Beginnings
The beginnings of the Community in Island Pond go way back. In the late 70's, there were several families that were discontent with the status quo in their everyday Christian lives. They began meeting in their homes and groped to understand all they had grown up hearing about God, but not seeing lived out. They soon stumbled upon a group from "The South" that would change their lives forever. The folks from the "Yellow Deli" in Chattanooga were already living together in community and sharing all they had. The families from here in the Island Pond area invited them up to teach them what they knew about living together and soon they couldn't deny what was in their own hearts.
A Marvelous Life Emerged
The old "Maples" inn on the hill soon became the bustling center for a quickly growing community. Many from the surrounding area sold their houses and moved to Island Pond because the cry of their heart was being fulfilled, to be able to serve God 100%. More folks came up from the south, more houses were bought, a deli was built and opened, and within a couple of years Island Pond became the home of what was called "the Northeast Community Church" and also "The Church in Island Pond." Many people were saved and the community grew to over 300 people!
Persecutions : The Island Pond Raid, June 22, 1984
You may remember hearing about how our homes were raided and our children taken. Our Father delivered us from what could have been certain destruction. We held a few celebrations over the years, commemorating our deliverance. The most recent was the 40th anniversary in 2024. We had a gallery telling our story, and many speakers remembering that day. You can see the gallery in the Photos section below.
The 1984 Raid in Island Pond
What Happened
On the morning of June 22, 1984, in the sleepy rural village of Island Pond, Vermont, nestled in the Green Mountains just south of the Canadian border, the powers of state government descended upon the 350 believers who lived there as a church community, in an effort to be satisfied that the children who resided within were not being severely abused.
Ninety Vermont State troopers in bulletproof vests and fifty social workers, armed with virtually unlimited police power, raided 19 homes in the pre-dawn hour demanding the names of the children and the children themselves. They waved papers, as if they had a flag of victory demonstrating the State's conquest over the religious beliefs of the individuals involved. A local judge had signed a search warrant to legitimize the round-up of the unsuspecting children, so the zeal of the social workers became unleashed to confidently intrude into the lives of these little ones as if they were doing them a great favor, rescuing them from the abusive clutches of their fanatical parents. 112 children were unlawfully seized that morning because of the religious beliefs of their parents.
June 22, 1984, was a Friday – a long, but glorious day for the families involved. After being transported, in custody, to the courthouse in Newport, Vermont, some 20 miles away, each family awaited their turn to appear before a judge who would decide if they would be separated or kept together. Happily for the parents, Judge Frank Mahady was a man who respected the State Constitution of Vermont as well as the U.S. Constitution and who did not judge by the barometer of public opinion. As he properly called the lawyers from the State Attorney General's Office to provide evidence of abuse to justify the seizure of each child, the State of Vermont was left with nothing to say, except to speak against the faith of those brought to court, with greater and greater intensity.
Court continued late into the night, calling each child by name. Each one was sent home with his parents, as there was no basis to keep even one for examination by the state's battery of doctors, social workers and psychiatrists who sat to no avail nearly an hour away at a ski resort, waiting to perform their scrutinizing rituals. At around 9 p.m. Judge Mahady had to decide what to do with the large group of children, approximately 60, whose parents did not give their names, despite the coercion of law enforcement's threatening tactics. After hearing the arguments, he released them all to return home with their parents. He gave the opportunity for any parent who had something to say, to speak. Many passionately told the story of their day and spoke of their deep gratitude for a judge who ruled justly. By 11 p.m. a bus of tired, but rejoicing, families headed home to Island Pond, singing the praises of their God who had delivered them and giving thanks for the judge whose humble response was, "I'm only doing my job."
Resources
Judge Mahady's Decision in the 1984 Island Pond Raid
In 1984 Judge Mahady upheld his reputation as a jurist who took very seriously the constitutional principles that are the foundations of justice. In this ruling about the actions of the State of Vermont on June 22nd 1984 he offers a remarkable order describing the 4000 year legal history of search warrants, pointing out how far the state of Vermont had strayed from it.
An Issue of Control: Conflict between the Church in Island Pond and State Government
Presented at the "14th World Congress of Sociology" in Montreal in July 1998, this paper describes how the anti-cult movement influenced the Attorney General's office to go beyond the law.
The Twelve Tribes' Communities, the Anti-Cult Movement, and the Government's Response
Published in the "Social Justice Research" journal (vol. 12, no. 4, 2000, p. 341-364), chronicling the various controversies that have surrounded us.
Videos
Gallery
And there is a page about the 1984 Raid of the Church in Island Pond.
The 1984 Raid in Island Pond
What Happened
On the morning of June 22, 1984, in the sleepy rural village of Island Pond, Vermont, nestled in the Green Mountains just south of the Canadian border, the powers of state government descended upon the 350 believers who lived there as a church community, in an effort to be satisfied that the children who resided within were not being severely abused.
Ninety Vermont State troopers in bulletproof vests and fifty social workers, armed with virtually unlimited police power, raided 19 homes in the pre-dawn hour demanding the names of the children and the children themselves. They waved papers, as if they had a flag of victory demonstrating the State's conquest over the religious beliefs of the individuals involved. A local judge had signed a search warrant to legitimize the round-up of the unsuspecting children, so the zeal of the social workers became unleashed to confidently intrude into the lives of these little ones as if they were doing them a great favor, rescuing them from the abusive clutches of their fanatical parents. 112 children were unlawfully seized that morning because of the religious beliefs of their parents.
June 22, 1984, was a Friday – a long, but glorious day for the families involved. After being transported, in custody, to the courthouse in Newport, Vermont, some 20 miles away, each family awaited their turn to appear before a judge who would decide if they would be separated or kept together. Happily for the parents, Judge Frank Mahady was a man who respected the State Constitution of Vermont as well as the U.S. Constitution and who did not judge by the barometer of public opinion. As he properly called the lawyers from the State Attorney General's Office to provide evidence of abuse to justify the seizure of each child, the State of Vermont was left with nothing to say, except to speak against the faith of those brought to court, with greater and greater intensity.
Court continued late into the night, calling each child by name. Each one was sent home with his parents, as there was no basis to keep even one for examination by the state's battery of doctors, social workers and psychiatrists who sat to no avail nearly an hour away at a ski resort, waiting to perform their scrutinizing rituals. At around 9 p.m. Judge Mahady had to decide what to do with the large group of children, approximately 60, whose parents did not give their names, despite the coercion of law enforcement's threatening tactics. After hearing the arguments, he released them all to return home with their parents. He gave the opportunity for any parent who had something to say, to speak. Many passionately told the story of their day and spoke of their deep gratitude for a judge who ruled justly. By 11 p.m. a bus of tired, but rejoicing, families headed home to Island Pond, singing the praises of their God who had delivered them and giving thanks for the judge whose humble response was, "I'm only doing my job."
Resources
Judge Mahady's Decision in the 1984 Island Pond Raid
In 1984 Judge Mahady upheld his reputation as a jurist who took very seriously the constitutional principles that are the foundations of justice. In this ruling about the actions of the State of Vermont on June 22nd 1984 he offers a remarkable order describing the 4000 year legal history of search warrants, pointing out how far the state of Vermont had strayed from it.
An Issue of Control: Conflict between the Church in Island Pond and State Government
Presented at the "14th World Congress of Sociology" in Montreal in July 1998, this paper describes how the anti-cult movement influenced the Attorney General's office to go beyond the law.
The Twelve Tribes' Communities, the Anti-Cult Movement, and the Government's Response
Published in the "Social Justice Research" journal (vol. 12, no. 4, 2000, p. 341-364), chronicling the various controversies that have surrounded us.
Videos
Gallery
Spreading Out to Become A Nation
At one point we realized that as much as we loved being together, we couldn't expect that everyone who wanted to devote their lives to God and learn to obey Him would find us in little old Island Pond, VT. We needed to spread out and tell people about the wonderful life we had! So in time, we found other towns, states and countries that opened up and we spread out from here.
You May Have Seen Us Around
Many years have gone by since then, but we have always had several houses with families living together and continuing on with the original life that began here so many years ago. In the 1980's, we ran a store and restaurant called "Common Sense". We once ran a store in downtown Island Pond named Simon the Tanner where we sold shoes and clothing. We once operated a small Yellow Deli across the street. We stay busy caring for our homes, training our children, and gathering firewood to keep our houses warm.
Continuing on Here in Island Pond
We also have been clearing and re-establishing our "sugar bush" in nearby Norton, VT. The maple syrup will be packaged in the rear of the new building at the corner of Cross and Main Streets. Also, the Yellow Deli will serve hot-steamed sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts (along with pancakes and maple syrup). It is a nice peaceful place to share a meal with a friend, or to get to know some of us in the Community. Finally, in the same building is the Common Sense Market, a place where you can find quality goods from many of our communities around the world.
