Pastor's Blog

June Strickler’s sister-in-law, Marion Hatchett, passed away early yesterday morning.  The visitation with the family will take place on Thursday from noon until the 2:00PM service time in the chapel of the Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  The burial will take place in the Union Baptist Cemetery.  Pray for the Hatchett family.

Mr. Walley remains basically unchanged.  Roy Blodgett is set to have surgery tomorrow afternoon.  Miss Kathleen Henderson is still battling her breathing troubles.  Miss Judy Tucker’s mother continues to weaken physically.  Keep praying for these folks.

Members of the Friendship family are asked to remember our annual Christmas Eve service from 5:00 – 6:00PM.  We will observe the Lord’s Supper and will also worship through the ordinance of baptism.  I encourage you to give an hour of your time to attend this special service.

I entered a post yesterday stating that our AWANA ministry needs throws for their float which will be in the Irvington Christmas parade this Saturday, 12/18.  You can bring those items to the services tomorrow.

I do not have an update on our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering total but should have one by the end of the day.  We will receive special offerings in all of our remaining services this month.  Please pray and give sacrificially.  By the way, I say “praise the Lord” and congratulations to Pastor Jack Bailey and the folks at Danville Baptist on their reaching their LMCO goal again this year.

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

Our AWANA ministry was asked to put a float in the Irvington Christmas parade which is scheduled to take place this Saturday, 12/18.  Tiffany Fox is coordinating this effort and needs the help of the Friendship family i.e. throws for the AWANA float.  Those can be small stuffed animals, candy, or whatever is appropriate.  If you can help, please bring your donations to the church office by Wednesday.  Thank you!

The funeral service for Bubba Benefield’s sister, Francis Kiper, will take place today at noon from Radney Funeral Home on Dauphin Street.  Pray for Bubba, Judy, & the family during this time.

Deanna Crawley was in our second service yesterday morning which obviously means she was discharged from the hospital.  As far as I know, Miss Kathleen Henderson remains hospitalized and Betty Creech’s dad remains the same.  (I will find out for sure today)  Bro. Lonnie Miller remains hospitalized but has made improvement.  Miss Martez Richerson’s sister, Inez Metts, actually had her heart surgery last Wednesday but I do not have an update.  Roy Blodgett is scheduled for surgery this Wednesday afternoon.  Miss Judy Tucker’s mother, Miss Cecil McIwain, (not sure if that is spelled correctly) is very low physically in a convalescent home facility in Washington County.  Pastor Johnny Howard was able to attend the services at his church yesterday but did not preach.  Sanford Horn came home from the hospital but was diagnosed with a malignancy.  Carla Kyser continues her battle against her affliction.  Pray for all of these folks and their respective needs.

We had a good day in our services yesterday.  The children’s choir did a nice job of presenting the Christmas story through song/narration in last night’s service.  I will update our LMCO total either later today or in tomorrow’s entry.  Keep praying for our LMCO.

Akron beat Louisville yesterday afternoon for the NCAA men’s soccer championship – wow!  UL was ranked #1.  It is hard to believe that the men’s soccer season is already over!

To our many friends in Michigan – be safe in all of that snow.  To my MSU friends – we are counting down the days!

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

Bubba’s sister, Francis Kiper, passed away during the night.  (They do not call her Francis but I do not remember the other name)  Pray for this family as they make the arrangements and deal with this time of sorrow.

Miss Martez Richerson’s sister, Inez Metts, is scheduled to have heart surgery today.  Pray that all goes well.

As far as I know, Mr. Walley’s condition remains unchanged.  I visited with Betty yesterday afternoon.  Cassie & Brodie came home from the hospital yesterday.  Miss Kathleen Henderson remains hospitalized as does Deanna Crawley.  I do not have an update on Bubba Benefield’s sister.  Pray for these folks.

Friendship family – we need those gifts for the convalescent home residents by this Sunday, 12/12.  Important!  Also, pray about the Lottie Moon Offering for international missions.

As I type this entry, it is almost 3:00AM.  I have been up for the past hour or so – could not sleep but I just read something that is now going to allow me to go back to bed.  President Obama is meeting with former President Bill Clinton today.  If only they would include Pastor Jack Bailey’s favorite politician, Al Gore, in that meeting then all would be well!

Some well known outdoorsman in Africa was attacked and killed by a crocodile as he was kayaking in a very dangerous area in Africa.  Sad news.  The part that caught my attention was the report that they have not recovered his body.  I am not real smart but I would suggest finding the croc and checking his stomach.

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

What a blessing last night’s service was as God used Bro. Rex Looney & Bro. Johnny Tucker to minister to our hearts.  Again, we did not have any public decisions but there were a number of folks at the altar.  We had our largest attendance of the four nights.  As I said last night at the close of the service, the last two times I have heard Bro. Johnny preach (October pastors’ conference in Guatemala and last night) have been two of the best messages I have ever heard him preach and I have heard him preach some good ones in days gone by.

I want to say “thank you” to each person who prayed, to each person who attended the services, to those who stayed in the nursery, to those who brought guests, to those who sang in the choir and to those who did anything to help with the services – you were a blessing!  To those who did not get to join us – you were missed!

I think Miss Jackie Goff is having surgery today but I have not had that confirmed.  Betty Creech’s father, Mr. Walley, remains basically unchanged.  Deanna Crawley, daughter of Michael & Alisia Crawley, is in the hospital having been diagnosed with Type I diabetes.  Miss Kathleen Henderson was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Bubba Benefield’s sister, Francis Kiper, remains in a local hospital.  Miss Martez Richerson’s sister, Mrs. Metts, is in a CCU and will have surgery tomorrow.  Sue Blodgett was in last night’s service and her husband, Roy, is scheduled to have surgery next Wednesday, 12/15.  Pray for these folks!

Friendship family members, the Christmas fellowship for the residents of the Grand Bay Convalescent Home takes place next Wednesday, 12/15, at 6:00PM.  Remember, all gifts for the residents need to be at the church by this Sunday, 12/12.  As a matter of fact, I think we need 6 or 7 more gifts for folks who were inadvertently left off the original list.  Interested in helping?  Call the church office today!

A few things to remember as we go through this season – children’s choir musical this Sunday, 12/12, at 6:00PM; adult choir musical on Sunday, 12/19, at 6:00PM; Christmas Eve service from 5:00 – 6:00PM; only one service (10:30AM) on Sunday, 12/26; no services/activities on Wednesday, 12/29; regular schedule on 1/2/11 with Mark Harris ministering in song at 6:00PM.  The church office will be closed on Monday, 12/27, (Christmas) and Thursday, 12/30 (New Year) and will open at 8:00AM on 1/3.

Think Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  We have received $23,000 so we need $17,000 over the next three Sundays.  Perhaps Jack Ciak & Garrett Wright will feel led to make up this difference?  A special offering will be received in the services this Sunday, 12/12.

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

Bobby & Marlene Broome welcomed another grandchild into the world late yesterday afternoon as their daughter-in-law, Cassie, (Randall’s wife) gave birth to Brodie.  He checked in half grown as he weighed eight pounds fourteen ounces.  Congratulations to Randall, Cassie, & big sister Paige.

Good service last night.  We are not seeing the public decisions that sometimes come with revival but I do believe God is doing a work within us.  Our attendance was down some last night but I would learn that there were conflicts with activities at two local schools, two funeral visitations, and basketball games.  So, I am very thankful to those who gave attendance a priority.

Bro. Rex did a great job of leading our musical worship in last night’s service and Pastor Michael brought a strong message from the Word.  I thank God for these two men and the ministries He has given them.

As those who were present last night already know, Pastor Michael has gone home a day early.  It is shortly after 5:00AM and I just spoke to him via the phone.  He is already passing through Evergreen, AL as he has a funeral at 11:00AM today.  Folks, God knows and I am just trusting Him.  Who is preaching tonight?  Again, God knows!  I hope the members of the Friendship family will support this final service of the week by being faithful in their attendance.

The funeral service for Mr. Artis Howard will take place at 10:00AM this morning from the chapel at Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  The funeral service for Miss Joyce Bosarge will take place this afternoon at 1:00PM from the Coden Bible Church.  Pray for these families.

Today is Pastor Johnny Howard’s birthday and he really wants to be discharged from the hospital.  They cannot get his blood thinner medicine regulated properly.  Pray that he will be discharged today.

Mr. Walley’s condition remains basically unchanged.  The medical personnel do not feel as though he will live through today.  Pray for him, Miss Walley, and the family.

Michael & Alisia Crawley’s daughter, Deanna, is in a local hospital.  Bubba Benefield’s sister is in a local hospital and they have called the family in.  Bubba’s brother-in-law is also in a local hospital.  Miss Jackie Goff is having surgery tomorrow.  Miss Martez Richerson’s sister is having heart surgery on Friday as she has suffered a heart attack.   Pray for these folks.

We are only having the 6:45PM service today – no morning service, no classes, and no 8:00PM Bible study.  My prayer is that we will fill the house for tonight’s service.

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

My initial thoughts this morning are with those men who came under attack at Pearl Harbor 69 years ago today.  2,403 Americans were killed in that attack.  Serves as a vivid reminder that freedom is not free!  Pray for our military!

Mr. Artis Howard’s family will receive visitors tonight from 4:00 – 8:00PM at the Mobile Memorial Funeral Home.  The service will take place tomorrow morning at 10:00AM from the chapel at MMFH with burial taking place in the Mobile Memorial Gardens.

Miss Joyce Bosarge’s family will receive visitors tonight from 6:00PM until in the Grace Memorial Building in Coden.  The service will take place tomorrow afternoon at 1:00PM from the Coden Bible Church with burial taking place in the Oddfellow’s Cemetery.  (By the way, the folks at Coden Bible Church are taking care of the food for the Bosarge family)

Pastor Johnny Howard may be released from the hospital today.  It is my understanding that Sanford Horn will have surgery today.  Sanford is a friend who lives in Grand Bay.

Bro. Rex Looney did a nice job of leading our musical worship during last night’s service and Pastor Michael Mason brought a strong message from the Word.  Tonight’s service begins at 6:45PM with the choir meeting at 6:15PM.  The choir did very well last night and I appreciate their faithfulness.

I encourage those present last night to be in attendance again tonight and for those who missed last night’s service to join us.  Folks, we need revival and, in order for God to speak to us through his messenger, we have to be present.  Come tonight and bring someone with you.

Pastor Michael & I thank Miss Kathleen Henderson for a wonderful noon time meal yesterday!  It was great!

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

P.S. – Did I mention that today is Craig Kirschenman’s 57th birthday!

The funeral arrangements for Miss Joyce Bosarge are as follows:  visitation with the family tomorrow night, 12/7, from 6:00PM until a the Grace Memorial Building in Coden.  (Across the road from Coden Bible Church)  The funeral service will take place on Wednesday, 12/8, at 1:00PM from the Coden Bible Church.

Friendship family members willing to help with the food can contact Sara Nell Moulds in the church office tomorrow or call Miss Vinnie Brewer.  Thank you in advance for your ministry.