Pastor's Blog

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

The visitation with the Jane Hanson family takes place from 8:30AM until the service time at 10:00AM today at the Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  Sonny Hanson was a faithful member of the Friendship family for several years and is just a really nice man.  I will attend the visitation and then Bro. Jerry will represent the Friendship family at the service.  Pray for Sonny & family as they walk through this valley.

Tracy Prater is doing “better than she has in a month” per Spencer but the prognosis remains unchanged.  I have plans to call her this morning as I am driving to the funeral home.  Keep praying for Tracy.

Keep praying for Larry Crawley.  Keep praying for Karen McGriff’s mother.  Keep praying for Carol Lucky.  Keep praying for Myrtle Bowden.  Keep praying for Sonny Bates.  Keep praying for some unspoken, private requests that have been made to me personally.

I was unaware that Bro. Jim Jordan of the Mission of Hope has retired.  Congratulations to Bro. Jim.  Pastor Brandon Rogers is the new director and I had the pleasure of speaking to him via the phone yesterday.  Seems to be a really nice guy.

It was confirmed to me yesterday that I will not know until Friday what time the container will be in place on Saturday.  Again, I am going to request early but there are several factors that will help the company decide.  Men, please be ready.

Lisa is going to do a biscuit breakfast for the guys loading the container.  I am going to ask for four ladies to each back a homemade cake to be served.  (The homemade part just eliminated Amy Huhn, Kim “Amy” French, Amy Switzer & Amy Reynolds. Any takers?

Rhett “call me McGyver” Butler has a plan for making the loading of the container much easier and faster.  The man is amazing and always has whatever you need and a plan in place.  (Who else would have thought of a helicopter?)

Regular schedule this morning and evening.

Have I mentioned that it is game week?  SEC, SEC, SEC!

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

Happy sixth birthday to our granddaughter, Audrey!  Audrey lives in Guatemala so we celebrated while she was here a few weeks ago.  She will have another celebration there today.  Soy & Deidra now have a six year old, seven year old and eight year old – how crazy is that!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Today is the first day of Fall 2020!  Temperature wise, it actually feels a bit like Fall this morning.  I am a huge fan of cold weather.

The men who signed up to help unload/load the container this Saturday need to keep in mind that they signed up.  I am in hopes of a morning schedule.  I want to be finished before the 11:00AM SEC conference games kick off.  As soon as I know the loading time then I will post it on the blog and we will begin to contact folks.  By the way, Lisa is planning of serving a biscuit breakfast.  We will have coffee, juice, milk & water available too.

My entire yesterday was spent inside the container.  Everything is basically now finished.  Begin praying now for favor with the customs officials as the container will leave the port on Monday, September 28.

Regular schedule tomorrow morning and evening.

Parents of preschoolers and elementary students.  Our AWANA ministry takes place on Sundays in children’s church and then the second segment begins at 5:00PM.  Our preschool choir and children’s choir meet at 6:00PM each Sunday. Parents, these are great opportunities for your sons and daughters.

I recently took on a side job of mowing a yard once a week.  The hurricane made it so that I did not get to mow last week.  My “boss” contacted me yesterday to let me know that I had missed a week and that I could be replaced.  And I thought Lisa was tough!  So, I was mowing in the dark this morning trying to catch up.

It is game week!  SEC, SEC, SEC!  I am ready!

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

The Lord blessed the Friendship family with a good day yesterday.  We were able to have our AWANA ministry and also to begin our children’s choir and preschool choir.  I am told there was a good number in our children’s choir.  I encourage parents to bring their children to the AWANA ministry at 5:00PM on Sundays and then let them be involved in children’s choir at 6:00PM.

It was a blessing to have Matt, Bonnie, Eli & Gunner Cain in our second morning service yesterday.  They will be moving to GRACE Mountain soon as independent missionaries i.e. they will be raising their own financial support.  Matt will be the facilities manager and Bonnie will be involved in the children’s ministries in a capacity to be determined.  Pray for this couple and their four children as they prepare to make this major move in obedience to God’s call upon their lives.

We had twenty three men sign up to help load the container this Saturday, 9/26.  Mike Borja is coming to lead this effort. We can probably use a few more.  We will have a specific time slot to get the container loaded.  The problem is that I probably will not know what that time is until Friday as the shipping company makes that call.  The weather forecast is calling for a forty percent chance of rain that morning.  It will be helpful if it is not raining but the Lord knows and we trust Him.

It looks like it will be a wet week on the Gulf Coast.  Not sure how that will impact our soccer practices.  Bro. Abel will be the point person on this matter.  The back forty is really wet from Hurricane Sally and the rains now coming from Beta.

The first game week of 2020 is here!  It all begins this Saturday at 11:00AM.  I am ready!

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.

Thanks to the electrical workers we now have electricity in all of the buildings on our campus.  Therefore, we are on a regular schedule tomorrow morning and evening.  Pass the word, please.

8:00AM – buses running their routes

8:00AM – worship service (masks required on lower level)

9:15 – Sunday School

10:30AM – worship service

5:00PM – AWANA ministry

6:00PM – children’s choir

6:00PM – worship service

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Karen’s mother did well through her procedure and the amount of fluid removed was much less than anticipated.  On to doctor’s visits next week.  Keep praying.

It is shorty after 2:30AM as I write this entry and we are still without electricity on the hill.  The same is true for the buildings on our church campus.  I heard of more folks getting their electricity reconnected yesterday – hooray for them!  Who will be next?Which area of South Mobile County?  Only time will tell.

So, what about our church schedule for tomorrow?  Great question!  I am not ready to make an “official” announcement yet but I have been praying and mulling over several options.  My hope is to make a decision by noon today.  Check the blog later today as that will be my means for making the announcement.

I drove over to Orange Beach yesterday afternoon to survey the damage to Eddie & Sue’s house.  The house did fine minus the one downstairs room.  However, their backyard looks like a bomb went off in it.  The folks in Baldwin County took a major hit from Hurricane Sally.  We need to pray for them.

The good news is that Buc-ee’s was open and going full steam ahead.  Every gas pump was occupied with folks waiting in line.  Keep in mind that they have over one hundred gas pumps.  Buc-ee’s is a destination!

Coach Collier and his Theodore Bobcats won again last night to push their record to 4 – 1 on the season.  Congratulations Coach Collier and team.  Offense sells tickets but defense wins championships!

I do not know all who were involved but I do know that Joey, Amy, Seth & Zach Switzer cleaned up around the church on Wednesday.  An assist was given by Rusty Seaman.  Others may have been involved but I am not aware of who those folks were.  I do know that Bobby Broome did additional clean up yesterday as he did the mowing.  Thank you to each person who has helped in any way!

Dylan & Elizabeth Westbrook win the “worker of the day” award for yesterday.  They worked for hours in a dark, hot gym packing things for the container.  Amy & Riley Reynolds came in a close second as they shopped until they dropped buying more toys for the children in Guatemala.  There will be a group working today to try and finish this portion of this project before loading the actual container next Saturday, 9/26.  I am very grateful to each person who has given, worked, et cetera up to this point.  Yes, Deidra is barking orders from twenty five hundred miles away – did you expect any different?  Pastor Mike Parker of Clubhouse Guatemala  has been a huge help to us in getting this container ready to ship.  Thank you, Pastor Parker!

Speaking of Saturday, 9/26, SEC football is set to begin the 2020 season on that date.  I am beyond ready!  Honestly, I have watched very little college football up to this point as I want to see the SEC conference teams play!  It is almost game week!

I pray that you will have a great Saturday with Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Once again, I am writing this entry the night before as I do not know if I will have access to the internet in the morning.  It is spotty at best tonight.

Karen McGriff’s mother will have fluid removed today.  Pray for all to go well.

As far as I know, Larry Whitehurst is going to have eye surgery today.  Pray for Larry.

Sonny Hanson’s wife, Jane, passed from this life yesterday.  The visitation and service will take place next Wednesday, 9/23.  Pray for Sonny & his family.

Tracy Prater in North Alabama is actually doing better and is seemingly getting stronger.  Keep praying.

I am happy to report that some members of the Friendship family have now gotten their electricity restored.  I know of three or four who are in that number.  Believe me when I say that I am very happy for them.  We still do not have electricity on the hill but I have zero complaints!  I have way more than I deserve.

The biggest question for me tonight is whether or not we will have electricity in our church buildings on Sunday?  If so, normal schedule.  If not, 8:00AM service only.  I will have to make that call at some point Saturday afternoon and then stick with it if the electricity is not on by that time.

Deidra told me that she went outside today to do some flower gardening.  Said it was too cold so she went back inside!  Are you kidding me?

Charles recently had a generator installed that runs his entire house plus his barn.  Great!  That means we can enjoy air conditioning, hot showers, et cetera?  Not so fast my friend!  The entire hill, minus one, has enjoyed those amenities.  Guess who that one is?  Exactly!

Word has it that the Big Ten is going to play football this season.  That would be a first as they have never played previously!  Yes, they have field teams but have never actually played football.  Just a personal observation!

I pray that you will have a great Friday with Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Happy forty fourth wedding anniversary to my brother, Eddie, and his wife, Sue.  I hope they have a great day!

This entry is being written on Wednesday night, 9/16, while I have the opportunity.  It will be short and sweet.

Due to the church buildings not having electricity, the church office will be closed today, 9/17.  Really cannot control this one.  All of the ministerial staff members are “on call” if needed.

No soccer practices today or tomorrow.

In the event that we do not have electricity in our church buildings this Sunday, 9/20, we will only have one worship service and that will begin at 8:00AM.  However, I am believing that we will have electricity and we will be on a regular schedule.

Larry Whitehurst is scheduled to have eye surgery tomorrow.  Pray that all goes well.

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.

Just a quick update from the effects of Hurricane Sally in Southwest Mobile County.  Lisa & I drove around Grand Bay at daybreak and did not see much in the way of damage.  A downed tree or two, lots of pecan tree limbs down, some awnings missing but all in all it is all good.  Our church campus seemingly had no damage.

So, I think if folks like Eddie Turrentine, Ross Genzink and Tom Compagner would send money then we will survive.  Cash works best!  Just saying!

There are one million, three hundred thousand, nine hundred and twelve pecan tree limbs down on this hill!  Lisa is already screaming at me to get out and get them on the burn pile.  So, gotta go!

Be safe and have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

*No activities or services on our campus today.  No soccer practices any day this week.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

I am writing this entry shortly after 9:30PM on Tuesday, 9/15.  Why?  Because as of right now we still have electricity and internet service.  Not sure how long this will remain true.  Of course, most of our thirteen readers live in South Mobile County so they may not get to read this until Thursday, Friday, or whenever.

No services or activities on our campus today or tonight.  No soccer practices any day this week.

What about Sunday services in the event there is no electricity on our church campus?  I do not think this will be the case but, if it is, we will have one service at 8:00AM.  Please pass the word.

There have been several folks helping with the packing of the items for the container.  I appreciate their efforts.  Remember, we are going to need all hands on deck on Saturday, 9/26, for the loading of the actual container.  Time TBA.

Karen McGriff’s mother will have fluid drained on Friday.  She will then see a doctor next week.  Keep praying for Karen’s mother and for Karen as she helps her through this time.

This is a fluid situation but it now appears Hurricane Sally will make landfall between the Alabama/Florida state line and Pensacola around noon tomorrow.  Pray for all who are being affected by this storm.

Stay safe and have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Hurricane Sally is now expected to make landfall basically on the Mississippi/Alabama state line late tonight or early Wednesday morning.  This entry is being written just after 4:00AM and the sustained winds have decreased to ninety miles per hour.  Pray for all of us who will be affected by this hurricane.

The church office is closed today and tomorrow.  If we have electricity then it will be open on Thursday.  No services or activities on our campus tomorrow.  No soccer practice any day this week.

If you are a widow or senior adult and need help because of the storm today then please contact Bro. Jerry, Bro. Abel or me as soon as possible this morning.

Miss Kittie is at home and Jeanette said the medicine appears to be helping.  Keep praying.

Larry & Judy got home yesterday afternoon and he received some good news from the doctor.  The tumor has decreased some in size and has changed appearance which is a good thing.  The doctor told Larry that he would not need another MRI for a year.  Praise the Lord!

Larry Crawley was by the house late yesterday afternoon so he continues to work.  Keep praying for Larry!

Tracy Prater in North Alabama seems to have made some improvement but is still in need of a miracle that only God can provide.

Thank you to First Baptist Reeltown and Danville Baptist for their donations of items to be placed on the container.  I drove to Prattville, AL yesterday to get these donations.

Obviously, whether or not I get to blog tomorrow, Thursday, et cetera depends on the availability of electricity, internet access, et cetera.  Pray for one another as we to through these next twenty four to thirty six hours.

Today is Independence Day in Guatemala.

Speaking of Guatemala, I am going to try and put together a team for October or November and then one for December which could be the week following Christmas Day.  If you are interested in being on either of these teams, send me an e-mail so I can begin to think more seriously about who would be available.

Be safe today and have a good Tuesday with Jesus.