Pastor's Blog

Coley’s dad remains in the hospital but is much improved.  He “may” be discharged today or tomorrow.  Just keep praying!

Josh Miller is doing much better.  Continue to pray!

Good service with The Inspirations last night.  Rainy night but that did not dampen the spirit of those in attendance.  I want to say a huge “thank you” to each person who helped host these guys!

Also, a huge “thank you” to those folks who helped host the men from the Mission of Hope.  I think those guys were pretty much filled to the brim!  Special thanks to Carl Ray Moulds for coordinating this ministry opportunity.

Our Spring soccer league sign up is over.  Why?  The leagues are completely full!  Per Bro. Abel we have two hundred and seventy-five players.  Wow!  This is our largest number ever!  Good stuff!

Basketball tonight and tomorrow.  Diaper Dandy emphasis.  Players, bring those diapers!

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday.  Baptism in the morning service.  Budget discussion meeting at 4:00PM.  Adult choir rehearsal at 4:00PM.

Special offering for the Ronnie Calvert family this Sunday, 1/28.  Pray, attend and give as the Lord leads.

The first GRACE Ministries team of 2024 arrived in Guatemala safe and sound yesterday.  Pray for their week of ministry.

Well, the weather forecasters are calling for rain this afternoon, tonight and until noon tomorrow.  I do hope it will end before Sunday morning but God is in control so I simply trust Him.

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

Well, tonight is the night!  For the second consecutive year the Friendship family will host The Inspirations in a service which will begin at 7:00PM.  Everyone is invited!

It will be our pleasure to welcome the men from the Mission of Hope as our special guests for tonight’s service. Matt Everett and his Sunday School class are graciously providing a meal prior to the service for these men. Thank you to Carl Ray Moulds for handling all of the details.  Pray for these men to be blessed!

Coley Johnson’s dad remains in the hospital.  Still waiting for test results.  Keep praying!

Josh Miller (Arkansas) remains in the hospital.  Good day followed by a bad day.  Pray for Josh and Bro. David.

Per the weather folks the rain is coming.  They are eventually going to get it correct.

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

Happy sixth birthday to our grandson, Jayden.  I pray that he will have a great day.  Lisa and I love Jayden and are thankful to have him in our lives.  Happy birthday, Jayden!

Let’s begin with good news this morning.  The following message came from Larry Crawley yesterday afternoon – “Dr George just informed me my numbers are undetectable and I was supposed to do 2 more treatments but he said not necessary…. I give a thanks to God and my friendship prayer family for this victory.  Praise be to God!”

So far, the doctors have yet to pinpoint the exact place where Coley Johnson’s dad is losing blood.  However, he continues to lose it at a fairly rapid pace.  Keep praying for Mr. Johnson.

Please join me in continuing to pray for Gary Walton as he prepares for knee replacement surgery.  Gary is experiencing much pain!

Michael & Linda Robertson are missionaries in Russia.  The Friendship family has had them in our budget for years.  Linda’s father passed from this life the other day.  Michael & Linda were on a plane heading home when they received the news.  A funeral service will take place in Oklahoma on February 3.  Pray for Linda and her family as they walk through this valley.

Regular schedule on our campus on this rainy Wednesday.  Again, I am praying for the members of the Friendship family to become more involved in attending these services.  For the first time since September 27, 2023, we will be back in the book of II Timothy in our Bible study in the auditorium.  Join us!

The Inspirations will be ministering in our auditorium tomorrow night, 1/25, beginning at 7:00PM.  Pray, attend, and bring others with you.  A love offering will be received.

We will be joined in tomorrow night’s service by the men from the Mission of Hope.  The Sunday School class that is taught by Matt Everett will be feeding these men.  I appreciate those folks doing this.  I am also grateful to Carl Ray Moulds for leading our ministry to the Mission of Hope.

Well, three folks have contacted me regarding the love offering being received this Sunday, 1/28, for Ronnie, Nanny & Sofi Calvert.  Let me just say that at this point inviting Ronnie to join us for the service Sunday morning is not an option.  The forces of hell are having a field day with me but I am undeterred in believing we are going to reach our goal of receiving eight thousand dollars to cancel the Calvert family’s debt so Ronnie can return to Ecuador.  With God all things are possible!

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.  Stay dry!  Be safe on the roads!

Coley Johnson’s father continue to lose blood and the doctors have been mystified as to the reason.  Another test was scheduled to be done yesterday.  Mr. Johnson has received double digit units of blood over the past week or so.  Pray!

The visitation with the Snow family and the celebration of life service for Wanda Snow, Herbie’s mother, will take place today in Citronelle.  I will preaching that service so I ask that you pray for the family as they walk through this valley and for me as I share the Word.  The burial will take place in Mt. Vernon.

Josh Miller had a better day yesterday.  Edna has been faithful to keep me updated on his condition.  Continue to pray for Josh and Bro. David.

Regular schedule on campus tomorrow morning and evening.  I am praying that we, as a church family, will be faithful to our midweek services.  Invite someone to join you.

The Inspirations will be our guests on Thursday night with the service beginning at 7:00PM.  I encourage you to attend and to invite others to do the same.

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.  Stay dry and drive safely as the rains move in late afternoon or tonight.

This past Sunday, 1/21, the Friendship family was blessed to hear Missionary Ronnie Calvert share his heart about his family’s financial situation brought about largely in part due to the pandemic.  Ronnie is stateside while his wife, Nanny, and their daughter, Sofi are in Ecuador.  So, why is Ronnie not in Ecuador?  Fair question.  The Ronnie Calvert family got into debt, personally and ministry wise, during the pandemic.  This led to some problems within the family.  Ronnie came back to Alabama in August of 2023 to work in order to pay off this debt.  He has successfully paid off a little under half of it but still owes approximately eight thousand dollars.  Once that is paid, Ronnie will board a plane heading to Ecuador to be reunited with Nanny & Sofi.  By the way, the family problems have been addressed and reconciliation has taken place.  Professional counseling continues.  Keep praying for Ronnie, Nanny & Sofi.

The Friendship family unanimously voted at the close of Sunday night’s service to receive an offering this Sunday, 1/28, in our services.  Folks, I believe we can reach the eight thousand dollars needed, plus more.  I received an email Sunday night that read, “Wow! His message was awesome tonight. I am all in on getting Ronnie on that plane and back home! My wife and I will be giving $500.00 if not more.”  Amen!  That is the spirit!

Today (Monday, 1/22) someone contacted me to say that their family will match each thousand dollars given up to four thousand dollars.  Yes, you read that correctly!  Four thousand dollars given by the Friendship family will immediately become eight thousand dollars through the matching challenge.  How about that!  Can someone say, “praise the Lord!”

I would like to have Ronnie present in our morning service this Sunday, 1/28, to present him with an eight thousand dollar check if/when we reach the goal.  So, if you would be so kind as to send me an email (tcturrentine@gmail.com) by this Friday noon to tell me the amount you and your family will give to this offering.  Twenty-five dollars, five hundred dollars, two thousand dollars, whatever amount.  I will then have an idea whether we are going to reach our goal of eight thousand dollars or not and I can act accordingly as far as having Ronnie in our service.  You do not have to contact me but it would be helpful.  Obviously, I will not be sharing with anyone the names of those who contact me or the amounts given.

What if we receive more than the eight thousand dollars?  Once the debt is paid then any, and all, remaining funds will go to Ronnie and his family for living expenses.  I believe I am correct in saying that Ronnie will be a plane to Ecuador as soon as possible once the debt has been retired.

Pray, attend Sunday’s morning service and give as the Lord leads.  Pass the word as, believe it or not, not everyone reads these blog entries.

Coley Johnson’s dad remains in the hospital.  Keep praying!

Wanda Snow, mother-in-law of our daughter, Dana, passed from this life yesterday morning.  Pray for Herbie and his family as they walk through this valley.

Miss Vinnie’s great-grandson, Case, had surgery last Thursday and was discharged on Friday although they thought he would be in the hospital for three to five days.  Praise the Lord!  Continue to pray for Case and his parents.

Bill Kendrick’s brother continues to do well but he remains in the hospital.  Pray for Bill’s brother.

Edna sent me an update on Josh Miller in Arkansas.  He had a pretty tough day yesterday and continues to need our prayers.

Good day in our services yesterday.  Prayerfully consider helping Ronnie Calvert and family through a love offering this Sunday, 1/28.

The Inspirations will be with us this Thursday, 1/25, beginning at 7:00PM.  Love offering will be received.

The weather forecasters are still saying this is going to be a wet week for the Gulf Coast.

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

Happy forty-eighth birthday to my nephew, Josh.  Wow, two years away from fifty years!  That means his uncle is getting old.  I hope that Josh will have a great day!

Daphne arrived home safe and sound last night.  I appreciate her spending the past nine days with her sister.  They are not the sharpest two knives in the drawer (ask Kim French) but I think it was good for them to be together.

Lisa leaves this morning heading to Guatemala to spend some time with Deidra and the girls.  Pray for traveling mercies.

Katelyn Johnson sent me a message last night to share that Coley’s dad remains in the hospital.  He continues to have physical issues so please pray.

Bill Kendrick messaged me to share that his brother is doing remarkably well.  He remains in the hospital.  Bill & Debbie are grateful for the prayer support given by the church family.  Keep praying.

Witney Edwards shared yesterday that the surgery for Kaydenz is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, in the Orlando, FL area.  Pray for Kaydenz!

I do not have an update on Miss Vinnie’s great-grandson, Case, but do ask that you continue to pray for him.

I also do not have an update on Josh Miller in Arkansas.  Keep praying!

Basketball leagues today.  Pray for this ministry.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow!

The Inspirations will be at Friendship this Thursday, 1/25, beginning at 7:00PM.  Everyone is invited!

The weather folks say this coming week is going to be a wet one.  Much warmer, but wet.  The good news is that there is not supposed to be rain tomorrow or the following Sunday.

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

“I believe in the Church and in loyalty to a local church. I am not in favour of that view of the invisible church that makes one invisible at church on Sunday morning.”  (Vance Havner)

Miss Vinnie called yesterday afternoon to say that her great grandson’s surgery was over with the exception of finishing a cast.  Keep praying for Case as he recovers from this procedure.

Witney Edwards contacted me to say that the surgeon agreed to wait until April 1 to do the surgery on Kaydenz.  The surgery will take place in Orlando.  Kaydenz will be on spring break the week of 4/1 so that is the reason for the wait.  Keep praying for Kaydenz in the meanwhile.

Edna sent word to me late yesterday afternoon saying that Josh Miller had made some improvement.  Keep praying!

Keep praying for Bill’s brother and for Jason Husband.

I am praying for a couple of other folks but those are private in nature.  Join me in prayer as God knows.

Basketball leagues tonight and tomorrow.  Pray for this ministry.

Our student ministry will have a fundraiser in the very near future as they will be selling chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate covered strawberries.  Details TBA.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening. Refer to the quote at the beginning of this entry.

Daphne flies home from Guatemala today.  Lisa flies to Guatemala tomorrow. Pray for traveling mercies, please.

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

Case Brewer, great-grandson of Miss Vinnie Brewer, is having surgery in a New Orleans hospital today.  Pray, pray, pray!  (Is there a sweeter great-grandmother in the world than Miss Vinnie?  I think not!)

Kaydenz Edwards sees the heart specialist this morning at 9:00AM.  Pray!

Katelyn Johnson shared in the service last night that Coley’s dad had been taken to the hospital.  Pray for him!

Josh Miller, David’s son, remains about the same.  He is in a Little Rock, AR hospital.  Keep praying!

Bill Kendrick’s brother is improving.  They have some decisions to make going forward but are thankful for his improved condition.  Keep praying.

Jason Husband is still waiting to hear from the doctor regarding the scheduling of his radiation treatments.  Continue to pray.

One of our church members recently had surgery and it went well.  Pray for them.  (I do not know if I have the liberty to share the name)

Joey Switzer’s dad, Bobby, continues to have problems breathing.  He is on oxygen 24/7. He is home.  Pray for Bobby & Shirley.

Our attendance was down last night, as expected, but we had a good service.  God is faithful!  I am thankful for those who attended.

Forty-four is the forecasted low for tonight followed by twenty-five, twenty-four and then thirty-five.  That will basically conclude our winter and we will start looking toward spring 2024.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday, 1/21.  Hope to be joined by many. “I believe in the Church and in loyalty to a local church. I am not in favour of that view of the invisible church that makes one invisible at church on Sunday morning.”  (Vance Havner)

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

No morning service today, 1/17, due to the much colder than normal for South Mobile County.  Please pass the word to anyone else you know who normally attends this service but may not read the blog.  NO morning service today, 1/17!

Normal schedule tonight beginning at 6:30PM.

Heard word from Evangelist David Miller of Arkansas last night that his son, Josh, is not doing well following a recent surgery.  David asks that we pray for Josh.  I appreciate Edna sending Bro. David’s message to me.  Pray for Josh Miller.

Heard from Witney Edwards yesterday.  Kaydenz will see the doctor tomorrow at 9:00AM.  If all goes as they were told earlier, the surgeon’s office will call on Friday to set up surgery for Kaydenz.  Pray for Kaydenz and her parents, – Devon & Witney.

Waiting on a call from the doctor regarding Jason’s radiation treatments.  The call will most likely come this week but that is not written in concrete.  Pray for Jason.

Keep praying for Bill Kendrick’s brother who remains in the hospital.

Gary Walton continues to work toward having knee surgery.  Pray for him to continue to be able to manage the pain until time for his surgery.  Pray for Rachel too!

Kaydenz Edwards will meet with the heart specialist tomorrow morning at 9:00AM.  Pray!

Joey Swtizer’s dad saw the doctor yesterday.  I do not have an update but do ask that you keep praying for Bobby & Shirley.

The forecast nighttime lows increase a bit tonight and considerably more tomorrow night then we are supposed to drop back into the lower twenties for Friday and Saturday nights.  After that, our winter is probably over as next week is forecast to be back to much more normal temps.  I would love to be wrong on this one as I do enjoy the colder temperatures.

The Inspirations will be our guests on Thursday, 1/25, beginning at 7:00PM.  Pray, attend, invite others to join you.

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