Pastor's Blog

Richard Glass passed from this life yesterday.  It is my understanding that he passed peacefully.  Pray for Richard’s family as they walk through this valley.

Roseanne sent me an email yesterday saying that their daughter, Darlene, was discharged from the hospital after having four stents placed in her heart.  The doctor thought only two were possible but he was able to do four which means no open heart surgery for the immediate future.  This is an answer to prayer.  Robert & Roseanne are giving God all of the glory and are very thankful for the prayers!

Our basketball leagues begin play today. Pray for our ministry coordinator, Eddie Albritton, and the others involved in this ministry.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

The team in Guatemala is doing fine.  Rick Bradley arrived safe and sound yesterday afternoon.  Ten houses have been built with six receiving concrete.  Five more to go today.

Pastor Roy Crouch gave us a good word yesterday morning.  The Christmas supper with more of the families was special.

Today will see more house building, a lunch for some widows, some of the Colegio JET students singing in a public setting and another group of families coming for supper.

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

Happy birthday to our daughter, Daphne!  I pray her day will be blessed.  Lisa and I are very proud of Daphne, her family and her career.  How old?  Yes!  Love you, Daphne!

Richard Glass is seemingly near physical death.  He is at home under the watch care of medical professionals and his family.  Pray for comfort for Richard and his family during this time.

Continue to pray for Vic Johnson as he remains hospitalized.  Pray for Coley, Tommy and the other family members too.

I do not have any new information on Robert & Roseanne’s daughter, Darlene.  Just keep praying!

Pray for our revival services Sunday, January 2, through Wednesday, January 5, 2022.  Evangelist Danny Long will be the messenger during those days.

Our first day of league play in our basketball ministry begins in the morning at 8:00AM.  Pray for Eddie Albritton as he leads this ministry.  He does a really good job and we have reached families as a result of this ministry.  League play will continue on Monday night.

Rick Bradley will be traveling to Guatemala today to join the GRACE Ministries mission team.  Pray for him to have safe travels.

Speaking of Guatemala, the team had a good first day of ministry yesterday.  Four houses were built to the point of being ready for concrete and two more were framed up.  Meanwhile, back on GRACE Mountain, we had about one dozen ladies who worked feverishly to get ready for the first evening of the Christmas supper ministry.  There were seventeen families who attended the supper.  The children from those families presented a Christmas play.  The new music teacher at Colegio JET, Sabrina, did a wonderful job of leading the play/musical.  The supper was held on the front lawn of the school and it was a beautiful setting.  The team members did a great job serving!

Today and tonight will be a carbon copy of yesterday if all goes as planned.  The day will begin with Pastor Roy Crouch bringing a message in the morning devotion.

It became evident early on that Evangelist Spencer Bell would be the most valuable member of this team when it came to building houses, singing, serving, et cetera.  Think Ross Genzink and you will have some idea as to the work ethic of Spencer.  It makes one wonder as to why other evangelists (think Michael Mason) do not have this same drive?

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

Robert & Roseanne Baria daughter, Darlene, needs to have open heart surgery.  The doctor scheduled it for tomorrow morning but then changed his mind because Darlene’s heart is too weak to withstand the surgery.  So, they are going to place a couple of stents and then pray her heart gets stronger before doing surgery.  Pray for Darlene.

Keith & Aninha got a negative test which will allow them to travel home.

Tommy Johnson’s brother, Vic, is in the hospital undergoing tests.  Tommy stayed home from the mission trip in order to be with Vic.  Pray for the doctors to find answers.

Thirty five folks from six different states arrived in Guatemala last night.  Last night?  Yes, the flight out of Atlanta was delayed for three hours.  Traffic in Guatemala City was beyond crazy as it took a little over three hours to get from the airport to GRACE Mountain.  However, we are grateful for traveling mercies.

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

Homework time!  What?  Join us by reading the first chapter of Luke today.  Then a chapter a day until Christmas Eve.

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.

Roseanne Baria sent me an email yesterday sharing that their daughter, Darlene, will be having heart surgery.  Details TBA.  Pray for Darlene.

There are thirty five folks from six states flying to GRACE Mountain today to spend a week doing missions.  Pray for traveling mercies for all.  A huge “thank you” to Bro. Abel and deacon Joey Bosarge for transporting the folks from the Friendship family to the Gulfport airport.  The travel bus is really nice.  Thanks to Marie Brooks for letting us know about it!

Per league commissioner Eddie Albritton, the 2021-22 season begins this Saturday, 12/4, at 8:00AM.  There will also be games on Monday nights.  Eddie prefers to be called “the commish!” Just FYI.

Revival services at Friendship from Sunday, 1/2/22, through Wednesday, 1/5/22.  Pray!  Pass the word!  Attend!

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

“Revive us again, Lord!”  The dates of Sunday, January 2 through Wednesday, January 5, 2022 have been set aside for a series of services with Evangelist Danny Long.  I have announced this already but somehow it seems nobody has heard it.  Please mark these dates on your calendar, pray, make plans to attend and begin now inviting others to join you.  “Revive us again, Lord!”

Roseanne Baria sent me a message last night that their daughter, Darlene, has suffered a heart attack.  The medical folks will do a heart catheterization today.  Pray for all to go well and for the doctors to get a good look at what is taking place in Darlene’s heart.

Miss Kittie Camp called me yesterday afternoon to tell me that Sandy Felps has suffered another stroke.  She is in the hospital.  Pray for Sandy!

Keep praying for Beth Rockwell.  She remains in rehab.

Joyce Hacker also remains in rehab.  Her brother, Richard Glass, is at home being cared for at home nurses and his siblings.  Pray for Joyce & Richard.

Aninha Barrett has one nephew who is now at home and another who will be traveling to a cancer center in Tampa, FL in early December.  Her Aunt Ruth is getting stronger following her recent surgery.  Pray for these relatives of Aninha.  I sure do miss Keith & Aninha!

My mama got a very good report from the doctor yesterday.  Yes, she does have some problems but nothing serious.  We are grateful and thank those who have prayed for her.

We have a team of thirty five folks from six states who will travel to Guatemala tomorrow, 12/1, and return on Wednesday, 12/8.  Nine of these folks are from the Friendship family.  Pray for their safety in travel.  Thanks to Bro. Abel in advance for taking them to the airport in Gulfport and to Joey Bosarge for traveling with him there and back.

Our basketball leagues are about to begin league play.  I will announce the details tomorrow.  Eddie Albritton is the point man for this ministry.

We will host Matt & Bonnie Cain and their four children on Sunday, December 12, beginning at 5:00PM.  The Cains moved to GRACE Mountain last January.  I am looking forward to hearing what God has done in their lives during 2021.  Please make plans to attend!

Our children’s choir will present their Christmas musical on Sunday, December 12, beginning at 6:00PM.

Our adult choir will present their Christmas musical on Sunday, December 19, beginning at 5:00PM.  (Note the earlier starting time).

On Sunday, December 26, we will have one corporate worship service that will begin at 10:30AM.  No Sunday School, no buses, no evening service, et cetera.

“Revive us again, Lord!”  The dates of Sunday, January 2 through Wednesday, January 5, 2022 have been set aside for a series of services with Evangelist Danny Long.  Pray without ceasing!

Really good day in our services yesterday.  We give God the glory.  It was a blessing to see William & Stacie Sessions make public decisions in our 10:30AM service.  God gives the increase.

Gifts for the residents at the Grand Bay Convalescent Home need to be wrapped and labeled with the residents name and room number.  Please bring them to the church auditorium no later than Sunday, December 12.

Our Christmas Eve service will take place from 5:00PM until 6:00PM.  Please make plans to attend.

The church office is open this week beginning at 8:00AM today.

Keep praying for Beth Rockwell, Joyce Hacker, Richard Glass and Aninha Barrett’s nephews.

Pray for our GRACE team that will be in Guatemala the dates of December 1 – 8.

Matthew & Bonnie Cain, along with their children, will be our guests on Sunday, December 12, at 5:00PM.  Please make plans to attend that service.

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

Happy day after Thanksgiving 2022!  My hope is that everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day with family.  Lisa and I did.

My heart was made glad when I learned of a couple of ladies within the Friendship family who cooked a Thanksgiving meal for another family who is in a bit of a tough spot right now.  How nice is that!  Thank you ladies!

I did something last night that I have not done since July of 1979 – I spent the night at my parent’s house.  True story.  Talk about a different feeling!

I left Grand Bay at 1:30PM yesterday and arrived here at 7:15PM after making one quick stop in Montgomery to visit our great friend, Decker Terry.  I do not see my mama nearly enough and decided to forego shopping today in order to spend some time with her – what a sacrifice on my part!  Lord willing, I will arrive back in Grand Bay tonight.

Aninha Barrett has two nephews in need of our prayers.

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

Happy twelfth birthday to our oldest grandchild, Titus!  He is obviously sharing today with a major holiday so we had a family gathering last night just to celebrate his birthday.  I hope Titus has a great day today!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I pray that today will be a great time of family, friends, food and fellowship.

I have already thought about and prayed this morning for those going through today without a special family member, friend, et cetera in their lives because of death.  I prayed especially for those who are going through this for the first time.  May each of you find God’s grace sufficient today.

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

The church office is closed today and tomorrow.

There will be no services/activities on our campus today – morning or evening.

WOW!  The truck pulling the container pulled into the parking lot on our campus at 2:50PM yesterday and we were looking at the tail lights at 3:30PM.  Rhett “McGyver” Butler had things in order and carefully thought out.  Bro. Jerry Hovel showed up with the calvary as probably twelve to fifteen men from the Mission of Hope came with him.  We had a dozen or so men from the Friendship family show up.  We had two men from Tennessee show up but we overcame that obstacle!  I cannot adequately express my appreciation to each person who helped get this container loaded and on the road to Guatemala.  It was a great afternoon!

Thank you to Mike Parker and Clubhouse Guatemala for allowing us to partner with them in getting items to Guatemala.  So much about ministry in another country is about partnering with other ministries.  Mike Parker and Clubhouse are great friends to GRACE Ministries and Shining Light Abroad Ministries.  We are blessed!

I pray that each of you will have great family time this week.  Enjoy your family!

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

The church office will be closed today, 11/23, and tomorrow, 11/24.  All three full time staff members are in town and are on call.  The church office will open again on Monday, 11/29, at 8:00AM.

I am calling for all hands on deck this afternoon at 2:30PM as we will begin loading the container bound for Guatemala at 3:00PM.  We have one hour to get it loaded.  We will not be dealing with a bunch of heavy items but will be dealing with box after box after box.  Help needed!

Rhett “McGyver” Butler, Bubba Baggett and Steve Morris readied everything we have yesterday to go on the container.  I appreciate those guys and their service.  “McGyver” will lead the charge today.

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