Pastor's Blog

Good morning from the Gulfport, MS airport.  I am about to board a Delta flight headed to Atlanta and then connect to a fight going to Guatemala.  The Mobile airport is much closer but when the fares are much lower then you drive the extra miles.  Eddie Albritton always takes me to the Mobile airport but when I told him that I was flying out of GPT he told me his boss was out of town.  Hey, one excuse is as good as the next one!  Just saying!

Lisa returned from Guatemala with another stash of coffee.  Same scenario as before – ten dollars per pound with the proceeds helping finance the building of houses by our students from Colegio JET.  Lisa has the coffee in her office and will have it at church too.

Bro. Jerry, Bro. Abel and our nine active deacons stand ready and willing to help with any ministry needs during my absence.  Feel free to call upon them.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

LT&O will be our guests in our services this Sunday, June 20.

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

Happy Flag Day!

We had a really good day on our campus yesterday with the highlight being a public profession of faith by Laura Older.  This was actually a carry over from the last night of our services with Evangelist Danny Long.  We rejoice with Laura.  She is the daughter of Scott & Bo Older.

Our first night of VBS 2021 went better than I anticipated.  I am told there were one hundred and three children in attendance.  I do not know how many adults were working in our VBS but I do know it was a good number.  Somewhat surprising, we had a fairly strong attendance in our 6:00PM worship service too.  Praise the Lord!

Danville Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Joe David Bailey had their VBS this past week.  They decided to give their VBS offering to the work of GRACE and/or SLAM in Guatemala.  Mind you that they are already the largest monthly contributors to these two ministries.  Their VBS offering total?  Five thousand dollars!  Yes, FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS!  Are you serious!  Wow!  Praise the Lord and thank you Pastor Joe David Bailey and the Danville Baptist Church family.

The musical group, Love & The Outcome will be our guest in our services this Sunday, June 20.  Charlotte Brown’s brother, Chris, is part of this group.  Pray for it to be a God honoring Sunday.

I had two really long days last Friday and Saturday trying to get things such as mowing, gardening, et cetera done before leaving for Guatemala in the morning.  Today is going to be a marathon day as well.  I thank God for His faithfulness to me.

I am scheduled to leave from Gulfport, MS at 6:00AM tomorrow.  Gene Davis is leaving from ATL today.  The other team members will join us this Thursday, June 17.  Pray for traveling mercies.

If all goes as planned, I will travel home on Thursday, June 24, with Lizzi, Sydney & Audrey joining me.  That should be fun!

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

Work day at the church this morning beginning at 8:00AM.  Kendall Falana and the Buildings & Ground Committee are leading this effort.  I appreciate them doing so.

Our 2021 VBS begins tomorrow night.  The time will be from 5:00PM until 7:00PM.

Men’s Bible study will take place tomorrow night from 5:00PM until 6:00PM.

Our evening worship service will take place in the auditorium from 6:00PM until 7:00PM.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning – 8:00AM worship, 9:15AM Sunday School, 10:30AM worship.

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

Dylan & Elizabeth, along with our children’s ministry, will host another “free” ice cream give away today from 5:30PM until 7:30PM.  Just drive through on the East side of our auditorium.  Simple enough.  Totally free!

Kendall Falana and our Buildings & Grounds Committee will lead a work day tomorrow morning beginning at 8:00AM.  Focus is to be on trimming hedges and pressure washing the buildings.  Contact Kendall for more details.

Our 2021 VBS begins this Sunday evening, 6/13.  It will take place from 5:00PM until 7:00PM.  Pray for this ministry.

I am not looking forward to late this afternoon or early evening.  Why?  Whitney Edwards is going to bring their three children over to say good bye as they are soon moving to Maryland.  They will leave in the morning heading to Texas to visit family before going to Maryland.  Devon, Whitney and the children have been great neighbors for the past four years and have really been like family to us.  Sad to see them leave but such is military life.  I have some really great memories of the Edwards family.  (I hate to see Devon and the children leave – LOL!)

My mother-in-law, Ann Clark, cooked a delicious homemade lunch yesterday and shared with me – pork loin, sweet potato casserole, green beans (not purple), corn on the cob, fried okra, tomatoes, and bread.  The beans, corn and okra were all garden fresh.  Delicious!  I have always said that I have the best mother-in-law in the world and it is true.  Thank you, Ann!

I had one offer to help clean this house before Lisa gets home.  I am grateful but that young lady does not have a bulldozer so I declined her offer.  Lisa has already sent her list of things that have to be done before she arrives home.  Why do the baseboards need to be cleaned?  I mean really.  Have I dirtied the baseboards over the past eight days?

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

A blog entry?  What?  Are you kidding?  Where have you been?  Is this simply a tease?  Why are you guys asking so many questions?

We were blessed with a good day in our services yesterday.  Our morning attendance has gone back up to pre-pandemic levels.  The spirit in those services has been excellent the past couple of weeks.  Praise the Lord!  We need to do better in the area of our evening service attendance.  It is pretty good but could be much better.  Where were you last night?

“Free ice cream Friday” takes place again tomorrow evening, 6/11, from 5:30PM until 7:30PM on the East side of the church auditorium.  Everyone invited!

Work day this Saturday, 6/12, beginning at 8:00AM.  Plans are to trim hedges and pressure wash buildings.  Contact Kendall Falana for specifics.  Thank you to those who have already worked this week and to those who will attend Saturday.

Our VBS begins this Sunday evening, 6/13.  It will take place from 5:00PM until 7:00PM.  Pass the word!

Our Sunday evening worship service will take place from 6:00PM until 7:00PM in the auditorium each night of VBS.

Lisa has been in Guatemala since last Friday, 6/4.  She is scheduled to return home late this Sunday afternoon.  Does anyone have access to a bulldozer?  Need to clean the house before she returns!

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

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  Yes, it is a holiday weekend and we will have folks out of town.  However, I am praying that those who are in town will be faithful to attend our services.  Lord willing, I will be preaching in all three services.

“The Kingdom Man” Bible study for men takes place tomorrow afternoon from 5:00 – 6:00PM.  Obviously, anyone attending the Bible study is expected to be in our evening worship service.

Tomorrow, 5/30, has been set aside to recognize Bro. Jerry Hovel. The month of May marks the twenty first anniversary of Bro. Jerry serving as our associate pastor/minister of education. We will receive a love offering in all three services as a tangible way to show our love and appreciation to Bro. Jerry and his family. Checks should be made payable to Friendship Baptist Church.

Bro. Jerry is married to Tena and they have two sons, Josh & Luke. Obviously, Tena is also a major part of the Friendship family.

So, join us tomorrow in celebrating Bro. Jerry’s anniversary of serving the Lord through the Friendship family. Pass the word!

There will be a basket placed on the stage to receive cards of appreciation for Bro. Jerry.

Dylan & Elizabeth say there is room for improvement when it comes to the free ice cream ministry.  Pray it will grow each week.

Dylan also let me know that he is now an official college graduate.  Congratulations, Dylan.  By the way, Dylan also got his CDL yesterday – hooray!

Sign up to work in our Vacation Bible School!  See Myrtle or Bro. Jerry.

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

Aninha Barrett sent me a text yesterday afternoon sharing that her brother-in-law, Dave Eldert, passed from this life around 11:00AM our time.  Pray for Dave’s wife, Nancy, and his four children who were all at the hospital when Dave passed.  Brazil is like Guatemala in the fact that Dave’s service will have to take place within twenty four hours from the time of death.

Marie Brooks’ only remaining brother, Levon Hudson, was taken to the hospital on Wednesday.  I do not know the outcome but do ask that you join me in praying for Levon.

Service at the Mission of Hope tonight beginning at 7:00PM.  All are invited to attend.

Free ice cream on our campus tonight from 5:30PM until 7:30PM.  This ministry is being led by Dylan & Elizabeth Westbrook and is designed for children to receive the ice cream.

Regular schedule on our campus Sunday morning and evening.  Anniversary offering for Bro. Jerry in all three services.

Now is the time to sign up to help in our VBS.  Call the church office or contact Myrtle Bowden or Bro. Jerry.

The church office will be closed Monday, 5/31, in observance of Memorial Day.

I have reached a conclusion – green beans are green, not purple.  Just saying!

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

We were blessed with a good day in our services yesterday.  Praise the Lord for His blessings!

Aninha Barrett’s brother-in-law, Dave, is in a hospital in Brazil after having been hit by a motorcycle two weeks ago.  He has now suffered a heart attack in addition to the injuries from his accident.  Pray for his wife, Nancy, and his children who are there with him.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.

Our 2021 VBS is going to take place during June and July.  What?  A two month VBS?  Yes!  Our VBS will take place on June 13, 20, 27 and July 11, 18 & 25 from 5:00PM – 7:00PM each night.  Obviously, these are Sunday evenings.  Different?  Yes.  Do I think it will work?  I do.  The concept comes from Bro. Jerry.  We need guides to help as we will use the rotation system.  Pray for our VBS.

Also, Dylan & Elizabeth Westbrook will host backyard Bible clubs once a week during the Summer.  They will be in a different location each week.  Pray for this ministry.

Mission of Hope service this Friday beginning at 7:00PM.  Everyone invited to attend.

Free ice cream for our children this Friday, 5/28, from 5:30PM until 7:30PM.  Drive through service on our campus.  Hosted by Dylan & Elizabeth and our children’s ministry.

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

The celebration of life service for Jimmy Tagert’s mother will take place today beginning at noon from the chapel of Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  Pray for Jimmy and his family.

If you are helping with the meal for the Tagert then please have your food at the church no later than noon today.  Thank you for being involved in this ministry.

I would ask you to continue to pray for those whom we have mentioned in the past few days.  I have no updates except to say that Lester Kirk (Jennifer Brinkman) has been discharged from the hospital.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and tonight.

Bro. Jerry and I met on Monday and the we had another meeting with Myrtle Bowden yesterday.  As a result of those meetings, our Vacation Bible School is going to take place but with a major change.  It will be one of those “we have never done it this way before” things!  The concept came from Bro. Jerry, I stamped it and Myrtle agreed to try it this year.  The details will be in the letter that will be sent to the Friendship family today.  I like it and think it will be a huge success and a blessing to the Friendship family!

I did have a garden!  I cannot keep up with John Milton Ladnier as he is a master gardener.  On Monday I found another master gardener in the Friendship family as I went to visit Stacey Dyess.  His garden is amazing!  Three things immediately stood out to me – the size of his plants (huge), his irrigation system and the fact that there is not even one blade of grass in his garden!  I was very impressed!  Came home and just plowed my garden under!  It is not enough that I have to see John Milton’s garden daily but now I have this mental picture of Stacey’s garden too!  All I can say is WOW!

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.  Remember, the early church was “in once accord” and “in one place!”

I just posted the obit for Jimmy Tagert’s mother.  If you can help with the meal for the family following the service on Wednesday then please call the church office today.  Thank you to those who are helping.

Aninha Barrett’s brother-in-law, Dave, was hit by a motorcycle like over a week ago.  He is in the ICU in a hospital in Brazil.  His condition is critical.  Pray for Dave and his wife, Nancy.

Keith & Aninha’s daughter, Elisabeth, recently had a surgical procedure that did not have the desired results when all was said and done.  So, she will be having surgery in early June to correct the problem.  Pray for Elisabeth.

Marie Brooks had a bad night on Saturday which kept her from being present yesterday.  Pray for Marie.

It was good to see Debbie Kendrick in Sunday School yesterday.  Hooray!

Keep praying for Lester Kirk, Jennifer Brinkman’s father.  Pray for the doctor’s to have wisdom as they deal with his case.

Also, continue to pray for Jerry & Gloria’s son, Brian.

Tena Hovel & Shelia Booker did a nice job of leading our children’s choir last night.  The children did a nice job.  Dana Faucett and Rhea Wilkinson also did a great job of leading our preschool choir last night.  Those children have tons of energy.  God blessed us with a good service.

Regular schedule this Wednesday morning and evening.

Congratulations to Bro. Abel & Candy!

Bro. Dylan & Elizabeth will be serving ice cream to the children this Friday, 5/28, from 5:30PM until 7:30PM.  Drive through. This will be an every Friday happening.

Mission of Hope service this Friday, 5/28, beginning at 7:00PM at the mission.  Everyone invited.

Parents, we do not want your children so please do not leave them on campus after the services end!  Just saying!

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