Pastor's Blog

We were blessed with a really good day in our morning services yesterday.  We saw four folks join the Friendship family (two on statement and two by letter)  The spirit was very good as was the attendance.  We give God the glory!

The Spiller family expressed very much appreciation to the Friendship family for all of the kindness and love that has been shown to their family during this time of sorrow.  We were well represented during the visitation last night.  Special thanks to those who prepared/served the food and drinks for the family last night as well as to those who will feed them today.  Remember, the funeral service will take place beginning at 10:00AM today.

The funeral service for Aubrey Stokes, brother of Pastor Alton Stokes, will take place today at 3:00PM from the Church of God.  It will be preceded by two hours of visitation.  Pray for the Stokes family.

Grand Bay no longer has a mayor!  R.L. Pope passed from this life around 6:00PM last night.  I appreciate Martha Patrick letting me know about this.  R.L. was a very faithful member of First Baptist Grand Bay.  He was also very involved in Grand Bay in general as a good mayor should be.  He will be greatly missed!

Victoria Collier’s heart transplant surgery went well and she is doing good.  Victoria is 13 years old.  Keep praying for her.

Kevin Woods remains hospitalized.  Carla Kyser has had a few more problems with side effects from the medicine but is still pressing forward.  Thomas Todd-Faucette’s great grandmother is not expected to live much longer.  Bro. Robbie Howard continues to struggle in getting over his bout with pneumonia.  Bubba Benefield’s nephew passed away and that service takes place tomorrow.  Miss Fernandez has a nephew in California who has been diagnosed with five brain tumors.  Miss Jackie Goff was at the visitation last night but is not doing well.   Brenda Timberlake’s sister, Lisa, continues in her battle against cancer. Dawn Baria has been told by the doctors that there is nothing else they can do from a medical standpoint.

One thing I took from the Spiller visitation last night is that if a person lives west of the AL/MS state line then Herbert and/or Bubba Benefield knows them!

Joe David was 0 – 4 in his NFL predictions over the weekend!  I could have done that!  I may move on and get his dad, Dr. Jack Bailey, to make the predictions for this coming weekend’s two games.

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

I received a voice mail from Tina last night saying that Victoria was off the bypass machine and that everything was going well.  I assume that remains true this morning.  Pray that Victoria’s body will accept this new heart.  Pray for the family of the person who donated this heart.

We are on a regular schedule this morning.  Our evening schedule will revolve around the visitation with the Millie Spiller family.  That visitation will begin at 5:00PM and will continue until 7:00PM.  I ask that you respect the family’s privacy and not come to visit until the 5:00PM hour.  Also, please put “Friendship” beside your name in order for Millie’s son and daughter to know how much Millie meant to the Friendship family.

I have not spoken to Miss JoNell or Miss Vinnie but we could probably use help with the feeding of the Spiller family following the service tomorrow.  See them at church today for the information.

Bro. Chris is taking our students to Winter Jam today/tonight.  They leave the church at 12:30PM and will return around 11:00PM.  Contact Bro. Chris for more information.

Aubrey Stokes, brother to Pastor Alton Stokes, passed away this weekend and his arrangements are as follows – visitation with the family tomorrow, 1/14, from 1:00PM until the 3:00PM service time.  The visitation and service will take place from the Grand Bay Church of God.  Pray for the Stokes family.

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

Linda Green’s step-granddaughter, Victoria, should be in surgery as I write this (6:15PM on 1/12) receiving a new heart.  A match was found today so Linda, Tina, & Rhea headed to Birmingham to be with Tori and family.  Pray for Victoria as she goes through this surgery and for her family as they wait.

Thanks to everyone who attended the funeral service for Morris Dupont today.  A special “thank you” to all those who helped with the food.  I think that was primarily Max Peacock’s class taking the lead in this ministry.

The funeral service for Morris Dupont will take place at noon today at St. Vincent’s on Three Notch Road.  It will be preceded by two hours of visitation with the family.

If you are helping with the food for the Dupont family, I assume you know what time to have the food wherever it is being collected.  I do not know so you will need to contact either Max Peacock or Kittie Camp for the details.  Thank you to each person who is helping minister to Miss Maxine and the family.

We are on a regular schedule tomorrow morning.  I hope to be joined by many members of the Friendship family in our worship services and Sunday School.

Please note that we will not be having Discipleship Training or the evening worship service tomorrow due to the visitation with the Spiller family.  I do hope many members of the Friendship family will attend the visitation to show your respect, love, and appreciation for Miss Millie.

As a matter of fact, do me a favor – when you sign the book please put “Friendship” beside your name so the family will be able to know which folks came from Millie’s church.

I pray that you will have a great Saturday with Jesus.  Lord willing, see you tomorrow!

P.S. – I am not a huge NFL fan but Joe David Bailey claims to be.  His picks are as follows – Broncos over Ravens, Houston over NE, Pack over SF, Hawks over Falcons and Bama over ND.  (Or something like that!)

The Friendship family will be involved in funerals for two of the next three days.  The service for Morris Dupont takes place at noon tomorrow, 1/12, (visitation begins at 10:00AM) at St. Vincent Catholic Church on Three Notch Road.  Miss Maxine is being discharged from the hospital this morning.

The Dupont family will be meeting/eating in Pascagoula after the burial service.  If you want to help, please contact Bro. Max Peacock.

The service for Miss Millie Spiller will take place at 10:00AM on Monday, 1/14, from the church auditorium.  The visitation is from 5:00 – 7:00PM on Sunday night, 1/13.  If you want to help feed the Spiller family, please contact either Jonell Barnes or Vinnie Brewer.

Please note that we will not have our regular classes/service this Sunday night due to the visitation with the Spiller family.  We do this out of respect for Miss Millie and her family.  Thank you for understanding and for being there for this family.

It is my understanding that Ben Brinkman was injured in a basketball game last night and was admitted to the hospital.  I believe he is scheduled to have surgery today.  Pray for him.

Dawn Baria is not doing well in her battle with cancer.  Pray for her and her family.

Carla Kyser’s meeting with the doctor was not conclusive regarding her present situation.  She will meet with another specialist to help make some determinations.  Keep praying for her.

Kerri Lastorka said the her brother, Kevin Woods, is better but has an infection.  Folks are now having to gown up as a precaution before visiting in his room.

I had every intention of going to Agricola yesterday but the day got away from me.  As I was going to leave Mobile, the rains came in buckets.  I called Rita and she said that Betty Carol was not feeling well so it was decided that yesterday was not the right time for me to visit.  Plus, it would have meant that I would have to be in MS after dark and that is never a good thing – LOL!

Upward basketball and the bus ministry both take place tomorrow.  Pray for these ministries and the folks involved in them.

We are on a regular schedule this Sunday morning.  I hope to see many members of the Friendship family present.  Our students will be attending “Winter Jam” this Sunday night.  Contact Bro. Chris for the details.

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

The visitation with the Millie Spiller family will take place on Sunday, 1/13, from 5:00 – 7:00PM.  The funeral service will take place on Monday, 1/14, at 10:00AM.  The visitation and service will take place from the auditorium of Friendship Baptist Church.

Interment will take place in the Serenity Memorial Gardens.

The visitation with the Morris Dupont family will take place on Saturday, 1/12, from 10:00AM until noon.  The service will begin at noon.  Both the visitation and service will take place from the St. Vincent Catholic Church on Three Notch Road in the Tillman’s Corner area.

Interment will be in the Machpelah Cemetery in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Millie Spiller’s family will go to the funeral home today to make the arrangements for the visitation and service.  I should be able to post them either later today or tonight.  We are going to need help feeding the family after the service.  If you can/will help, please call the church office today between 8:00AM – noon or 1:00PM – 5:00PM.

I will visit Maxine today in the hospital and will perhaps learn the arrangements for Morris too.  Pray for Maxine’s well being physically and emotionally.

Lord willing, I will travel to Agricola, MS this afternoon to visit with Betty Carol Neal.  I try to stay out of MS as much as possible but today is sort of a “worse case” scenario as I will be going to Pastor Rodney Coleman’s (Pentecostal) house and he is a MSU fan.  The saving grace is that his wife, Rhonda, will be there but that is cancelled because Rita Vice will be there.  Wow!

Speaking of the Vice family, Mark arrived safe and sound in Uganda yesterday afternoon.  Way to go Mark!

The college football season is over (I do not count the all star games as part of the season) and that is sad.  I watched a replay of the Bama/ND game last night and asked Rusty to stay and watch it with me.  He refused!  I will watch some of the NFL games now remembering that Joe David Bailey says they are better than the college games.  He is so wrong!  (I have to remind myself that he is Dr. Jack’s son!)  Spring games do not count either so August seems like a long way off but it will come quicker than expected.

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

Just received word that Morris Dupont passed away around midnight last night.  His wife, Maxine, remains hospitalized and the doctor wants her to stay there until Friday.  Arrangements are incomplete and will be posted here once finalized.  Pray for Maxine and the Dupont family.

Keep praying for Millie’s family.  I did not speak to any of them last night so I do not know when Bobby is scheduled to arrive from Colorado.  Again, the arrangements will be posted here once they are finalized.

Marisa Felps sent me an update on Carla Kyser.  She is having some side effects from the medicine but nothing so serious as to keep her from continuing the course.  Keep praying for her.

We are on a regular schedule today with the morning service at 10:00AM and the evening activities.  We will have the 8:00PM Bible study too.

I am not a user of Facebook but grapevine talk says that Grant & Katie Tillman posted an announcement a few days ago.  Something about a baby!  (You would think they would have shared this info with me personally since they know I do not have FB.  How rude!)  Congratulations to Grant & Katie!

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