Pastor's Blog

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 11:1-12:19 Acts 9:1-25 Psalm 131:1-3 Proverbs 17:4-5

Grandmother Liz commented on yesterday’s entry saying that baby Sawyer and his mom are doing great.  I would imagine they will be discharged tomorrow or Sunday but I am basing that on nothing factual.

Our VBS totals for the past two days have been 196 and 212 respectively.  The mission offering has reached $1,005.66.  Those are good numbers but the absolute best number to share is that six children prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Savior as a result of yesterday’s evangelistic service – to God be the glory!

Today is the final day of our VBS classes.  Our VBS will conclude with Sunday night’s “family night” which will begin at 5:00PM.  Pray for today and Sunday’s service.

I hesitate to mention that a certain NBA team lost last night for fear they may come back and win it all even though they are down 3 – 1.  If they do, I am buying into the “rigged” theory!

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

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 9:1-10:29 Acts 8:14-40 Psalm 130:1-8 Proverbs 17:2-3

Chase, Bridgett & Ava Chambliss welcomed Sawyer into this world yesterday afternoon at 1:05PM.  Internet rumors say that he checked in weighing 7 lbs 15 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long.  As far as I know, everyone is well.  His birth apparently was not nearly as “exciting” as Ava’s and that is a good thing!  Congratulations to the Chambliss and Whalen families!

Pastor Max & Teresa Lara’s daughter, Johanna, suffered a miscarriage yesterday.  Pray for her and her husband, Josue.  Lisa and I, along with many others, understand the pain they are experiencing.

I do not have the totals on yesterday’s VBS attendance but understand it was comparable to Tuesday’s.  I also understand that the girls are winning the offering contest!  Last time I checked, they do not award trophies for teams leading after three quarters of play!

Yesterday was spent getting money exchanged (getting harder by the trip), shopping for groceries, visiting the feeding center, and going into Guatemala City to buy team supplies (Soy drove to GC while I laid in one of the back seats and prayed!), and visiting with Bro. Johnny, Miss Judy and their team.  (Pray for them as they left the mission house at 3:00AM heading toward home)

Also pray today as we have folks flying from Mobile, Birmingham, Huntsville, and Grand Rapids, MI all coming to Guatemala City.  They are set to arrive shortly after 11:00AM and around 1:30PM.  Once all of the team members arrive, we will have 37 participants.  This is going to be a good team!

Pray for our VBS today as Bro. Jerry will share an evangelistic message with the children – a very important day indeed!

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

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 8:1-66 Acts 7:51-8:13 Psalm 129:1-8 Proverbs 17:1

This entry is coming from El Tejar.  It is 12:45AM in Alabama which means that I have basically been awake since early Monday morning.  Translation – this will be short & sweet!

Our VBS attendance the first two days has been 174 and 211 respectively.  It is my understanding that everything is going well.  Keep praying.

Nicole & Tag will most likely come home this morning.  Bro. Chris is on vacation this week and they are expecting a good number of immediate family members to visit.  Therefore, they request no other guests this week as they enjoy family and adjust to having another child in the house.  I appreciate you understanding and abiding by their wishes.

The Lord blessed and we were able to finish pulling, shucking, and silking the corn very early yesterday morning.  Lisa, Deidra, Dana, Gina and Hennie all pitched in.  Ann & Lisa were putting it up.  Even picked a mess of peas yesterday morning too.

Remember, nothing at the church tonight.  Nothing!  Spread the word, please.

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

This entry would have been much earlier but I was under a gag order by Judge Caryn!  Rusty Suthoff and Caryn Hyatt became Mr. & Mrs. Rusty Suthoff this morning shortly after 9:30AM.  The ceremony took place in the home of Pastor & Mrs. Teddy Turrentine.  Those attending were the bride, groom and minister.  The bride’s sister was outside in the car as the ceremony took place.

Congratulations to Rusty & Caryn – a very fine couple!  They are honeymooning at an undisclosed location but rumor has it as being Coden Beach?

BTW, Caryn said the gift card shower this past Sunday was good and a success!

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 7:1-50 Acts 7:30-50 Psalm 128:1-6 Proverbs 16:31-33

The funeral service for Sue Blodgett’s sister, Gail Bishop, takes place this morning at 10:00AM from the chapel at Serenity Funeral Home.  I realize that VBS will keep some of our folks from attending this service but I do ask that you pray for the Bishop family.

As far as I know, everything is fine with Nicole & Tag.  I suspect they will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, we will not be having any evening service/classes/Bible study/et cetera tomorrow night!  Please spread the word. We have never done this before and may never do it again.

VBS is the dominant ministry this week.  I heard through the grapevine that our attendance was just below the 200 mark yesterday.  In recent years we have seen a decrease in our VBS attendance.  I have some theories as to why but that is for another time and place.  Pray for our VBS!

Ross & Kathy Genzink’s daughter, Jenna, is in the hospital.  They discovered a blood clot and are now trying to determine the best course of action in eliminating it.  Pray for Jenna as she is away from her husband and children.

Bridgett Whalen Chambless will give birth to her second child (first son) in the morning.  The delivery will be by c-section.  I imagine Ava is ready to welcome Sawyer into this world.

My sister-in-law, Sue, was bitten by a wild cat yesterday.  They are concerned about rabies so pray for the cat!

Soy, Deidra, Lizzi, Sydney, Dana, Gina, Caitlin Trehern and I head to the airport this morning bound for Guatemala.  Gina, Caitlin and I are there until next week, Dana is there until early July, the Taylors are there until the end of July.  It will be different on the hill without them here.  Who will help me mow the grass with Soy being gone?  Same person who helps me when Soy is here!

Bro. Chris is on vacation this week but Bro. Jerry & Bro. Kerry are on call if needed.

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

Pattie Suthoff’s brother-in-law has a main artery that is 99% blocked.  The doctors are trying to correct it with a stent as it has been by-passed previously.  He is in discomfort.  Pray for wisdom on behalf of the doctors.

It is 3:00PM and Pattie just called to say that the doctor was able to place the stent and her brother-in-law is stable for the time being.  Thank you for praying!

Chris, Nicole & Truett welcomed Tag into this world today at 12:35PM.  Tag checked in weighing 8 lbs 8 oz and is 22 inches long.  Congratulations to the Chris Taylor family!

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 5:1-6:38 Acts 7:1-29 Psalm 127:1-5 Proverbs 16:28-30

Tuesday, 6/10 – 1 Kings 7:1-50 Acts 7:30-50 Psalm 128:1-6 Proverbs 16:31-33

Wednesday, 6/11 – 1 Kings 8:1-66 Acts 7:51-8:13 Psalm 129:1-8 Proverbs 17:1

Thursday, 6/12 – 1 Kings 9:1-10:29 Acts 8:14-40 Psalm 130:1-8 Proverbs 17:2-3

Friday, 6/13 – 1 Kings 11:1-12:19 Acts 9:1-25 Psalm 131:1-3 Proverbs 17:4-5

Saturday, 6/14 – 1 Kings 12:20-13:34 Acts 9:26-43 Psalm 132:1-18 Proverbs 17:6

Sunday, 6/15 – 1 Kings 14:1-15:24 Acts 10:1-23 Psalm 133:1-3 Proverbs 17:7-8

Chris, Nicole and Truett are set to welcome Tag Edward Taylor into the world at some point today.  They will induce labor on Nicole this morning and then the waiting game begins.  I am going to go ahead and guess 6 pounds 11 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long.

The visitation with Mrs. Hardy’s family takes place from 10:00AM until the noon service time today.  Everything at Serenity.

The visitation with the Gail Bishop family takes place tonight from 5:00 – 8:00PM at Serenity.  Funeral service tomorrow at 10:00AM also at Serenity.

Our VBS begins at 9:00AM today!  Pray for the children and the workers!

We enjoyed a wonderful day in our services yesterday.  There was an excellent spirit present.  Bro. Jerry, Miss Myrtle, Bro. Kerry and the entire crew did a great job with the VBS rally last night.  The VBS offering got off to a great start too with just under $500 given.  Praise the Lord!

Our playground committee did an excellent job in bringing a recommendation to the Friendship family.  Once the water drainage system is completed the playground work can begin.

Remember, no Wednesday night service/Bible studies/classes/et cetera this week (6/11).  Giving the VBS workers time to recharge for the final two days.

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

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 3:3-4:34 Acts 6:1-15 Psalm 126:1-6 Proverbs 16:26-27

We enjoyed a wonderful service in our “Saturday Celebration” last night.  Kyle and the praise band did very well again.  Bro. Chris shared a word about being followers of Jesus.  The “great supper” seemed to be a hit as our attendance was our highest yet with 67 present.

Special thanks to Jeff Holifield & Ethan Nelson for being the chefs (I think Wes Holifield was in that number too), to Lindsey Vice for leading the “everything else” category for food, to each person who prepared a side or a dessert (even those who did not know what it was for i.e. Claire Turner), to Logan Wainwright for setting up, opening & closing, et cetera, to James Mareno for running the sound, to Gauge Holmes for bringing the most guests to the service, to the others who helped in any way.  We saw at least nine new folks in that service – to God be the glory!

Regular schedule this morning and evening.  Deacon nominations due today.  Finance Committee meets at 4:00PM.  Mission Committee meets at 5:00PM.  GRACE team meets at 7:00PM.

Gift card shower for Rusty & Caryn today.  Suitcase in the foyer of the auditorium to receive your gift cards.

I am so aggravated at myself.  Mama always said, “if you want it done right, do it yourself!”  I had appointed Amy Reynolds and Amy Switzer to promote the “pound the pantry” emphasis for today, 6/8, and just found out they have dropped the proverbial ball.  Why did I trust them with this important task?  Folks, we need to pound the pantry by bringing non perishable items.  This is an entire month of June emphasis!  The best place to put your items is on a table in the 29ers classroom!

Four hours of eating weeds liked to have worked me down yesterday morning.  (However, buying groceries at Walmart at 2:00PM was worse!)  I have never seen Rusty stir before 8:00AM on any morning.  When that weed eater fired up at 7:30AM yesterday, his Mustang did too and was last seen speeding down the driveway.  It amazingly returned shortly after noon as the weed eater went silent at 11:45AM.

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

Just realized that I did not put a day/date on Mrs Hardy’s visitation with the family or the service.  Everything takes place on Monday, 6/9.

The arrangements for Gail Bishop, Sue Blodgett’s sister, are as follows: visitation with the family on Monday, 6/9, from 5:00 – 8:00PM at Serenity in Theodore.  Service on Tuesday, 6/10, at 10:00AM, also at Serenity.

Miss Vinnie Brewer is coordinating the feeding of the Bishop family.  Folks interested in helping must contact Miss Vinnie.

Margaret Ann Glenn continues to improve almost hourly.  Obviously, she has stage IV cancer so her situation could change in the other direction just as quickly.  However, her improvement helps take some stress from Bro. Johnny & Miss Judy in Guatemala.