Pastor's Blog

The Lord blessed and we had a wonderful day in our services yesterday.  I so appreciate the folks who attended our morning services with their mother.  We give God the glory for a blessed day!

The church family gave approval last night to the formation of an exploratory committee to research the possibility of building a student ministry center.  They will report back to the deacons/pastor and then to the church family.  The church family will then decide on the next step.  This is the exact process we used in 1996 before deciding to renovate the auditorium instead of building a new one.  Pray for these five men as they gather information.

Members of the Friendship family once again gave generously to the special offering for the tornado victims.  The final total will come today when Miss Edna sees what was given through the Sunday School offering.  I spoke to Joe David Bailey last night and they are “on the ground” doing ministry and are grateful for the funds.  Every cent given is going directly to the tornado victims.  Thank you for giving to the Lord!

Our bus/children’s ministry has a big weekend coming on 5/21-22 as they will have a special visitation effort on 5/21 and a special day on 5/22.  Contact Bro. Benny or Bro. Dale for more details.

Chuck Rockwell, Carla Kyser, Donald Butler’s dad & Larry Whitehurst are some of the ones I have prayed for this morning.  Larry’s surgery is this Thursday morning if nothing changes.  Pray for these folks!

Lord willing, Daphne & Emmy should be home at some point today.  Again, we thank God for the miracle of life!

I am praying for the folks in Memphis, the Delta, and other places as the Mississippi River continues to rise and flooding is a problem.  Arelene Meredith is driving through Memphis on Wednesday as John is flying in from South Carolina in order for them to attend their grandson’s high school graduation in Arkansas.  Pray that all of the necessary roads will be passable for her/them.

I am so done with the NBA as the Lakers were four and out!  It is rigged!  I am moving to lacrosse!

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

Parents, Brad & Daphne, along with big brother, Titus, welcomed Emmy into the world today at 1:16PM.  She checked into this world weighing 7 pounds and is 20 inches long.  Mother & daughter are doing great!  We give God thanks!

Bernard & Pattie Suthoff have gone back to Jackson, MS for the weekend.  His daughter, Lisa, now has a staph infection in her lung(s).  Keep praying for her and for the family as they travel back and forth from Jackson.

JLo had his surgery yesterday.  He was sent home with a catheter to be worn until Tuesday.  Do you know Logan?  It will be nothing short a small miracle if he leaves the catheter in place until Tuesday.  Pray for Logan.  Pray for Kayla, Ryan, the grandparents, the National Guard, and everyone else trying to keep him pacified until Tuesday!

Chuck Rockwell was doing better yesterday and so in hopes of coming home today.

Speaking of JLo, his grandmother, Becky, wanted to take me to lunch yesterday and was insistent.  I could not think of a good excuse so I finally told her that the Governor was coming to Grand Bay to view the damage from Hurricane Katrina and I hoped to meet with him.  She was okay with that.  (Nanette would have been so mad!)

Wow, I made another mistake!  Not only did the “Queen” call and chew me out again but the “girl in pink” joined the parade.  (I did not think she had a mean bone in her body but wow!)  The baby’s name is BREKON but for simplicity’s sake I will simply call him “B” from this point forward.  (I do not have the nerve to tell them they left the “c” out of his name but I “reckon” they will eventually figure it out!)

Great day for me yesterday as I spent a lot of time in the garden.  Hope to do some more of the same today.

Hope to see a lot of the Friendship family in the services tomorrow.  Blessings!

Marisa Felps sent me an e-mail last night with a good news/bad news report on Carla Kyser.  Good news is that the scans showed no new cancer – praise the Lord!  Bad news is that she did not receive a chemo treatment.  Why?  Carla is dealing with severe pain in her lower back.  Very severe.  Doctors say it could be kidney stones or it could be a compression on some nerves.  She will have a MRI this afternoon.  Pray for the pain to lessen or to disappear all together.  Pray that the doctors can find the source of this pain.  Praise God for the good news!

JLo has surgery this morning.  That would be Jay Logan Hatcher.  Pray for him but also pray for Ryan & Kayla along with the grandmothers.  Becky is so looking forward to sitting in the surgical waiting room with me!  (Logan has “good grandmother/bad grandmother”)

I will check on Chuck Rockwell today while I am at the hospital for Logan’s surgery.  Bro. Jerry saw him yesterday but I did not talk to him after he returned to the office.

Word came to me last night that Donald Butler’s father is sick.  I do not know the details but do ask that you pray for him.  Donald & Pat own/operate The Butler’s Florist in Grand Bay.

I made a mistake in yesterday’s entry.  The baby’s name is Breton Kreuze.  Grandmother “Queen” Genzink chewed me out about that one!  She needs to calm down!  Folks do make mistakes.  Can I help it that I have never heard that name before?  Name him “Soy” or something else easy to spell – please!

Today is Miss Lucine Bryant’s 90th birthday.  Lisa and I had a delightful visit with her yesterday.  We were invited to her party that takes place tomorrow but opted to go spend some private time with her instead (kept us from having to take a gift since it was not “officially” her party).  Happy 90th birthday to Miss Lucine.  Her sister, Miss Annie Rogers, will celebrate her 97th birthday later this month.  I normally do not mention birthdays on this blog b/c folks get their feelings hurt if I miss one.  However, if you turn 90 years old and I know it then I will wish you a happy birthday.  (Myrtle Bowden will reach that milestone this July!  I hope I can remember it then!)

Parent/child dedication this Sunday, 5/8, in our 10:30AM service.  This Sunday evening’s service could be the beginning of something “big” in the life of the Friendship family.  By the way, Manolo & Mildred Padilla will not be in our evening service.  We are trying to get Kevin & Rita Vice to stand in their place!

I read where the government of Japan donated 8,000 blankets and 150 large sheets of plastic to help the tornado victims in the USA.  I realize that is not a “huge” donation from a government but I thought it was pretty cool considering they are still recovering from the earthquakes and tsunami.

Remember, we will receive an offering this Sunday, 5/8, to help with the tornado relief work in North Alabama.  All of our gifts will be channeled through Danville Baptist Church and will go directly to victims of the tornadoes.

Also read where the UN is questioning the recent actions by the Navy SEALS.  Do not even get me started!

A team from Capshaw Baptist (Huntsville, AL area) arrived at the L.G. Camp, Jr. Mission House yesterday.  Pray that they will have a blessed week of ministry.  Believe it or not, our 2012 team schedule is filling up really fast – praise the Lord!

Bryant’s baseball team plays in the third round of the state playoffs today.  We wish them well in their quest to win a state title!

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

Lisa and I visited with Chuck Rockwell yesterday.  He was doing some better.  I am not a doctor but think I may have discovered the source of his infection – he had a MSU cap in the room.  Replace that with a Bama cap and you would probably see an instant improvement.  LOL!

The service for Willie Pierre went well.  Thanks to those who attended and to those who helped with the food.  I tagged team with another person in doing the service and have to say that I have never shared the podium with anyone better looking!  Wow!

Logan Hatcher is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow morning.  I have been wrong in my past entries about his surgery.  I thought is was a follow up surgery.  However, his last surgery did not work so this is a “mulligan” (using a golf term since it is Ryan’s son) to see if they can correct the problem.

Our friends in Michigan, Jeremy & Jenna Kreuze, are proud parents for the second time.  Jenna gave birth on Tuesday night to Breton Channing Kreuze.  He checked into this world weighing 8 pounds 14 ounces and was 22 inches long.  Congratulations to Jeremy & Jenna.  (I hope Daphne can beat that birth weight when Emmy comes soon!)

We had a good day in our services yesterday.  The morning service was very well attended.  The same can be said for our 7:00PM and student Bible studies as Bro. Chris said their total was 170 students.  Jim Chinners did a good job of teaching in our 8:00PM service.  We give God the glory for all He is doing in our midst.

Joe David Bailey and the folks at Danville Baptist are doing a good job of ministering to the storm victims.  They are going into new areas today with Hackleburg being one of them.  We will receive another love offering for the relief effort this Sunday.

The NBA is without a doubt rigged!  The Lakers are now down 2 – 0.  Honestly, does America want to watch a Dallas vs OKC/Memphis conference finals?

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

Word came to me last night via Bro. Jerry that Chuck Rockwell was placed back into the hospital.  Jerry & Gloria Whitmore visited with him as a part of GROW but I do not have an update.  Pray for Chuck.

Also, learned yesterday that Bernard’s daughter, Lisa, has a broken neck.  I know she did not have a surgery they were expecting her to have but do not have an further update.  Pattie’s brother-in-law, Nathaniel, had a heart cath yesterday too.

The funeral service for Bro. Lonnie Miller was at capacity plus.  Good service and the five men who shared did a nice job.

The funeral service for Willie Pierre takes place today at 2:00PM from the Serenity Funeral Home chapel.  It will be preceded by two hours of visitation.  Pray for Martha and the family.

I ask our deacons to be reminded of our meeting tonight at 6:00PM.

I am also asking those folks who have served on the CAB renovation committee to meet with Tony Hacker at 6:30PM tonight.  Please meet in the CAB.

Congratulations to the Bryant baseball team as they won their second round series in the state playoffs against Baker.  If I read the bracket correctly, they will play host to Northview this Friday/Saturday.

Thank God for the rain we received yesterday.  Folks, He does all things well.

Regular schedule today.  Jim Chinners, father of Aaron “Chin Chin” Chinners, will be teaching our 8:00PM Bible study.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.  Keep praying for the folks affected by the tornadoes.

Carla Kyser goes for another scan today.  Pray for her as she awaits the results of last Thursday’s scan and the one today.  Kellie & Cooper Stork did go home from the hospital yesterday.  No other significant changes in those we have been listing with prayer needs.  Keep praying!

I want to remind the members of the Friendship family that we will receive another special offering this Sunday morning, 5/8, for the folks affected by the tornadoes in north Alabama last Wednesday.  A check from this past Sunday’s offering has already been mailed to Danville Baptist Church and they are “on the ground” doing ministry.  Folks outside the Friendship family wishing to give can do so by mailing a check made payable to Friendship Baptist Church P.O. Box 756 Grand Bay, AL 36541.  Simply mark “tornado relief effort” on the memo line.

Something much, much worse than a storm is hitting the southern part of our state – Hien Tran has her driver’s license!  Head for the hills!  Lock the doors!  Stay inside!  Seriously, thanks to Stephanie Dunkley for being such a great help to Hien in reaching this goal in her life.  Hien is only 42 years old and has only taken her test 47 times!  LOL!  Congratulations Hien!

Parents wishing to participate in the “Parent/Child” dedication during our 10:30AM service this Sunday, 5/8, must notify the church office by tomorrow, 5/4.

Met with Josh Woods & Kristin Fontenot for some pre-marital counseling last night.  I am afraid they are getting married on a whim and have not thought this thing through.  What should I do?

The NBA is rigged!  No way the Mavs beat the Lakers!  Also, could not believe the Hawks took down the Bulls.  Crazy stuff!

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

This entry is late.  Honestly, I was up late watching as the news broke about the death of the terrorist leader.  I certainly applaud our military, especially the Navy SEALS, and the intelligence folks for their efforts.

Blessed day in the services yesterday.  The folks who shared last night did a nice job and the proverbial “icing on the cake” was to see Mary Cole & Zach Huhn answer God’s call to serve as missionaries and Eric Dunkley answer God’s call to the ministry.  Join me in praying for these young folks as they follow God’s leading in their lives.

I do not have any new information regarding Bernard’s daughter or grandson but do know they need our prayers.  Chuck Rockwell is recovering at home.  Carla Kyser has another scan tomorrow.  Kellie & Cooper Stork will be coming home from the hospital today.  The funeral service for Soy’s grandmother takes place tonight in the Philippines while the one for Bro. Lonnie Miller takes place tomorrow night and the service for Willie Pierre takes place on Wednesday afternoon.  Logan Hatcher is scheduled for surgery this Friday morning.  Pray for these folks.

We certainly continue to pray for the folks in north Alabama who were affected by the storms of last Wednesday.  We received an offering yesterday and will do so again this coming Sunday morning, 5/8.  These funds will be sent to, and distributed by, the staff of Danville Baptist Church.  Give as the Lord leads.

Am I glad the Celtics got beat yesterday?  Sure.  Am I glad the Heat won?  No.  Talk about torment – LOL!  Am I surprised that the Grizzlies won?  Wow!  Mavs vs Lakers tonight – go Lakers!

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

William “Willie” Pierre passed away on Saturday night.  The visitation with the family will take place from 12:00PM until the 2:00PM service time on Wednesday, May 4, at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore, Alabama.  Pray for his wife, Martha, son, Billy, daughter, Judy, and the rest of the family.