Pastor's Blog

Good morning from Guatemala.  I am sorry about not posting yesterday but I could not get online in the Gulfport airport or here late last night.  Mark Mast and twelve others from Canada along with Tony & Dawn Hacker, Sue Turrentine, and I all arrived safe and sound yesterday afternoon.  We thank God for traveling mercies! 

Miss Joyce Bosarge had surgery yesterday morning and Bro. Jerry e-mailed to say that it went well.  She continues to battle cancer and needs our prayers.  Miss Carmen Reyer will have knee replacement surgery in the morning.  Marianne (I am probably misspelling that one) Hatchett, June Strickler’s sister-in-law, will also be having surgery tomorrow.  Carla Kyser and Phyllis Bush continue to battle against their respective cancer.  Eula Mae Blackmon was in church Sunday after her knee surgery and told me that their daughter, Susan, will definitely be having heart surgery in the future.  Billy Smith continues to recover from his surgery as does Mark Vice.  Pray for all of these folks! 

The Thanksgiving meal for the senior adults of our community takes place this Thursday.  Pray for all of those involved in preparing for this meal.  Thank you to each person who has helped in any way. 

Our Upward teams continue to practice in preparation for the opening games the weekend of December 6.  Pray for Bro. Benny as he leads this ministry and all who are involved as players and workers. 

We have four folks flying out of Gulfport today and twenty-two others flying out of Detroit.  Pray for their safety in travel.  The Canadians are going to The Potter’s House today to do ministry while the other four of us go to lay tile in the gringo dorm at Casa Aleluya. 

Most likely, I will shift exclusively to GRACE blogs from this point forward this week.  However, I would ask that you glance at this blog to see if there are any updates on those in the hospital, et cetera. 

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

Good Saturday morning from Birmingham!  The main reason for this post is to ask you to pray specifically for Miss Joyce Bosarge.  She will have surgery on Monday morning because she has a tumor blocking her respiratory system.  Pray for Liz and the family

Thanks to each person who attended the wedding yesterday.  It was a beautiful ceremony for a beautiful couple. 

Ross & Kathy and Lisa & I actually arrived in Birmingham at almost the exact same time yesterday afternoon.  In case you are wondering, Friday afternoon traffic in B’ham is a little more congested than it is in Grand Bay.  Ross & Kathy wanted to go spend the night in the parking lot at Bryant-Denny Stadium but I convinced them we needed to eat supper and stay in a hotel.  They were disappointed as they are so excited about the Bama game! 

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

Wedding bells are ringing today for Madison Bosarge & Andrew Rutherford as their marriage ceremony will take place at noon.  The ceremony will be held in the chapel at Cottage Hill Baptist Church.  All members of the Friendship family are cordially invited to attend.  The reception will take place at the home of Vince & Tanya Bosarge which is on Old Pascagoula Road. 

Today is expected to be a big day for Mr. Curtis Wilkinson and his family as he is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital – praise the Lord!  This has been a long ordeal for this family and they have faithfully stood beside Mr. Wilkinson. 

Yesterday was a big day for Pastor Gore as he was moved into the physical rehabilitation wing of the hospital.  Mrs. Gore was so excited as this is another positive step in his recovery.

Mama always told me that “you can’t believe everything you hear” but you kind of figure that you can when you are at church.  Kolton Wadkins is NOT in the hospital!  I am not going to mention that Kayla Brown and Chelsea Cummings were my main sources but I am now putting them in the class with Phil Sims!  Now, Kolton is a very sick guy but he hasn’t been admitted to the hospital as far as I know! 

Spread the word that The Nelons will be in our morning services on Sunday, 11/23.  It promises to be a great day of worship! 

Lord willing, Lisa and I will leave the wedding today and drive to Birmingham where we will meet our good Yankee friends, Ross & Queen Genzink.  We will then attend the Bama football game tomorrow night.  Ross is like so many of my other out of town friends i.e. Bret Hart, Danny LeBlanc, Donald Pannell, Terry Rainey, Eddie Burdette, Tom Compagner, Ryan Genzink just to name a few as they would basically give anything to live in Alabama and have the opportunity to attend the Bama games.  They must lead such miserable lives rooting for Michigan, Arkansas, LSWho, Ole Miss, Clemson, and other high schools.   Rex Looney, say a prayer for these poor guys! 

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

Wednesdays are long days for me but they sure are good days!  My “preaching” portion of yesterday began at 10:00AM and ended at 10:00PM.  I continued to be impressed with our young adults and their faithfulness to the things of God.  They are making some mistakes along the way but they are striving to reach spiritual maturity! 

Great news – Raymond’s father, Curtis Wilkinson, is scheduled to come home from the hospital tomorrow!  He, and his family, are excited! 

Pastor Gore continues to make improvement too even though he remains hospitalized.  Word came to me in our young adult Bible study last night that Kolton Wadkins is in the hospital.  I do not know the extent of his illness but do ask that you pray for him.  Merwyn & Earl Gunter’s sister, Shirley Patrick, is in a local hospital too. 

Shea Childress begins her chemotherapy treatments next Tuesday and will receive one every other week.  Carla Kyser continues her treatments.  Miss Joyce Bosarge continues to have difficulties.  George Taylor sees the doctor once a month.  Phyllis Bush is basically confined to the bed.  Pray for all of these folks. 

The team in Guatemala is doing well.  Pray for them as they minister until Monday. 

Please keep in mind that The Nelons will be with us during our morning services on 11/23.  They will be given the entire service times to minister.  Pray for those services and invite others to join you. 

Rex Looney – great picture!

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

Lisa and I really enjoyed the opportunity to join Bro. Jerry, Bro. Kerry, and eight veterans – Bubba Bennefield, Ted Ezell, Blo Joe Guidry, Andy Hamil, Oscar Petersen, Norman Richerson, Phil Sims, & Bill Unrue – for lunch yesterday.  I am very grateful to these eight men and all of our veterans for their service to our country.

An added bonus was that Wayne Eldridge gave each of us a quart of freshly shucked oysters!  I appreciate Wayne and his gracious spirit of giving. 

Pastor Gore was moved into a private room yesterday so that seems to be a positive.  My nephew did well through his surgery too.  I don’t really have an update on anyone else but will hear from most of them this morning in our service. 

My team of investigators have now narrowed the field on the person, or persons, responsible for the “bad” postcard sent to me from Tennessee.  Either Lois Kirschenman or Janice Moreland is in serious trouble as my impeccable sources are coming through with valuable pieces of information regarding this event!  As Yogi says, “it’s not over ’til it’s over!” 

I am in a panic mode today!  My Upward team practiced yesterday and Asia didn’t attend.  I am thinking that Morris Bryant and/or Rick Bradley (opposing coaches) had a hand in this!  (Asia’s mother works with Kyle Bryant)  That’s okay!  I have surrounded myself with two outstanding assistant coaches – Jamie & Jessica Hall – and they will simply outcoach Morris & Rick!  By the way, I have filed a formal complaint regarding this “tampering” with the league commissioner – Benny McGath.   

Today is a normal Wednesday with the service this morning and the many activities this evening.  I hope many members of the Friendship family will join us for these services/Bible studies. 

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

VETERANS DAY 2008 – take the time today to say a prayer of thanksgiving for the men & women who have served in our military and for those who are presently serving!  I am very grateful to these men & women for their service and for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans!  Thank you Veterans!

Miss Joyce Bosarge went home from the hospital yesterday.  The funeral service for Ryan Prosser was yesterday and I ask that you pray for that family.  Pastor Gore remains in ICU.  Shea Childress gets her test results today.  Sara Nell Moulds has a procedure done today.  Mr. Wilkinson remains in the hospital.  Miss Frances Howard’s cath report was very good and she came home.  My nephew, Cody Smallwood, is having knee surgery this morning.  Keep praying for Phyllis Bush, Carla Kyser, and George Taylor. 

The team from Dauphin Way Baptist and other churches arrived safe and sound at the mission house yesterday afternoon.  Pray for their week of ministry. 

Somebody needs to tell Pastor Jack in Danville that tickets to the happenings in D.C. are running $20,000 each so he should probably go ahead a get his before the price increases!

Rumor has it that Kim French is going back to Guatemala for Christmas Day – what a blessing she is to those people!

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

God is good!  We agreed on that point yesterday morning!  He blessed us with a good day in our services.  I appreciate your kindness to missionary Michael Robertson during the evening service.  He was very complimentary of your attentiveness.  I appreciate your financial investment into the ministry the Lord has given him and his family. 

We were blessed to have two of our charter members present yesterday morning – Miss Lillian Brinkman & Miss Vivian Ladnier.  It was sixty-one years ago yesterday that Friendship Baptist Church was founded.  Of course having those two ladies present was nothing out of the ordinary as they attend all of our services on Sundays and Wednesdays!  I thank God for those who began this body of believers known as the Friendship family. 

Our deacons met with Chris Taylor yesterday afternoon and we are one step closer to it becoming official that Chris is our Minister to Students.  He has been doing a good job for us in this capacity since June. 

We also established the date for our annual “Widow’s Nite” and that will take place on Thursday, December 11th beginning at 6:30PM.  More details will be forthcoming!

Speaking of meals, our veterans are to meet me at the church at 10:30AM tomorrow and we will go enjoy a meal together – Lisa & my treat!  (I borrowed this idea from Pastor Jack Bailey of Danville Baptist)  Actually, two other members of the Friendship family gave money toward this meal and I appreciate their doing so. 

Miss Frances Howard, Karla Cooper’s mother, is having a heart cath procedure done this morning.  Pastor Gore, Desi’s grandfather, suffered a stroke and remains in an ICU room.  Miss Joyce Bosarge, Liz’s mother, remains hospitalized but may come home today.  Curtis Wilkinson, Raymond’s father, remains in rehab and is aiming for a dismissal before Thanksgiving week.  Shea Childress gets her test results tomorrow and then will know her treatment options.  Billy Smith continues to rehab his knee at home.  Phyllis Bush, Carla Kyser, & George Taylor continue their respective battles against cancer.  Pray for all of these folks! 

Terry Stephan, Dauphin Way Baptist, is leading a team of eighteen to Guatemala today.  They will be staying in the L.G. Camp, Jr. mission house as they do ministry for the next eight days.  Pray for them! 

Rashad Johnson of Alabama had three interceptions in their game this past Saturday.  That tied a Bama single game record set by three others.  Interestingly enough, the last player to do that for Bama was Kevin Jackson (#7) on September 30, 1995 against Georgia in Athens in a 31 – 0 Bama win.  Kevin not only had three picks but also returned one of those twenty-six yards for a touchdown and had ten tackles that game.  Why am I telling you this?  Kevin Jackson was in our 10:30AM service yesterday morning and I just found that interesting!  Folks, where else can you get this kind of information? 

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

Liz Whalen sent me an e-mail yesterday to let me know that her mother, Joyce Bosarge, has been admitted to the hospital.  Please pray for Miss Joyce as she continues to undergo treatment for her cancer. 

As I have said before, it is always a good thing when Bama wins while ND & UT lose!  However, my joy was increased this weekend as Western Michigan beat Illinois (that would be WMU from Kalamazoo).  Of course, the mighty Bobcats of Montana State University rolled to their sixth win as they defeated the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona.  They kicked a field goal with 1:38 left in the game on a drive led by their third string quarterback due to injuries to the first and second string quarterbacks.  Riveting stuff! 

I hope that you will go to church today! 

Yes, I know that I did not post yesterday but that was by design.  Deidra and I left after the 7:00PM service on Wednesday night and drove to Memphis, TN.  I intentionally did not take my lap top with me.  We arrived home around 11:30PM last night so there was obviously no need to post at that point. 

I do not have any new updates on the folks battling cancer, in the hospital, et cetera.  I am assuming that nothing has changed.  I do know that Frances Howard, Karla Cooper’s mom, will have a heart cath done on Monday.  I also learned that James Older’s cancer is aggressive and advanced.  Please pray for these needs. 

Deidra and I had the opportunity yesterday to meet her father-in-law, Curtis Taylor, for lunch at Corky’s Bar-b-que in Memphis.  The food was excellent but the fellowship with Bro. Curtis was even better.  We are blessed that Deidra has such a wonderful set of in-laws.  (Daphne does too outside the fact that they live in Lawrence County!) 

Deidra and I then went to Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett, TN (about three miles up the road from where we were) for a meeting with two of their staff members (Todd Pendergrass & Ryan Johnston) and five of the key lay leaders in their church.  We had lunch which was catered by Corky’s Bar-b-que!  (Lunch at 11:30AM and a “late” lunch at 1:00PM – awesome!) 

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss GRACE Ministries and how Faith Baptist & GRACE can be even more involved in a partnership.  They are already involved as they have had folks partner with our GRACE trips for the past two summers and Ryan Johnston led their own team last May.  The same scenario is set up for the Summer of ’09. 

I already knew Bret, Donald, & Ryan and had the privilege of meeting Dean, Jerry, Rick, & Todd yesterday.  What a great meeting!  Faith is actively involved in doing missions around the world through their support of SBC causes, support of other missionaries, and sending folks on short term mission trips to several different countries.  (They are definitely one of my “hero” churches!)  Pastor Danny Sinquefield was on one of our GRACE trips this past summer and really has a heart for missions.  Pastor Todd coordinates all of the mission efforts for Faith and they are doing an incredible job (Todd is a huge Bama fan so I know he is a spiritual man!).  Pastor Todd, Dean, & Jerry just returned from a visit to Central America and they felt impressed to deepen the partnership between Faith & GRACE.  We are blessed and I look forward to what God is going to do through this partnership. 

God placed Deidra in Memphis for seminary and she got a husband while I got the privilege of being introduced to Faith Baptist Church and folks like Bret Hart, Donald Pannell, Pastor David Smith (who led the initial group joining GRACE on a trip), Freckles, Pastor Ryan, KK, Chinese Chris, et cetera.  Folks, I definitely got the better end of the deal!  GRACE Ministries is blessed to partner with Faith Baptist in doing missions! 

Our day got even better as we went and visited with Ashley & Hannah Grace Taylor.  Ben Taylor is a seminary student and went on our August ’08 GRACE trip.  He was at work yesterday afternoon so we missed seeing him but it was good to see Ashley and the baby.  What a great young family! 

Well, it is Bama versus LSWho.  If Bama wins then I will not hear from Danny LeBlanc for months – wait, I haven’t heard from him in months anyway! 

Don’t forget – we begin the “GREAT 8” this Sunday! 

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

America has spoken and we now have a new President.  As Christians, it is now our charge from the Word of God to pray for these newly elected officials regardless of how we voted.  As always, we need to pray for our country.  That was true day before yesterday and yesterday, remains true today and will remain true tomorrow.  So, join me in praying for President Bush, President-elect Obama, and our country. 

Steve Morris is scheduled to have surgery early this morning so please keep him in your prayers.  Mr. Gore, Desi’s grandfather, is doing well following his surgery.  Raymond’s dad remains hospitalized.  Pray for all of these folks!

Lisa comes in with the mail on Monday and there is this look of “horror” on her face!  I didn’t know what to think but then I saw “IT” and I almost lost my stomach!  I am so thankful that our girls were in school and did not have to go through such horror.  What was “it” you ask?  “It” was bad, really bad!  (At this point, any children reading this blog should stop immediately!)  Our senior adults (soon to be former senior adults) who went to TN last week mailed me a post card with a picture of (gulp) Neyland Stadium on the front!  What an awful sight! 

So, Marie, Betty T, Lois, Mariam, Lewis & Linda, Helen Ruth, Vinnie, Kittie, Sharon, Emmie Lou, Bill & Bea, Max & Marjorie, Darrell & Betty, Sarah T, Edna, Allen, Arlene, Ted, Janice, & Phil are all on my list!  My prayer list that is!  You need help!  (Rex Looney, can you imagine?) 

I am so shaken by reliving the absolute horror of that event that I now must bring this entry to a close.  Today will be regular Wednesday for us with the morning service and evening activities.  I hope to see many members of the Friendship family present for worship and the Bible studies. 

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus!  Remember, God is in control!