Pastor's Blog

Happy birthday to our daughter, Daphne.  How old?  Yep!  I know she has a busy day in front of her but I hope her birthday will be good!  She has a great husband who will make sure it is!  Lisa and I love Daphne!  (By the way, Bo Jackson just killed Alabama in the 1983 game and led Auburn to a 23 – 20 victory.  Just FYI!)

Our basketball leagues begin this morning and will play until after noon.  Pray for this ministry and that today will be a good day! I am very grateful to each person who helps in any way!

Tomorrow’s schedule on our campus is Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM and evening service at 5:00PM.  Miss Tena Hovel and the workers will lead our children’s choir in presenting their Christmas musical.  I pray the members of the Friendship family will faithfully attend all of these services.

Our ministry to the convalescent home will host their annual Christmas party on Wednesday, December 14.  Folks who have signed up to purchase a gift for a resident need to bring those to the church no later than next Sunday, 12/11.  Contact Miriam Moates if you have questions or need more information.

Remember, the GA’s post office is now open for card exchanging within the Friendship family.  All proceeds from this ministry will go toward helping JZ Baker and his bucket list trip to Guatemala.  Thanks to Tina Sprinkle, the workers and the children for their involvement in this ministry.  Prayerfully consider supporting this great cause!

Keep praying for Steve Morris, Myrtle Bowden, Sharon Jardee, Kristie and the others for whom we have been praying.  Also, Brooke Whitehurst is having a multitude of health problems.  She also needs our prayer support.

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

Spoke to Virginia Morris yesterday and Steve is doing better.  The medical folks made a change to Steve’s medications and that has made a positive difference.  Praise the Lord!  Keep praying!

Still praying for Myrtle Bowden, Sharon Jardee and others.

Our friend from Michigan, Kristie, heard from the medical folks regarding his malignancy.  She has been diagnosed with stage three colon cancer.  It would appear that chemotherapy is in her immediate future.  Pray for Kristie, John and the family.  Great folks!

This announcement is a couple of days late and for that I apologize.  Tina Sprinkle sent me a message saying the GA Post Office will open this Sunday, 12/4, and all proceeds will go toward the “bucket list” trip for JZ Baker!  What a great idea!  What a great cause!  So, send those Christmas cards within the Friendship family through this means and help a great cause!  The receptacle is in the foyer of the auditorium.

Our basketball leagues begin play tomorrow, 12/3.  Pray for these leagues to be a ministry to the glory of God!

The schedule on our campus this Sunday, 12/4, is Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM and the adult choir musical at 5:00PM.  Bro. Abel will be preaching in the 10:30AM service.  Miss Tena Hovel will be leading the children’s choir in the 5:00PM service.

Friendship family, you do not want to miss next Sunday’s morning service.  We are going to have a special messenger, it will be our Gideon Sunday and the men from the Mission of Hope will be our special guests.  I am telling you to get all folks you know who battle with addiction to this service.  Sunday morning, 12/11/22, at 10:30AM.

We have a team in Guatemala for the annual Christmas trip.  It has taken two days but all team members are now present and accounted for so the work begins early in the morning.  Pray for this team!

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

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  Bro. Jerry will be preaching in the morning service and Bro. Abel will be preaching the evening service.  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to be faithful to attend.

Had the opportunity to visit with Sammy & Myrtle Bowden yesterday afternoon. Myrtle has been in this battle for years now and her faith is probably stronger now than it has ever been.  What a great testimony!  Keep praying for Sammy & Myrtle.

I did not talk to Virginia yesterday.  However, I ask that you keep praying for her and Steve.  Virginia is doing a great job of caring for Steve.

The Friendship family will be helping eleven year old JZ Baker fulfill one of his dreams from his bucket list.  That dream?  To go to Guatemala and help build a house.  JZ and family will travel to Guatemala in April, Lord willing.  Yesterday, Gary & Rachel Walton stepped up and promised the funds a house to be built in honor of JZ.  What a nice move by Gary & Rachel.  More things coming very soon!

We have a team leaving today and tomorrow for a GRACE Ministries mission trip.  Pray for traveling mercies.

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

Had the opportunity to briefly visit with Steve & Virginia yesterday.  The nurse arrived at the same time so my time with them was limited.  Steve was experiencing a great deal of pain.  The nurse found a couple of issues and gave him medicine that will hopefully give Steve some relief.  Keep praying for this fine couple!

Also, visited with Sharon Jardee.  She was just returning from seeing her wound care doctor. He assured her that they would get this thing corrected.  Pray for Sharon as she is basically confined to the house with much of that time being in the bed.  Sharon is a sweetheart!

Stopped by to see Myrtle but she and Sammy were not home which means they were at the doctor’s office.  Keep praying for Myrtle and Sammy.

Our friend, Kristie, “may” hear from the pathology report tomorrow.  Pray for a good word!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

A team of twenty-five folks will leave tomorrow and Thursday to take part in a mission trip for the next ten days.  There will be folks from Alabama, Maryland, Michigan and South Carolina.  Jeanette Bates, Betty Creech, Bro. Jerry Hovel and Elizabeth Westbrook will represent the Friendship family on this team.  Pray all goes well!

Our basketball leagues begin this Saturday, December 3.  Looking forward to a great season!

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

This entry is late and for that I apologize.  Long story.

We were blessed with a good day in our services yesterday.  I give God the thanks and the glory.  It was a blessing to end the day with a baptism as Abby excitedly followed Jesus in this ordinance.  God gives the increase.

I ask you to join me in continuing to pray for those for whom we have been praying.  Steve Morris is at home.  Myrtle Bowden remains at home.  Sharon Jardee is also at home.

Lisa and I have a friend, Kristie, in Michigan who was diagnosed with colon cancer two weeks ago, had surgery last week, and will get the staging results this week.  Pray for Kristie and John.

Also, we have a friend, Sammy, who lives in Ozark, Alabama who had a blockage in his widow maker.  Stents were put in place this past Saturday.  Pray for a complete recovery.

Our schedule for this Sunday, 12/4, will be Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by worship at 10:30AM.  Our evening service will begin at 5:00PM and will feature the ministry of our children’s choir.  Friendship family, please be faithful to attend this Sunday.

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

Happy birthday to our oldest grandchild, Titus, as he turns thirteen years old today!  He has his day planned out and I hope it goes as planned.  Lisa and I love Titus and pray God’s best on him today and for the rest of his life!

Our Sunday schedule for 11/27 is Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM, adult choir rehearsal at 5:00PM, children’s choir at 6:00PM and worship at 6:00PM.

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

Glenda Faye Miller, age 75, of Heber Springs, Arkansas, passed away November 22, 2022. Born on February 27, 1947, in Athens, Alabama, she was the daughter of the late Audrey and Mytrice McCowen Emberton.

Glenda was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother. She was a member of the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by her husband Milton David Miller, her son Joshua David Miller and his wife Bethany, her grandson Malachi Miller, her sisters Delores Lindsey and her husband L.A., and Mary Beth Armstrong and her husband Ken, and her brothers Audrey Emberton, Jr. and Tony Emberton. Mrs. Miller is also survived by her other relatives and many friends.

Visitation will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday at the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church with funeral services following at 2:00pm with Rev. Mark Williams officiating. Interment will follow in Cleburne County Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements are by Olmstead Funeral Home. www.olmstead.cc

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Glenda, please visit our floral store.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

First, no services or activities on our campus today – morning or evening.  The church office is open until noon today.  The office will be closed this afternoon and tomorrow.  It will open again on Monday morning, 11/28.

Our schedule for this Sunday, 11/27, will be Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM, adult choir rehearsal at 5:00PM, children’s choir practice at 6:00PM and worship at 6:00PM.

Steve Morris arrived home around 3:30PM yesterday and he is a happy camper!  Keep praying for Steve and Virginia.

Glenda Miller, wife of evangelist David Miller (Edna’s first cousin), passed from this life yesterday afternoon.  Pray for David, Josh, Malachi and the rest of the family.  The Millers live in Arkansas.

Keep praying for Myrtle Bowden!

Also, pray for Sharon Jardee!

Thank you to each person who baked a pie for our children’s ministry.  The fellowship hall is open today should you need to drop one off.

Brandon & Pam are applying for the boys passports today.  Hooray!

Here are the members of the ad hoc committee helping lead the way in fulfilling one of JZ’s bucket list dreams.  Bibbi Bosarge (co-chair), Chelsea Staup, Tena Hovel, Daphne Hutto (co-chair) and Elizabeth Westbrook.  (Bro Jerry volunteered to serve on this committee but he bombed during the interview – oh well!)

We have one more Sunday to give to the Camp 20 emphasis before the mission team departs.  Miss Kittie would be so honored and happy about this emphasis!  Thank you to those who are praying, reading and giving.  To God be the glory!

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

I was on the road from 5:30AM yesterday until 1:00AM this morning so I do not have much in the way of updates.  I did hear from Virginia and know that Steve will have a radiation treatment this morning and will then be transported home by ambulance early this afternoon.  There are no plans to do further treatments and Steve will receive his care at home from this point forward.  Pray more now than ever for Steve & Virginia.

Nothing on our campus tomorrow – morning or evening!

Want to be on the committee to help with JZ’s bucket list fundraisers?  Email me before lunch today, please!

Interested in the four free South tickets for this Saturday’s game?  Contact Lisa.  First come, first served.

Our Sunday schedule will be the exact same as this past Sunday – no early service.  Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM, adult choir rehearsal at 5:00PM, children’s choir practice at 6:00PM and evening worship at 6:00PM.

Speaking of the adult choir, Sonny & Jeanette are set to move into their new house today.  Hooray!  Mark & Brenda Timberlake have been very kind to them during this transitional time.  Nice to see!

I was very impressed with the Cullman Hospital yesterday.  Very impressed with the surgeon who did Eddie’s surgery.  I plan on sending him a card on his fifteen birthday!  Eddie’s surgery was a success.  He will be discharged this morning.  He has a full arm cast on his left arm.  It was a blessing to be able to pray with Eddie before he went into surgery.  Eddie is a great guy even if he is my brother.  He deserves to be Mama’s favorite child!

I was able to spend a couple of hours (+/-) with Mama as we enjoyed supper together at Big Bob’s.  I could not spend much time in her room afterwards because it was so hot.  (Definitely made me not want to go to Hell!)  And Mama was wearing a sweater!  Unbelievable!  I did enjoy being with Mama.

Took my time driving home as I just prayed, thought, and prayed some more.  I do not mind driving alone for those very reasons.

My plan is to blog tomorrow and then take off until Monday, 11/28.  Just so you know!

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