TESTIMONIES

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:7-8) This is a fitting verse for us, not only because of this late season heat wave in the valley where we are all waiting for it to cool off finally!!, but also because it describes the posture that the Lord has kept the Gathering Table ministry in all year long. We are learning to wait on the Lord. A couple recent testimonies:   Bi-Monthly Team Meetings If you’re not familiar with Gathering Table, we are a ministry that, at the moment, primarily hosts pop-up dinners every other month as an outreach to bring the good news of Jesus to our community. (You can read more about them on our page on Go Mission.) During the in between, or “off-months”, we have our team meetings to pray and plan for the next upcoming dinner. This past meeting in September, we we spent about 15 minutes listening individually to the Lord, specifically asking God two questions:   -What does God want to do at this upcoming dinner? -How does God want to use the gifts He has given you at this next dinner?   It’s amazing that when we spend just a little bit of time listening to what God has to say, he not only speaks but guides the entire direction of our lives and in this case the planning of the next dinner. After sharing as a team what each of us heard from the Lord regarding the upcoming dinner, it was evident that God had given us each individually some clear direction for the answers to the two questions we asked. We didn’t leave the team meeting with a burdensome to-do list (which is often the case for ministry planning meetings), but with a clear direction for what God wants to do and how we can partner with what He is already doing. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. It confirmed to me that the Gathering Table team is not an “event planning committee”, though that is needed at times, but it it a serving ministry to show our community the hands and feet of Jesus in both our words and our actions. We are excited for what God has planned and what He is doing in each of our lives and as a team.   Bee Keeping Apprenticeship We just wrapped up the 2026 Bee Keeping Apprenticeship (BKA) that went from May-September, where we hosted a Bible study every other Saturday morning with 3 local veterans, while also starting 3 bee hives together as a fun way to build relationship and community with one another. It’s hard to express all that God did during this time. Each of the men, including me (Jeff), were personally impacted by this time together. As someone who is not a veteran, being around 3 veterans was very eye opening. All 3 have struggled and still do struggle with PTSD in some way or another. I realized after the BKA, that there is a great need in the veteran community for groups like the BKA- hands-on, community-focused interaction, that is BIBLE BASED AND JESUS CENTERED. There are a lot of programs out there that do the first part (activities, community), but not many that are Christ-centered and boldly share that Jesus is the only way any of us will find true healing and peace in this life. As part of the apprenticeship, we got to bless each of the 3 veterans with a unique study Bible to keep, to encourage them to continue diving into God’s word and growing in their relationship with Jesus. If this is something that you would like to donate toward, click here.   Prayer If you would like to partner with us in prayer, please be praying for what comes next for the three veterans who participated in the BKA- that they would find a church community to plug into and take their next steps in following Jesus. One of the men is still on the edge of receiving salvation. Pray over our October 11 Pop-up dinner for the testimonies and the gospel shared to take root in people’s hearts and for lasting connections to be made. And lastly, for vision for Gathering Table for next year. We are starting to seek the Lord for the next steps for the ministry, including doing the BKA again next year, possibly opening it up to men and women as there have been a lot of women expressing interest in it, and finishing writing down the vision for a working farm ministry that temporarily houses and hosts people who feel stuck in life to find hope and purpose in Christ.   Photo highlights of the 2026 BKA with the 3 veterans 

How Jesus Took the Little We Had to Do Something Great Photos: 17 guests from the community gathered around the table at the Winter Wonderland Pop-Up Dinner in Old Town Clovis this past weekend; the two men who were part of the bee keeping apprenticeship this year, bravely standing in front of the hive last month without bee suits! (they had just taken their suits off) As we reflect on the year, we can see how God took the little that we had to offer him and used it to do beyond what we could imagine or think. As we prayed for God’s direction for Gathering Table earlier this year, I (Jeff) was challenged by the story of Jesus multiplying the fives loaves of bread and two fish to feed over 5,000 people. What struck me as I read this passage, was how the disciples first had to give up the little they had to Jesus.   16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. (Matthew 14:16-18)   In our eyes, it doesn’t seem like much, likely their meal (or someone else's meal) for the evening. What’s one meal? And it’s safe to say it wasn’t a life or death decision for them. BUT they still had to give it up, and trust Jesus to do whatever he wanted with it. If they had held onto what they had, they would’ve only fed themselves. And more importantly, they would’ve missed out on Jesus displaying his glory as the Bread of Life by feeding thousands of people. In a similar way, it felt what we had to offer God as a ministry this year was very little and yet costly at the same time. For some context, Kristy and I had just had our third child together last December. So everything about the year ahead seemed more daunting than usual, especially as we began to plan five Pop-Up Dinners for the year while anticipating juggling a newborn at some of those dinners. In addition, I felt like it was God’s timing to make a first small step in the direction for us to combine ministry and farming by doing our first year of a Beekeeping Apprenticeship, where we would disciple a couple young men by reading passages of scripture together while they learned the basics of bee keeping. While this wouldn’t be a huge commitment, it would require us giving of some of our free time (which usually consists of juggling our three littles) to meet with these men a couple of times a month over about 6 months. God was asking us to give him the little we had, so that he could multiply it into something beyond anything we could accomplish on our own. So we did. We gave to God our time and our comforts. We stepped out into our simple plan of hosting Pop-Up Dinners every other month this year and doing the 6-month long bee keeping apprenticeship. Like the disciples in this story, it wasn’t life or death for us, but it was still challenging to give God the little we had to offer.   So where is the multiplying? How did and is God using the little we have given to him this year? 1. He is multiplying faithfulness in me and Kristy. We have labored this year to continue to be faithful with what we have been given. It has been a labor prompted by love, especially this year with a newborn. God is working in us, as we learn to trust and wait on him. 2. He is multiplying our team! We had the privilege this year to partner with 3 young ladies in planning and leading the Pop-Up Dinners. It has been such a joy to learn to follow Jesus together and learn from each other, as He continues to lead this ministry. 3. He is multiplying his kingdom. God is always at work, and his word never returns void. As we are being faithful in sowing seeds of the Gospel at these dinners, we are seeing God’s kingdom sprout up like a seedling that is starting to bear lasting fruit – unbelievers being challenged by testimonies of God working in people’s lives and being drawn closer to Jesus; new believers finding connection and discipleship; people taking their next steps in following Jesus.   It has been so much fun this year seeing God multiply our efforts, and we are excited to see where God takes Gathering Table next year. As we begin to plan and dream into 2026, we can anticipate that once again Jesus will ask us to give to him the little we have in our hands. And we can trust that he will be faithful to do the work of multiplying what we give him for the glory of his name and his kingdom. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1)

"God, What Are You Doing?" Reflections on the October Pop-Up Dinner Photos (below) - Behind the scenes from the October dinner, from loading up the truck, setting up the table in the "Breezeway" of Old Town Clovis, to making the final touches to the table as guests begin to arrive. I (Jeff) found myself during our Pop-Up Dinner last month, continually asking "God, what are you doing?" It seemed God was doing something as we began to sit down together around the table, but I wasn't quite sure what it was. The Pop-Up Dinners that we host as a ministry every other month are so different from each other. For instance, the previous dinner in August was a very lively group of guests, with all kinds of God-ordained connections being made around the table. It was crazy! And, this dinner in October, was no exception... it was different from all the rest of the dinners. Unique in its own. If you're not familiar with the Gathering Table Pop-Up Dinners, it is a table that seats between 10-20 people and brings people together from all different walks of life, including from different parts of the city, different jobs, backgrounds, and so on, to hear each other's stories. The goal is to build empathy among each other, and the purpose of these dinners is for the gospel to be boldly shared in a way that is natural - by sharing what Jesus has done in our lives. About a week after the October dinner, we met as a team to debrief and to share about what we have seen God doing through these dinners this year. What was cool is that by sharing collectively, our perspective of what he was doing was much bigger. Things that I didn't see, someone else did. For example, one person on our team shared about her best friend who came to the October dinner. She shared that her friend came to the dinner expressing that she didn't want to share her stories with a bunch of strangers, and yet she ended up doing just that. We learned that it was a big deal for her to share part of her story that night. And that there had been tension between her and her friend recently, and that it seemed after the dinner that the tension was gone. We also learned that one of the people who came to the dinner was not a believer, and that God was moving on her heart that night as she heard all the testimonies of God's goodness and mercy in real life stories.  As we shared as a team of what we saw God doing, it became evident that God is always at work - he is never just doing one thing. The theme for the October dinner was "forgiveness". Many of the people at the dinner shared heart-breaking stories of being hurt or wronged by others. And at the end, we got to share the Good News of the gospel, that though we all fall short of the glory of God - sinners who have wronged God by disobeying his commands and law - that God sent his Son Jesus so that we can be forgiven. And because God has forgiven us, we can forgive others and find freedom in our relationships with others that can be found no where else. God is always at work - he is never just doing one thing. I was challenged personally after this dinner, to more and more have a posture of always asking, "God, what are you doing?" To always have one ear tuned to heaven. (I have a long ways to go to be walking in this!) And also, that our perspective grows so much more when we share with each other what we see God doing. You can be praying with us over the Pop-Up Dinners, especially for our team of people who have been helping Kristy and I lead this ministry. Our next dinner is planned for early December in Old Town Clovis. Pray that the Lord would bring who he wants to be at that dinner, and that he would help us to see and partner with what He is doing. If you are interested in coming to one of our upcoming Pop-Up Dinners, please feel free to check out our website and Reserve a Seat. It would be great to have you join us at the table to hear one another's stories, and see what God is doing through this ministry.

Divine Appointments at Pop-Up Dinners in Our Community We never know what to expect at the Pop-Up dinners that we host every other month in our community. The table that seats between 10-20 people brings people together from all different walks of life, including from different parts of the city, different jobs, backgrounds, and so on, to hear each other's stories. So when two "strangers" who come to one of the dinners "happen" to know each from some walk of life, we always take careful note: What might God be doing here. But when we see this happening across the board (or in this case, across the table) we pay extra close attention to these divine appointments. "Divine appointments" - When God brings two or more people together, who may or may not already know each other, to accomplish His purposes in and through their lives. Our most recent Pop-Up Dinner in August in Old Town Clovis was FILLED with divine appointments. It was crazy! You couldn't miss it. Someone sat down at the table next to a co-worker, neither of whom knew they were coming to the dinner. Another person sat down next to a family friend, again, neither of whom knew they were coming. Multiple people at the table shared a common burden that God has been stirring in their hearts. There were multiple ties and connections between jobs, ministries and common interests. There were so many connections between the 18 people around the table that we lost count. God is amazing! The question ringing the next day after the dinner was what are we going to do with that - all of these the divine appointments. God was clearly at work, so how can we participate in what He is doing? You can be praying with us about this. Pray that God would continue to move in this way at these dinners. Pray that people would respond to the work He is doing and reach out to each other to make connections beyond the dinners. Pray that He would get the glory, and ultimately people would be drawn closer to Jesus. If you are interested in coming to one of our upcoming Pop-Up Dinners, please feel free to check out our website and Reserve a Seat. It would be great to have you join us at the table to hear one another's stories, and see what God is doing through this ministry.  

One Year at the Collective 103 Shop in Old Town Clovis This month marks one year for Gathering Table being at the Collective 103 shop in Old Town Clovis, where the ministry sells Spoon Rings and Local Raw honey to support upcoming Pop-Up Dinners. It has been a big learning experience over the past year having products for sale at retail. It has also been a great opportunity to invite the community to upcoming Pop-Up Dinners by putting out dinner flyers (see pic attached). Between September 2024-August 2025, Gathering Table sold nearly 100 spoon rings and over 135 pounds of raw honey at the Collective 103 shop, for a total gross sales of almost $4,700. After fees and costs, an average of approximately $150 per month went directly to supporting food and venue costs for the Pop-Up Dinners over the past year. Our goal for this second year at the shop is for the spoon ring and honey sales to completely cover the costs of doing Pop-Up Dinners every other month. The dinners cost between $400-500 each, which means the net sales at the shop (after fees and costs of jars, labels, etc) needs to average $200-250 per month. We are already over halfway there! One way you can support Gathering Table is by purchasing our Spoon Rings and Raw Honey at the Collective 103 shop. It is located at 453 Pollasky Ave, Suite #103 in Old Town Clovis, and is open 7 days a week from 11am-5pm. We are hosting a "End of Summer" honey tasting event, open to the public on September 26 from 5:30-8pm at the shop. See picture attached for details, if you're interested in stopping by. Another way you can support us is by giving toward the Collective 2025 Spot campaign to help cover the monthly rent fee of $150. We are looking to raise $1,800 to cover this monthly fee for 2025, so that all sales at the shop from this year can go directly toward supporting the ministry. By giving in this way, you are helping Gathering Table invest in the spot the Lord has provided for Gathering Table to have presence as a ministry in our community. Lastly, another you can stay posted on Gathering Table updates is by subscribing to our Table Talk Newsletter that is emailed and/or texted out regularly throughout the year. 

  Thank you for supporting Gathering Table. Your support has made a big difference in helping Gathering Table soar this year!   “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)   With your generous support, here’s what we have seen God do so far this year!   Fully Funded All Five Pop-Up Dinners for this Year The Gathering Table Pop-Up dinners are currently the backbone of the Gathering Table ministry. The heart of these dinners is to bring people together who are different from one another around a common table where life stories are shared, empathy grows and the hope of the gospel is proclaimed. So far we have hosted one Pop-Up Dinner this year, with another one planned later this month. In total, we plan to host five dinners this year, each costing approximately $500. We are delighted to share that we have enough funding to cover all of these costs for the year.   Launched a Bee Keeping Apprenticeship This spring, we launched an apprenticeship program, where two men get the opportunity to learn about bee keeping while discovering answers to important life questions. Each time we meet, we start by doing a Bible study together focused on what the Bible says about bee keeping and farming, and how it applies to our lives. After that, we open up the two demonstration bee hives that they are learning to take care of. The apprentices started the two hives from scratch so that they get to see a bee hive all along the development and growth process. Funds were used to purchase two bee packages ($165 each) plus other related bee keeping expenses to grow and maintain those two hives.   Expanded from 12 Hives to 20 Hives Spring is the busiest time of the year for bee keeping, providing lots of opportunities for pollination, honey production and splitting (multiplying) hives. We are excited to report that since the start of the year, we have grown from 12 hives to 20 hives. This was done using a variety of methods, including adding hives through catching 2 swarms, starting 2 new hives from purchased bee packages, and doing 4 splits from our current hives allowing the new hives to “rear” their own new queens (a natural way to make more bee hives). Your support has helped to cover costs associated with maintaining and expanding the hives with mite control, spring buildup and feeding, purchasing and painting boxes, preparing frames with wax, and purchasing other bee keeping equipment. Expanding the number of bee hives is a step of faith toward building farming infrastructure for the dream of someday having a working farm that helps people who feel stuck in life find freedom and purpose through the hope of Jesus.   Purchased a Larger Honey Harvester This year, we outgrew our 4 frame manual crank honey harvester and decided it was time to make a 5-10 year investment in a larger 18 frame automatic honey harvester. Last year, in total we harvested about 180 pounds of honey. This year, we have already harvested over that amount and expect to harvest anywhere from 150 to 200 pounds more, for a total of somewhere around 400 pounds of honey! This new harvester has made a world of a difference, in both speeding up the process and making it more enjoyable. Your support has helped us to purchase this honey harvester from another bee keeper for $1200. It sells for new at $1900. The previous owner used the harvester to harvest honey for 100 bee hives in Sonora!   Through May, we are approximately 70% funded for the year! Thank you, Lord! This has allowed us to do all the things shared in this letter. Here is what remains to be funded and how we plan to use those remaining funds to further invest in both Gathering Table’s current activities and future. Remaining Hive Sponsorships: Of our 20 bee hives, there are 8 and-a-half hives remaining to be sponsored (adopted). These remaining hive sponsorships would allow us to further invest in the health of our bee hives by purchasing new queens, upgrading equipment and possibly expanding the number of hives beyond 20 to 25 hives to give a boost going into the winter. See the remaining hives for sponsorship HERE. Bless Volunteers at The Collective Shop with Clovis Bucks: We are looking to raise $100 per month from June-December of this year, for a total of $700 to be used to purchase “Clovis Bucks” as a way to bless our volunteers who help out at the Collective 103 shop in Old Town Clovis every Friday from 11am-5pm. Our volunteers will be able to use up to $25 in Clovis Bucks on food or drink each time while working the shop on behalf of Gathering Table. Learn more about the shop and/or give toward this HERE. New Tires for the Bee Truck: This year, we would like to invest $800 in the Bee Truck and purchase a set of four new tires (the front two and two of the back duallys are in need of replacement). This investment will allow the ministry to continue using this truck for a variety of needs such as checking and moving the bee hives throughout the year and transporting the table, chairs and crates for the Pop-Up Dinners. In addition to new tires, we also plan to use these funds to replace the back board of the flat bed with new wood and the Gathering Table logo. Learn more HERE.   Thank you again for supporting Gathering Table this year!   One way you can stay posted on Gathering Table updates is by subscribing to our Table Talk Newsletter that is emailed and/or texted out regularly throughout the year. 

  God has opened an unexpected door for Gathering Table with a spot at a local shop in Old Town Clovis - The Collective 103. It is an opportunity to sell Spoon Rings and Honey (yes, local raw honey is now for sale!) as a way to support the ministry and a great way to promote upcoming Pop-Up Dinners to the community. Come check it out! Located at 453 Pollasky Ave #103, Clovis. Open 7 days a week from 11am-5pm.