Hi all,

Guess I'm supposed to write about myself in this spot. I've tried doing it a few times but each time it was way to long with way to much information. I've lived a very FULL LIFE you see. Many people have asked me over the years why I haven't put it in a book and my answer has always been the same; " no one would believe it". Guess I'll try it once again. This time I've decided to write it as my testimony instead of as a bio. That should help me narrow it down some. So here goes nothing.

My name is Thomas James Harvey, AKA; Rev. Thomas J. Harvey AKA; Pastor Tom AKA; Sir Thomas. I was born and raised in Worcester Mass, AKA; The Heart of the Commonwealth, AKA; Wormtown. It was mentioned in Truman Capote's classic book; "IN COLD BLOOD". It was described as a cold dark city with people just like it. Yep that was my home sweet home and everything said about it was true. I was born on Oct 30th 1953 the year of the Great Worcester Tornado and the night of The Holy Cross Fracas( a rumble between students of Holy Cross College and the Worc Police Dept).

I spent the early years of my life trying to get out and stay out of Worc but always being drawn back. I traveled across Europe and America by thumb, cars,trains,buses and airplanes. I met my wife Louanne Brown in Worc in Oct of 75'. In Sept of 76' we ended up living together in Hollywood Calif. After about a year I decided I had to go back to Worc once again. Lou didn't want to go back but did so anyway. After some bumps in the road we ended up living together in Worc and then marrying on April 30th 77' . She had accepted Christ when she was about 12. I was an atheist/agnostic. We got talked into going to a Christams Day church service with her sister Debbie and her friend Betsy. I went on the condition that if I did they would never bother me with this christian stuff again. They agreed and it was ( of course ) at that service on Christmas day 1977 that I accepted Christ. I entered the church and the music started and the Holy Spirit was all over me. When the pastor ( the same one that would ordain me 6 years later) gave an alter call I practically flew up to that altar and accepted Jesus Christ into my heart and made him Lord of my life.

The four of us then went on a spiritual odyssey for a year. We were caught up in the height of the Charismatic Renewal that rocked the entire world. We saw miracles,healings and deliverances on a daily basis. We stayed up many a night all night praying and fasting and then watching the sun come up. God was very present in those days and we heard from Him on a regular basis. I wish those days had never ended. But they did, I guess because God knew none of us would've ever grown up and toughened up if they hadn't. It was a wonderful and amazing time though.

On March 21st 1979 our first born son Joel Thomas Harvey was born. On October 25th 1980 our second son Jesse Aaron Harvey was born. I attended Calvary Bible School in Worc Mass from 1981-1983 while running a home fellowship that was comprised of mostly young people late teens to mid 20's. I graduated in April of 83' and was ordained by Rev. George J. Detellis on April 29th 1983. Louanne and I renewed our wedding vows at the same time because our first marriage had been a civil ceremony because remember I didn't believe in God. The Lord doth have a sense of humor.

After that we took our home fellowship from that to being incorporated as a church and I was the founding senior pastor and Lou was my co-pastor. George Detellis told me the day he ordained me to set a time limit on how long I'd pastor and when that date arrived to re-evaluate and see if we wanted to continue or not. He said that people had no idea how hard a life it was for a pastor and his family. We told the church that we'd do it for ten years and then see if we wanted to continue or not. I don't think they believed us but after ten years of great times and horrible times, of way to much work and no where near enough time off we decided to step down as pastors and go in a different direction in our lives. This was 1993. The church voted to not seek another pastor but rather to disband. It was so hard to do.

I didn't know then what an affect it would have on me but in time it became evident. I lost my sense of identity and became under the surface angry and embittered. I'd made the mistake that I've since learned many young ministers make. I allowed my relationship with God to be wrapped up in my ministry. So when the ministry ended my relationship with Him had no where to go but down. Louanne and I both ended up working in the high tech field. We both advanced in the field and worked a lot of long hours with different days off. I didn't listen when Lou told me I was going down a wrong road. I became obsessed with succeeding in the business field since I'd "failed" in the ministry. I made a lot of mistakes and Lou and I ended up separated in March of 1998 after 23 years together 21 of them married.

I continued working in high tech till June of 02'. I cashed in my 401k and took a year off to recover from all the damage done to my body from working 12 hour night shifts for almost 10 years. I'd gone through and survived bladder cancer, a very bad eye infection that they treated with steroid eye drops which then caused steroid induced glaucoma. So I had to go in for emergency laser eye surgery. I'd gone through some painful relationships that didn't work. During my year off I decided to attend school to become a certified nursing assistant ( CNA ). After the year off I went to work in the psychiatric ward of a hospital in Worc. It was during this phase of my life that i returned to my first two loves. First and foremost I reccomitted my life to Christ all out no turning back again! This stage of my relationship with Jesus has so far out surpassed the first that it's hard to describe. I can tell you that when you feel like you lost Him and then find Him again you don't ever take Him for granted again. Not if you have half a brain at least! My second love was stage acting. At age 50 in the year 2004 I mustered up all the courage I could and auditioned for a very respected repertory theatre in Sturbridge mass. It was the Stageloft Repertory Theatre and I didn't get cast but the director called me and said that it was a small cast production this time and he didn't have enough parts to go around this time but asked me to come back and audition for Richard111. I wasn't sure if i was just being strung along or not but I mustered up the courage again and auditioned a second time. This time I was cast.

So after a 30 year absence from the theatre i was living my dream. I was cast in show after show after that. I appeared in Richard111, The Sound of Music, Arsenic and Old lace, The Odd Couple, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Of Mice and Men, Mame, A Christmas Carol. I was also cast by The Pheonix Players to co-star in; You Can't Take it With You and The Nasoba Players for ; Saul and Sophia's Wedding ( an original musical comedy). I was back in full force with the Lord and attending church regularly and back into serious bible study and fellowship.

At the beginning of 06' I once again stepped away from the stage. I did this because I'd been diagnosed with diabetes and doing all those shows and working full time was killing me. I also at this time asked God for the gift of celibacy until I resolved the issues one way or another in my marriage. I can thankfully report that He came through and it was a great year of getting well physically and spiritual growth as well.

In the middle of 07' God began writing Sarasota Florida on my heart. My son Joel had married a lovely girl named Sahawnna from Sarasota. Their wedding was my only exposure to this city. I didn't like it! It was the three things I hate most; HAZY,HOT AND HUMID! I'd always told God I'll go anywhere you ask me but please don't ever ask me to go to Texas or Florida!!! If anyone ever tells you God fights fair don't believe them!!!!!!!!!!! He'll do whatever it takes to make you transform into the person He needs you to be. I've been here a little over a year now and I still don't like it but I can totally see now why He called me here. This city is known as the cultural center of the Gulf Coast. It's the perfect place for a ministry based on the Arts and Sciences. There is so much art here it boggles the mind and schools galore for higher learning ( which is what science really means).

The first prophecy i ever recieved personally was in in early 78'. It went like this; " You say you're an actor and truly you are and from now on you'll act for Me". I did not come to pastor a church here in Sarasota. I came to found a Christ centered community of faith based artists of all kinds. This is the perfect place for it. This is the perfect time. My wife and I have talked recently and agreed to divorce. We both feel it's time to let the past be in the past and move into the future. And who knows what that future holds?

I get up everyday now and say what adventure awaits us next Lord? I'm happy. I'm excited. I live a life of joyful expectation. I lead a ministry here that's something new and exciting and not the same old same old! We've just barely begun to lay the foundation. In the future we will have a magnificent art museum/gallery of faith based art work. We will have a theatre/ concert hall to rival anything the world has to offer. We will have a world class school called; Christian Arts and Sciences Academy ( CASA) where every student will learn to play a musical instrument, theatre arts and the sciences. There will be documentaries, dramatic and comedic short and feature legnth films produced as well as radio and television shows.

I've never gotten up a day in my life and said should I be doing this God? I just get up and say; "What would you have me do, where would you have me do it and who do you want me to do it with"?Don't look for or wait for approval from anyone but God. If He calls you to do it then He'll equip you to do it. He'll send you the people you need to help you get it done. He'll supply the funding neccessary. Some will love you and some will hate you. Some will help you and some will hinder you. It's always been this way and always will be. Sometimes it will surprise you who to turns out to be which but don't let anything discourage you or stop you!

I know I should've been dead years ago. I know God had other plans. I plan on following those plans to the best of my ability for the rest of my life. I hope you do the same. I know a major part of those plans are CRASH ( Christian Renaissance of the Arts and Sciences of our Heritage ) and a return to the stage for me as well but not in secular theatres but in the churches and prisons of the world. So look for the birth of CASA ( Christan Arts And Sciences Academy) and The Christian Coummunity Theatre Company in the not to distant future.

Okay so this wasn't short. Now you can just imagine if I'd actually written a biography! This is my story. Some of it I'm proud of. Some of it I'm ashamed of. Can anyone out there say any different about your own stories? Go with God. I intend to......................

Reverend Thomas J. Harvey, Pastor Tom, Sir Thomas.......