Pastor's Blog

Grant & Katie Tillman are in Birmingham today in order for the medical folks to do some tests to try and find the cause for Grant’s headaches.  (I have an opinion but I will keep that to myself – just saying!). Pray for Grant & Katie!

Continue to pray for Clinton Stringfellow and Eddie Albritton’s sister, Wendy, as they go through their respective treatments.

I appreciate the many folks who helped with the soccer concession stand last night.  I am told the help was more than sufficient and the crowd watching soccer was really good numerically.

Soccer again tonight beginning at 5:00PM.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

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

Wow, the Lord blessed us with a really good day in our worship services yesterday.  First, it was a blessing to see the church to give a unanimous call to Bro. Chris Scofield to become a full time staff member at Friendship.  He will begin this new role on Sunday, June 1.  Pray for Bro. Chris and his family.  Thank you to the deacons for their months of praying, seeking God and meeting on this matter.  We have great deacons!

What a joy to see Charlie (sp?) Baker coming desiring to follow the Lord in believer’s baptism in our morning service.  Jeff Holifield did a nice job of sharing a “mission moment” with us during the evening service.  Thank you to those who gave to the “missions” love offering in each service.  I will get that total later and report it.

Katelyn Johnson and the other young ladies did an excellent job of hosting our senior adults for lunch.  (I do love aggravating Katelyn!  LOL!).  Thank you to each senior adult who joined us for the meal.  A great time of food and fellowship!

Grant Tillman will be in Birmingham tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday for tests.  He has been having issues with headaches for months now and they are trying to locate cause.  Pray it goes well.

Miss Annette Williams took a fall and was in the hospital yesterday.  I “think” she was discharged yesterday afternoon and will be monitored for the next month.  Pray for Miss Annette.

Soccer tonight beginning at 5:00PM.  Concessions will be available including the meal deals along with pulled pork nachos and pulled pork sandwiches.

Heading toward Ellisville, MS to take my cousin Lydia home.  She has been a blessing this weekend.  Sweet young lady!

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

All soccer games scheduled to be played on our campus have been cancelled this evening and tomorrow.  However, the pulled pork meals are still being served to those who placed pre-orders.

So, if you placed an order for this afternoon, Friday, 5/2, then you can get your meal(s) in the Preschool Building between the hours of 5:00 – 6:00PM.

As for tomorrow, Saturday, 5/3, the meals will be available for pick up from 10:00 – 11:00AM.

If you did not pre-order but would like a meal either day, contact Daphne Hutto at (251) 533 4595 no later than 4:00PM today or 9:00AM tomorrow.

Questions?  More information?  Contact Daphne Hutto at (251) 533 4595 or daphnehutto@gmail.com.

We apologize for any inconvenience but we cannot control the weather.  We thank God for the rain.  He obviously knows what He is doing!

Good morning on this cloudy Friday.  I have a story to tell but that will have to wait until probably tomorrow.  It is a re-telling of a New Testament story.  Just saying!

Widows/widower brunch in our Preschool Building this morning from 10:00AM until 11:30AM.  Jeanette Bates is leading this ministry.  Pray for a good day.

Soccer tonight/tomorrow?  Good question.  That is above my pay grade so I defer to Bro. Abel.  Once he makes a decision, I will try to post an entry here but the best option is to look on FB.

Regardless of whether there is soccer or not either day, the pre-sold pulled pork meals will be served.  With soccer taking place – under the bus barn.  No soccer – in the Preschool Building.  They will be served tonight from 6:00 – 7:00PM even if there is no soccer.  Tomorrow they will be served from 10:00AM – 11:00AM if there is no soccer.  Again, check FB for updates.

Regular schedule this Sunday.  Looking forward to honoring our senior adults during the 10:00AM service and then serving them lunch immediately afterwards.  Senior adults, come join us!

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

Today is the national day of prayer.  I encourage you to either gather with others or to simply set aside a special time to pray for our country today.  Pray for your family.  Pray for your church family.  Pray for your neighbors.  Pray for your enemies!  Pray!

Tomorrow, 5/2, from 10:00AM until 11:30AM there will be a widows/widowers brunch in the Preschool Building.  Jeanette Bates, with the help of others, is coordinating this event.  If you are a widow or widower in the Friendship family and have not received a personal invitation then I apologize and ask that you come join Jeanette and crew.  You can contact Jeanette for the details.

Joey Bosarge reminded us last night that the Friendship family will host the “McKemie Place” ministry this coming Monday evening beginning at 5:30PM.  Contact Joey if you want to be involved. All of us can pray.

The Lord blessed us with a really good day in our services yesterday.  Next Wednesday, 5/7, there will be some special equipment on hand for our older ladies – LOL!

Soccer tomorrow night (6:00 – 7:00PM) and Saturday (9:00AM – 1:00PM).  Those who have pre-ordered the pulled pork meals can simply go to the bus barn and they will be ready to go.  I appreciate Stacey Dyess and Jeff Holifield being the chef masters.  Pulled pork sandwiches will also be available in the soccer concession stand as long as the pork is available.

Senior adults, I am “begging” you to be present for this Sunday morning’s service and the lunch following.  If you have signed up, great.  If not, come join us anyway.  We are going to have a great Sunday!

The Sunday evening, 5/4, the church will be asked to move on a motion that will be presented by our deacons.  This relates to Bro. Chris Scofield and his position with the Friendship family.  Much prayer, thought and discussions precede this decision.

The Lord allowed me to be in the garden pulling weeds shortly after daybreak today.  I was enjoying myself and then the rain came.  I simply went to the back porch and just watched/listened to the rain – heaven to me!  God is good!

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

Regular schedule on our campus today – 10:00AM & 6:30PM.  Friendship family, be there, please!

Side note – I miss Keith & Aninha!  Guys, get home!  Now!  That is an order!  LOL!

Widows/widowers luncheon this Friday!  Contact Jeanette Bates for details/information.

Pulled pork plates to support mission trip ministry this Friday (6:00PM) and Saturday (9:00AM – 1:00PM) at the soccer concession stand.  (There will be a separate area for those who placed pre-orders)

Senior adult day this Sunday, 5/4.  Special morning service followed by lunch in the CAB for all of our senior saints.  Sign up is encouraged but not absolutely required.  We should be completely finished by 11:45AMish.

Mother’s Day celebration during our morning service on 5/11.  Our children’s choir will be singing during that service.  No evening service/activities that day.

High school graduate recognition service on Sunday morning, 5/18.

Members and missions is our emphasis during the month of May.  Special missions offering will be received in each service.

Keep praying for those who are battling sicknesses and/or having other issues.

Lisa & Jayden arrived home safe and sound yesterday afternoon and then Brad, Daphne & their tribe did so a few hours later.  Thank God for traveling mercies.

Several folks have asked about coffee.  Yes, I will have some with me today.  Twelve dollars per pound with four dollars going to ministry efforts by the older students at Colegio JET.  (Checks payable to GRACE Ministries)

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

A late “good morning” to you thirteen.  Sorry for the delay.  The past two mornings have seen me playing Santa Claus at daybreak in my garden.  I “thought” Larry Whitehurst was going to handle this in my absence last week but not so fast my friend!  LOL!

As far as I know, all is good within the Friendship family.  Clinton Stringfellow has begun his treatments and Eddie A’s sister either has, or is about, to begin her treatments.

Senior adults at Friendship, if you have not done so already, we need for you to sign up for the meal this Sunday, May 4, as we will celebrate our senior saints.  The meal will be catered and everything should be over by 11:45AM.  Pass the word!

We will recognize the high school class of 2025 on Sunday, May 18, in our morning service.  Graduates, please contact Bro. Chris if you plan to participate in this service.

Pulled pork dinners available this Friday afternoon (6:00PMish), 5/2, and Saturday morning (9:00AM – 1:00PM), 5/3.  All proceeds go to ministry needs in Guatemala during the GRACE Ministries June mission trip.

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

John Denver wrote and sang, “Hey, it’s good to be back home again Sometimes this old farm feels like a long-lost friend Yes, and hey, it’s good to be back home again”  in 1974.  I agree with John even though my wife is not here.  It was good to see Gina and Cooper yesterday.  Ditto for my Friendship family.

Yes, the Lord blessed us with a good day in our services yesterday.  I enjoyed the preaching ministry of Bro. Abel in both services.  Yes, we still felt the effects of Spring Break 2025 but that is just a fact of life in our society today.  I was happy to see those who were in attendance.  Thank you to Jeanette for leading our musical worship – good job!

May is going to be a special month at Friendship.  I plan to outline the details in my letter to the church family this week.  I am looking forward to it.

Today is the deadline to pre-order “pulled pork dinners” for this Friday afternoon (late) or Saturday morning.  You can contact Daphne Hutto (daphnehutto@gmail.com) to place an order or for more details.  All proceeds will go toward the ministry aspect of our June GRACE Ministries trip.

Senior adults, if you have not done so already, please sign up for our senior adult day which will take place this Sunday, May 4.  A delicious meal will be served in the CAB immediately following our morning service.  You can email me at pastor@friendshipfamily.net or sign up this Wednesday morning in our service.  We are going to have a great Sunday with the Lord’s blessings.

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

Lord willing, I will be traveling home this Saturday, 4/26.  I plan on bringing some coffee back with me and am curious if anyone wants to purchase some?  If so, I need to hear from those who want beans.  (I should have plenty of ground).  The price has increased as it is now twelve dollars ($12) per pound.  (Four dollars per pound will go to GRACE Ministries in order to allow our older students from Colegio JET to do ministry – specifically buying materials to build houses.  GRACE Ministries does not make one cent from these sales.  Just FYI.)

It would be nice if those wanting beans would send me an email no later than noon this Friday, 4/25.  Pass the word, please!

If all goes as planned, this will be my “one and only” entry until Monday, 4/28.  Lisa, Jayden & I arrived in Guatemala yesterday afternoon and I will depart here on Saturday.  Not planning on being online much at all.

Word came to me this morning that Tim Knighten received another “all clear” from the doctors today.  He and Peggy drove to M.D. Anderson Sunday afternoon late, Tim had tests yesterday and they met with the doctor this morning.  Amen & amen!

Scott Fontenot was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  He will wear a monitor to keep tabs on his heart rate.  Pray for Scott & Nanette.

Robert Baria remains hospitalized and is having trouble staying alert.  Pray for Robert & Roseanne.

Kristi Siker had an outpatient surgery yesterday.  All went well.  Pray for Kristi and Shawn.

Holly Smith will have hand surgery today.  Pray it will go well.

Clinton Stringfellow will begin treatments this Thursday, 4/24.  Keep praying for Clinton.

I do not remember the date but Eddie Albritton’s sister, Wendy, will begin chemo treatments soon.  Pray for Wendy and Charlie.

Lord willing, Lisa and I will visit with Mike & Dottie Clark today.

Our Easter weekend was blessed.  I am very thankful to Jeanette Bates and the choir for their presentation of the Gospel during our second service Sunday.  Good stuff.

Remember, no services/classes/activities on our campus tomorrow, 4/23.  Silence will be the word.  We will resume Sunday School this Sunday, 4/27, at 9:00AM and two worship services (10:00AM & 5:00PM).

Friendship family, order your pulled pork sandwich meal for Friday, 5/2, and/or Saturday, 5/3 soon.  Order deadline will be Monday, 4/28.  Meals will be available at soccer concessions that Friday and Saturday.

I pray that you will have a great rest of your week with Jesus.