Pastor's Blog

Sydney Lynn Taylor checked into this world at 9:34AM today.  She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce and was 20 inches long.  Mother, Deidra, and daughter are doing fine.  Soy?  Just being Soy!

Marisa sent me a text yesterday saying that Carla’s report was great!  Praise the Lord!  The doctor wants to stay the course with her present treatment plan.  We give God the thanks for His working in Carla’s life.

The service for Bro. Robbie was good.  What a large turnout as the auditorium was basically at capacity.  The speakers and singers all did very well.  The Lord provided a wonderful day weather wise for the committal service.  You did well in ministering to the family by providing a meal after the service.  Thank you!

Deidra will present our fourth grandchild to us today!  We are excited!  Pray with us that everything goes well in the birthing process.  Lord willing, I will be in the delivery room again assisting the doctor.  I may even just send him on his way and take care of it myself.  After all, this will be my sixth experience of being in the room during a birth.

What is the baby’s name?  Great question.  I have no idea.  It is a girl.  I think I will go with “Curtisa” which would be after Soy’s dad, Curtis.  It is pretty original and has that Spanish flavor to it.

Wait, are you not in Guatemala you ask?  That statement about men, plans, and rats has definitely applied to me the past week or so.  The question that I have been asked most frequently this past week is, “what are you doing here?”  When are you going Guatemala?  Scared to even guess at this point!

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

Carla Kyser will meet with the doctor this morning to learn the results of her latest scan.  Pray that the news will be favorable.

Joey’s son, Zach, is most likely to be discharged from the hospital today.  Obviously, he is much better.

I saw Allen Glover last night and that is the first time I have ever seen him without glasses.  His surgery went well and he is seeing things that he has never seen before.

The visitation with the Howard family went very well last night.  Thank you to each person who attended.  Michael Graham did a very nice job of coordinating the visitation from the funeral home side.

The funeral service begins at 11:00AM today.  The casket will be in place by 10:00AM.  Pray for Michael Rowell as he preaches his grandfather’s service.  This is a day that I did not want to see come.  However, we rejoice in Bro. Robbie’s promotion.

One medical team leaves Guatemala today and another one is headed that way.  Clara Broadus, Betty Clair Hatcher, Bernard Suthoff and Jordon Zirlott left Mobile this morning.  Folks are leaving from Grand Rapids, Huntsville, Montgomery, & Jacksonville as well.  Pray for GRACE Ministries and those traveling today.

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

Joey Switzer’s son is in a local hospital.  I have not talked to Joey but I am hearing that he may be moved to another hospital today.  I will be in contact with Joey today.

Jason & Dana Taylor’s son, Jason, will have surgery today.  Mom is very nervous.  Pray that all will go well.

The visitation with the Bro. Robbie Howard family takes place from the Holder Wells Funeral Home today from 3:00PM until 8:00PM.  Again, I am encouraging the folks who can i.e. retired folks, folks off work, et cetera to go early to help with the numbers that will surely be present in the evening hours.

We are on a regular schedule today/tonight with one exception.  The auditorium will be open from 7:00PM – 8:00PM for anyone wishing to come and pray.  You can come at any time during that hour.  Bro. Jerry and Bro. Kerry will be there during that hour for anyone needing someone to pray with/for them.  Is this schedule respectful to Bro. Robbie?  Great question.  The answer – absolutely!  He would encourage us to have the 7:00PM service too!  The man believed in church attendance!

I was granted the favor of the Lord last night as I was able to arrive in Mobile three hours earlier than scheduled.  God is good!  It allowed me to spend some quality time with our grandchildren.  I was sorely disappointed that Soy did not come over to visit!  I expected him to have balloons, flowers, et cetera waiting on me but he did not!

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

We are going to make one change to our schedule for tomorrow.  We will have the 10:00AM service and, Lord willing, I will be preaching in that service.  Nothing changes in the morning.  The auditorium will be open at 7:00PM for anyone wishing to come and pray.  Bro. Jerry and Bro. Kerry will be in the auditorium during that hour to pray with anyone desiring to do so.  All of the other activities i.e. choir, classes, student services, et cetera will take place as normal.

I ask that you contact the church office today, 2/5, if you are willing to help with the food to feed the Howard family.  The secretary can give you the needed information such as when and where.  Thanks in advance to all who will help with this ministry.

It is requested that those who can attend the visitation with the Howard family tomorrow from 3:00PM – 5:00PM or so please do so.  This will help eliminate some of the expected overcrowding.

I did not receive any updates so I really cannot share any with you.  Just keep praying for those who are on our prayer list.

I pray that your Tuesday will be great with Jesus.

That title just does not sound right!  I have always thought that Bro. Robbie was immortal even though I knew that was not true.  Life will never be the same for this pastor!

Morris Bryant commented on the blog announcing Bro. Robbie’s passing.  I now sit typing while wiping the tears from my face.  I encourage you to read Morris’ comments.  I simply say “amen” to them.

The visitation with Cathy, Lynne, Vangie and the Howard family will take place on Wednesday, 2/6, at the Holder Wells Funeral Home in Moss Point, MS from 3:00PM until 8:00PM.  Why the early start?  I expect the crowd will be more than Holder Wells can handle.  So, folks who are retired, off work, et cetera are encouraged to go early to help with the crowding that will take place in the evening.  I would encourage folks to car pool as I just do not think the parking lot will be able to handle all of the cars.  Please not think that I am in any way encouraging you to not attend the visitation.  That is not true.  I just think Cathy & Lynne have made some really wise decisions in handling their daddy’s arrangements.

The service will take place on Thursday morning, 2/7, at 11:00AM in the auditorium of Friendship Baptist Church.  This was Bro. Robbie’s request and we are honored to be able to make it happen.  Please note that the visitation with the family and the funeral service are in two different locations.

Interment will take place in Machpelah Cemetery in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

One side note – Bro. Robbie passed away today, 2/4, on the 44th anniversary of his son’s, Eddie, passing.

Just received word  that Bro. Robbie has passed from this life and entered Heaven.  Pray for his family.  More details later.

Happy 21st birthday to Hien Tran!  Lisa and I are proud of Hien!

Visited with Bro. Robbie after the service last night.  He was asleep but was still having difficulty breathing.  He is surrounded by his daughters, Cathy & Lynne, and other family members.  Pray for the Lord to be merciful and to give him breath!

Allen Glover is scheduled to have eye surgery this morning.  He is in hopes this will eliminate the need for glasses.

The funeral service for Merwyn Gunter will take place this morning at 10:00AM from the chapel of Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.  Bro. Jerry Hovel will be preaching that service.  Pray for him.  Pray for the Gunter family.

Joey Switzer’s son, Zach, has been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia.

The mother of Scott, who works at Joey’s place, had a stroke and is also in the hospital.

I made a mistake – imagine that!  Carla Kyser did not meet with the doctor last Friday but rather had a scan.  She gets the results this Thursday.

We had good services yesterday.  I did not look at the count but our evening service was pretty well attended considering the time change and the fact that they were playing a ball game.

Upward basketball games take place all week as the season comes to a close.  Kristy does a good job of coordinating this ministry.

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

I am calling on the Friendship family and friends to stop the moment you read this to pray for Bro. Robbie.  He is having a very tough day.  Is having a difficult time breathing.  He is now under hospice care.  Please intercede on his behalf.  Thank you!

I want to remind the members of the Friendship family that we have moved our evening service up one hour tonight.  We will begin our worship service at 5:00PM.  This will allow the members of the Friendship family to attend the visitation with the Merwyn Gunter family.  That visitation lasts until 8:00PM at the Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.

Miss Vinnie Brewer is coordinating the ministry to feed the Gunter family this aftenoon (Sunday).  There is plenty of food available and I appreciate those who have helped.

We are on a regular schedule this morning.  I will be preaching in all three services today.  I hope to be joined by many members of the Friendship family.

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