Pastor's Blog

Traci Holifield has been told by her doctor that they anticipate her giving birth by 1:00PM today as they will induce labor this morning around 6:00AM.  Pray for Traci, Wes, Ryleigh and the entire family as they go through this day. 

Caroline Ford did in fact remain in the hospital overnight.  She was sore last night but the surgery was deemed successful and she should come home today. 

Jodie Johnson’s mother, Judy Ziglar, began her chemotherapy treatments yesterday.  She is receiving one treatment per week.  Pray for Judy, Floyd, and the entire family during this time. 

Martha Patrick’s brother, James “Bubba” Swan was discharged from a local hospital yesterday and sent to live in a convalescent home with his wife, Helen.  I saw him in the hospital yesterday and he was in good spirits and was looking forward to being in the same facility with Miss Helen.  Pray for this sweet couple.

We will have a regular Wednesday today with our morning service at 10:00AM; preschool choir, children’s choir and senior high Bible study at 6:00PM; RA’s, GA’s, Mission Friends, junior high Bible study and the service in the auditorium at 7:00PM; and our college/young professionals Bible study at 8:00PM.  I hope each member of the Friendship family will be involved in these classes/services. 

Again, I remind you of our services this Saturday, 4/7, and Sunday, 4/8, as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus!

I am sitting in a hospital waiting room as Caroline Ford is having surgery on her neck today.  It is possible she will go home this afternoon but is more probable that she will spend tonight in the hospital.  Pray for her.  FYI – Caroline came through the surgery fine as the doctor removed two large spurs from her neck area.  Still don’t know if she will come home tonight or not.

I pray that each member of the Friendship family is making plans to be part of Easter weekend at the church.  It all begins on Friday night when our GA’s, RA’s, and their leaders will boil and decorate eggs for the hunt on Saturday. 

On Saturday, we will have our regular classes for our preschool and children’s departments which will then be followed by preschool church led by Josh Woods and children’s church led by Benny McGath.  All of the children will the participate in a giant egg hunt on the south property.  If you would like to help with this special day, please contact the church office at 445-5412.  Please remember that the office will be closed this Friday so call today, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

Easter Sunday ’07 is going to be a great day at Friendship.  Our morning worship services will take place at 7:30, 9:00, & 10:30AM.  (Please note there will be no Sunday School or Discipleship Training)  The evening service will begin at 6:00PM and will feature the ministry of our adult choir as they present the musical, “My Savior, My God”. 

I am still anticipating the possibility of off loading a trailer onto the container at some point this week.  Please check this blog daily in order to be informed of the timing. 

The Lord blessed our services yesterday as we saw Betty McDonald (Belvin’s wife) join the Friendship family on statement.  The evening service was special as we observed the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.  We had good attendance in all three of our services and we are thankful for the Lord’s blessings. 

Our work day this past Saturday was well attended and much was accomplished.  Many thanks to each person who helped in any way.  We are now ready for the Easter weekend.

Sherry Woods was discharged from the hospital today and is recovering nicely from her surgery.  Please continue to pray for her. 

We will see the addition of two babies this week as Tracy Holifield will have labor induced on Wednesday and Sherry Lavelle will follow suit on Thursday.  Of course, either of these ladies could go earlier and they are both so ready to deliver!  Pray for them.

Caroline Ford will have surgery tomorrow.  Betty McDonald will have surgery on Thursday. Pray for these ladies and their respective surgery.

My dad, Curly Turrentine, met with the oncologist today to discuss his biopsy.  He does have lymphoma but it is a low grade, slow progressing, non-hodgkins type – praise the Lord!  He will have a bone marrow biopsy tomorrow.  If there is no sign of the cancer in the bone marrow then the doctor has suggested the possibility of doing no treatment at all for the time being.  However, that decision will ultimately belong to my dad.  Thank you for your concern and many prayers.  I simply ask that you continue to pray. 

Easter Sunday ’07 is almost here.  I pray you will join us this Sunday at 7:30, 9:00 or 10:30AM and then again at 6:00PM as we worship our Risen Savior!    

This is actually being written late Saturday night but I figure most folks will not read it until Sunday or Monday.  We had a blessed work day with a good number of folks participating and much was accomplished.  Thank you to each person who helped in any way!

Sherry Woods did well in surgery.  The doctor placed a plate and some screws in her leg so pray that it will help relieve the pain and heal properly.  If all goes well, she will go home on Monday.

Bro. Johnny Tucker did well in receiving the defibrillator for his heart.  He spent Friday night in the hospital.   

It is highly possible that we will need some people to help off load the contents of a trailer into the container one morning this week.  I will let you know once we have received word from Louisiana. 

Many folks have been asking about my dad and his situation.  Thank you for caring.  He had a biopsy done this past Monday and is scheduled to meet with the oncologist this Thursday to discuss the results. 

It has been a real joy for me to have one of my first cousins, Tony Gettig, and his wife, Kathy, with us for the past couple of days.  They are from Kalamazoo, MI and Tony went to Guatemala with us this past February.  He is working on a promotional video for GRACE Ministries which should be ready by the end of April.  Tony & Kathy are great Christians and I am thankful for their service to the Lord!

Miss Audrey’s funeral service will take place today at 2:00PM.  Please pray for that service and for her family. 

We need many folks to come for the work day this Saturday from 8:00AM until noon.  Bring your tools, equipment, et cetera and let’s get ready for Easter weekend. 

Please pray for Sarah Thornton and her family today as they have the funeral service for her brother, Ray Brown, in Citronelle. 

Also, please remember the funeral visitation for Miss Audrey Brooks tonight from 6:00 – 8:00PM in the church auditorium.  (Please note it starts at 6:00PM for the public)  That service will be tomorrow at 2:00PM from the auditorium with burial in Serenity Gardens.

We are having every Bible study, class, choir, et cetera scheduled for today with the exception of our prayer meeting in the auditorium. 

Jason Creel did well during his surgery yesterday and we are thankful. 

Please remember the work day scheduled for this Saturday, 3/31, from 8:00AM until noon.  Hope to see many of you there for that effort. 

Hope is alive!  Bring your family and friends to church on Easter Sunday! 

The visitation for Miss Audrey Brooks will take place tomorrow night, 3/28, from 6:00 – 8:00PM in the church auditorium.  The funeral service will be held in the auditorium on Thursday, 3/29, at 2:00PM. 

We will have our 10:00AM prayer meeting tomorrow.  Also, we will have our senior high Bible study & children’s choir at 6:00PM, junior high Bible study, RA’s, GA’s, & Mission Friends at 7:00PM. 

We will not have our prayer meeting service in the auditorium at 7:00PM due to the visitation. 

Please make contact with others from the Friendship family who may not read this blog entry.  Thanks!

We just received a call from Reggie Waters who is Audrey Brooks son-in-law informing us that Miss Audrey passed away in the early hours this morning.  Audrey is a precious saint of God and will be greatly missed by the Friendship family as she was such a faithful member.  Funeral plans are incomplete at this time but the hopes are for a Wednesday night visitation and a Thursday service.  I will post those arrangements once they have been finalized.  Pray for Miss Audrey’s family. 

 Jason Creel is having surgery on his back today so please remember him in your prayers. 

The funeral service for Sarah Thornton’s brother, Ray Brown, will take place in Citronelle tomorrow morning at 11:00AM.  Please continue to pray for that family. 

Word came yesterday that a trailer will not arrive this week to be off loaded onto the container.  Maybe next week – stay tuned!

We will have our work day this Saturday, 3/31, from 8:00AM until noon.  Our hope is for many folks to help get everything ready for the Easter weekend. 

My prayer is that you will join us for Bible study and prayer tomorrow morning or evening.

The Lord blessed and we had a good day yesterday in our services.  Steve Osborn from Love The Child Ministries in Guatemala joined us for the two morning services and Sunday School.  As always, it was great to see him.  He is such a huge blessing to our ministry in Guatemala and I think he knows everyone in Guatemala.

Audrey Brooks remains hospitalized but Ronnie Owens was discharged.  Jennifer Jackson’s mother, Mrs. Howard, and my dad will both have a biopsy done today.  Jason Creel, Judy’s husband, will have surgery on his back tomorrow.  Sherry Woods will have another surgery on her leg/ankle this Friday.  Bro. Johnny Tucker will have a defibrillator placed in his heart on Friday.  Pray for these folks as they go through these respective procedures/surgeries. 

Warren Guidry and Carolyn Abendroth had a brother-in-law, Jerry May, to pass away last Wednesday night.  His funeral service will take place today in Beaumont, Texas.

Sarah Criswell Thornton had a brother, Ray Brown, to pass away Saturday in Smithtown.  At the time of this post, the arrangements are incomplete.  Pray for both of these families as they go through this time of grief.

Ben Vickers helped unload the contents of the trailer into the container this past Saturday and his help was greatly appreciated.  Plans call for another trailer load to arrive either Thursday or Saturday morning.  Check this blog for the day and time.

It is my hope that a good number of folks will be present this Saturday to help us work on the church grounds as we prepare for Easter weekend.  Bring your tools, equipment, et cetera and join us from 8:00AM until noon. 

Hope is alive!  Let’s busy ourselves in bringing folks to the services on Easter Sunday as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus! 

Word came yesterday that a trailer will arrive here tomorrow morning, 3/24, around 8:00AM and the contents of that trailer will need to be off loaded into the container on our back property.  So, if four or five guys could give us a hand it should not take long at all to have the driver back on the road. 

The question has been asked about our putting things for GRACE Ministries on the container.  At this point, it is unclear whether there will be room available.  We are loading and shipping this container to help Dr. Mike Clark and Casa Aleluya.  If space becomes available, we will announce it. 

Ronnie Owens received less than positive news after his surgery on Wednesday but that changed for the better yesterday.  His oncologist came by to tell him of a new treatment option which he wants to begin as soon as Ronnie recovers from his surgery.  Ronnie was encouraged and asks for your continued prayer support. 

Word came last night via an e-mail from Derrick & Jodie that the Capshaw team is having a good week of ministry in Guatemala.  They are scheduled to return home this Sunday so please keep praying for them too.

Please keep our work day scheduled for 3/31 on your calendar.  We will work from 8:00AM until noon. 

My prayer is that each member of the Friendship family will be involved in our Bible studies and worship services this Sunday.  Hope to see you there!

There will not be another post until Sunday night or Monday morning unless something happens within the Friendship family which needs immediate attention or prayers.