Pastor's Blog

Election Day ’08 is proving to be crazy!  Folks were lined up outside the CAB shortly after 6:00AM this morning waiting to vote.  There are cars everywhere.  On Schillinger Road they have police officers directing traffic at Creekwood Church as that area is so congested.  However, regardless of the long lines, traffic congestion, et cetera, GO VOTE today! 

Billy Smith was placed back in the hospital last Thursday due to a blood clot behind his knee.  I was unaware of this until last night.  I saw him this morning and he is scheduled to go home today.  Curtis Wilkinson had a “not so good” night last night but is still looking at going home Thanksgiving week. 

Pastor J.L. Gore, Desi Lee’s maternal grandfather, had surgery late yesterday to relieve pressure from his brain.  He fell recently and this surgery should correct the problems he has been having as a result of that fall. 

Miss Frances Howard, Karla Cooper’s mother, is having a nuclear stress test today.  This is a continuation of one from yesterday.

Steve Morris is scheduled for surgery in the morning.  This is related to his continual battle with kidney stones.  Clint Clark, Clara Broadus’ brother-in-law, will have heart by-pass surgery tomorrow.  Shea Childress will have her tests on Thursday.  Kristen Whitehurst is still recovering from her surgery.  Phyllis Bush is not doing well.  Joyce Bosarge, George Taylor, & Carla Kyser continue their respective battles against cancer.  Pray for all of these folks! 

You need to be praying for a group of our senior adults – specifically the group that went to TN last week.  I received a “really bad” postcard from them yesterday and they are now on my list!  In tomorrow’s post, I will name names and describe the “horror” of this event!  It is awful, just awful! 

Gotta go check on the ushers we have positioned at the doors of the CAB!  

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

The Lord blessed and we had a good Sunday.  What a joy to see Jessica Walker make a public profession of faith in our 10:30AM service. 

I am grateful to each person who attended and/or ministered to the Henley family yesterday.  The service for Grandma Dunlap was good and her son, Bob, did a great job of sharing about his mother.  Pray for that family. 

Curtis Wilkinson remains hospitalized but the doctor has hopes of getting him home before Thanksgiving Day.  Pray that will happen.  Shea Childress will have a scan and they will then decide on the treatment options.  Miss Joyce Bosarge, Phyllis Bush, and Carla Kyser all continue their respective battles agains cancer.  Billy Smith continues to rehab at home from his knee replacement.  Pray for these folks.

Today looks to be a normal Monday for us.  I have plans to attend the MBA pastors’ conference and we will have our FAITH ministry tonight.  Pray for Bro. Jerry as he leads our FAITH ministry and pray for all of those who will be involved tonight. 

Obviously, we need to pray fervently as the presidential election takes place tomorrow.  Go vote! 

I haven’t heard from Gene & Gena Davis in some time but I know they are using those crying towels today following the UT game Saturday night.  On the other hand, Rex Looney is all smiles today! 

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

I want to remind the members of the Friendship family about Grandma Dunlap’s funeral service this afternoon.  That service will begin at 3:30PM in the auditorium and will be preceded by a time of visitation with the family beginning at 2:00PM.  Pray for Bob, Chris, Bobby, Billy, and the family. 

I want to remind our deacons that we will not meet this afternoon but will meet next Sunday, 11/9, instead. 

Yesterday was a good day as a team from TN and one from South Bend lost their respective games while Bama & Montana State won! 

I did hear that the schedule for next year’s World Series includes at least one game in November if it goes to seven games.  I can’t wait! 

I pray that you will have a great Sunday with Jesus!  Go to church!

Good morning from Vance, Alabama!  Lisa, Dana, Gina, & I are at the home of my nephew, Josh, & his wife, Tracie, Turrentine.  Lord willing, we are going to attend the Bama game this afternoon.  It is an absolutely beautiful morning and promises to be a perfect day for a football game.  If only we can dispose of those Red Wolves in an efficient manner! 

It appeared that we had a really good attendance for the Hallelujah Festival last night.  Again, special thanks to Bro. Benny & Miss Julie for leading that ministry and to all who helped in any way.

I also want to say “thank you” to each person who attended the visitation with the Hanson family last night.  I saw a good number of the Friendship family members and I thank you for ministering to Bro. Sonny & his family.  Please pray for Bro. Jerry today as he preaches that funeral service for Steve Hanson. 

Don’t foget to “fall back” tonight as time changes.  I hope you will go to church tomorrow! 

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

This will be a busy day/evening with the final preparations for the Hallelujah Festival and then the actual activity itself.  Thanks to all who helped yesterday and will help today and tonight.  Thanks to Bro. Benny & Miss Julie for leading this ministry!

Soy & Deidra will host a skating fellowship for the college/young adults tonight beginning at 9:30PM.  If you need more information just contact either of them.

Kristen Whitehurst broke her nose a couple of weeks ago and had surgery yesterday to repair it.  She did well through the surgery and is now on the road to recovery.

Shea Childress was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease yesterday afternoon.  Obviously, the family was shocked by this news and needs our prayer support.  Shea will see an oncologist next week and will begin chemotherapy treatments in the very near future.  Pray for Dave, Dana, & Shea during this time. 

The visitation with the Hanson family will take place tonight from 5:00 – 8:00PM from the Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  The funeral service for Steve will take place tomorrow afternoon beginning at 2:00PM.  Pray for Bro. Sonny & his family during this time.  Pray for Bro. Jerry as he will be preaching that service.

I remind you that the visitation & service for Willie Mae “Grandma” Dunlap will take place this Sunday, 11/2.  Visitation takes place from 2:00PM until the 3:30PM service time.  The visitation and service will take place in our auditorium. 

We are going to delay our staff/deacons meeting by one week because of the funeral service.  We will meet next Sunday, 11/9, at 4:00PM. 

Our senior adults arrived home safely last night and we thank God for watching over them in their travels. 

Don’t forget to “fall back” one hour tomorrow night.  I just heard on WCSG that the rate of heart attacks decreases on the Monday following “fall back” Sunday each year.  So, that extra hour of sleep appears to be good for your heart! 

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

We had a good Wednesday in our respective services/classes/Bible studies and we thank God for His blessings. 

Mark & Jennifer Davis are the proud parents of newborn Sawyer who checked into this world today weighing 7 pounds and is 20 inches long.  All is well with mother and son.  Congratulations Mark & Jennifer!

Our senior adults will be traveling home from Gatlinburg today.  Pray for them as they journey home.

Bro. Benny & Miss Julie are decorating today in preparation for tomorrow night’s Hallelujah Festival.  If you want to help in any way then just come to the church or give them a call. 

The Phillies won the World Series last night and are to be congratulated on the victory.  Personally, I feel professional baseball should shorten the season so as to end it in late September or early October.  I don’t think they have asked for my opinion but I knew you guys would want to know! 

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

A visitation with Bob & Chris Henley and family will take place this Sunday, 11/2, from 2:00 – 3:30PM in the church auditorium.  Grandma Dunlap’s funeral service will take place at 3:30PM. 

Willie Mae “Grandma” Dunlap passed from this life and entered heaven today.  She was 92 years of age.  Obviously, the arrangements are incomplete but a service will take place here with burial taking place in the state of Washington.  Pray for the Henley family during this time of loss.

The service for Steve Hanson will take place on Saturday, 11/1, at 2:00PM from the chapel of Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  A visitation will take place on Friday evening, 10/31, and I think the times are 5:00 – 8:00PM.  Pray for Bro. Sonny and his family during this time too.

Jennifer Davis is scheduled to give birth in the morning at 7:15AM.  Pray for a safe, uneventful delivery. 

Bro. Benny & Miss Julie McGath will be decorating for the next two days in preparation for the Hallelujah Festival which will take place on Friday night, 10/31, from 5:00 – 8:00PM.  Any person wishing to help can contact them for times and ways to help.  Workers are always needed for the actual festival itself too. 

I hope to see many members of the Friendship family in our services/classes tonight.  We had a good attendance this morning. 

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

The cooler temperatures we are enjoying are really nice.  Predictions call for us to have a “colder” Winter which will be a nice change from recent years.  That means we could have temps in the 20’s from time to time this Winter – wow! 

Nothing has changed in regards to the folks hospitalized, battling cancer, et cetera so please keep praying for all of these folks.  As far as I know, no arrangements have been made for Steve Hanson.  I will post once we know something definitive.  Also, I am assuming that our senior adults arrived safe & sound in Gatlinburg.  Pray for them too!

The bad news is that the World Series didn’t end last night but was postponed until today.  Baseball is a Summer sport and should not have games at the end of October!  (My apologies to Bret Hart and the other three baseball fans I know!) 

The good news is that Mark & Tina Mast’s son, Jonathan, got engaged this past Saturday night.  He and a young lady named Precious will unite in marriage next May 23 in the greater Madison, WI area.  Congratulations to Johnathan & Precious!

Mr. Mom needs to go get the girls up and ready for school.  Our supper last night consisted of tacos, chicken fingers, fries, et cetera.  Why do you look so surprised?  (Our girls love San Miguel!)  I had the girls in bed by 8:15PM – so I could watch the football game without interruption!  This Mr. Mom stuff is too easy!

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

Emma Nicole Garrison made her appearance into this world today at 10:59AM.  She checked in at eight pounds and is twenty-one inches long.  Congratulations to Wes & Jennifer on the birth of their second child!