Pastor's Blog

I failed to mention in yesterday’s entry how excited (emotional) Stacey Dyess was to win the “random” drawing our Sunday morning service.  He was speechless!  You probably will have a difficult time seeing him from this point forward without his Big Bob Gibson’s tumbler in hand.  I will predecease Stacey but I do ask that those in charge of his service have Big Bob’s to cater his post service meal and have plenty of the white sauce on hand.  What are the chances Stacey would be the name pulled from that bag? (Katie Tillman knows the answer!)

Mark Mast needs our prayers this week as he is in the northern part of Canada teaching school while sharing the Good News at every opportunity.  Join me in praying for Missionary Mark Mast.

Friendship family, remember the church wide bowling fellowship this Sunday night, 1/18, from 7:00PM until 10:00PM at the Spanish Trail Lanes in Gautier, MS.  Donation is eight dollars per person with a maximum of thirty-two dollars per immediate family.  Evening service attendance is a must!  Join us and bring others with you!

We will ordain Tim Knighten as a deacon this Sunday, 1/18.  Ordination council meets beginning at 4:00PM.  Service begins at 5:00PM.  Pray for this service.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening.  Join us!

Bro. Abel & Candy made it home safely.  Praise the Lord.

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

The Lord blessed us with a really good day in our services yesterday.  The morning attendance was very strong!  Praise the Lord and thank you to those who attended.

The evening service as pretty good attendance wise and the invitation was productive.  Thank you to each person who responded.

Carol Lucky was taken to the hospital Friday night but finally came home after several hours of not being seen by a doctor.  Pray for Carol & Terry.

It was good to see Miss Vinnie in our service last night.  Pray for Miss Vinnie.

We will ordain Tim Knighten this Sunday, 1/18.  Council will meet at 4:00PM and the service at 5:00PM.

We will have a church wide bowling fellowship this Sunday, 1/18, from 7:00PM until 10:00PM at the Spanish Trail Lanes in Gautier, MS.  Everyone is invited with evening church attendance being a must.

Bro. Abel finished all four races – congratulations.  I get tired just thinking about it!

I am the chief cook, secretary, et cetera today as Bro. Abel is traveling home and Bro. Jacob is home with a sick daughter.

Loving this cooler weather!

Hope you will have a great Monday with Jesus.

Lisa’s mother, Ann Clark, was discharged from the hospital late yesterday morning.  Good for her and good for Charles.  Again, thank you to those who prayed.

Basketball tonight and tomorrow.  Yes, Bro. Abel is out of town but the “show must go on!”  Shawn Siker is saying, “who need Bro. Abel?”  (Or something like that!)

I communicated with Bro. Abel yesterday.  He did well in the 5K.  He had to be in place at 3:15AM today for the 10K.  Same for tomorrow’s half marathon.  Wow!

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.

Well, Bill’s beloved Rebels gave it an excellent run for their money.  That is now a very true statement in college sports.  I cannot pull for Miami and will not pull for a Big Ten team to win it all.  Can they both lose in the same game?  (Asking for a friend!)

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

Roseanne Baria was in our morning service yesterday.  Amen!  Amazing lady!

Good day in both of our services.  Thank God for his blessings!

My mother-in-law, Ann Clark, will most likely be discharged from the hospital at some point today.  Thank you for praying.

Bro. Abel has hid 5K race today.  I think I might eat a cheeseburger to show my support!

Bill K and others like him are eating their fingernails today.  I am solidly in their corner pulling for the Rebels.  SEC, SEC, SEC!

Beginning this Saturday night, 1/10, the forecast lows are 45, 33, 32, 45, 38, 44, 41 for seven nights.  Sounds like a winner to me!

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

What?  A blog entry by me?  Are you serious!  First one of 2026.  Why the absence, delay, et cetera?  Yes, I have had some “issues” with my laptop but the bottom line is that it is all on me.  I own it.  My apologies.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and tonight.  I pray that we, as a church family will begin the year on a high note.  Join us for Bible study!

Roseanne Baria has been in the hospital in recent days.  I could not visit and for that I apologize.  Pray for Roseanne.

My mother-in-law, Ann Clark, had surgery yesterday.  She did well.  She remains in the hospital.  Pray for Ann.  Pray for Charles as he is very confused by Ann’s absence.

My brother-in-law, James Caffery, will have his gallbladder removed this Friday.  Pray that all goes well.

Bro. Abel is in Disney World for four days of running races.  Yes, he has issues!  Big time!  LOL!  Pam Baker will join him for the Saturday & Sunday races.  What are these people thinking?

The 2026 classes begin today at Colegio JET.  My brother, Eddie, is there to get things started.  I appreciate him being there.  Pray for a great school year (Jan – Oct) for Colegio JET.

It appears some cooler temperatures are heading our way soon.  Praise the Lord!  I am a cooler weather fan!

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

P.S. – Rumor has it that Alabama football was beaten by Indiana 38 – 33 in the Rose Bowl.  (I may be a point or two off on the final score). So, I am now a fan of the Ole Miss Rebels!   Go Rebels go!

The Lord blessed us with a good service yesterday.  The attendance was good, not great, but God showed up and blessed us by letting us witness Piper Vice come forward during the invitation to share, “I want to be saved!”  Talk about precious.  Folks, that is a big reason we do what we do!

Things are intentionally quiet on our campus this week.  Bro. Jacob is in Vicksburg, MS and I have instructed Bro. Abel to stay away.  I am serving as the chief cook and bottle washer today through Wednesday.  The office will be closed on Thursday.  Laura will come in later today in order to get the pastor’s letter out electronically and through the USPS.

If you call the church office and I am not here, you can always reach me by calling Lisa at (251) 259 8072.  Deidra and the girls leave tomorrow returning to Guatemala and a big part of my afternoon will be spent getting them to the airport and seeing them off.  We have enjoyed our time with them and with the rest of our family.

A bit of an odd request that is meant to go beyond the Friendship family.  If you have an iPhone 13 or higher that you are not longer using, would you consider donating it to GRACE Ministries.  It needs to work.  We will get it to Guatemala and it can be used there.  I probably know what you are thinking but please understand the use of iPhones in Guatemala can be way different.  Basically a means of communication without having to pay.  Got questions?  Contact me personally.

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

I pray that each person reading this entry had a wonderful Christmas Day 2025.  As a family, we were greatly blessed.  I am thankful to God for each blessing.  We are certainly not a perfect family but God chooses to bless us in spite of our failures and flaws.  Thank you, Jesus.

Today will see us head North in order for us to celebrate Christmas with the Turrentine side while Brad & family will also enjoy family time with the Hutto’s.  We will get to treat our family to some of Stacey & Gayla Dyess’ gumbo.  It is good stuff – a little spicy for me (I am a wimp when it comes to spicy) – but has a great flavor and plenty of ingredients.

Lord willing, I will drive home tomorrow and will be in the pulpit for our 10:00AM worship service.  Remember, no buses running, no Sunday School and no evening service on our campus this Sunday, 12/28.  Come join us for our morning worship service – 10:00AM.

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

Merry Christmas to each person reading this delayed blog entry.  (My laptop has refused to cooperate today!  Maybe time for this early 2015 version to be retired and replaced?)

I ask you to join me today in praying for Miss Vinnie Brewer.  What a blessing to see her in our Christmas Eve service even though she was not feeling her best.  What a walking testimony of one’s love for Jesus!

I am thankful for each person who participated and attended last night’s service.  I do love the Christmas Eve service.  Already praying for ways to make next year’s service better.

We enjoyed family time last night following the service and will enjoy lunch together today.  Tomorrow will see us heading North to celebrate with the Turrentine’s.  Lord willing I will be in the pulpit Sunday morning for our 10:00AM service which will be our only activity of the day.

Today’s edition of al.com has an article written by Ben Thomas about the Reason to celebrate Christmas even through some tears.  Worth reading!  Thank you, Ben!

Merry Christmas!

To say that I was blessed Sunday night to see Clinton Stringfellow in our evening service would be an understatement.  Hallelujah!  Keep praying for Clinton.

We prayed in our Sunday evening service for a person very close to our heart.  Please keep praying!

It was a blessing to see Bobby Jack Felps in our service Sunday morning.  Keep praying for Bobby Jack and his family.

Our Michigan friend, Dr. Bill Decker, had his second knee replaced last Thursday.  He had his first knee replaced earlier this Fall.  He is not jumping fences yet but is making progress, slowly but surely!  Pray for Dr. Bill and his recovery.

Will you join me in praying for Dr. Mike and Miss Dottie Clark?  Thank you.

Our Christmas Eve service tomorrow will begin at 5:00PM and will last an hour or less.  My prayer is for a full house.  Please join us by praying and attending.  (Please note that our Chrismas Eve service will not be streamed, on FB live, et cetera)

This is a quiet week on our campus other than the Christmas Eve service.  We will have a 10:00AM service only this Sunday, 12/28.  Otherwise, nothing!

Our deacons did an excellent job of preparing and serving the Lord’s Supper this past Sunday evening.  I really do love and appreciate our deacons.  (Please do not tell them I said that!)

I had the privilege of going with Deidra and Audrey to New Orleans yesterday in order for Audrey to get her passport renewed.  The process was as smooth as silk.  Praise the Lord!

When D&G Garage closed I did not know what we would do for a mechanic.  Donnie is excellent has always been very kind to us.  We have had two mechanical issues recently and have gone to L&L Automotive 12800 US-90 in Grand Bay.  We have been well pleased.  Shawn Felps gave us the initial recommendation and we are grateful.  Just FYI.  (We tried Eddie Albritton as a mechanic and. . .)

Let me end with some disappointing news for some of the Friendship family members – Bro. Abel wrote the letter to the church family yesterday and indicated that I would be out of the pulpit on Sunday, 1/4/26.  Sorry to disappoint you but I will be, Lord willing, in the pulpit both services that day.

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

The visitation with the Sandy Felps family will take place from Serenity Funeral Home today from 10:00AM until the 11:00AM service time.  Burial will be in Serenity Gardens.  Continue to pray for Bobby Jack & the family.

Basketball continues tomorrow night and Saturday in the CAB.  (7:00PM and 8:00AM respectively)

The Inspirations will be in concert at Friendship on Friday, 1/2, beginning at 6:00PM.  Everyone invited.  Love offering to be receive.  Pray for this service.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.  Lord’s Supper during the evening service.

Christmas Eve service from 5:00 – 6:00PM.

Mama enjoyed having her sons, daughter and the in-laws present for lunch yesterday.  Good family time.

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