!)
More next month, the Lord willing!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
New York City
November 30, 2021
Dear Friends
We trust your Thanksgiving Day lived up to its name! We are blessed. Here is some of what has been happening.
Recently we worked in a neighborhood which is predominantly Orthodox Jews. Most are courteous but almost always decline the free literature. Notice the almost. Some do accept it. Then of course there are some, thank the Lord very few, who protest our being there. “Why don’t you go preach to the Gentiles?” I replied warmly that we have a worldwide message and we knock on all doors. And then we move on to the next home. I did get into a an extended encounter with one gentleman. In answer to my brief canvass: “We are encouraging people to have hope and to be healthy!”, he asked me, “Do I look like I need hope?” This initiated a rather lengthy visit at his door which ended cordially.
This neighborhood is a staunch Jewish area with a large Jewish Youth College, an elementary school, and a number of synagogues. So what was my surprise when I knocked on a door and heard a lady’s voice from within telling me “I am a Seventh-day Adventist”? She cracked the door and continued to tell me that she hasn’t been attending church. But her husband, who is not an Adventist does! Now that is a switch.
In these cases of unusual circumstances I get bold and so I asked for her phone number to keep in touch. And so we have. As it turned out that day was auspicious in her life for more than one reason. Earlier that morning her daughter gave birth to her first child! So on the very day “Mary” became a grandmother, the Lord sent us to her door to remind her of her spiritual roots.
We have kept in touch and, praise God, day before yesterday, met her in the Manor Road Church with her husband who regularly attends there. She even invited us to Sabbath lunch!! That was just last Sabbath. So the story is ongoing.
Another brief incident from the Jewish neighborhood was a young man sitting on the steps of the elementary school smoking. We stopped and briefly engaged him in conversation about the school. Then, having in my possession a tract which helps people quit smoking I offered it to him and he accepted it…with a smile!
Recently in a sermon I preached, I gave a strong admonition to the congregation to read the Spirit of Prophecy, specifically the Conflict Series: Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, The Desire of Ages, The Acts of the Apostles, and The Great Controversy—you know them well. Later the next week I got a text from a member encouraging me to have online SP readings. Now I had been thinking of doing something like that with the Testimonies and so the upshot is that now we do two nights a week for half an hour a reading of Patriarchs and Prophets on Tuesday at 7-7:30 PM and Volume 1 of Testimonies For The Church on Thursday evening at the same time. We’ve just begun but so far the interest is pretty good. We read around in a circle and these books are powerful!
Something else we have begun this month is “Lines Up: Words of Encouragement for our New York City Friends.” I got this idea from the current Sabbath School Study Guide, about a lady with a texting ministry. So I have started one of my own. I take a quotation from Steps to Christ, one quote from the first chapter, next time, the second chapter, and so on, and paste it into a text with a brief note to introduce it. Then I send it out each Sunday to friends and acquaintances from our various points of contact. Response has been positive—one lady said “Always your word & messages come in time. Amen.” Another said: “Thank you pastor.” And another says: “Thank you for always remembering us in your prayers…” It’s going out every week to over forty people, most of whom are not of our faith.
Finally, we have now been able to develop an Outreach Sabbath in both churches we serve. One Sabbath a month we arrange for a particular portion of the area to be worked. We prepare a map with ten packets of tracts along with a bundle of twenty cards. The tracts and cards we put into the hands of people. If no one’s home we leave the card which has our contact info and other options for Bible study online and an offer for prayer.
So, armed with these silent messengers of truth the members go forth into their specific assigned block. They typically go two by two. We tell them there are levels of development. The first is to GO OUT. That is level one. The second level is to SPEAK at a door. The third is to work TRAIN SOMEONE ELSE as you speak and then let them speak. Ultimately, our goal is to have a person who is proficient enough to ORGANIZE AND PROMOTE Outreach Sabbath.
Here is the simple canvass. You can modify it (as we do). “Hi my name is Steve and I’m with the Adventist Church here in Staten Island. We’re trying to encourage people to have hope and be healthy! (Hold out the pamphlets. A high percentage of people will take them. Emphasize that they’re free! A lot of folk here think we’re out to raise money.) My card is inside the packet with my phone number if you want more information or prayer. We wish you and your family a great holiday season.” And that’s it! Move on to the next door. Now there are exceptional cases where people will talk longer. But typically you have, here in NYC, about 10 seconds to make your offer. And as I mentioned many accept.
Why not try it in your church? It’s simple and brings great satisfaction knowing that the truth for this time is getting into the hands of the people. Keep a master map of the territory which you cover. God will give you wonderful experiences. Remember time is short. Let’s make the best of the opportunities and resources we have at hand!
Pray for us that God’s Word will make a way for us here in Staten Island. There must be people that are seeking for light. Jesus’ assurance to Simon has been on my mind lately—let me share it with you—“Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men” (Luke 5:10 NKJV).
Until next time, your friends and fellow-workers in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
PS: If you need more personalized advice about organizing and promoting an Outreach Sabbath as we have described, give us a call (706) 996-5355. We’d be happy to give you more details about how it’s done. sc
October 27, 2021
Dear Friends
It has already been the best part of a month since we returned from Alaska. How time keeps up such a pace!
As has been our experience here it is ups and downs. At times it seems we’re making progress; at times we’re hindered. But 2 Cor 13:8 KJV is appropriate: “For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth.” Appearances can be misleading.
For example: this woman with whom we became acquainted through finding our card on a street and with whom we seemed to be developing a good relationship (even though it was completely on Zoom or by phone), well, she dropped out of contact. As is the case in this work, forcing a contact is not way to develop an interest. We had to wait and pray. I would send an occasional text message and invite her to our Monday evening Zoom meeting.
Praise God she responded. But then disconnected just as quickly.
Then one Sunday Alberta and I took a walk and saw this couple of women approaching on the same sidewalk. As we stepped out of the way for them to pass we both did a double-take as we focused on one of the ladies. It turned out to be the one we’d been praying for. We knew she lived in our area but we’d never met her in person. This was the first time.
She was excited. We were thankful for that. She suggested she come by for a study. We said any time. Then she disconnected again for a week or so. Nothing. We kept praying and hoping.
Finally an apologetic text came through last Friday evening seeking to re-connect. And so yesterday, we had our first study in over a month—via Zoom. And another is scheduled for this afternoon. We are grateful for her interest.
Our literature ministry continues six days a week. And once a month we organize an outreach at our church (Staten Island Korean SDA Church). As Alberta and her partner were approaching a home, a gentleman in a car spoke with them. He took the pamphlets. He said his wife is vegan and has a vegan café. This led to further conversations with her. Then she invited us over the next week. Praise God!
While visiting with her we explained we were Seventh-day Adventists. She know nothing about us. But her husband standing by in the kitchen where we were seated, spoke up and said his best friend is married to a Seventh-day Adventist. I asked which church she attends. He texted his friend and found out that it’s Manor Road. I then spoke up that that’s where I am preaching next Saturday. She then observed that she wants to come to church!!
Well,we hope she will! And it all started with an offer of free literature.
Another positive development in the literature work has been to translate our card into Chinese. I used Google translator. Then I sent the card to an Adventist Chinese pastor here in NYC. He polished it up and I duplicated it and have shared quite a few of them ever since. There are large numbers of Chinese and some don’t read a word of English.
We also meet Hispanics quite frequently and they are always surprised to hear me speak their language and almost always readily receive the Spanish literature we carry.
Back in our own neighborhood, we were walking along and I noticed the driveway of a home some blocks away from us. In it were these small Italian Fiat cars. They’re barely larger than an enclosed go-kart. But the engine hoods were up and on an impression I decided to approach the owner to compliment him on his car collection or something like that (I don’t just remember exactly what I was going to say, but I decided to say something to this man about these cars.) I hadn’t yet met the man or even seen him but I supposed he was there. And he was very friendly. As we spoke he offered to show us his work shop which was immaculate and well stocked with lifts and tools. This is a hobby for the man. He told us he doesn’t put heat in the garage because then he would spend too much time working on his cars.) He declared he’d taken these cars completely apart and restored them. They all looked beautiful.
He showed us his Italian sports car with 400hp. He didn’t tell us this, but I checked and it costs between $200-400,000.
Why did this gentleman show us his treasures? We suspect that even though we had not met him (and I had never seen him) that he has seen us through the years. He knew we lived in the neighborhood and he trusted us! He invited me back to visit him in in garage sometime.
This is just an example of how we try to mingle with people here. Another way is to go on free nature hikes that are offered in the area. We’ve done several now and are little by little becoming better acquainted with people living around us.
Please pray for us that our work will bear eternaal fruit in the lives of these people.
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Dear Friends:
As we reported last time, much of this month was spent in Alaska (9.8.2021—9.27.2021). We returned on Monday (dropping out of the sky at 5:30 am EDT (1:30 am AT)! Three days later we are on our way to recovering from that aspect of the journey.
Otherwise it went pretty well. Uneventful travel with good seat mates for the most part and smooth transfers with all luggage collected on time (Alaska Airlines has a 20 minute baggage guarantee and they also are quite strict about enforcing the wearing of masks by passengers, which we appreciated.).
Ketchikan, Alaska is where Steve was born in 1950. This was the first time back since the family left in early 1956. One of my personal goals was to find the house where my earliest memories reside. At first it was elusive. But with the help of chance encounters on a trail with lifelong residents and the assistance of two ladies at the Ketchikan Museum who did document sleuthing we found my folks former residence.
To confirm this discovery we went to the door of the dwelling. From the street we could see little evidence that it was the home because it had been modified and updated. But a pleasant lady answered and when I told her the purpose of our visit she readily agreed that this was the place! She is the granddaughter of the woman who bought the home from my folks in 1956! As we stepped inside the foyer she showed us the very steps where a picture was taken by my dad of me and my brother with my mother in 1954.
They are the same steps! [See Pictures below] The same cedar shakes are on the outside of the house and had been obscured from our view on the street by trees. It was very interesting to see our old home, still being used all these years later. What memories! Add to that we found Cook St nearby which we were told was named after my dad. [See Picture]
We were also making memories of another sort while in town. We took opportunity to hike as often as we could and the trails were outstanding. [Picture] Some of the trees literally brought tears to Alberta’s eyes. They were massive, majestic, and suggestive of Eden. We saw salmon rushing up streams by the hundreds. We saw a bear furtively running away into the brush. We saw mountains. We saw narrow channels. We rode a fairy from the airport to the “mainland” (also another island). On one hike we noticed white spots on a mountain meadow high above us. We’d been alerted to watch for mountain goats and so we carefully observed that these dots moved! They were mountain goats. There is a mounted specimen in the Ketchikan Airport that is striking in its beauty [See Picture]!
We learned the significance of the island’s name Revillagigedo, (named for New Spain’s viceroy in the late 18th C.) and the meaning of Ketchikan. According to Hayley at the Museum: “Ketchikan derives its name from the Tlingit name of the creek that flows through the center of downtown…(and) is commonly interpreted as the sound of the thundering wings of an eagle.”
We held evangelistic meetings during our visit and preached a total of fifteen times including three Sabbath sermons. Alberta also presented a brief, illustrated message on health nearly each evening of the series. Praise God! There was one re-baptism of our ‘pink lady’ [See Pictures].
The church is blessed with a good location, a fine facility but like all churches it has been hampered by Covid. And it has been without a pastor for about a year. There is a nice parsonage, where we stayed, that the church owns for the resident pastor—when they get one!
One day we were out on a hike along the coast and saw some beautiful western Red Cedars. Out on a spit of rock we noticed a gentleman coming our way. People are rare out there at this time of year but here he was and then a lady joined him. They turned out to be very friendly. And as we talked, I eyed his wife trying to determine her cultural heritage. Well, they turned out to be Korean! And his name is Steve Kim. And his wife has relatives here in New York City. I got his phone number for future contact.
Also from the “It’s a Small World” drawer: We were visiting in the hamlet of Saxman which is just outside of Ketchikan. It’s special attraction is totem poles. As we were about to enter the gift shop we saw a mane of white hair and recognized it. “Rex!” I said out loud in his direction. He was masked but that hair and head shape are memorable. Sure enough, he looked up and there he was: Rex Edwards, pastor, evangelist, administrator, theologian, author, scholar, from New Zealand. Now in his 80s, but spry and filled with interesting accounts of past adventures. We took a picture which I have included. He is retired and on a cruise. He didn’t know me but now will probably never quite forget our meeting. [See Picture]
Filtering through all of this was the covid crisis. Alaska is the leading hot spot for covid in America at this time. Shortly after our arrival we learned that my cousin Roseanne’s husband Robert was in the ICU at Anchorage with Covid 19. The doctors gave him a 10% chance of survival. Being on life-support for at least two weeks left him in a coma from which he did not awaken. We did get to meet him or rather see him through the phone. He was hooked up to all kinds of cords and tubes. Robert was fully vaccinated but he succumbed to his illness. He was a taxi driver and there are numerous people using taxis in Ketchikan. His wife is holding up well to this tragic loss.
We were fortunate to meet my aunt Marie and her daughter, my cousin Roseanne and second-cousin Robbie who all are life-long residents of Ketchikan. [See Picturea] Marie is the second wife of my late uncle Bill, my dad’s brother. A little over ten years ago my uncle Bill was re-converted and joined by his wife Marie was baptized into the church he’d left years before right there in Ketchikan. He was a devout and active member until his death in 2017. Marie has carried on in that devoted spirit. She is mission-minded and has already purchased literature and plastic bags to distribute the booklets in the community.
Well as I mentioned earlier the time zone there is four hours earlier than here and it is taking a while to re-adjust.
But now we re-focus on the task at hand to reach the people around us. Please pray for our mission here in the densely populated neighborhoods of Arden Hills, New Dorp Beach, Great Kills, Princes Bay, Eltingville, Bay Terrace, Annadale, Huguenot, and so on.
Your old friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Staten Island, New York
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC
It never ceases to amaze me—how many people are packed into this city! Staten Island is the smallest of the five boroughs but empty space is at a premium. Street after street of homes, condos, side by sides (duplexes), homes with tenants in their basements. Thank God there are doors everywhere. Most of which are still accessible. Grass is often covered up with what they call pavers, small blocks of stone or cement laid in various patterns, in both the front and backyards. Is this part of what makes it so hot here? This week we are into the 90’s again!
And this month has been marked with meeting three different atheists and one agnostic—and typically we’ve found them to be pleasant people. I told this one lady that she was too nice to be an atheist! (Let me just say that while people can control whether they receive our literature they cannot completely control the influence of our visit. And it is our prayer that God will use that influence to bring them to Christ and the truth for this time.)
The next atheist was Joe. Somehow we got to talking after he declined the literature. (Often when people linger at the door, and it’s not often, it means they’re somewhat interested. We are trying to learn how to capitalize on this budding interest.) Anyway, I learned that Joe is just 2 or 3 months older than me. He went through the draft at the same time as me. He played the bass guitar as I did. He knew about Woodstock as I did. There were so many mutual points of similarity in our past that it seemed to bond us as we talked on his front porch. I preached to him about the love of God and God’s interest in him. I then asked if he would be willing to receive a book. He said he would and the next day I delivered to him a copy of The Great Controversy. That was atheist no. 2.
Atheist no. 3 happened just a couple of days later. Herb was also very pleasant. His wife Ellen came out and entered into our fragmented conversation. She is an agnostic (the subtle difference between the two is an agnostic admits to a certain amount of uncertainty about their beliefs, where the atheist is quite confident.) At any rate Herb was also willing to receive a book which I delivered a day later.
As a believer I am confident that God will use this literature to continue to develop faith in these people.
Last Sabbath I went to the doors in New Dorp Beach with Nikita, a 16 year old Russian, who has moved here with his family. His father and mother for the last several months have gone with us to meet people at their homes. I mentioned Nikita in our last post. At the very first door where he spoke, a lady responded positively. It was a very hot day and she offered us bottles of cold water (she will not lose her reward Matt 10:42). And when I offered to bring by a book for her to read, she said that she would be honored! Later I delivered to her mailbox, The Desire of Ages with an inscription (in all of the books we deliver, we put a personal note with our contact info.)
Well anyway, last Sabbath, Nikita was with me again (he alternates with his father in accompanying me to the doors). Once again willingly Nikita did the talking. And the man who opened the door said this: “I have never read the Bible in my life!” Those were astonishing words coming from an apparently non-immigrant individual. He took the literature. We praise God!
Just yesterday, Alberta heard these words as she met a lady at her front door: “Who sent you here?” Alberta gladly shared: “It was the Lord who sent me here.” And the lady received the literature.
Many people are under pressure—it’s written all over their faces and displayed by their demeanor. One lady just a few days ago shared her concerns for a friend who has cancer and I was able to pray with her at her door. This happens frequently.
Our approach at the door is simplicity itself: “Hi my name is Steve and I’m with the Adventist Church here in Staten Island. We’re encouraging people to read the Bible and be healthy. Here are a couple of free pamphlets to point you in that direction (hand them the literature. See pictures of it.) And inside is an iformation card with my number if you want more information or prayer.” Then I wish them God’s blessing and go on my way. With the people here you have about 5-10 seconds to come to the point of your visit and make the offer.
Now I don’t want to leave the impression that it’s all clear sailing. Some people are inconsiderate, dismissive, and some—not many—can even be rude. One man phoned me last Friday to demand that we not leave anything at his home again. I explained that it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime event. It didn’t seem to register. Next time it happens, he warned, he wouldn’t be so nice. As I said earlier in this post, people can only control so much, they are being influenced by the very presence of a simple card left at their door. Only eternity will reveal the complete effect of the seed which is the word of God (Luke 8:11).
“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Hebrews 13:12-14).
In this age of the superficial and temporary, let’s invest ourselves in that which has such potential for everlasting results, the people all around us. God be with you! We appreciate your prayers and encouraging notes.
Your friends, laboring in New York City,
Steve and Alberta Cook
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
It’s hot here today—as it is around the country. But our work goes forward: Mingling. Sympathizing. Ministering. Winning confidence. Inviting. (Ministry of Healing 143) This is Christ’s method and we are seeking to carry it out in His strength and grace.
One way in which we mingle is to take literature to the doors of the people. We bring packets of health and spiritual content to the doors showing we have an interest in the total person. Many receive the literature.
A Sabbaths ago we were in an apartment building and the lady listened to my speech, declined the literature, went away, leaving me at the door and returned to put $5 in my hands. I told her we would use it for more literature. This is the second time people have given me money for these tracts. (Last Sunday was Father’s Day and a number of us from our local church were out picking up trash. I was teamed up with a boy about 11 years old. And a lady felt led to put two dollars in his hand for water! It was a hot day!)
From our literature ministry we have developed an English Language Class for the Chinese couple. They continue to absorb it and God is helping us to get closer to them. The pastor of the church gives them food from the church food bank and from his garden. A couple of weeks ago as they entered the lobby of the church for the class, before they entered the fellowship hall, they went into the sanctuary of the church. And we explained some of the words describing what they saw. PEW and add an S to make it more than one. AISLE. PLATFORM. PULPIT. Now they were with us on the platform. And there was the BAPTISTRY. (That is a more complex word for them but they seemed interested as we explained its purpose and meaning. I was standing in the baptistry and telling them that the followers of Jesus are baptized to dedicate themselves to Jesus. And He has promised us ETERNAL LIFE. And then the Chinese lady asked: “What is eternal life?” And we explained it to them. They took it all in.
We go out on Sabbath afternoons with a Russian couple and their son (who alternates with his father from week to week). The 16 year old boy will make his first attempt to speak at the door next time we go out together.
Sunday, June 27, 2021, we had Good Things Presents: “Summer Food” via Zoom and were able to share with nearly two dozen people some of the recipes that have been a blessing to us. (See poster and picture.) If you are interested in the recipes drop me a line at <stevecook1970@gmail.com> and we’ll share them with you. Many were from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. It was hot here and I’m sure the same down there. But all seemed to enjoy the class.
Covid 19 is receding in the city and things are getting more and more back to “normal”. But there is an amazing indifference to the gospel here. We pray about it.
Here is a mini-compilation that includes the phrase “hunt for souls” from the pen of Sr. Ellen G. White: “Diligent work is now called for. In this crisis, no halfhearted efforts will prove successful. In all our city work, we are to hunt for souls. Wise plans are to be laid, in order that such work may be done to the best possible advantage.”—The Review and Herald, September 27, 1906. {Evangelism 59.2}
“God will certainly bless wholehearted workers. If the Lord chooses your feet to do His work, give your feet to Him. With the feet you may hunt for souls.”—Letter 1, January 18, 1902, to Elder and Mrs. S. N. Haskell, who were engaged in city evangelism. {This Day With God 26.6}
“A neglected work remains to be done, and we are to repent of our indifference toward this work, and pray for spiritual discernment to see and to sense, as we should, its urgent needs. To us has been entrusted enlightening, saving truth. All about us are multitudes who have never yet been enlightened. To these we must proclaim the lifesaving truths of the third angel’s message. We are to hunt for souls, laboring with all diligence to communicate to others that which is for their eternal welfare…” Letter 4, February 15, 1911, to W. C. White. {Upward Look 60.2}
“I have been instructed that these places [in Australia] must be worked. Those who understand the reasons for our faith are not to excuse themselves from earnest, interested labor…We are not to lose our spirituality in doing nothing…Will we go out into the wilderness of sin and draw souls to Christ? The great Shepherd of the sheep will teach us how to work, how to hunt for souls, and the Holy Spirit will be our efficiency...” —Letter 156, 1899. {17Manuscript Releases 131.1 }
“A working church is ever delivering by precept and example an effective testimony to the world. By their burden for souls, by the prayers they offer in sincerity for their fellow creatures, the members are stretching out their hands all the day long. Theories and arguments do not interest them. They strive to bring the truth close to hearts. They hunt for souls. But let a church be given food constantly, while the members do not do righteousness in their own homes or in the church, and it is a curse instead of a blessing…”—Manuscript 49, 1898 { 21MR 33.2 }
“We are laborers together with God. We must have spiritual workers, not only laborers who labor in the pulpit for the churches but those who will do personal work among the people. Too much time is devoted to the churches in preaching. This is not attended with the best results. The work of the Lord’s ambassadors is to organize a company of workers to hunt for souls who need help, but hours are spent in preaching that had better be devoted to personal house to house labor.” The Kress Collection 153 all emphasis added
May God help all of us to find these precious people while there is still time to do it.
God be with you until next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Staten Island, NY
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” Hebrews 13:12-14.
By these eloquent words we are invited and exhorted to not remain in our “comfort zone” at such a time as this. We must acquaint people with the goodness of Jesus and His desire to bring us into a fellowship of love and loyalty with God–while there is still time!
In our labors here in New York City (Staten Island), we have found it necessary to do aggressive work in coming close to the people. We are told to “mingle” with people as those who desire their good (See The Ministry of Healing 143:3). For us, that mingling has taken various forms, most prominent of which is taking literature to their doors and briefly (you have about 5-10 seconds to state your purpose for visiting them) acquainting them with who we are, “We’re from the Adventist Church of Staten Island”, what we want, “We are encouraging people to read the Bible and get spiritual food and be healthy”; typically at that point we hand them a packet of tracts which typically have a Biblical and health theme. Then I add that my phone number is on a slip of paper inside if they wish more information or would like prayer. This is a simple element but it has had profound consequences.
–“Linda” (not here real name), lives in an affluent neighborhood. And she took the pamphlets and readily responded to the offer for prayer. Her husband was facing surgery for a serious medical issue. I offered to pray right then and there. She was touched by the Spirit of God. She told me that she’d lived there for 10 years and never been visited at the door like this. About a week later I received a call from this same lady. She was under stress again because of her husband’s situation and so on. She remembered the peace she’d felt after prayer and called for another prayer! I also read her the famous and powerful promises of God in Isaiah 41:10, 13: I’ will help thee…I will hold thy right hand.’
People are under stress for many reasons and we encounter them and have found it to be an effective way to communicate sympathy and love for them. And they’re total strangers—at first!
We’ve developed a friendship with Sergei and his wife Elaina, who have recently arrived here from Russia. They love the Lord and want to serve him as missionaries here. Daily, at different times, we pray with them. Sabbath afternoons we have identified a target area to visit with literature. We knock and talk. Sometimes Sergei also gets to talk because there is a fairly large Russian population here. Their English is still developing but I am sure it will be used very soon.
-We met “Lang” and “Sam”, on one of those recent Sabbath afternoons. They are a Chinese couple living in a very small apartment. As we conversed with them it was evident their English was very limited. In the course of our visit at their door, Lang looked at me and said “You teach me (English).” I said Yes. And so last Thursday, we had our first class. They arrived promptly and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the class. Providentially Sergei’s son Nikita, speaks Chinese! That’s because this Russian family lived in China for 6 years while the boy was growing up. He helps to facilitate our communication with Lang and Sam.
-On the same day we had the English class with the Chinese couple, immediately afterward we drove to a small group meeting with “Maria”, a Mexican lady whose English is minimal. We are studying “The Faith of Jesus” Bible lessons with her. We are grateful to God that 40 years ago we received the gift of tongues in Mexico which has remained with us all these years.
-Last Sabbath, as we visited in the New Dorp Beach neighborhood Alberta and Elaina found themselves “by mistake” going back to the same residences they’d visited before. To their surprise some of the people they’d met before reached out their hands for the pamphlets—they wanted more literature!
-Over a week ago I met “Robert”. He expressed his concern about how things are going in the world and how it has led him to begin to read Revelation with his wife. I assured him we’d be willing to help if he needs guidance about what he is reading.
-Yesterday, I met “Mario”. It was after a particularly “dry area” in that block. Mario readily took the literature and we began an extended conversation about God. Mario is a retired architect and marveled over the design of the human thumb!
– Just today, I met “Angela”. It was the offer of prayer that opened her up. Out came a story of her son, estranged coming for dinner tonight as he begins to make contact. But her biggest concern was for her husband whose relationship to God is in great need. I ventured to ask for her phone number and promised that we’d continue to pray for her and keep in touch.
“Carry the Word of God to every man’s door…” Evangelism 434:2
Won’t you join us in going forth “without the camp”—right there where you live. Find a territory of homes, get the literature from the church stockpile, put on the gospel armor and go out. We’d be happy to hear from you about your experiences.
Remember, your prayers make a difference!
With Christian love,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
2021
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
A dead muskrat and making friends! Who would have thought…?
One of the principles of friendship evangelism that we have experienced is that you have to be around the people where they are. And when the time is right you have to speak up! That certainly is the case here in New York City. Strangers will not say anything to you unless you take the first step. Then their affability will appear. And they are quite courteous.
Anyway we have practiced this and have been able to make numerous friends among our neighbors. I could be mistaken but we probably know more of our neighbors than most on our block.
Well there are some people that have seemed particularly aloof but little by little they open up. One such couple have a large dog they walk frequently. He is such a pleasant creature and they adore him. We’ve had the opportunity to pet him and then Alberta learned the dog’s name. Well that did it; next time we happened to see them I said “It’s not right to know your dog’s name and not know your names!” And so we got to introduce ourselves. They are a very pleasant family.
Now back to the dead muskrat. There it was, right in the path at the entry to the nature area in our neighborhood. It was sad to see it lying on its back. I observed its bare tail, its beautiful brown fur and it had one long hind claw. I found a board nearby and picked it up to remove it away from the path (later I covered it with some tree wood nearby).
Just as I turned to go on I heard the voice of the man with the dog! Our friend from up the street. He wanted to know what the creature was. I told him that it was a muskrat. And he explained that he had seen it a couple of days before when it was still alive but apparently very ill. His dog had picked it up but he was careful to make clear that the dog had not done the poor creature in. (Which I was glad to hear.) My suspicion is that it got hold of some poison. How, I do not know.
Anyway, that experience further developed our friendship.
Then just day before yesterday, we met on the path again and we shared more. Well just where it will go only the Lord knows. But we praise God for the opportunity to influence people for eternity.
We also continue to knock on doors to introduce people to gospel and health literature. We say something like: “Hi I’m Steve and I’m with the Adventist Church here in Staten Island. We’re encouraging people to read the Bible and be healthy. Here’s some pamphlets to encourage you. (Hand them the literature and 60-70% of the time they will take it.) We also inform them that our phone number is in the plastic bag and that we are available to pray for/with them if they would so desire. In that simple strategy we have knocked on thousands of doors and delivered over 7,000 packets of literature. We’ve just had a lady thank us for coming to her door and asked us to pray for her sons to know God.
Just day before yesterday we met a lady that told us she is a Seventh-day Adventist from a neighboring state who is living with her daughter here. And she feels deeply the need to connect with the local church.
The day before yesterday, I was visiting and a lady came out of the house asking who I was. Before I could answer she told me! She recognized me from our breadmaking class and from visiting church about a year ago.
Once a week the pastor of the Staten Island Korean SDA Church joins me and we are working a section of the community. He is on one side of the street as I take the other. He has gone out with me four times now.
Two Sabbaths ago we had a team of over ten almost evenly divided into adults and young people and we went into about 10 blocks with literature. Young people and their natural energy are just made for house to house evangelism.
Right now we are praying with a Russian couple who, although just developing their English language skills are willing to pray daily and the husband and I are planning to go out into the field this coming Sabbath afternoon. Please remember us in prayer that God will guide this effort and give us “true success in reaching the people” (see Ministry of Healing 143:3).
One other thing that we have had going on is our online Good Things Breadmaking Made Simple Seminar. We had two classes last Sunday (4/25/21) and last evening (4/27/21). We had people from Staten Island, other parts of NYC, Georgia, Trinidad and Tobago, Martinique and London, England! (This was our friend from Florida visiting relatives in the UK just as soon as she gets out of quarantine!!) In the class Alberta gives a PPt lecture with pre-prepared videos of the various stages of baking two loaves of whole wheat bread. It was very well received.
Well we have made many contacts and we are praying for God to fulfill this promise: “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Ps 126:6 KJV
God be with you till we meet again!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Tuesday, March 10, 2021
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
This year continues to accelerate! And our labors continue. We have finished putting out 5000 cards. They invite people to receive a free copy of The Desire of Ages and The Great Controversy. (See attached picture.) So far we have received three requests in a month. That is encouraging.
Today we were putting out these cards and we heard something that I was able to record. This is a rooster crowing behind a fence in New York City. It was really music to my ears! It is a rare country taste here in an urban center like this one. I haven’t figured out how to attach the recording I was able to make of it but it gave me joy to hear this rooster in New York City!
As I have mentioned it is 50 years since I became a Christian in Ashland, OR. And I’ve gotten nostalgic. I was able to reconnect with a friend, John Donaldson, who pointed me toward Wildwood 50 years ago. He and his wife still live outside of Portland, Oregon where our paths crossed during a soul-winning seminar I attended in January 1971.
I also have reflected on the influence of my “home church”, the church of my childhood and youth. I wrote a letter to the congregation expressing my appreciation. I am attaching it here. Our churches are like islands of life and hope amidst the sea of despair and aimlessness that is seemingly everywhere. When I ‘came to myself’, to paraphrase words of the Lord’s parable, I found that my church family, along with my Mom and Dad welcomed me back with open arms! (I have written the church a letter which I am posting here.)
Dear Friends at Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist Church
You would be amazed to see how fast 50 years goes by! I can tell you it really does. And while it’s a bit of cliche the time really does seem to speed up. But I can’t tell you why!
I am writing to thank my church family at Grants Pass. After all, this was the church I “grew up” in from 1956—1971. Some of my earliest memories of church (and my parents, Dale and Dorothy Cook attended regularly until they passed in the ‘90s and ‘02) were there at 111 Evelyn Ave. Yes, I believe the building is still there—across from the Barnstormer’s Theatre. I remember my classes in Primary with the teacher Mr. Al Bray, Marge’s husband. And I remember sitting with my Dad and Mom in the balcony. The building seemed so large then. And on Sabbaths it was filled up. From that balcony I’d watched as the numbers came in from Harvest Ingathering during the week. They were totaled up on a large blackboard up front in between Sabbath School and Church. Ingathering was huge in those days.
Tragically, my spiritual life went off the rails in the late 1960s but in the mercy of God, like the prodigal son, who “came to himself” Jesus saved me. It happened just fifty years ago last October. And it was just a week and half later that I found myself back at Church on Evelyn Ave. The welcome was solid. I’d come back from the “dead”.
This was the church where I’d been baptized in the early ‘60s. This was the church where my 8th grade graduation happened. And indelible are the memories I have of my brother’s funeral in 1962.
One of my first responsibilities as a re-converted member was to lead out in the Junior age group during Vacation Bible School, the summer of 1971. Here I would later preach. And when the new church was built just a few blocks away, it was here where my wife and I would come home to visit during those wonderful summer months in Southern Oregon in the 70’s, ‘80s, and ‘90s.
Capping it off it was here that we’d conduct several evangelistic series in the Grants Pass Church in the early 2000’s. And I cannot ever forget my first series there in 2000 when my Dad was still living and how that played such a crucial role in leading me into full time evangelistic ministry. What can I say but “Thank you” to all who have made and continue to make Grants Pass Church such a bastion of Adventism.
I think that it goes without saying that your “home church”—the church of your early years has a profound influence in shaping your thoughts about church—and about God. I am grateful for the way that my early life was molded by the influence of the Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Your friends forever,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Till next time, your prayers and notes are of great value. Blessings to all, in Jesus’ name!
Steve and Alberta Cook
In 1883, Ellen G. White wrote: “Carry the Word of God to every man’s door, urge its plain statements upon every man’s conscience, repeat to all the Saviour’s command, “Search the Scriptures.”…” The Review and Herald, July 10, 1883. Ev 434.2 We continue to see the value of this simple approach here in Staten Island.
Each time we go out we meet people that are not insensitive to spiritual things. While there are a considerable number that are we are gladdened by those like a Chinese lady we met last week. She has responded to literature and even gave us contact info for a future contact. Coincidentally, just around the corner we met another Chinese family that responded very positively.
One lady we met yesterday, affirmed what we are doing with these words: “We need this!”
Please pray that we will see more who respond like this and even want more light and truth.
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Dear Friends:
You might say that winter has finally come. It has really been cold for Staten Island. It was 23 degrees F. this morning. So far that has been some of the coldest we have seen and definitely the coldest this winter.
We continue to put out pamphlets in people’s homes–by the hundreds. We have been led to knock on the doors. I know, the concept is not new but it has allowed us to talk with people.
Just a couple of days after we began that a muslim gentleman, who at first seemed distracted after opening his door, not only took the pamphlets but then proceeded to give me $17 in cash! The day before, a man who lives in what might be termed a small palace along the bay, also graciously accepted the literature.
In 1883, Ellen G. White wrote: “Carry the Word of God to every man’s door, urge its plain statements upon every man’s conscience, repeat to all the Saviour’s command, “Search the Scriptures.” Admonish them to take the Bible as it is, to implore the divine enlightenment, and then, when the light shines, to gladly accept each precious ray, and fearlessly abide the consequences.—The Review and Herald, July 10, 1883. Evangelism 434.
Please pray for us as we seek to find ways to bring the gospel to every home here.
Your old friends in the northeast,
Steve and Alberta Cook
December 31, 2020
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
What a year it has been. We began with high expectations. Our Breadmaking Made Simple class at the Staten Island Korean SDA Church was a success and we launched a Stop Smoking Class which gathered a few participants (smoking is quite common here). Then we launched another Breadmaking class at Manor Road which was a resounding success with many (church members and community guests) participating. We were just beginning to advertise for the Stop Smoking seminar when the Covid-19 “curtain” descended.
What to do? Well into the gap entered Hope Awakens, the It Is Written Series. We invested in it and began a follow up to the series after it concluded in May.
Before I review what happened I must mention Dwight Nelson’s week long virtual series targeting New York City called Healing Hope. It’s a bit complicated but we’ve become acquainted with Pr Dwight via email and he is aware that we are here in NYC and, without mentioning our names, made reference to our being here and prayed for us in his concluding message.
After that series concluded we began our follow up meetings for Hope Awakens. And since May 25 we have had 30 sessions and continue to the present time with Hope Awakens New York City Virtual Community. It meets each week for half an hour. One great blessing of Hope Awakens was Ms. Lemon Date of Toronto, whose sister used to reside here and who began attending Hope Awakens. Eventually, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit she was impressed to look up an evangelistic series online, attended it and was re-baptized into a local Adventist Church there where she lives. Praise God!!
In addition, through the Summer we served up thirteen sessions of Take Charge of Your Health via Zoom. These were health related topics. Add to that, all through the year Alberta, in addition to other outreach activities has taught the Youth Class at the Staten Island Korean SDA Church. I have also been placed in charge of the English speaking Adult Sabbath School class.
Another project that occupied us this Summer was The Medical Missionary Training Seminar sponsored by the Northeastern Conference of SDA’s. This lasted about 8-9 days and was an intense virtual program for those who participated. I spoke on Ellen G. White and Medical Science and Alberta demonstrated Bread Making and spoke on how to conduct a cooking class.
In the Fall we conducted Unlocking Revelation’s Mysteries for 21 sessions including three Sabbath morning presentations. As we concluded that we were able to begin a small group in a member’s home.
This is in addition to thousands of pamphlets that we have left at doors throughout various neighborhoods here in Staten Island. We put three sharing tracts including one doctrinal, one on health and one about Adventist Christians. We also insert a slip of paper with our invitation to receive additional reading material with our phone number. It is seldom that we meet people who have heard of us.
We are planning for the new year and have scheduled two virtual breadmaking classes in the Spring and Fall. We also plan to put out 10,000 packets of literature in the community. (The Staten Island Korean Church is underwriting the expenses for this.) There is so much territory that is untouched here that it can absorb all the attention we and other churches (Staten Island SDA Church, New Brighton Community SDA Church, Manor Road SDA Church, Staten Island Spanish SDA Church, and the New Era African Group) that are here in Staten Island can give it.
One event that I will conclude with that is projected for 2021—and that is the General Conference Session Thursday, May 20—Tuesday, May 25, 2021. As I understand it, the session will meet in Indianapolis, IN but the exhibitors will meet virtually. By God’s grace we (Staten Island Korean SDA Church and ProclaimNYC) will be one of many exhibitors at this session. The theme is “I Will Go” and a stirring theme it is! Please make plans to visit our “booth” and pick up our material and sign our “guest book”. And consider our appeal: “Come to New York City, and Help Us!”
Your ideas, your talents, your resources, your love for the Lord, your passion to win souls, your vision for what can be done in such a challenging field as this one, are greatly needed and will be appreciated!
For now, your friends in New York City,
Steve and Alberta Cook Happier New Year
PS: We’ll “see you” May 20-25, 2021 at the General Conference virtual exhibit session.
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Dear Friends:
The year 2020 has been special in so many ways—many of which are negative—but there is at least one thing about this year that is outstanding for me personally. This October I marked fifty years as a Christian! Ebenezer—to this point God has helped me.
Fifty years after giving my heart to the Lord in Southern Oregon and then confirming it again on Redondo Beach four days later we are still pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I thank God that as we marked that occasion we were presenting the Three Angel’s Messages in a Zoom series here entitled Unlocking Revelation’s Mysteries.
While we did not have the community response we had hoped for there were a good number of people who attended during the 18 night event. We had guests from Oregon, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Toronto, and of course here in New York City.
Please continue to pray for us as we go forward to reach the people of this metropolis.
I am posting some pictures of me and my wife taken over the past half-century and more. Where have all these years gone?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pr Steve and Alberta
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Dear Friends,
Just a quick note to update you on our present activity. Currently we are two weeks into Unlock Revelation’s Mysteries. These meetings are via Zoom and our evening attendance is around 15-20 (sometimes more). Those attending are from the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church and others from a variety of Adventist churches in New York City and elsewhere.
The “elsewhere” is interesting. We have two ladies from Philadelphia. One lady from Missouri. Two ladies from Oregon, one lady from Florida, and one from Georgia. Yes there are men attending!
One interesting additional element to this series is the prayer support of an old acquaintance in Oregon. His name is Ed and we met in our Newport series in 2002. Recently, out of the blue, he texted us and renewed our friendship. He’s living in Northeastern Oregon. He has a prayer ministry where he climbs up on a bluff to a prominent rock and prayers for people. He’s been praying for our meetings. We deeply appreciate it. I thought you should know about Ed.
Please continue to pray for each of our guests. We hope that they will all see the beauty of present truth.
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Monday, September 28, 2020
Dear Friends of Proclaim
I am leading this report with the best news we had this year–so far. A few Sabbaths ago Ms. Lemon Date of Toronto, Ontario, Canada was baptized. Lemon and her sister Syndiann have been attending our Hope Awakens Virtual Community from its beginning, very faithfully!. Lemon grew up in Jamaica. She had been raised, I believe, in the Adventist Church there. But, like so many of us, her life veered away. But during the summer the Holy Spirit worked in a mighty way to rekindle her faith and trust in God. She began to watch a Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic series online and responded to the messages. She was put in contact with the nearest Adventist Church and she began to attend. As a result, on Sabbath, August 29, 2020 Ms. Lemon Date was buried in the waters of baptism. We praise the Lord for her decision. And we thank God that we have had a small part in this wonderful experience. I am including a picture of her in this post. See below.
Recently we took a vacation and drove to Cape Cod in Massachusetts. The place has special memories for Alberta who went there as a young girl with her family. It now is forever linked in my memory as well. Both the Atlantic and Bay sides of the Cape were beautiful and we had a number of outstanding hikes there. I am adding some pictures below that attempt to capture some of the outstanding scenery we were privileged to see.
We have now been in NYC for over 1 year! Praise the Lord! It has been a momentous year. We have passed the 20,000 item mark, including surveys, posters, banners, pieces of literature in the community. And I can say that we are barely scratching it here.
There are so many neighborhoods, homes, apartment buildings, duplexes (they call them “semis”); there seems to be no end to it. The Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church (SIKor) has just recently graciously offered to help underwrite our literature ministry. We just recently placed a large order for thousands more of health and Bible pamphlets to scatter the word. “Paul plants. Apollos waters. But God gives the increase.” (Adapted from 1 Cor 3:6.)
As you know we have been occupied with Hope Awakens Virtual Community which began on Memorial Day in May and continues to this day. We’ve had a number of guests from the community as well as fellow believers from Adventist Churches in other parts of New York City.
We’ve also been involved in the Take Charge of Your Health Action Group, an online outreach to promote wellness. And we have a small group attending that as well.
Our next major push is Unlocking Revelation’s Mysteries which begins on October 15 and runs through November 7. It will be nightly except Sunday and Wednesday. This series will be presented on Zoom. And you are welcome to join us on Thursday, October 15 from 8-9pm ET.
Go to Zoom.com and click on “Join a meeting” then when prompted enter the ID number listed below and then when prompted enter the PW. The ID number is:769 8944 6430 and the PW: a1234.
We have placed a large banner outside SIKor and will put out over 2000 handbills in various areas. Please pray for us and the people of this community who will be receiving invitations to the meetings. It will all be online.
May God continually bless you as you prepare for the return of Jesus, which is coming very soon!
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Monday, August 10, 2020
Dear Friends of Proclaim
We have had an intense past week here. The remnants of Hurricane Isaias blew through our community on Tuesday leaving destruction to trees principally. Fortunately there was no loss of life in our area that I heard of. But many, many trees blew down. Some of them are planted in the sidewalk “islands” that line the streets. They are owned by the city. Street after street saw some of these uprooted. (See pictures above).
Perhaps the worst part for many was the loss of electricity. Just last night (Sunday) power was finally restored to everyone here in New York City. Praise God we were not affected. The power blinked a couple of times but never went out. But just blocks away it went out.
But for us, the good news of the week was the testimony of our friend Lemon Date (see picture below). She lives in Toronto and met us through Hope Awakens. Her sister lives in Brooklyn and joined our virtual community at its beginning. I think she invited Lemon on the first or second time we met. Lemon had been out of the church for years. And over the summer has faithfully attended our studies in Daniel. Then she began watching an evangelistic series (also online) and made her decision to return to church and be re-baptized. We were so glad for her and to see how our ministry contributed to her decision. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).
With Lemon’s permission I am sharing this account and putting her picture here as well. We see the hand of God in her transformation. And her witness is very encouraging.
We also have been blessed with a generous contribution. We are endeavoring to place literature at the doors of homes here. We bundle two tracts together in a small plastic bag which we tape shut. Each bundle is made up of a health tract and a spiritual tract. I am including a picture of the group of tracts we use.
We are also preparing for an evangelistic series this Fall at the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church. Steve will be preaching those meetings. They will be especially directed to the English speaking community around us. Our plans also include a special series directed to the Korean speaking people of this area. Our pastor, Jaewhan Shin will be the speaker for those meetings. Both series will be live/in person but will also be live-streamed as well. Please pray for these upcoming meetings in October/November.
As we conclude this post, let me just say that this world continues to rapidly deteriorate. We know not how long we have to work for the people of this city or wherever we may be. The important thing is to put your talents to work in bringing Jesus and the Three Angel’s Messages before the people. “Work, for the night is coming!”
So until next time,we appreciate your prayers and interest,
Steve and Alberta Cook
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC
Where we live you never know what you might come across. I stepped out for my customary early morning walk to see a turkey browsing at the corner. Yes, a full, live bird. They are fairly common here.
What isn’t common is what I came across earlier this week (7.20.2020). I was approaching an intersection and crossing it. Then I noticed a coin or two. Then I noticed a lot of coins. Strewn through the intersection in the street, in a quiet residential neighborhood. I bent to retrieve the silver coins. I have seen a coin or two before and unless it is silver I hesitate to pick it up. But this was different. I bent over and over and finally had 15 quarters, 31 dimes, 15 nickels, 45 pennies and most unusual of all a small Latvian 2 Santimi (worth about 2 cents). I have put pictures of the coins below.
As you may imagine it took a while to collect all of this. I left the pennies. But walking later with my wife I found they were still there and so I picked them up. Whose were they? It would be hard to say. At any rate it added up to $8.05.
One additional bonus, worth far more than the money: I discovered that I am not getting enough exercise in my thighs. From all the bending that I did to retrieve the coins I have been sore all week! I need more exercise and will begin as soon as I recover.
We saw a striking answer to prayer last week. We have been walking through our neighborhood, as I have mentioned and have made friends with one of our neighbors that lives on a street over from us. Well we prayed that we’d see her because Alberta felt impressed to give her Peace Above the Storm (which is Steps to Christ). Sure enough we spotted her and had a nice visit and then offered her the book. She came to our house and graciously received it. We are praying that God will work in a special way in her life.
Another unusual thing happened last week. I was interviewed by It Is Written Television. We had participated in Hope Awakens recently. This was an online evangelistic series. We had some good experiences and so shared them in answer to an IIW email requesting stories from the series. They set up the interview via Skype. We had an appointment when they would call and sure enough they did! What they hadn’t told me was I would be interviewed by Pr John Bradshaw himself!! Well it seemed to go alright. I got to tell him how we came to New York City and so…more ripples!
I got to share how a lady that we had initially contacted some 5 years ago though our phone ministry to Staten Island, but then slipped away has reconnected with us—through Hope Awakens! She is coming to our virtual community each Monday.
Please continue to pray for us. We are coming up on a full year being here. New York City—as is much of the country—is still under some restrictions. But we continue putting out hundreds of tracts. We put them in small plastic bags and tape them in case it rains. We just ordered 8000 pamphlets for distribution. We found a good supply for the small Bible and Vibrant Life health tracts. Our goal is to place a health and spiritual pamphlet in each bag.
On Thursday’s at 7pm Alberta hosts Take Charge of Your Health: Action Group via Zoom online. Also, our Hope Awakens Virtual Community just had its 9th session last Monday. It is touching people as far away as Canada, Florida and Trinidad. And we present a midweek Bible study on Hebrews each Wednesday with our local Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Thank you for your continuing interest in our ministry here on the urban frontier,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
PS: I am attaching some interesting photos taken recently. They reveal some of the beauties and perils of nature.
Monday, July 6, 2020
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC
We have just survived the Fourth of July New York City Style! And that was something we’ll never forget. We have been having explosions almost nightly for the last few weeks but it was nothing compared to Saturday night—the Fourth of July.
Groups began to gather around dusk. And even before that there were significant blasts that signaled what was coming. After sunset we stepped outside to watch and before we knew it they began to set their rockets off. And I mean rockets. The flashy, noisy kind. This was at the intersection just a few doors to the left of our home. But that was not all by any measurement.
Up our street was a cycle of flashes like a giant sparkler. Farther up was what would have been a fine spectacle all of its own. And it all kept up.
On the street one block over in front of our house and parallel to it were rockets and flashes.
And then behind our house parallel to it was a display that rivaled the one nearest to our home. And it all went on for well over an hour and half. These fireworks were impressive and had to be expensive. There were various exclamations from the neighbors that they had never seen such a thing before or that it hadn’t been like this in thirty years.
For us we had never seen neighborhood fireworks on this scale or duration. (Needless to say the birds and other tree dwelling creatures were disoriented during this cacophony.)
To top it off a full moon rose over the southeastern sky.
Well we’ve posted a couple of pictures which hardly do the spectacle justice.
Sunday we participated in a cleaning day at the Staten Island Korean Church and it was a blessing to see the people up close (careful–social distancing mandated) again. We are now entering Phase 3 of the Reopening of New York City and it is a much awaited occasion. We will return to church this coming Sabbath for a maximum of 2 hours. Face masks and social distancing are still required. Temperature checks and hand sanitization stations will be prominently available.
So perhaps we are on the road to normal. We sure hope so!
Elsewhere in our work we continue to put out literature in small plastic packets. We have our Hope Awakens Virtual Community meetings each Monday. We are now preparing to start a Take Charge of Your Health Action Group (via Zoom) this week as well as a Mid Week Bible Study with our church (also via Zoom).
Please keep us in your prayers.
We’ll keep you posted.
Love,
Steve and Alberta
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
We have passed a milestone this week. Steve has entered his eighth decade!! Is that possible? Yes and it wasn’t allowed to pass by without notice. Members of the Staten Island Korean Seveth-day Adventist Church graciously provided a birthday dinner on Sabbath (although only four people besides the two of us could attend!). It was in a lovely park setting amid the beauties of nature. I am including some pictures (see below).
Later after Sabbath vespers we had a “virtual gathering” via Zoom (what else?)! Well it was fascinating to watch. Earlier that afternoon two members had brought by a couple of large boxes securely wrapped up with directions not to open until later that evening.
At the intended time we opened the packages with everyone watching (via Zoom) and there was a beautiful orchid and fruit basket along with a delightful card. It was all beautiful and very encouraging.
There very next afternoon we heard the doorbell ring and lo, and behold, there was a delivery man with grocieries. Included was a case of bottled water, a pineapple, almond milk, sliced apples, waffles, etc, etc. Who could have sent us this treasure?
Because it was so hot here, we began to put the items away. Then we began to look at the included invoice. And we noticed that some things were missing! Almond butter. And it said it was included!!
But then we noticed that the address was for someonel else on our street!! It had been delivered to the wrong home. Fortunately we hadn’t eaten anything yet—but we could have.
It took a while to get it straightened out but the delivery man was still in the vicinity and he came back to get it. All’s well that ends well.
It was the timing which caught us off guard. Coming at the time of my brithday we were predisposed to think that someone might have sent us this cache of groceries. What we also found remarkable was that there were no items which might have tipped us off that it wasn’t intended for us—no meats, eggs, fish, etc. But the address was not right.
We pray that all of our deliveries will reach their intended destination. Lately we have begun to go out again with literatuere packets. We put literature in plastic bags and leave it at the doors of residents. We are sowing for a harvest.
We also have had our third week of Hope Awakens Virtual Community—NYC. The Lord is blessing. At each session we have had at least one guest from the community. One of these guests has reconnected with us from our phone ministry of 5 years ago. Another is a lady living in Canada who is seeking to return to God. We encouraged her to believe in His love and acceptance.
Please continue to pray for our ministry. We have now been here for nine months. May God grant us souls in the midst of the perplexities of the times.
Yours in Him,
Steve and Alberta
Sunday, May 23.2020
Dear Friends
This past week around Thursday we heard sirens begin to wail at about 5pm. Then they increased and got closer. Then we heard the helicopter above our home. That’s when I went outside. Cars and firetrucks with their sirens blaring were converging one block south of us in a procession, I soon learned, past a home with a housebound little boy. That’s a boy with friends. I will try and find out more!
Well it’s kind of been like that for us this week. On Sabbath a host of blessings converged on us here.
One response really encouraged us! We have been contacting hundreds of people who watched Hope Awakens from It Is Written over the past month.
One lady we followed up to invite to our Virtual Community remembered taking Bible studies with us some years back. As it turns out she responded to our phone ministry from Georgia to here and had taken studies from time to time. But we’d lost contact. Until Sabbath.
We look forward to reconnecting with her via our Hope Awakens Virtual Community. The HAVC is a Zoom conference for 30 minutes including Fellowship, Bible Study and Prayer. It is designed to strengthen the friendships we have been developing with all Hope Awakens participants. We pray that God will take these threads of contact and develop them into lasting friendships with Jesus and His people.
In addition to all of that we are looking forward to being instructors in a ten day medical missionary conference beginning in June.
And that is not to mention our literature ministry which is in preparation to re-emerge ASAP. We are packaging tracts in plastic bags for wide distribution in neighborhoods around here.
Thank you for your interest and prayers.
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Monday, May 4, 2020
Dear Friends of Proclaim:
Spring is definitely arriving! The temperature here this morning was one degree higher than our former residence in Georgia! Yea!
We walk each day and sometimes twice a day. I often walk at 6:30AM. During that walk I seldom see anyone else. But as of a few weeks ago the sun is rising here at that time and it makes walking more pleasant. During the winter months I encountered a gentleman in passing. I would greet him and he greeted me back. This went on for months. This was the only time I would see this man. But now with the sun being up we are still passing again but I am able to see him more clearly. I greeted him today and he asked me how I was! I put an exclamation point there because I think that is the first time he has made more than a cursory greeting. I believe that this is part of the meaning of mingling.
Later today Alberta and I were walking and we saw a lady on the street one street over from our home. She was walking her dog, a cute low-to-the-ground cuddly pooch who wanted to come see us. Remember now that we are wearing masks as we walk. But we saw the lady and greeted her and her dog. She was on the other side of the street and then we asked her the name of her dog. The dog’s name is Jayla.
Well that opened up a conversation that became even more interesting when we introduced ourselves with “My name is Steve and this is my wife Alberta. And what is your name?” She told us and then we had a really good conversation that went on and on. She found out where we were from. She said: “I thought you weren’t from around here because you guys looked calm and you don’t look so stressed out like the people around here.” My takeaway from that is people are watching us. Without saying a word they perceive there is something different about us.
We continue to reach out for the Hope Awakens Online Evangelistic Series. Please pray for us that the nearly 100 people who have expressed an interest from Staten Island will continue to connect with us as we follow the series with what are being called Hope Awakens Communities.
As I close this letter I want to tell you about an outstanding Covid 19 era message that Dwight Nelson preached from his living room a couple of Sabbaths ago. We heard it a week later as we often do during Sabbath morning breakfast. Here is the link to his message: “How to Stay Contagious”. It is a challenging message about esponding to the Spirit’s call to do God’s will even if it means making changes. Here is the link: https://www.pmchurch.tv/service/2020/04/25/how-stay-contagious. Shortly after the announcement of s revival series “Healing Hope: Renewing Faith for New York” featuring Dwight Nelson as the speaker. It starts on May 16 at 7PM. (See the poster below.)
Much is happening. Be faithful and stay safe.
Your friends here in Staten Island,
Steve and Alberta Cook
Monday, April 27.2020
Dear Friends
Sometimes helicopters go over. And you can hear them. But sometimes they linger and then they really get your attention. That was this last Saturday night. But it’s dark and you can’t tell what’s really going on. Why they are up there and not seeming to go anywhere?
And then at 3am they returned and hovered in our area. Why? It wasn’t until morning that we found out. There had been a carjacking (someone had left their SUV running and unlocked–which BTW I have observed quite often.) and subsequent high speed fatal crash. Later that morning another person crashed into one of the patrol cars parked at the scene of the intitial accident and that person also fled the scene. As of the morning the suspects were still at large.
Well Covid19 is also still “at large”. And menacing society. We remain in virtual lockdown here (beginning our 7th week). No one goes anywhere except the store or the bank or the doctor. Fortunately we can get out and walk. It makes me think of the ultimate quarantine which involves this planet. A deadly plague has afflicted humanity. It is highly contagious and requires severe measures to curtail its effects on the larger populace.
But thank God we can see light at the end of that tunnel. (The end of the Covid19 tunnel we’re in right now is hard to see.) Jesus is coming again!
Please pray for us as we seek to move ahead in our mssion. So far we have seen over 100 Staten Islanders sign up for Hope Awakens with Pr John Bradshaw. (The numbers across the USA are nearly 70,000!) We are reaching out to these people and need the Holy Spirit’s touch upon their hearts. Please pray for Hope Awakens!
Something else we are pursuing is having more online presence in presenting our message. We are preparing content and learning how to manage a live stream feed. We hope to invite our Hope Awakens guests into follow up services in anticipation of getting back to a live church! Will it ever happen? Yes, I believe it will!!
But Spring continues to come forth as you can see from the photo I put below here. Tulips with their vivid colors brighten a street not far from us. And the beautiful trees and shrubbery are returning to gladden us with their colors and fragrances.
May the Lord grace us with the beauty and fragrance of His loving grace as we bloom where He has planted us.
Until next time,
Love to all.
Pr Steve and Alberta
(706) 996-5355
stevecook1970@gmail.com
PS: Being sequestered has allowed me to experience growth of a facial nature that I wanted to share with you. sc
April 19, 2020
What a day this has been? In fact what a Sabbath! What a Friday! What a week!
It seemed to star a week ago Friday. I had a bout of vertigo. That left me in bed with a fever on Sabbath.
Then on Sunday, Easter, we felt we should connect with our doctor. He recommended we go to urgent care. While there I seemed to be a little short of breath and quick as you please–the Physician’s Assistant was gowned and ready to test me for Covid 19. This would be a 5 day test. Up the nostrils went the swabs. It was painful!!
Layered over all of this was preparation for Hope Awakens, beginning on Friday. And then we heard of the disastrous weather in Collegedale. And of the mercies of God that spared It Is Written headquarters.
Thank God the test came back negative for Covid 19. This was another instance in my life of a “Positive Negative”. I couldn’t help but think of Calvary. That is the greatest illustration of a positive negative in all time.
We finally got word of our pre-registered guests for the meetings. We had over 70!! Praise the Lord.
But then the meetings began on Friday at 7PM. Or should I say, they tried to begin. Something happened to cause the meeting to be unavailable to thousands of pre-registered guests. It was disastrous.
We later found out that the site had been attacked. Both Friday and Saturday evenings the web presentations were impeded significantly.
However people kept signing up for the series. By Sunday (today) we now have over 90 people registered and we believe that most are new to us.
It seems like attacks have come from so many directions and in so many forms. But we are not discouraged. We want to bring people the greatest message in the world.
World events are declaring the imminence of Christ’s return. (We continue to be in quarantine-like conditions here.) We do no know the day or hour but we see what He has foretold would precede His coming. More is yet to happen, but we’re told: “The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones.” Ellen G. White, Testimonies, vol. 9: 11.2 emphasis added.
Please pray for our ministry and for Staten Island Korean, Manor Road and Babylon Seventh-day Adventist Churches which are all participating to some extent or other in Hope Awakens. Please pray for the safety of the It Is Written team and its success in this ground-breaking mission.
Until next time,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
stevecook1970@gmailcom
Monday, April 6, 2020
Dear Friends
What a time to be alive in New York City! Or anywhere for that matter.
We are seeing things that could not have been imagined just a few weeks ago. The largest city in America is in limbo…almost.
This week we were told not to even go to the grocery store. We have enough supplies to last for a while, thank the Lord.
One positive thing is that we are able to more easily talk with strangers sitting out our walking and that is nice. One man who had to quarantine like the rest of us was outside in the street driving his radio controlled car (see the picture below). There would be no way of doing that on an ordinary day but those haven’t been seen in weeks!
Praise God! It Is Written is presenting Hope Awakens. And we are participating as is another church we have contact with out on Long Island. It will start on Friday, April 17 at 7pm and be online.
Before I close I want to thank you for your prayers, and calls. It means a lot to us and we really appreciate it!
God bless you!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
Sunday, March 28, 2020
Dear Friends:
As you all know, New York City is in a state of unprecedented paralysis.
But life goes on and so does the gospel. We are praying for wisdom to know how to carry forward. It has never been easy to approach people here but now it is even more difficult.
But we have to. Please pray for us!
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
stevecook1970@gmail.com
And then there was Covid 19...
Dear Friends
It seems as if time is standing still. And yet it isn’t. Spring is coming on. But it is unlike any Spring we have gone through before.
We have been told not to gather in groups as small as ten. Our Five Day Plan has been cancelled. Church services are cancelled (except online or phone services). Our plans for evangelistic meetings are on hold. What about the General Conference session in Indiana? So many things are up in the air. One of the biggest here was the decision to close all schools. But it seemed inevitable.
And then there is the panic buying, which we noticed last week and continues to affect sales of bread and the most unusual of all–toilet paper. But we have seen it happening here and hear that it is happening all over the country.
We just learned that we may have to “shelter in place” which basically means–‘Stay home’. So we are attending to things that need to be done and mentally preparing for when it finally passes. Which we hope will be sooner rather than later.
One thing happened this past week that left an indelible mark: our friend David “Doggie” Harris, of Greater Chattanooga, passed away on Friday at 5PM. We served side by side in the Living Hope Church in St Elmo for over three years. He was a tireless worker for the structure of the church and supported it in significant ways. He did so many things to make the church building more presentable. He did things to perfection. He also came to prayer meeting and participated. He will be missed.
But, as I told Doggie, I want him to help me build our home in the Earth made new! We can look forward to that day when Jesus comes!
And by the looks of what is happening, That Day hastens on!
Until next time,
Pr Steve and Alberta
(706) 996-5355
Monday, March 9, 2020
Dear Friends
Well the promise of Spring is being delivered as we speak. Daylight Saving Time has arrived and 60+ degree weather with it. What a change!
Yesterday we had our second Breadmaking Made Simple class at Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church here in Staten Island. And the Lord blessed!
We had done the same things to promote the class as we had before. We put up dozens of posters and gave out hundreds of flyers in the businesses and homes in the community near to the church.
And the people came. We had a total of ten guests and twenty some church members and kids came too! I am putting one picture here and more in the photos section.
It is a simple approach to connecting with people but it works!
Alberta presents a brief lecture and then demonstrates how to make a loaf of bread by doing it in front of the people.
Then comes the most special part. The people are dismissed to find a place at the tables and take their recipes and begin to make their own loaf of bread. And they do!
Then after they’re finished, they come back to their seats and Alberta demonstrates making calzones an pinwheels. These items have been made earlier in the morning and are brought out to the delight of the guests.
Meanwhile their loaves of bread are cooking. (One important key: we number each mini-bread pan to make sure each guest gets back their own loaf.) And after about 30 minutes out they come and the other samples are served.
During the preparation for the samples I was sharing with the group and was asked a question about eating bread and gaining weight. I answered with something that I believe is original: Unless you EXERCISE–you will have EXTRA SIZE! Without exercise almost any diet will add on the pounds.
This time we put out at the registration table, beside the sign in sheet, a selection of literature, flyers promoting the upcoming Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking and something new, a Contribution Box. I had been hesitant about this but two separate ladies we had met doing our promotional work and strongly urged us to do it. And people contributed $93!! I turned it over to the head elder right away.
Well, God is blessing. We have been regularly lifting up our mission to the throne of grace and we see that God is meeting our needs.
We appreciate your interest and prayers. God be with you until next time.
Your friends in NYC,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
Monday, March 2, 2020
Dear Friends
Yes, these flowers (pictured above), that we saw on our walk yesterday are the real thing. Spring is coming! Praise the Lord. It has been the least snowiest winter, I read today, but it has still been cold. So we are grateful for this token of the coming warmer weather.
We are now anticipating our fourth health class—Breadmaking Made Simple. This is a repeat of what we did at the Staten Island Korean Church in January. It was well received. Now we are preparing to hold the same program at Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church on Sunday, March 8, 2020.
For this class we have followed a similar strategy in getting out the word to the public. We have gone to stores within two to three miles and most are much closer. We go in and simply ask the person who appears to be in charge “We are presenting a free Breadmaking class. It is a community service program. Can we post a flyer?” Now the situation is such that a considerable number of the store employees are not well versed in English. So they don’t quite get what we want. (Many store or business employees think we are soliciting a contribution.) So we have to clarify that we want to put it on the wall or window. It is a rare thing to be turned down completely. Sometimes we only permitted to leave a flyer or two on the counter. We have gone to dozens of businesses.
Being out there and meeting the people has led us to some interesting people. We met one lady whose family is Seventh-day Adventist in Los Angeles. Another lady from Trinidad wants the recipes because she cannot come to the class. Another young Chinese lady also showed real interest in coming but can’t because of work (her picture is below).
Sabbath, after the church fellowship dinner, some 5-6 teams fanned out to distribute some 200 flyers.
We are getting some pre-registrations and are happy about that.
There are also times for social activities as pictured here at the SI Korean Adventist Church (I call it SIKor for short.) Please pray for our inreach and outreach.
God bless you!
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
Monday, February 24, 2020
Dear Friends:
Last evening we had a Bible study with a couple that are coming to the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church here in Huguenot. The question raised was significant: Why is there so much division in this world? Why don’t people understand the importance of the State of Israel? Why don’t they understand how God feels about Israel?
Somehow the Holy Spirit led me to answer in a way that was appreciated. I have decided to re-construct the study from my recollection of it last evening to share with you here.
I wanted to focus on the broadest point of the question being raised. I wanted to leave focusing on the State of Israel for future visits with this Jewish seeker and her friend. They are both becoming more Biblically literate by the week.
In answer to her question about why there is so much division I felt impressed to go to Revelation 12:7-9 with special emphasis on the phrase referring to Satan “which deceiveth the whole world” (all emphasis added). The world is infected with division because it is largely under the influence of this fallen foe whose original attack led to the deception and downfall of millions of the inhabitants of heaven.
Then we went to 1 John 5:19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. Again, the emphasis is similar—we are afflicted with evil people and division is becoming increasingly commonplace because of the prevalence of wickedness.
The picture becomes increasingly bleak but where there is darkness God’s people can shine. We went to 2 Thessalonians and read: “Let no man deceive [Notice the danger of deception] you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
Farther ahead he focuses on a time in the future when the mystery of iniquity who, he says, is already at work, will be revealed—and will work “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10).
The world is afflicted with a toxic influence that comes from the evil one. God’s solution is to love the truth. The solution to the evils of the world is to receive the love of the truth. And then we went to John 17:17: “Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth.” We also read that “no lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:21). Sanctification is the experience of becoming more like Jesus and demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit which is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Truth is more than mere data or facts. It is an inward embrace of the truth that makes it the central and all-encompassing influence of your life.
But we must also remember that, as the Lord says: “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matt 24:37). The whole world in Noah’s time seemed under a spell of the enemy—like it is becoming increasingly so today. Noah’s audience thought of him as a deluded, irrelevant, fanatic. It had never rained, and the destruction of the world seemed impossible. But then the animals entered the ark. Sad to say, even that dramatic miracle wasn’t enough to persuade the people of Noah’s time.
There are two groups of people in the world today: one is a large group in which all ways of living and thinking are accepted and accommodated. Fake news is rampant. There is no solidity to morals. Nothing is right or wrong among this large group. Jesus describes this group as being in the way whose gate is “wide” and the way itself is “broad”—anything goes. It is traveled by “many”. But it is going to “destruction”. There is need of great caution because of this admonition: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Nothing can be taken for granted, so pervasive is the reach of the deception. We must be followers of the “sure word” (2 Peter 1:19).
The only alternative is the way which begins with a “strait” or strict gate and is itself “narrow”. There are restrictions on what is permitted in passing from the world of delusion into the world of truth! And those holding to the truth as it is found in the word of God will be neither in the majority nor will they be popular. Theirs is the lot of their Master, Truth personified. His reception will be theirs. Let us rise to this time and shine for Him.
Until next week,
Your friends in Staten Island, NY
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Dear Friends:
We are nearing the conclusion of our Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking. It has drawn a total of eight smokers. Most have been long-time smokers and one is still a heavy (2-3 packs @day) smoker.
But praise God, one lady has been a couple of days now without a cigarette and another is close to that. Another has cut way down. And another is still considering quitting.
Speaking of that person, he continues to come! So we praise God for the progress we see in this precious group. (See pic below.)
Until next time,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Dear Friends
It was around mid-day today that my phone rang and it was Vernon (see pic below). He was asking me to come see him which I did.
He lives at a bit of a distance from us toward the Verrarazzano-Narrows Bridge. (It’s about a twenty minute drive even though the actual distance is not that far. There’s just a lot of traffic in this city and this is Staten Island.)
We had a good visit and I got to share with him a copy of Desire of Ages in the magabook edition.
We also got to talk about Jesus our Great High Priest. And so we read some wonderful passages from Hebrews and we prayed together.
As I shared in an earlier post, the circumstances of our meeting Vernon were unusual. It was a panhandler with an illegible sign who needed food that took me to an apartment where I met Vernon.
Since then Vernon has moved to another residence but we have kept in touch. He wants to come to the Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking. Please pray for this seminar that starts a week from today and pray that Vernon will come. (Please also pray that Mitzi and Nick, two others that we studied with earlier this evening will also come the the Five Day Plan and quit!)
Well, we have put out hundreds of flyers and put up scores of posters in some eighteen business centers around this part of the island–and church members put out flyers on Sabbath afternoon–so we know that people are getting the word. Also our banner is speaking non-stop to drivers that go by and to those who line up waiting for the light to change just up the street from the church. Please pray that God will give us more friends, like Vernon and others that we can befriend and point them to their Best Friend!
Until next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta in New York City
Monday, February 3, 2020
Dear Friends
This past week has seen a number of meetings/encounters that we believe hold promise for the future of the work here in Staten Island.
The first meeting that I wish to share was with Dr. Bledi Leno, director of Multi Cultural Ministries for the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Br Jaik Koo, Pr Jaewhan Shin and I met with him on Tuesday (1.28.2020). It was a very positive meeting in which we discussed how we might go forward in the development of a center of influence here in the South Shore communities of Staten Island. He strongly encouraged us to develop plans that harmonize with the inspired counsels of the Spirit of Prophecy. He made it very clear that he supports what we envision doing here in close association with the local church. I came away from that meeting blessed and uplifted. (See photo below.)
The second meeting was almost totally unexpected. On Sabbath, after the service, Alberta my wife, came up to inform me that Lorraine was here from the seminar. At first I did not remember or recognize her but then YES! She came to Breadmaking Made Simple and had mentioned that she was going to be coming back to worship with us. But we hadn’t seen her. On Sabbath we did and she was most enthusiastic about the message preached by Pr Shin. (See photo below.)
The final meeting or encounter was with our neighbors around the corner. Alberta was going for a walk and just “happened” to meet them at the front of our home. They had a nice visit there. But then yesterday as we walked at Point Loretto on the beach, several miles away, who should we meet but these two neighbors?! Well we hope and pray that all of these meetings—planned by God’s providence will result in eternal blessings.
Please continue to remember us in prayer as we begin our Five Day Plan to Stop Smoking in less than two weeks. (BTW, as we were visiting our neighbors on the beach, we got a call from someone to register for the FDP!)
Until next time, love and prayers,
Pr Steve and Alberta
Staten Island, New York
Monday, January 27, 2020
Dear Friends
As we concluded our 147th day here in New York City, we are grateful to God for this ministry. We spent a good part of last week visiting the northern part of Staten Island. It is decidedly more urban than here on the South Shore. There are more stores of a multi-cultural flavor.
We set up packets of health tracts, 10-12 in a packet (as illustrated here). We typically took 25-30 and on one day took 50 packets because we had a better idea of how many stores are there. We would go into a store and introduce ourselves as with the Adventist Church on Manor Road. (Because we were working in that church’s ‘backyard’.)
After we identified ourselves we would show them the health literature and tell them that we are encouraging people to be healthy and wanted to leave this packet of literature on display for people to take in their store. Many of these places have shelves for business cards and other assorted items. Most of the businesses we entered (close to 100), said yes to our request.
And so we are planting seeds of truth. Years ago Mrs Ellen G White wrote: “In Australia we found that the medical missionary work breaks down prejudice and opens the way for the truth to go with power. {Manuscript Releases vol. 13, 209.2} We are seeing some of this here. And now we are laying plans for on-going programs here in the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church; and one of their sister churches in Westchester has requested us to come and do a similar series of health programs there in the Spring.
In addition to all of that we are going to be assisting the Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church in presenting two health programs followed by an evangelistic series. Pastor Michael Mirra will present the message in that series and we will be serving as consultants to assist him.
Please continue to pray that God’s Holy Spirit attends our cries for wisdom, guidance and power to make an eternal difference.
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Dear Friends,
This past week saw us visiting the headquarters of the General Conference and North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring and Columbia, Maryland on Wednesday. It was a beautiful day and we drove just over 200 miles to get there with ver little traffic.
We visited Dr. Gerson Santos in the Secretariat and Dr Cortes in Ministerial respectively. We acquainted them about our mission here obtained good counsel and encouragement. We also met others that we believe will be good contacts in the future. What triggered this visit was our desire to have a booth at the upcoming General Conference session this summer in Indianapolis.
We are praying that God will open the way for us to be there. May His will be done. It is a bit late for preparation but it may still happen.
I am posting one picture here of the three of us (Br Jai Koo, Pr Jaewhan Shin and myself) standing on the steps of the General Conference Headquarters. That building is a beauty and the atmosphere was very uplifting. We were treated to a delicious buffet lunch as well in the cafeteria where we saw other staff that we recognized.
With God’s blessing we will continue to see His hand on this mission to reach New York City with the Three Angel’s Messages!
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
PS: The picture below is a snap of one of the beautiful paintings hanging in the lobby of our world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was painted by Lars Justinen, one of the premier artists in the Adventist Church.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Dear Friends:
We are tired out! We just completed our second health program—Breadmaking Made Simple. But it wasn’t simple to prepare. We put out scores of posters, flyers, sent notices to former guests and folk we have surveyed and, of course, we posted a large banner in front of the church.
The Lord blessed and we had an excellent response: 21 guests came to this Breadmaking class! Five of them were repeats from our previous seminar and 1 was our good friend Vin with whom we have been friends since our visit here in August. The rest came from the flyers in the doors, posters in various places of business, and repeat guests. The church gave strong support as well. Main leaders, such as pastor, and elders and others were there to support, take pictures, and participate in the demonstrations. And don’t forget clean up!
We demonstrated mini-loaves and then had each one prepare his/her own loaf. We’d bought the loaf pans at Dollar Tree and then put numbers on them (“You’ll have to remember your number to get the loaf that belongs to you,” we told them. And they did!). We then demonstrated calzones, sweet rolls, and Korean steam bread.Then Alberta had a brief health lecture followed by serving the samples. The bread came out quite nicely.
The day was unusual for another reason–it broke records for the warmest January 12 on record here in New York City at 68 degrees!
Thank you for your love and support.
Until next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Dear Friends:
This past week was filled with blessings in the form of people-connections—almost every day—incidents of interest. On Sunday we had a Bible study with a couple that just came into our circle recently. We will have more to say about them later on.
On Monday, Pr Jay and Br Koo, joined me in posting flyers in businesses. We split into two teams and while Br K. and I were waiting to rejoin Pr S in his car we waited in a pizzeria. Then, unexpectedly, a young man (who turned out to be 18) engaged me in conversation while eating his pizza. He was curious what we were advertising. He liked the idea of Breadmaking and showed real sympathy with our goals of ministering to the people. He feels bad that the young people of his generation are so uninterested in things like this. He suggested we have a basketball tournament. What do you think?
On Tuesday again Alberta and I were putting up posters in a different part of Staten Island. This total stranger,Joe, began talking with us in a pizzeria. He urged us to have some pizza. We deferred but finally he bought us (me) a piece which we accepted and took it home with us.
On Wednesday (New Year’s Day) we were walking at Wolfe’s Pond Park and we met Paul, Sherry’s husband walking their poodle! I have only met him once but we stopped to talk. Sherry, of course, has been coming to church for almost two months. So that was great to connect with him.
Next day, Thursday, we went out again with the posters. Since I had gotten a cold the day before, I stayed in the car while Alberta went in to put up posters. As she was walking by a store, a horn was honked and when she looked it was Joe!! More connections. That same day I got a text from Bob to whom I had given The Great Controversy. He told me he’d received it and would get into it later. That is a wonderful answer to prayer! He is not satisfied with his current religion. This book will bless him. That same day we heard from a lady inquiring about the Breadmaking Class. She’s coming. A little later we got another call from a lady who is sending 4 ladies! (This is a good indication that we’ll have a nice group.) Then I got good responses from some of the people who came to our Lifestyle Seminar in November. As it turns out today (1/5/20) it looks like all seven are planning to come!
On Friday, Then I got another call from a lady planning to come. Praise the Lord. When Alberta was out with the posters she also met a couple of ladies who showed interest in coming.
On Sabbath my good friend Roy gifted me with a box of over 2500 Glow tracts! What a blessing. These will go to reach people in these many pizzerias, as the Lord opens the way. So it has gone this last and first week of 2019/2020. Please join us in praying for the Holy Spirit to make each one of us a light-bearer for Jesus. Pray that hungry people will follow the light into this seminar and become acquainted with “something better”. Pray that through this simple means we might develop more friends and introduce more people to the Savior.
We have a number of times set aside during the day when we stop and lift our thoughts to God for His blessing and guidance. “Through much prayer you must labor for souls, for this is the only method by which you can reach hearts” (Evangelism 341:3). We rejoice to see evidence of His Spirit moving among us!
Your friends in NYC,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
stevecook1970@gmail.com
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Dear Friends,
Today was special and highlights the value of walking in your neighborhood. As we rounded the corner to make a circuit we spied a man working out in his yard. This is pretty unusual because most of the people here have their yards professionally done. So we stopped to comment on this to the man. And so we met him and introduced ourselves. This is the first time in the nearly four months we have been here that we have seen this man. Today he was out and now we know we will watch for more opportunities to visit with him.
Also as we continued on the walk and got about half way through we saw another couple coming toward us. This is very unusual. And so as we approached them we spoke. And they were very congenial and surprised to see us as we were them! The lady said to us: “Does anyone live in all these houses?” Because you never see any people outside. We could only agree. It is rare to meet another person out walking. And this is Sunday. Come to find out these people just live around the corner from us! So this was another couple that we met from the same street as the first gentleman we mentioned above. God is helping us to make a circuit of friends with our neighbors and they are on our prayer list now!
We also have a couple that we have begun Bible studies with. One of them has come to church twice and the other has attended a church social and is planning to come to church next Sabbath.
We are also preparing for our Breadmaking Seminar in two weeks. We have been putting up posters, we had church members out knocking on doors this past Sabbath and the pastor and I will be out tomorrow doing poster work for this program.
In this connection Sabbath was also special because we had a testimony time. One lady shared the story of how two gentlemen showed up at her door several months back to invite her to our Lifestyle Seminar. As it happened she had been opening her heart to returning to the church of her childhood and youth. But it had been years. And this invitation to a Seventh-day Adventist Church just around the corner from her home was the turning point. She has been coming and is even developing her own sphere of influence. This is a miracle right before our eyes.
As we said in Georgia before we left Wildwood: we’re not going to New York City to make a big splash. But we are going to make ripples! Dear friends we are seeing those ripples. Please continue to pray for us as we lay plans for 2020. We need God’s guidance and wisdom to do the right thing at the right time and see God’s work go forward to reach the dear people of this city.
God bless your New Year!
Your friends,
Pr Steve and Alberta
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Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Dear Friends,
The week began with bitterly cold weather. We went out and knocked on doors and made some promising contacts. Here it takes a couple of visits before you can tell who is really interested. The next day it was raining and we decided to deliver literature to all the laundromats and nail salons along one of the most prominent streets on the South Shore. As it turned out we delivered some 23 bundles of literature to these establishments.
In the process of waiting for Alberta to return from a delivery, I noticed what appeared to be a homeless man standing by a tobacco shop holding a sign up in front of his chest. It was raining and I couldn’t quite see what the sign said. When Alberta came back I asked her to look at his sign and tell me what it said. She did and couldn’t make it out. So I got out and went up to the man and had a closer look. What the sign said made no sense at all. I started a conversation with the young man and asked him what he needed. His answer was somewhat incoherent but I got that he would appreciate food. I got his address which turned out to be close by and told him we would consider getting him some food.
As we continued on our work of delivering the packages of literature I kept thinking about the young man and on our way back after finishing the literature delivery we stopped and bought him some items and took it to the address. But he wasn’t home.
However we met his roommate Vernon who has since become our friend and a new Bible student. If we hadn’t seen the man seeking assistance with the illegible sign we might not have been curious to find out more and might not have found Vernon.
Later this week at church we met another lady who is a friend of one of the members who invited her to church and she finally came. She loved the services and we offered to drop her at her home near us after church. She wants to do Bible studies too!
We also had our neighbor stop by earlier and bring us a holiday gift and stay for a visit. We are praying for our neighbors and have seen God open up doors of influence. Just today as we were walking in the sunshine we noticed an elderly lady walking down the street with someone that appeared to be a caregiver. So we went across and in introduced ourselves to the two. The elderly lady, as it turns out, is going to be 100 next Februrary 29, 2020! We expressed how nice it was to see someone out walking on such a beautiful but brisk afternoon. We spoke for a bit with her and she invited us to come by and see her which we assured her we will do!
We got another affirmation yesterday from one of the long-time church members who says that we are bringing revival to the church where we are assisting. We give God all the praise and gratitude for these words. We see God encouraging us in wonderful ways.
With gratitude to God for His daily guidance,
Pr Steve and Alberta
stevecook1970@gmail.com
Monday, December 16, 2019, Staten Island, NY
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
I think most people can relate to a certain amount of trepidation [meaning: a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen] about knocking on the doors of complete strangers. I mean it wasn’t easy doing the surveys we have already done earlier this Fall, but even that creates a bit less turmoil than knocking to ask for Bible studies. So we put it off. Until last Thursday, December 12. This is the direct approach. (Of course we are still planning a follow-up of our Lifestyle Seminar with our Breadmaking Made Simple class (see photos for a picture of the banner).
But in the bold and direct approach we are seeking for honest-hearted people who are looking for something better. Here we are introducing them to the It Is Written Bible Study Series. And, as you might expect, there are a lot of turn downs. But I have been amazed about even the way people turn us down. New Yorkers, we are finding, are very courteous and will come to the door, listen politely and then turn us down, kindly.
But, praise the Lord, not everyone turns us down! Which means, if we can persevere and put up with the “apparent defeat” there are victories ahead. We have seen some of that already. A lady listened through her window as I made my appeal and then finally opened the door to accept the lesson. She gave me her phone number and we set up an appointment and I mentioned that my wife would be coming. The next day Alberta was able to secure another appointment and then today still another.
On a number of occasions I have presented the material and the person doesn’t shut me down but listens. Like yesterday, a man had pulled out of his driveway and I began speaking with him through his turned down window, while his car was running. And he listened. And he seemed to be thinking. He was willing to take the lesson with my number on it with the offer of more studies if he desires. We are praying for several people like this.
Also just today, the doorbell rang and it was one of our neighbors from two doors away. (Several weeks ago we had met her handing out loaves of bread.) Today we had the blessing come back to us and we invited her in and had a delightful visit with her. Before she left we prayed with her and she embraced us as if we were old friends. She asked about our faith. As we shared we asked if she had ever heard about Seventh-day Adventists.The answer was no. We have found this frequently the case. We have prayed for our neighbors, often by name. And speaking of that, we also met our next door neighbor whom we hadn’t met until just last week. And then we were able to help her on an errand. So the Lord is opening things up after being here for 100+ days.
Please pray that these Bible studies we have started will develop into real friendships with the people.
We were also recently asked to present a year-end series of three studies at the Staten Island Korean SDA Church. I chose the theme of Daniel: Great Life Lessons—I:1) Sovereignty 2) Health II:3) Prayer 4) Integrity III:5) Judgment 6) Mission. That series happened last Thursday-Sabbath. So we have had opportunities to witness right in the church.
Folks, you realize that the world is in great need of a revelation of Jesus Christ—we see that need here in Staten Island. Won’t you join us in dedicating our lives to Jesus Christ and His mission for the world. Wherever He has led you to be, witness for Him. Have literature on hand to pass out. And prayerfully ask people if they wouldn’t like to study with you! And see what the Lord will do.
Until next time, Merry Christmas and a Healthy and a Blessed New Year.
Pr Steve and Alberta
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Dear Friends:
Over the Sabbath we had a number of highpoints for us we would like to share. 1) One of the individuals we wrote about some weeks ago has continued to maintain contact with the pastor and is coming to church. Sherry is returning (in her words she “never really left”) to church. As it turns out she lives just a stones throw from Staten Island Korean SDA Church. She was first contacted in the lead up to our Natural Lifestyle Health Seminar. We continue to pray that she and her husband will help to make a real difference in the influence of this congregation. (See Photos)
2) We have been preparing for a special all-Korean convocation about an hour north of us in Blauvelt, NY, along the western bank of the Hudson River. Some six congregations met in the afternoon for music, food and fellowship. With the Lord’s help, Alberta and I learned to sing in Korean. That doesn’t mean, of course, that we know what we are saying, but it was good to be part of the special occasion. I also got to wear a bow tie for the first time in about 60 years? (See Photos.) See YouTube for our songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSavNCmGCtg.
3) Finally, there at Blauvelt, we reconnected with Helen Kim. She and her husband Sung Kim met us about 30 minutes before we left Georgia for New York City on September 1 of this year. Through their encouragement we contacted the local elder of the Staten Island Korean Church. That was very significant for our ministry here. God uses people to guide us. Sometimes our part is small but not unimportant. Sung and Helen came along at the right time with the encouragement and connections that led to our being received by this church. (See Photos.)
4) To give you an example of what I mean, last Friday evening, at church, we were handed a 2020 calendar with the name of the church across the bottom with a lot of other words—mostly in Korean. But two words stood out “Steve Cook”! They put my name on the calendar. I’m not sure what else it says but what it tells us is that they want us around. (See Photos.)
To be continued…
Please continue to pray for us.
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
Monday, December 2, 2019
Dear Friends,
We’ve crossed into the final month of the year. And we have now been in New York City for 90 days. It has been quite a three months! We were abundantly blessed Sabbath morning when one of our Lifestyle Seminar guests arrived at the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church for Sabbath School! He stayed through the Fellowship Dinner and was quite impressed with the food. He said it was “restaurant quality”. Then to top it off, he returned to the Social Gathering that was scheduled that evening.
Two more guests from the Lifestyle Seminar also attended that evening for pizza and ping-pong. All of the seminar guests that we invited agreed to come. We were so encouraged. One of them said: “Anytime you have something like this going on let me know and I will be here.”
Also, that evening, we learned that the former pastor had prayed for a long time for an English speaking pastor to come. It never happened…until just after he left. This person was very affirming about our ministry here. It was encouraging to hear that. So our coming to Staten Island in general and to this area in particular was the answer to that pastor’s prayer. And ours too!
Well today (Monday) it has been snowing–and still is as I write [See the photo elsewhere]. We did get out to visit some 20 laundromats and nail salons (a very typical business here). We ask if we can leave reading material in their waiting area. In the 20 locations we visited, no one turned us down. We leave Signs of the Times and other materials. Some of the material is dated but the truth is timeless. We have collected this from Manor Road.
Many churches that we have been familiar with have a collection of dated, printed material. Why not make a route of the beauty shops and laundromats of your city or town and visit them monthly with this material? Even better, order a monthly subscription to Signs of the Times: http://www.signstimes.com/?p=subscribe.
Together with the literature that we have distributed, we are placing Bible Study request cards in many homes. We are sowing seed for a harvest which will come “in due season…if we faint not” (Gal 6:9).
God bless you and thank you for your prayers and interest in the work for New York City.
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook (706) 996-5355
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
As we approach Thanksgiving, we praise God for all His many blessings. Not the least of which are nice neighbors.
We are blessed to live among a quiet block; there are plenty of cars here but it is quiet. And so we decided to express our appreciation by baking some bread and taking it to eight of our immediate neighbors and the lawn maintenance man whose mother lives down the street. (There are pictures in the Photos section.)
We included a couple of tracts on Health and having a Better Future. Well the response was great. We pray that the Holy Spirit will use this simple gesture to build friendship for eternity.
God be with you at this special season of gratitude.
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
(706) 996-5355
Friday, November 22, 2019
“This saved my life! My life is going to change now. We learned so much!” These were words expressed at the Revolutionary Lifestyle Health Seminar earlier this week. We had put out posters, flyers, and invited people door to door. And we prayed and prayed! And the Lord blessed as He promisegrad He would.
Alberta presented a lecture describing the eight great ways to health and disease prevention with a special emphasis on Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. And then we segued into demonstrating Black Bean Burgers, Tofu Croquettes (served with Cashew Cheese and ‘Chup), Vietnamese Spring Rolls and Kambucha Soup. The guests expressed their appreciation!
We had seven precious community guests in attendance. And a large group of the Staten Island Medical Missionaries came. And the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church was well represented in support of the program. And three of the Korean ladies did a couple of demonstrations which were very well received.
One special feature was that we have a resident photographer who offered to take posed pictures and ingeniously shot them against a black background. (Check out all the shots in the Photos section.)
We felt blessed! But a little tired out too! We are planning to follow it up with a Breadmaking Class in early January which everyone seems to anticipate. Thank you for your prayers and support.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Pr Steve and Alberta
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Dear Friends,
As we on the East Coast brace for colder weather, we here in Staten Island are preparing for our Revolutionary Lifestyle Health Seminar.
We have put up a large banner in front of the church. We have posted flyers in the business clusters–over a dozen of them. And the response has been very affirming. One business lady said that she wants to come. We have spoken with people who tell us of the days when there were not many houses in this area but just fields. And not too long ago!
We have passed out invitations–the church has gone out on two successive Sabbaths to knock on doors and introduce themselves and invite people to this seminar. There are some nice photos courtesy of Br. Jong Park, the Staten Island Korean SDA Church photographer. It is great to see fervent participation by older and younger in door-to-door visitation.
We will give you a report next week of the community response.
And of course we have been praying. Prayer, as you know, is really an act of dependence on God. We know that it is not our strength that will make a difference but it is what God can and will do.
There are challenges but God’s grace makes the difference and we go forward.
Please stay in touch at stevecook1970@gmail.com
Your friends in New York City,
Pr Steve and Alberta Cook
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Dear Friends
We have been working to prepare for our Revolutionary Lifestyle Health Seminar that is coming in just a week and a half. The church is working diligently and yesterday we had the “Wellness On the Go” Greater New York Conference Van Ministry here. (See photo section.)
Last Sabbath we organized six teams for outreach. Each team took a territory and some flyers to distribute. We knocked on doors and introduced ourselves as being from the Adventist Church on Huguenot Avenue. On one occasion we clarified it and just knowing who we were and who we were not broke down prejudice. Most people accepted the invitations (see picture of the flyer).
One lady that the Pastor and church Treasurer met was very interested about the invitation. It has led to her expressing a desire to come to the church. And we pray she will. She has sent a picture of the flyer to her friends and we praise God for her interest.
We have also been putting up dozens of posters in the business clusters around the South Shore Community. There are over a dozen of these that we have found. Almost everyone readily accepts the request to put up a poster or leave a flyer. Typically corporate organizations are hesitant, like banks and chain businesses, but often they will put the flyer in the staff area. Many people are hearing about this event at the Adventist Church.
Yesterday we hosted the Greater New York Wellness-On-the-Go Van Ministry. We parked it near a Target Store and circulated and then circulated in the parking area meeting people and passing out flyers for the upcoming health seminar. We were able to get out about 400 flyers in the four hours that we were there. The van has several massage chairs and blood pressure capabilities. Pastor Rodrigo and Cristiane Becker came to operate the van. You can see a picture of all participants in the photo section.
I also have to add a brief note about Halloween, last Thursday, Oct 31. It is huge around here and we decided to make it an opportunity to witness. We purchased some tracts with special emphasis on kids. So we gave the thirty-something kids that came to our door a treat and a tract. It was still light of course and their parents stood on the sidewalk as they received their gifts. They wondered at the paper that we put in their bags. Also, we had purchased some styrofoam tombstones and pasted Bible verses on them. (See them in the photo section.) We pray that truth will take root in the hearts of many people as we prayerfully sow the seeds in love.
Please continue to pray that God will continue to bless our efforts as we reach out in ministry to this vast community.
Your friends in New York City,
Pastor Steve and Alberta Cook
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Dear All
It has been somewhat of a tranquil week that has comcluded a couple of days ago. We continue to prepare for a Revolutionary Lifestyle Health Seminar coming in just 2 ½ weeks. We’re putting out posters, we’ve installed a banner (much like we used to do in Chattanooga over the past five years), and we are going to lead an outreach Sabbath at the host church.
This past Sabbath we sang for quite some time in the Korean Choir. We pretty well knew the tunes but the words—that is something again. The words have been phoneticized so we can pronounce them and so we practice for an all Korean gathering in December. We sang a lot.
The next day we participated in a Korean Church picnic. This was on a rainy day but the people came out. Koreans love ping pong and they were quite merciful to us. We got a few points but the outcome of the “tournament” was not in doubt at any time. It appears that in post-war Korea with limited resources and limited space that table tennis was seen as the sport of choice in that nation. And they really excel in it (as they do in soccer).
We are especially focusing on “business clusters”—we’d have called them strip malls in the south. They are like islands of commerce here in the South Shore communities of Staten Island. And within just a few miles of the church there are some dozen of them. And so we go to the businesses and request permission to put up a poster for our upcoming Lifestyle Health Seminar. It gives us opportunity to see the business people and introduce our church; as well as meet our goal for putting up posters to advertise the seminar. And in addition we are putting out hundreds of Discover Bible School Invitation cards. We pray there will be a response. The Lord has pronounced a blessing on this work: “Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey” (Isaiah 32:20). The streets are long but there are many doors and we believe there will be a response.
I just had a phone visit with Pr Andrew Dyman who pastors in Brooklyn. He offered to bring some young people to help us put out flyers for our Health Seminar. Praise God for this offer of help.
Till next time!
Pr Steve and Alberta
PS: Don’t forget to check out the photos section for some new pics.
Sunday, Ocotober 20, 2019
Dear Friends of ProclaimNYC:
Well today marks seven weeks since our departure from Wildwood. We have seen some important developments in our ministry here, even in the last week. I will summarize them below.
We have scheduled our first health program for November 17 at the Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huguenot here in Staten Island. If you have been following this blog you know by now that there are many distinct, named, neighborhoods. We live in Annadale, the next “neighborhood” to the northeast. We are naming it Revolutionary Lifestyle Health Seminar. (See our banner in the pictures section.) We have been surveying in the area and have collected some fifty names of people interested in the themes we plan to highlight emphasizing Diet, Exercise and Reduction of Stress to help prevent Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer. We will demo some favorite foods and give them some samples. Please pray for us as we launch this seminar. It is designed to reach people in the community and also encourage our members to get involved in medical missionary work.
Another endeavor we began this past week involves laundromats. We mapped out twelve of these establishments all within our target audience and drove to each one of them sequentially. Now prior to this we had secured some old but still usable magazines and other types of literature and so we prepared bundles of magazines and DVDs and went out, praying at each establishment. Alberta drove and I took the literaure in to leave at the laundromat. I approached the manager or person in charge and requested to leave some literature. Of the thirteen establishments we visited, twelve gave us permission!! We put out that day about 75 pieces of literaure and DVDs.
Now we plan to return and replenish their supply in the future, with an additional feature. These laudromats are typically located in Strip Malls and our idea is to visit each business in that vicinity. We are still praying about the approach but at this point we will say something like: Hi my name is Pr Steve and I’m with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huguenot. We’re visiting to become acquainted with the businesses in our community. From time to time we host special programs and would like to invite you to our Lifestyle Health Seminar this Nov 17, Sun at 3-5 pm. If you’d we’ll send you a text / email reminder.We wish you God’s blessing and share this book with a prayer for your health and prosperity.
We’ll see how it goes because we’re going to try it out soon.
We have also put out as of Sabbath, yesterday, over 2000 Discover Bible School Invitation cards. We take them house to house. There are so many homes packed together. It is not uncommon to find two apartments per home and sometimes as many as four! And access to their doors is easy. We pray that God will help these seeds of truth find their way to good soil. This past week I met a young man sitting out front of his home. As we talked he shared with me that he’d never had a home. He’d been raised in the “system” here in NYC. He believes in God because of how he has survived this ordeal. I returned later to drop off a couple of DVDs.
Last evening we attended an all-night prayer vigil at the New Brighton Seventh-day Adventist Church here on Staten Island. It was sponsored by the Staten Island Medical Missionaries. A group that has welcomed us with open arms. We were asked to come and share how we came to Staten Island. There was a nice group of members and guests from Long Island. I have to admit we only stayed until 10:30 pm. (See the poster in the pictures section). We also had the privilege of preaching yesterday at Manor Road SDA Church.
Finally, Halloween is approaching and we have already shared in a previous post that some of our neighbors are very enthusiastic about decorating their yards with some of the most hideous things. Well I have a bit of a radical streak in me and so I decided to try and capitalize on this custom. We bought a “tombstone” made out of styrofoam for $1 at the Dollar Tree. These are very commonly used for decorations. They have clever names on them, like ours: Pearl E. Gates. In place of that name I printed the verse “The Dead Know Not Anything.” Ecclesiastes 9:5. And we are going to put it out on our lawn. I will keep you posted as to any response.
Thank you for your prayers and interest. God be with you!
Steve and Alberta
PS: Please keep in touch at stevecook1970@gmail.com or (706) 996-5355.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Dear Friends
This past week has seen us attending a funeral at the Korean Church here, visiting in the community home to home, distributing hundreds of Discover Bible Invitation cards, getting our license plates, our car inspected, and preaching in the Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church!
At times we have felt that our surveying was reaching few people. But then we prayed and asked the Lord to help us. We prayed for fervently. And that very day we both (we survey separately,typically on opposite sides of the street) experienced openness and receptivity! Alberta had brought a Discover Bible Lesson and offered it and a lady accepted! I had a gentleman show interest in every feature of the survey.
Here’s what we say: “Hi my name is Steve and I’m with the Adventist Church here in Huguenot. We’re developing wholistic programs that serve this community and we need your help. Would you take a moment to tell us if you think these classes are needed and which ones you would be interested in?” Here are the four options: 1) Help to Stop Smoking. 2) Making Significant Lifestyle Change, especially in areas of Diet, Exercise, and Reduction of Stress. 3) Plant Based Nutrition & Cooking for Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity and Cancer Prevention. 4) Finding a Deeper Spiritual Life through Reading and Understanding the Bible.“
(By the way, if you have used a particularly effective Door to Door Survey, send me a copy at my email address at the end of this post.)
Well, I haven’t tracked the number of surveys we have taken but our Data Base is up to 46 names. We praise God for each one. We are preparing for our first Health Seminar in early November. We plan to use these names as the core interest group.
We (Alberta and I and Pr Jay Shin and the Korean SDA Church) are scheduling the Seventh-day Adventist Health Van for early November. We will feature this upcoming health class in our visits with people who visit the van.
We are also putting out hundreds of Discover Bible Invitation Cards. We put these in the doors. We get exercise this way and plant seeds for a harvest. These neighborhoods are heavily Italian. We have been received, for the most part, with cordiality.
May God bless our efforts to enlarge His family in this needy area.
God grant your heart’s desire,
Pr Steve and Alberta
stevecook1970@gmail.com
Sunday, October 6, 2019 updated 10.9.2019
Dear Friends,
Well it has been an intense week again. It started with meeting the new Korean pastor of the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church (KSDA) Pr Jay Shin. He is very cordial and has invited us to collaborate on the beginning of a series of health presentations in the KSDA Church here starting next month! We feel that our moving to within a mile and a half of this church was a providence. This congregation and their leadership including their new pastor have warmly welcomed us and are very appreciative of our willingness to help them. We have also been invited to preach once a month in their church. All of this has encouraged us that we are moving in the right direction to seek to reach the people of this area.
Later in the week, we knocked on many doors, on a hot mid-day Tuesday. Alberta is skilled at collecting names for the seminars. Later that evening we visited the Union Seventh-day Adventist Church that is conducting a Health Seminar. We were blessed by their enthusiasm and emphasis on exercise. We did quite a lot of moving about right among the pews!
On Friday we went to apply for new Driver’s Licenses and like so many other things it was a process that did not involve much moving but rather waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Finally our number came up. Were we glad that our papers were in order. We needed our marriage license, birth certificate, and proof of local residency.
Then yesterday we returned for the first time in years to the church where we began our New York City ministry in 2010. The historic Manhattan Seventh-day Adventist Church. We visited old friends and met their pastor Tito Charneco and his wife Lee. Reconnecting with our dear friends from years ago was exciting. We held two evangelistic series in that church and even after nearly 10 years the ties that bind in Christ are precious. (There are many photos in the pictures section.)
On the way home, we took the Staten Island Ferry across New York harbor and saw the great icon of freedom the Statue of Liberty! But on the way, it happened again as has happened so often in times past in NYC. I simply asked a lady sitting beside me something like this: Are you (she and her friend—presumably husband) visiting from another country? They could have passed as Germans or from another European country. Mitch and Jessi are living in Minnesota! He is from Wisconsin. We told them we were returning from church, and explained that we’re Seventh-day Adventists.We talked and he knew of places where we lived and pastored. They were very friendly. Anyway, we shared some literature with them and wished them well. (See them in the pictures section.)
Then there were some people to my left who were Asian and then a young lady sat down nearby who looked like she was from one of those countries. Alberta was standing in front of me at the rail of the ship. Again, I simply asked the girl if she was from China? She said an enthusiastic ‘Yes!’ And I followed with “A real Chinese from China?” “But of course!” She had a suitcase beside her and is apparently traveling to different places. She spoke impeccable English. We had a pleasant conversation. And we told her about our move to NYC. She was interested and friendly. It was very natural to share literature with her. She shared with us that her grandmother is Christian and is a good person. We walked off the ferry with her and told her we would keep in touch. (You can see Sherry in the photos section. And BTW I asked her for permission to post this.)
My point in all of these visits—connecting with people. Mingling to be friendly like Jesus (see the classic example of this in John 4). You can see a picture of the couple from Minnesota in the Pictures area of this blog. We hope that these providential visits will lead these people to a closer walk with God.
Today we participated in a “Compassion March and Rally”. This was the first we had seen of this type of witnessing which, as we understand it, is pretty common here in NYC. A starting point for the march was a park where health screening was set up, along with face painting for kids, refreshments, and a DJ playing music to attract the surrounding community. From here a group holding banners led the way behind NYPD patrol cars with their lights flashing. Then a drum corp (see the accompanying pictures) playing non-stop followed along with all the others from the participating churches. They marched about half a mile to a smaller area park where we were set up with a table and free water. There we had met Ena, a former lifestyle guest from Wildwood days. (It is a small world!). When the marching group arrived under police escort, a gentleman with a megaphone called on the people to follow the march back to the park for the free health activities there. It was very interesting to see this form of advertising. It is pretty hard to beat a beating drum or six of them. (See pictures elsewhere on this site.)
So we all returned to the park where we saluted the police and thanked them. All the pastors present were introduced and we had an opportunity to speak to those standing by. Well it was quite an afternoon of interacting with church members and community people. May God bless these efforts to advance His kingdom by doing as Jesus did, combining ministry to the health needs with ministry to the spiritual concerns as well.
After we returned home we were specially blessed with a visit from our neighbors. Alberta had shared some extra veggies with the lady next door on Friday. Our doorbell rang this evening and who should it be but both husband and wife from next door. They had made some pasta and meatballs with some of the veggies we shared. They graciously kept the meatballs when they discovered that, like his mother, we don’t eat meat! What a day we had. And I am running out of exclamation points.
We are concluding just our 35th day here in New York City and as you can see much is happening here. We are glad we came and look forward to meeting more of the people in this city.
We appreciate your prayers and notes. Please stay in touch (stevecook1970@gmail.com).
Yours in Jesus,
Steve and Alberta
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Well it is hard to believe that we have been here in New York City now for just under 28 days. We left on Sept 1 at 11am and arrived on Sept 2 at 9am. It has been a whirlwind month. Here is the latest.
Work goes forward—namely knocking on doors, surveying potential guests for health seminars, leaving literature and Bible study invitations. And in offering prayers—one especially poignant visit this week was with a young lady who seemed distraught and about to break out crying. As I began my survey, she said there had been a tragedy in their home. What happened? She had had her dog put down a couple of days before. Why? There had been an argument in the home and the dog, a pit bull, mistook someone–her husband!– as an adversary and bit off his right thumb at the tip! I told her of our losing our cat to coyotes. I offered to pray with her and she accepted. She accepted literature.
Few in this neigborhood showed much interest in the seminars. These homes were a notch up in quality from others that we have visited. Maybe that is why they seem more indifferent (Home values are staggeringly high–$500,000 is entry level in some of these neighborhoods. And that very well could be a duplex.) But we are looking for searching and hurting souls and believe that we will find them.
We have also proposed doing some health seminars in our local Seventh-day Adventist Korean Church. They are very open to it and we will keep you posted about that. God has providentially led in our association with both Manor Road and the Staten Island Korean Church.
We are also being asked to team up with the Staten Island Medical Missionary group for some area wide training in 2020. God is focusing unusual attention on Staten Island. I can certainly see why from my limited standpoint. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not widely known here and yet there are hundreds of thousands of people. I believe God wants more people to take an interest in this territory.
In closing, this week we have had opportunity to make more direct contact with our neighbors. It is Halloween season and you can’t imagine some of the decorations that have gone up this week. Well we commented on these as one lady was at work putting them up in her yard. She was very friendly and we had a nice get acquainted visit on her sidewalk.
Then yesterday, after we returned from preaching at Manor Road and meeting with the Korean group re possible health seminars, we decided to try and meet our neighbors. On one side is a lady that is shut in and we got no response. (We continue to pray for her.) Then we crossed the street to a beautiful home and just as we did a car drove up and out stepped a young woman who identified herself as the daughter of the folks who live there. She took us right in to see them. They were more than hospitable. They had just returned the day before from Italy (BTW many people of Italian heritage live in this part of Staten Island.)
These dear people intoduced us to their grandkids and then showed us around their back yard. They have built and installed many beautiful decorative pieces of furniture and artwork they have had shipped from Italy.
The husband and his wife asked many questions: “Why did you come here?”—that is such a common question. People cannot fathom anyone wanting to be here. We tell them that it is the people and that we are interested in people. When they find out we are Seventh-day Adventists they wanted to know “what we believe and how are we different” from their Roman Catholic faith. We explain that we are Protestants and believe in Jesus Christ and in the Bible. As Adventists we believe Jesus is returning soon. And we believe in and keep the Bible Sabbath from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. By this time two conversations are going on simultaneously. She with me and her husband with Alberta. Then we walked out back and they introduced us to their tenant. It is very common for homes to have an additional apartment that is rented out.
We praise God for this opportunity to meet all of these people and ask for His blessing on our influence in this neighborhood.
Until next time,
Your friends in NYC, Steve and Alberta Cook
Sunday, September 22, 2019
This past week we continued our visitation and knocked on many doors and distributed hundreds of Discover Bible study invitations. We also hosted our friend from the community that we mentioned in an earlier post–we met him on the street one day in early August while we were looking for a home to rent. He has stayed in touch and we hope that our meal and fellowship will continue to build our friendship. We’ll keep you posted on that.
This past Sabbath we preached at the Staten Island Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is a well-established congregation that is primarily ministering to Korean speaking people–but not exclusively. There were a number there who do not speak the language but translation is available.
Later in the afternoon we traveled with Br and Sr Jaik Koo to the Westbury area in Long Island for a special Long Island Korean SDA Church Company organization ceremony. Providentially the officers of the Greater New York Conference were present and we were able to be introduced by Br Koo. He is well respected in the Greater New York Conference community. And I can say that he certainly drives safely and efficiently on some of the most heavily traveled freeways I have seen.
We returned home just before 9PM wearied but blessed by our third Sabbath here in New York City. As we drove through Brooklyn it was quite dark by that time and we could see some of the apartments and through the windows the people standing and living. There are so many.
On Sunday, we went to a neighborhood and knocked on doors, taking a survey to discover interests in health and Bible topics. This led to some interesting conversations. Alberta spoke with one lady for the better part of an hour (I was on the other side of the street and kept doubling back to be sure of her safety!). The lady she was conversing with showed interest and in the course of the conversation said that she had prayed to God to send someone to help her in her spiritual life. She signed up for Bible studies!
By this time in the course of this long conversation, I had returned and another lady was also there in this open garage. She lives across from this other lady and had indicated her interest with me earlier for a health class. She told us that she had lost two children to tragedy in her life. She seems open to something better. Time will tell how all of this will develop.
Then we went to complete our surveying the street. But before too long I was invited in to a home! This is the first time this has happened. In going in I called to Alberta down the way to come. It was a home of an older lady and her daughter. As it turned out this family is Egyptian. They speak Arabic and the mother speaks very limited English. It was the daughter who invited me in. I noticed an engraved picture of the Last Supper on the wall. ‘Are you Christian?’ I asked. They are Coptic Christians and have been in NYC for six years. Apparently there is a large community here. They were very cordial and we explained diabetes to them and prayed with them too.
Speaking of prayer, believe it or not, New Yorkers will let you pray with them under certain circumstances. I met another man earlier in the day who was not interested in anything I was surveying about, but… he wanted to talk. And so we did at his door. He is a builder. I listened. But before I left him I asked if I could pray for the man. He is divorced, middle aged, financially stable but has little confidence in God–he really does not know God, having been compelled to attend church as a young man. But he allowed me to pray with him at his door. May God bless all of these visits and lead many to the Savior.
Please keep us in your prayers as we go forward in sharing the everlasting gospel.
Yours in Christ,
Steve and Alberta Cook
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Dear Friends:
It has been just over two weeks that we left our home in Wildwood for a new ministry in this vast field of New York City. By one account there are no less than 62 neighborhoods in some five areas of Staten Island, home to nearly half a million people. We live in the South Shore area of the neighborhood of Annadale. It is named for Mrs Anna Seguine, descendant of French Huguenots. BTW Huguenot is a well-known neighborhood just south of us. We feel honored to live in the historical shadows of descendants of French Protestants.
Today we stepped into the waters of just one of the many housing areas not far from us. It was early afternoon as we began to knock on doors. We took a survey to introduce ourselves and assess the interest of the people. On a sunny and warm day we were greeted, for the most part with congeniality. Yes, even on Sunday people are busy but they listened as we presented a number of health education options and one spiritual feature. We were able to begin building a data base of possible interests.
We knocked on dozens and dozens of doors in a crowded neighborhood of nice homes but placed very close together. A good half of the residents were not home, (or they saw who we were in the cameras trained on the doorway area and simply declined to answer!) but those who did answer were hospitable and respectful. Many declined our survey but eight did sign up for possible future events. There were a couple of gentlemen that were a bit more gruff, e.g. I was speaking of possible needs and this one man, after putting down his his enormous bulldog said: “I need for you to leave!” So we went on. Another gentleman closed the door with these words: “There is no god.” But I trust that we were evidence to the contrary in that man’s mind today!
It brings to mind these impressive words: “Over every man, good and evil angels strive. This is no make-believe conflict. It is no mimic battle in which we are engaged. We have to meet most powerful adversaries, and it rests with us to determine which shall win. We are to find our strength where the early disciples found theirs.” Evangelism 704.5
“Not in their own power did the apostles accomplish their mission, but in the power of the living God. Their work was not easy. The opening labors of the Christian church were attended by hardship and bitter grief…With the might of omnipotence God worked through them to make the gospel triumphant.” Evangelism 706.3
All in all today was a relatively mild introduction to New York City personal evangelism. In Hebrews 11:33-34 we are told that the one possessing faith “became strong in battle” (my translation). But just getting in the battle is a battle. But it is in the battle that we receive strength. Faith is the victory. And the Lord gave us the strength for today.
Thank you for your prayers and interest in this ministry. Please pray for the people of New York City.
Your friends, Steve and Alberta
Monday, September 9, 2019 We have been living in New York City now for just over 7 days. The trip from Georgia was grueling–22 hours on the road to go 800+ miles. We rolled in at 9am and were unloaded by noon, Monday, a week ago. The rain came just as we finished. Folk from Manor Road Seventh-day Adventist Church and that really helped with the unloading.
Then it was a blurry week as we unpacked, looking for this and that and finally Sabbath came. We looked forward to our first worship service at Manor Road. (I will be updating the pictures as soon as I can get them transferred to our computer from our phone.)
We pray for God’s guidance in terms of how to effectively mingle with the people. They are all around us but in their own space. With the Lord’s help we will be lovingly bold.
August 20, 2019 We are packing in earnest for our move to NYC. We returned from looking for a dwelling. See the photo section for a snap of it. We spent Aug 5-11 in Staten Island hunting and the Lord blessed us with a pretty nice place. And it is in our target area on the south side of Staten Island just minutes from the train station, in a neighborhood named Annadale. Then we returned to Wildwood for the final stage of our move.
So now it making final packing preparation. The truck has been reserved. We hope and pray that the weather will be stable for the loading day which is Sunday, September 1. By the next day September 2 we will be “genuine New Yorkers”. Please remember us in your prayers. Thank you!
July 21, 2019 Presently we are preparing for one of the biggest steps of our ministry life. We are packing, consolidating, not just whittling down but drastically reducing our belongings so that we can be more mobile than ever.
This is a radical step. We are anticipating living in a densely populated area of New York City, Staten Island. We are looking now for just where we might live. Our plans are to accelerate that process in mid-August by going from Georgia to Staten Island and look for the actual home site. When we find it, we will inform you of our address.
Once we have leased a home we will return to Georgia for final departure. At this point we anticipate being fully relocated by September 1, 2019.
People have asked if we will be employed by the conference. The answer is no. But we will work in harmony with both conferences represented by churches here in Staten Island. (BTW we intend to post pictures of each of the churches and a brief description of them after we visit them.)
Please pray for us. Pray for our guidance. Pray that we will find a safe and economical home where we can make friends with our neighbors and reach the people with the gospel. Pray that God will guide us to honest seekers. Pray that we will make friends with the local church members. We know some of them but it has been six years since we have had any association with them. Thank you for your interest. Please keep in touch by writing to us at email address below.
Steve & Alberta Cook
stevecook1970@gmail.com