Pastor's Blog

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

Eddie’s mother was not able to speak to the doctor yesterday so no new word on Eddie’s dad’s situation.  Hopefully, he can be discharged soon.  Keep praying for Eddie, Sr.

Stella Brinkman is in PCU.  She has a feeding tube because of having difficulty swallowing.  Pray for Stella.

Carol Lucky was taken back to the hospital yesterday afternoon.  I am assuming she was admitted.  Pray for Carol.

Mary Jackson remains in the hospital.  Pray for Miss Mary.

The funeral service for Betty Hamil’s sister, Edith Krebs, will be private due to COVID-19.  Pray for Betty and the family.

The family of Jessie Hudson will also have a private service.  Pray for Marie Brooks and her family during this time.

The governor of Alabama is scheduled to speak this morning at 11:00AM.  I am very interested to hear what she has to say especially as it relates to church services.

John Milton Ladnier & Kendall Falana responded to the call regarding the back forty.  John Milton bush hogged and Kendall burned the wood pile.  It looks much better and I appreciate these guys taking the time to do this.

Tomorrow, 4/29, Bro. Abel is asking our students to come help him pick up sticks/roots from the area where John Milton bush hogged yesterday.  Students are asked to meet Bro. Abel on our campus at 1:00PM.

Senior adults, have you contacted Cecil Guidry about this Sunday?  If not, please do so today!

Philip & Natalie Dixon are the owners of Sam’s Superburger in Grand Bay.  They graciously donated the coupons given to our children this past Sunday for a free ice cream cone.  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to support Sam’s for a couple of reasons – they are not open on Sundays and they have always supported our church.

Philip & Natalie also own the Southern Shells restaurant which is where the other Sam’s used to be located.  I really like their shrimp salad croissant.  Lisa had their shrimp poboy yesterday for lunch and she said it was amazing.

Hey, need help buying or selling real estate?  John & Tammy Curl are members of the Friendship family and Tammy is a realtor with Roberts Brothers.  Her cell number is 509 1714.  If you are in need of a real estate agent, please consider Tammy.  John & Tammy are a great couple!

I literally spent all day this past Saturday working in the garden.  Was able to get about an hour and a half in yesterday afternoon. The Lord has blessed my feeble efforts and I am thankful.  However, master gardener, John Milton Ladnier, has a garden that is booming.  His corn is already setting ears!  Are you serious!  I think his garden is on steroids! ( I am talking Joey Switzer steroids!)  Of course it does not hurt that John Milton is in his garden basically 24/7.  I do believe he sleeps in that garden as he is always doing something in it.  Dub would be proud!

Coach Eric Collier had another former player get drafted in the NFL draft.  Did you know that Coach Collier gets a financial kick back for each player he has drafted?  That is the word on the street!

Drive in service tomorrow at 10:00AM and then at 6:30PM.  Join us on the East side of the auditorium – rain or shine!

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)

Praise the Lord!  We could not have had a better day weather wise than what the Lord gave us yesterday morning and late afternoon.  Absolutely perfect!  It was actually great being outside if only everyone could have been outside their respective vehicles.  Thank you Jesus for great weather!

We had the online worship and message at 7:00AM and then two really good services at 8:00AM & 6:00PM.  One of the things that I do not like about drive in services is that you cannot have an altar call and get a response.  I also do not like that I cannot hear any “amens” while preaching.  However, I am grateful that we can gather.  I was glad when they said, “let’s go to church!”

Miss Mary Jackson has been admitted to the hospital again.  Her problem this time is a blood clot and a concern that there could be more.  Pray for Mary!

Eddie Albritton, Sr. could be discharged from the hospital early this week.  I know he is ready so please pray for him.

Word I received last night at the service is that Stella Brinkman was doing some better as she was resting.  Keep praying for Stella.

Betty Hamil’s sister passed from this life on Saturday night.  She was eighty eight years old.  Arrangements pending.  Pray for the family.

As you know, Marie Brooks’ brother passed from this life last Thursday.  Arrangements pending.  Pray for the Hudson family.

Keep praying for Carol Lucky, Myrtle Bowden, Andy Hamil, Kent Blaylock and the others on our prayer list.

Senior adults, have you contacted Cecil Guidry about this Sunday, May 3?  If not, please do so now.  We must hear from everyone by 3:00PM this Thursday, April 30, in order for the Kitchen of the Sea to have the needed food on hand for Sunday.  By the way, Cecil tells me that we have enough folks to handle the deliveries.  Thank you to each person who has volunteered to help with this ministry.

I will announce our schedule for this Sunday, May 3, no later than this Thursday, April 30.  Expecting to hear something from the governor’s office that could impact what we do.  Stay tuned.

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

I do not plan on posting an entry tomorrow but I needed to get a prayer request out and to remind the Friendship family of some things.

Edna Pearl contacted me this afternoon to let me know that her brother-in-law, Barney Rogers, has COVID-19.  He and Linda are now quarantined at home in Vicksburg, MS.  Barney picked up the virus at work.   Barney & Linda desire your prayer support.

Cecil says she can be contacted via e-mail (cecilpg@centurytel.net), home phone 865 4326 or cell phone 610 7978.  She needs to hear from our senior adults regarding next Sunday’s meal.  Also, she needs to hear from staff members, deacons and others who will help with the delivery of these meals.  Last I heard from Cecil she had one person volunteer and I know him really well!  Staff members, deacons, young adults, et cetera – please step up!  This is a ministry opportunity!

We will have three “surprises” for all children, fifth grade and under, who attend our 8:00AM drive in service tomorrow.  This does not include adults who only finished the fifth grade!  Wow, did Bibbi Bosarge ever throw down about that little stipulation! I was almost certain that Bibbi finished the sixth grade but I have since learned she only started the sixth grade.  Hey, that is not bad for her!

The weather forecast for in the morning calls for sunny & sixty five degrees with sixty seven percent humidity at 8:00AM and warming to sixty eight degrees and dropping to fifty five percent humidity by 9:00AM.  How about that forecast!

The afternoon forecast is also picture perfect!  God is good!

Rest well tonight and join us in the morning for our drive in service.  Remember, if you are trying to watch the streamed service later in the day and have problems the contact Soy @ soytaylor0818@gmail.com.  He can help you!  (That is a scary thought!)

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

Our great friend, Decker Terry, called yesterday to share a most important prayer need in his life.  He will be traveling from Montgomery to Birmingham for a serious surgical procedure on May 7.  He is asking for our prayers.  Decker is one of the finest men I have ever met.  He is a tremendous supporter of GRACE Ministries, SLAM, and other mission efforts.  I could pick up the phone right now and call Decker with a ministry need and he would give.  His wife, Martha, was called to Heaven last July and she was the same way although I think she may have been an even greater prayer warrior.  So, will you pray for Decker today and in the days leading up to May 7?  Thank you for joining Lisa and me in these prayers.

Senior adults (65+) of the Friendship family – will you stop right now and contact Cecil Guidry about next Sunday, May 3.  We are going to provide you with a dinner (fried fish, baked beans, coleslaw) from Kitchen of the Sea along with bread and a piece of Lisa’s cake.  We simply need to know if you are going to attend the morning service (plans are to have a later morning service) or if you would like for us to deliver your dinner.  Contact Cecil at cecilpg@centurytel.net or 865 4326.

Also, I need staff members, deacons and others who will help deliver these dinners to contact Cecil to let her know that you will help in this ministry area.

Live stream tomorrow morning at 7:00AM.  You can watch the service at any time tomorrow.  If you experience difficulty trying to watch after 7:00AM then contact Soy at soytaylor0818@gmail.com and he will walk you through it.

Drive in services tomorrow at 8:00AM and 6:00PM.  I am making a call to our families with grade school children to please attend these services.  Your children need to be on the church campus.  We will have at least two gifts for all children, 5th graders and under, attending our 8:00AM service.  Simply pull through the carport before the service.

We need to finish the month of April really strong financially.  Will you consider giving to the Lord before this month ends?  Bring it with you tomorrow (the best way) or give online.  Thank you for giving to the Lord!

Are you sitting down?  Did you know that the building housing the Alabama Senate chamber is “already unhealthy with mole?”  And you thought you had it tough!  Just saying!

LSU had ten players drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL 2020 draft.  The SEC conference had forty players drafted in those rounds which sets a new record.  Impressive!

It sounds like Governor Ivey may be inclined to lessen some of the restrictions presently in place after this Thursday.  I find it most interesting that Wisconsin had their election on April and the naysayers were saying that state would see a significant spike in virus cases.  However, the rate spike did not happen.  Interesting!

I was able to spend most of yesterday on a mower.  My hope is to spend some time in the garden today.  Today looks to be basically a picture perfect day weather wise which will mirror yesterday, if true.

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)

Katie Tillman sent me word last night that Stella was going to be put in a room instead of ICU.  Keep praying for Stella.  (Disclaimer – Katie is getting her information from her “crazy” mama so. . . )

Still hard to believe that Marie Brooks’ had another brother to pass from this life.  Pray for the Hudson family as they walk through this valley.

As far as I know there has been no significant change in any of the others for whom we have been praying.  Just keep praying.

Two drive in services this Sunday, 4/26 – 8:00AM & 6:00PM.  I am in hopes that the Friendship family will be very faithful in attending these services.

We are going to have at least two, possibly three, gifts for the children, 5th graders and under, who attend our 8:00AM service this Sunday.  Parents, just pull through the carport as has been normal and your children will receive their gift.

Our Senior Adults need to contact Cecil Guidy regarding our morning service on Sunday, May 3.  The church will be providing a meal from Kitchen of the Sea.  Fried fish, baked beans, coleslaw.  We will add bread and a slice of Lisa’s pound cake.  If a senior adult who is a member of the Friendship family cannot attend that service then we will deliver.  Again, we need all senior adults from our church to contact Cecil by Thursday, 4/30.

Also, we are going to need folks to deliver these meals.  Staff members, deacons and others are asked to let Cecil know if you will help.

Congratulations to the six guys from Alabama and Auburn who were selected in the first round of the NFL draft last night.  The SEC had a record breaking fifteen first round selections.  LSU had five of those fifteen.  I watched through the twelfth pick and then shut it down.  That was more television than I have watched the rest of 2020 combined up to this point.

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

Word came to me around 1:00PM that Marie Brooks’ brother, Jessie, had just passed from this life.  I went to the house to see Marie & Nanette.  A chaplain was there so I did not hang around.  Yes, this is the second brother to pass from this life in less than a week.  Pray for the family!

Katie Tillman messaged me earlier today to say that her maternal grandmother, Stella Brinkman, had been transported to the hospital via an ambulance.  The initial thought was stroke but they found a brain bleed.  She underwent surgery, did well, is now responding some and has been placed in ICU.  Pray for Stella and her family.

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

Eddie’s father did have surgery yesterday and all went well as far as they know.  They are thinking that he could be discharged from the hospital early next week.  Keep praying.

Talked to Tim Knighten before our service last night and he met with a surgeon this past Monday.  They will do a different test and then Tim will see the surgeon again on May 21.  Keep praying for Tim.

Larry Whitehurst told me yesterday of the passing of Larry Fort.  I have known Larry for over forty years and ask that you pray for his family.  Obviously, private service.

One of the members who is presently unemployed sent me a message last night sharing a huge blessing from God.  He was extremely grateful.

How about that crowd for yesterday morning’s drive in service!  Awesome!  Last night’s attendance was much better too.  Thank you to those who are being faithful to attend.

We also had folks give offerings in both services yesterday.  Our online giving is up this week too.  Thank you Friendship family for being faithful in this area of worship.

Pray as we begin to focus on getting back in our buildings for corporate worship.  It is a constitutional right and a scriptural command.

Two drive in services this Sunday – 8:00AM & 6:00PM.  I am asking the members of the Friendship family to join us and to invite others to join you!  We plan on having a treat for all of the children, fifth graders and under, who attend the morning service.

We need the senior adults from the Friendship family to contact Cecil Guidry no later than next Thursday, 4/30, to let her know if you will be attending our morning service on Sunday, May 3.  It will be Senior Adult Sunday and we will providing you with a take home dinner from Kitchen of the Sea.  Fried fish, baked beans & coleslaw.  Rumor has it that a piece of Lisa’s pound cake will also be included.  We plan on delivering to our senior adults who cannot attend the service.  We count our senior adults as those who are age sixty five and above.

I was able to spend some time in my garden yesterday afternoon working on making it a Santa Claus garden – hoe, hoe, hoe!  I also was singing “In The Garden” especially that first stanza that goes, “I come to the garden alone!”   Just saying!

Where will Tua go in the draft tonight?  Which pick and which team?

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

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

Eddie Albritton, Sr is scheduled to have surgery today.  Pray that he will and that all will go well.  This has seemingly been a long time coming.  Pray for his family too as they cannot be with him during this time.

Keep praying for Debbie Kendrick’s mother, Mrs Amonett.

Also, pray for Randy Stringfellow who lives in North Carolina.  Randy is the younger brother of Diane Trotti, Rita Stringfellow and Clinton Stringfellow.

Pray for the folks from the Friendship family who work in the healthcare field.  Pray for our President.

Pray for Marie Brooks and family as there will be a private service today for her brother, James Lee Hudson.

Drive in service this morning at 10:00AM and this evening at 6:30PM.

We will be observing our annual Senior Adult Day on Sunday, May 3.  Our senior adults will be treated to a take home fried fish dinner from Kitchen of the Sea.  Yes, we will be delivering to those senior adults of the Friendship family who are not comfortable with attending our service.  More details forthcoming.

Jayden & I were able to get the back half of the hill mowed yesterday.  That was the plan.  The rest of the plan is to get the front half on Friday.  I love it when a plan comes together!

Well, I was wrong.  (Let me pause so you can let that sink in!)  Master gardener John Milton Ladnier will not begin picking produce from his garden next month.  He began this past Monday!  Are you serious!  He brought us a huge bag of squash yesterday afternoon.  He should put a canopy on the back of his truck and go into business!

If the weather folks are correct, tomorrow should be a stormy day on the Gulf Coast.  Do not like the storms but any rain will be appreciated.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.  I am challenging our younger adult group to be present for the 6:30PM Bible study tonight.

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

Please remember to continue to pray for Eddie’s father as he is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow.

We will have two drive in services tomorrow, 4/22.  The first will begin at 10:00AM and the second will begin at 6:30PM.  I will be using the carport on the East side of the auditorium as my staging area and the plan is for folks to park near there for visual purposes.  However, a vehicle parked anywhere on our campus will be able to pick up the frequency on the radio.  Folks will once again be asked to remain in their respective vehicle for the duration of their time on our campus.  This is a very safe way to attend a service as far as the spread of any sickness is concerned.

I do hope that our evening service will see a better attendance than we had last Wednesday.  Personally, I understand parents with preschoolers, toddlers, et cetera not attending these services.  However, I think that parents with grade schoolers should bring their children to these services to show them the importance of attending church regardless of the circumstances.  Some of our children have not been on our campus in over a month now.  Is this the message we want to send to our children about church?

Many of you grew up as I did in the fact that I was in “big” church every Sunday morning and evening, revival services, et cetera.  I know, I know that some will say “well, my children do not like it!”  Hello!  Your children do not like going to school but that does not prevent you from making them attend.  Your children do not like taking a bath.  Your children do not like taking medicine.  Who is in charge in your house?  Just asking!

One more thing regarding this matter – since we are now having two Sunday services one parent of preschoolers could attend one service while the other one stays home with the children and then switch roles for the next service that day.  Folks, we basically do what we want to do.  Just saying!

I am not ready to announce our plans for this Sunday’s services.  I am praying and listening before making any announcement.  That initial announcement should come on Thursday and then will remain in place unless something unusual happens Friday or Saturday.

One area where the Friendship family has been faithful during this unusual time is in the area of giving financially.  We have been blessed and I am praying that we will finish April in a very strong way.  Thank you, thank you, thank you to those who have been faithful to give.  Give online, via the mail, via drop off or in person this Sunday.

We are being blessed with some really nice weather.  It seems to be a bit dry down on Potter Tract Road but the Lord knows what He is doing and I trust Him.

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)

This entry is way late – obviously!  No excuses!

Eddie Albritton, Sr is now scheduled to have a surgical procedure on Wednesday.  Pray that will take place and the will do well so he can come home soon.  He has had his fill of the hospital!

Keep praying for Carol Lucky, Karla Bosarge, Mrs. Amonett, Myrtle Bowden, Andy Hamil, Randy Stringfellow, the James Lee Hudson family, those affected by COVID-19, health care workers, our President, Vice President and other leaders.

We had two good drive in services yesterday.  We were blessed in that it did not rain during either of the hours while we meeting.  I appreciate our media guys for getting everything set up, taken down, et cetera for the two services.  Yes, we did have a technical issue during the musical portion of our morning service but that was corrected and all was well from that point forward.  I also appreciate our musicians for their flexibility and for leading us in our musical praise.

I certainly want to say a huge “thank you” to the members of the Friendship family who are faithfully giving financially.  What a blessing.  I am praying that we will finish the month very strongly and we can if every attender will do their part.  Give you offering by mail, online, Lisa’s office or the church office.  The “best” way is to come to the service Sunday and bring your offering with you.

I am also praying for a really strong attendance in our services this Sunday, 4/26.  Once again, we will meet at 8:00AM and 6:00PM as it stands right now.  I will make a definitive decision by this Thursday, 4/24.

A good number of folks have told me how much they miss not being able to come to our services and yet a good number of those folks did not attend either service yesterday.  (I am not talking about our senior adults)  The Friendship family has done well by remaining in their vehicles so the chances of the spreading of any virus do not exist as a person is only exposed to those in their own vehicle.  Once again, folks are free to do what they feel comfortable doing in regard to attending our services.

Just FYI, if you feel safer parking elsewhere on either Sundays or Wednesdays then you can do that just knowing that you will not have a visual of the musicians or the preacher.  However, you will be able to listen on your vehicle’s radio.

Lord willing, there will be a live stream this Sunday, 4/26, but that will perhaps be our final one.  We shall see.

We will meet for drive in services this Wednesday, 4/22, at 10:00AM and 6:30PM.  We will meet on the East side of the auditorium.  We need to have a stronger attendance in our evening service.  The morning attendance this past Wednesday was strong.

Mark Mast sent a message regarding my garden.  Honestly, John Milton Ladnier’s garden puts mine in the shade.  He will be picking stuff next month.  His corn is looking very good.  The guy is a master gardener!

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