Pastor's Blog

Happy ninth birthday to our grandson, Asher.  What a joy Asher is to us as a family.  I spoke to him earlier this morning and he is getting an early dismissal from school today so he is a happy camper.  I hope Asher’s day will be awesome!  Happy birthday, Asher.

The Inspirations concert tonight at Friendship beginning at 6:00PM.  Everyone invited.  A love offering will be received.  Pass the word!

The celebration of life service for Nicole Parson takes place today.  Pray for BJ and his family.  Pray for Pastor Doug Chappelle as he ministers through the Word.

I am thankful for my brother, Eddie, and his wife, Sue, attending the visitation yesterday afternoon.  Likewise to Jeff & Nadine Holifield doing the same last night along with Deidra and Lisa.  BJ and Pastor Doug have already expressed their appreciation to me for these folks being there.

Today, Bro. Abel plans to attend the service as well as my brother, Eddie, Pastor Joe David Bailey and Noah Hogan.  There may be others but these are the ones of whom I am aware.

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

PARSON, Nicole Cheri Farmer, a resident of Deatsville, Alabama passed away unexpectedly, Monday, February 3, 2025 at the age of 46.

The family will receive friends Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Thelma Baptist Church. Funeral service will be held Friday, February 7, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at Thelma Baptist Church with Rev. Doug Chappelle officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing.

Nicole is preceded in death by her grandparents Harold & Lois Farmer; Marlin Martin; nephew Drayton Gay, Sawyer Underwood; and niece Carli Kate Gay. She is survived by her husband B J Parson; parents Alan & Brenda Farmer; children Bethany Parson, Hudson Parson, Eli Parson; grandmother Robbie Martin; siblings Bridget (Josh) Cook, Terri (Houstin) Gay; in laws Barney Parson Jr., Beverly (Dan) Woodham; several nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Josh Cook, Houstin Gay, Michael Bridges, Andy Petrey, Jimmy Martin, and Dale Martin. Honorary pallbearers will be Riley Cook, Carter Cook, Brantley Gay, and Austin Turner.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace Ministries c/o Thelma Baptist Church, 810 Weoka Road, Wetumpka, Alabama 36092.

Pray for Shawn Grant as she is scheduled to have should replacement surgery today.  Shawn has been through a lot since her accident but her attitude has been positive.

The Inspirations will be at Friendship tomorrow night, 2/7, beginning at 6:00PM.  Everyone invited.  A love offering will be received.  Pray for this service.

The visitation with the Nicole Parson family takes place from 5:00 – 7:00PM today at Thelma Baptist Church in Wetumpka.  I will copy and paste to obit.  Pray for Pastor BJ and his family.  Tough, tough days!

Kenny Massingill passed from this life on Tuesday night, 2/4.  Visitation and service will take place Saturday, 2/8, at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore.  Pray for Gloria and family during this time.

GRACE Mountain will be empty for a few hours today as our team has left and another team will arrive late afternoon.  Our team has enjoyed a good and productive week.  Pray for the folks traveling home today.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.  Lord willing, I will be in the pulpit for both services.  I pray many folks will join me for those services.

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

My heart has been heavy for BJ Parson and his family the past couple of days.  Would you join me in praying for them?  The visitation will take place tomorrow (Thursday) night and the celebration of life service on Friday.  Pray for Pastor Doug Chappelle as he will preach the service.

Shawn Grant will have surgery tomorrow.  Pray for all to go well.

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  I am praying for a strong attendance.

Things are well on GRACE Mountain.  Jerry & Sharon leave today in order to attend the funeral service of an extended family member on Sharon’s side.  Pray for traveling mercies.

The Inspirations in concert at Friendship this Friday night, 2/7, beginning at 6:00PM.  Everyone invited.  Love offering will be received.  Pray for this service.

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

Happy thirty-third birthday to our daughter, Hien!  I pray that she will have a great day.

My world was rocked yesterday when I received word from Deidra that Nicole Parson had unexpectedly passed from this life.  Nicole is the wife of Pastor BJ Parson and mother of Bethany, Hudson and Eli.  BJ serves at Thelma Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Doug Chappelle.  Pray for BJ and his family as they walk through this dark valley.

Jerry & Sharon Poiroux will leave Guatemala a bit early as Kevin Glover’s mother-in-law passed from this life.  Jerry & Sharon will fly into Huntsville in order to be there for the service.  Pray traveling mercies and for Kevin and his family.

Shawn Grant will have surgery Thursday.  Pray that all goes well.

The Inspirations will be in concert in our auditorium this Friday night, 2/7, beginning at 6:00PM.  Everyone invited.  Love offering will be received.

Things on GRACE Mountain are going well.  Deidra is excellent at leading teams.

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

Good morning from GRACE Mountain.  Again, I am always thrilled to hear that the Lord blessed the Friendship family with good services and such was the case yesterday.  Bro. Abel sent me a good report and I also heard from my wife, Lisa, and Kayla Hatcher.  Actually, I watched last night’s service live and then watched almost all of the morning service late last night.  I am thankful for Bro. Abel’s preaching the Word and for God’s continued blessings!

Shawn Grant is scheduled to have a total shoulder replacement surgery this Thursday, 2/6 – ouch!  Pray for Shawn and pray for all to go well.

Bro. Abel has a coach’s meeting set tonight at 6:00PM for those folks coaching in our Spring soccer league.  Wow, our sports ministry is non-stop.

The Inspirations will be in concert at Friendship this Friday, 2/7, beginning at 6:00PM.  A love offering will be received.  Pray for this special service.  Support it with your prayers, attending and giving.  Invite others!

The team in Guatemala is doing well.  Evangelist Michael Mason brought a good word from the Word yesterday morning and then again last night.  He and Pastor Adan baptized six folks as a part of the morning service.  That was the first time we have ever been able to have a baptismal service on our campus.  Deidra purchased a portable jacuzzi and it was placed on the basketball court to be used as a baptismal pool.  Worked well!  God is good!

I pray that you will have great Monday with Jesus.

Many of the things that I heard as a youngster have become reality.  Yes, time does seem to go by faster the older one gets.  January 2025 is almost history.  Wow!  Eddie A and I were taking Deidra and the girls to the airport (1/1/25) yesterday afternoon and now the month is gone.

Daphne tells me that last night’s meeting focusing on the Women’s Resource Center was good. Good attendance and good spirit.  Praise the Lord!

The GRACE team that left GRACE Mountain yesterday morning all arrived home safe and sound.  Don Redder sent me a message around 2:30AM saying the Western Michiganders had just gotten home after being delayed in Miami.  Thank the Lord for traveling mercies.

The second GRACE Ministries team of 2025 arrived on GRACE Mountain around 4:00PM yesterday.  All is well.  I am excited to have Jerry & Sharon Poiroux and Harold Dueitt on this team.

Our basketball leagues finish their season tonight and tomorrow.  Pray for this ministry.

Friendship family, remember The Inspirations will be in concert at Frienship one week from tonight, 2/7, beginning at 6:00PM.  A love offering will be received.  Pray, attend and bring others with you.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.

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

First, my prayers and thoughts are with the sixty-seven families of the folks on the plane and helicopter that collided last night in DC.  What a tragedy.

Tonya Gordon’s great-nephew, Rylan, was taken back to Birmingham yesterday due to some issues with his heart.  Pray for infant Rylan and his family.  Thank you to Cecil Guidry for sending me the prayer request.

Daphne & Lisa a hosting a speaker from the Women’s Resource Center tonight at our house beginning at 6:00PM.  All ladies of the Friendship family are invited to attend.  Questions?  Contact Daphne or Lisa.

The team on GRACE Mountain for the past six days left this morning and the next team is literally on their way as I type this entry.  Pray for traveling mercies for both teams.

Bro. Abel tells me that our services yesterday were well attended.  Praise the Lord!  Thank you Friendship family.

By the way, Jarrod Sessions sent me some pictures of the work taking place in the auditorium foyer.  Exciting!

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

Good Monday morning from GRACE Mountain.  It thrilled my heart last night to receive word from Bro. Abel and my wife that we had a good day in our services yesterday at Friendship.  One of the things that Bro. Abel shared with good spirit that was prevalent in each of the services.  Lisa echoed that and the fact the our attendance was good too.  To God be the glory!

The visitation with the Phil Sims family will take place tomorrow, 1/28, from 1:00PM until the 2:00PM service.  Everything will take place from the Ridglea Heights Baptist Church 12601 Highway 613 Moss Point, MS.  The burial will take place in the Grand Bay Cemetery.  Keep praying for the Phil Sims family.

The Inspirations will be at Friendship on Friday, 2/7, beginning at 6:00PM.  Pass the word!  Invite others to join you for this special service.

One more week of basketball and then it is on to soccer a couple of weeks later.  Pray for our sports ministry.

A good number of the folks on GRACE Mountain have asked me about “Special Bill!”  I am serious!  LOL!

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

Sorry for the lack of blog entries this week.  I could go into the reasons but that would just be boring.  I appreciate your understanding.

I was saddened Thursday afternoon to learn of the passing of Phil Sims.  The heart surgery was delayed so it never took place.  I do not know any details of Phil’s passing or of the arrangements but I do ask that you pray for Phil’s children and family during this time.

Basketball took place last night and will continue today.  This is week seven of eight.  Pray for a strong finish.  I continue to be thankful for the volunteers who make this ministry a reality.

The Friendship family hosted a service at the Mission of Hope last night.  Bro. Chris Scofield preached and his twin daughters sang the specials.  I am sure it went well.  Thank you to Carl Ray Moulds for coordinating this ministry each month.

Happy belated birthday to our grandson, Jayden, as he turned seven years old yesterday, 1/24.  I pray that he had a great day!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  I am praying for a house filled with folks!

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