Pastor Curtiss Ostosh speaks about blight enforcement at his church, Harvest Time Christian Fellowship, at the Warren City Council’s May 13 meeting.
By: Nick Powers | Warren Weekly | Published May 26, 2025
WARREN — Leaders of the Harvest Time Christian Fellowship feel the church and its food pantry are being unfairly targeted by the city of Warren, while city inspectors contend they are just enforcing the blight ordinance.
Harvest Time, which is located on Nine Mile Road near its intersection with Van Dyke Avenue, will celebrate its 34th year in the community this September. Over 6,000 people are provided with food each month, according to Pastor Curtiss Ostosh. The pastor and other members of the church attended the Warren City Council’s May 13 meeting to criticize the city’s treatment of the church and explain how much the food pantry outreach means to the community.
“Shame on you, shame on the city, shame on the people that are running this,” Ostosh said at the meeting.
Department of Public Services Director David Muzzarelli explained the city’s actions in an emailed statement. It was ordered that Harvest Time had to resolve its blight issues by April 19, following an order from Macomb County Circuit Court. The city gave an additional two weeks to comply, according to Muzzarelli. On May 8, the city’s zoning and blight departments carried out the court-ordered action to confiscate items at the church.
“These actions are not taken lightly,” Muzzarelli stated. “However, they are necessary to uphold the rule of law and ensure the health, safety, and quality of life for all members of the community.”
Ostosh said the city confiscated a refrigerated truck, a van, an 18-foot trailer, two lawn mowers, pallet jacks, milk crates, bread trays and parking cones. He estimates the value of the items to be over $30,000. The items were impounded by the city at press time. Ostosh said he’s tried to reach out to Mayor Lori Stone and hasn’t received a response.
Eight speakers spoke in favor of the church and the services it provides at the May 13 meeting. One of them was Corey Sarkission, who said he grew up in poverty and had food insecurity while growing up in Mount Clemens. His father struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder as a veteran, eventually taking his own life. He said his mother worked hard to provide for the family, utilizing local food pantries that mostly gave canned goods. In 2024, Sarkission was homeless, though he eventually got a house in Warren. His grandma suggested he volunteer at Harvest Time.
“Once I came to Harvest Time my life changed completely and it’s never been the same since,” Sarkission said. “I ended up finding my wife through Harvest Time. I ended up finding work through Harvest Time and now that I’m on a steady path to becoming successful. I just give glory to God and I’m thankful for all the people, the hardworking volunteers at Harvest Time. I plead with you that you work with us more, please.”
Celestine Lim stepped up to the lectern to speak in favor of the church.
“Stop wasting Warren city taxpayers’ money in harassing an outstanding church…that feeds at least 6,000 people every month coming from different cities,” Lim said.
The church’s pantry is still operating, according to Ostosh. Harvest Time is part of a program called Link2Feed, which tracks all of its donations. He said the pantry hasn’t closed since Harvest Time opened, serving an area of Warren he said is particularly in need. Harvest Time does not have a payroll, and its efforts are driven by volunteers.
“We’ve never shut down for one day, ever,” he said.
When food goes bad at the pantry, Ostosh said it gets sorted and disposed of in a dumpster or it gets donated to a farmer. Ostosh said items are picked up every day or every other day by the farmer, who uses it for animal feed or composting. Harvest Time utilizes sealed barrels for the composting, though the city confiscated 13 of these 55-gallon drums. Recyclables — like cardboard — are turned in to the city, according to Ostosh.
Ostosh said how the church’s work was praised by former Mayor Jim Fouts and has never had issues with the city in the past. He said Fouts’ successor, Stone, has a different view on religious worship in the city. He claimed this is the source of Harvest Time’s problems.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that this is religious persecution,” he said.
There could still be room to fix its issues with the city.
“Harvest Time Church is welcome to submit a new site plan for consideration,” Muzzarelli stated. “As with all applicants, any proposal will need to meet the City’s zoning and property maintenance standards before approval is granted.”