Pastor's Blog

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 11:1-13:4 Matthew 5:1-26 Psalm 5:1-12 Proverbs 1:24-28

Tuesday, 1/6 – Genesis 13:5-15:21 Matthew 5:27-48 Psalm 6:1-10 Proverbs 1:29-33

Wednesday, 1/7 – Genesis 16:1-18:15 Matthew 6:1-24 Psalm 7:1-17 Proverbs 2:1-5

Thursday, 1/8 – Genesis 18:16-19:38 Matthew 6:25-7:14 Psalm 8:1-9 Proverbs 2:6-15

Friday, 1/9 – Genesis 20:1-22:24 Matthew 7:15-29 Psalm 9:1-12 Proverbs 2:16-22

Saturday, 1/10 – Genesis 23:1-24:51 Matthew 8:1-17 Psalm 9:13-20 Proverbs 3:1-6

Sunday, 1/11 – Genesis 24:52-26:16 Matthew 8:18-34 Psalm 10:1-15 Proverbs 3:7-8

“O ye of little faith!”  I was blessed by the attendance in our services yesterday.  The wet weather or the numerous sicknesses going around did not keep our attendance from being really good.  We definitely saw that going to one morning service is not even a remote possibility (never thought it was) as the auditorium was almost packed for the 10:30AM service.

IE3 is our vision for 2015.  Intentional in our evangelism, equipping and encouraging.  Many folks in attendance made commitments so now we will see if we follow through.

We will have a special series of revival services featuring the preaching ministry of Pastor Jack Bailey beginning Sunday morning, January 18, and going through Wednesday evening, 1/21.  Regular times on Sunday and 6:30PM Monday – Wednesday.  Folks, pray without ceasing!

I had two others tell me yesterday that they read the Bible through in 2014.  One of them has already begun doing so again in 2015 using a different translation.  I encourage the staff, deacons, leadership, et cetera to do likewise.

We have had around ten folks sign up for the Saturday, December 5, through Saturday, December 12, 2015 GRACE Ministries trip to Guatemala.  I would suggest sponsors of the children in the Blaukamp Center consider this trip as it is not as “intense” labor wise as the other trips I lead.  The focus will be on the sixty families involved in the Blaukamp Center and those families working in the El Tejar dump.  Sign up via an e-mail to me.

I will be in the church auditorium tomorrow night from 6:00 – 7:00PM.  This hour will be dedicated to prayer and prayer alone.  It will become a weekly happening.  Can folks join me?  Sure.  Will I pray if others do not come?  Sure.  The plan is for this “prayer meeting” to take place every Tuesday.

Wild Card weekend in the NFL does not excite me.  I watched zero football yesterday.  Have not watched any since Thursday night and not real sure I watched any then!  As the NFL playoffs progress, I will get a bit more interested.  Thinking about having a “souper Super Bowl fellowship” the night of the game – what do you think?!

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

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 8:1-10:32 Matthew 4:12-25 Psalm 4:1-8 Proverbs 1:20-23

As I write this entry, it is raining.  As a pastor, rain on a Sunday always concerns me simply because I assume folks will use that as an excuse to not attend the Bible studies and services that day.  Rain does not prevent us from going to work, school, social events, shopping, sporting events, et cetera but it puts a halt to some (many?) folks attending church.  Why is that?

What a great Sunday – the first Sunday of a new year!  The opportunity to begin afresh.  The opportunity to gather with the family of God in Bible study, worship and fellowship.  Is that awesome or what!

Dave & Donna Westhouse are dear friends from Moline, Michigan.  In October, Donna was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Surgery followed.  Testing followed surgery.  Donna received the result of the oncotesting this past Friday.  The score could range from zero to one hundred with zero being the best.  Here is what she wrote to me yesterday – “I scored a ZERO!  Never been so happy to get a big fat zero on a test.  What this means is they feel there is a zero percent chance for a recurrence of the cancer and chemo treatments would be of no benefit to me.  Praise God!”   Dave & Donna are grateful for the prayer support.  Amen!  (BTW, Dave has made a zero on a test before and it was not good!  LOL!)

Regular schedule today with one exception.  No 8:00AM service.  Otherwise it is a normal Sunday.  Deacons meet at 4:00PM.

Today is Wes Bates first Sunday in the pulpit as the pastor of 1st Baptist Stockton, Alabama.  Pray for Pastor Wes!  You have to know that his maternal grandfather, Pastor L.G. Camp, Jr. would be so proud!  His maternal grandmother is pretty proud too!

I pray that you will have a great Sunday with Jesus.  Go to church!  (Even if it is raining!)

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 5:1-7:24 Matthew 3:7-4:11 Psalm 3:1-8 Proverbs 1:10-19

Pray for Rachel Jackson’s family as they will have the service for her nephew this afternoon at 1:00PM in the Dothan, AL area.

The wedding shower for Joe & Jamie (Hall) Carter takes place today from 2:00 – 3:30PM in the fellowship hall.

Upward basketball play resumes this morning beginning at 8:00AM.

Regular schedule tomorrow with one exception – we will not have the 8:00AM worship service.  Our day begins with Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by the 10:30AM worship.  We will then have choir rehearsal, Discipleship Training and the 6:00PM worship service.

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

Timothy Allen Key, 24, a resident of Ashford, AL died Tuesday, December 30, 2014 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2014 at Sunset Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Rocky Creek Church Cemetery with Robert Byrd directing. The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Flowers are being accepted or memorials may be made to www.go fundme.com/phillip-key, in honor of Timothy. Timothy was born on June 29, 1990 in Mobile, AL and moved to Ashford in 1995. He was a graduate of Ashford High in 2008. He was a member of the National Guard with the 186th Engineering Company and obtained the rank of Sergeant. He was employed by Farley Nuclear Plant. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Peggy and Marcus Shelley of Ashford, and great-grandmother Ellen Rhodes of Bayou La Batre, AL. Timothy is survived by parents Phillip and Ashley Key and siblings, Phillip II, Tori, and Addison all of Evans, GA; grandparents, Robert and Faye Key of Mobile, AL, George and Yetta Hill of Irvington, AL; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Active pall bearers will be members of his unit. Serving as honorary pall bearers will be Matthew Key, Colby Murphree, Jacob Lingo, Russell Hunter, Manny Moctezuma, Greg Clark, and his brothers and sisters of the National Guard.

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 3:1-4:26 Matthew 2:13-3:6 Psalm 2:1-12 Proverbs 1:7-9

Heard from another person who read the Bible through in 2014 and is going to do the same in 2015.  I would challenge any staff members, deacons, other leaders within the Friendship family to do likewise.  If you have done this previously, why not consider reading through a different translation in 2015?  Reading the Bible is good!

There have now been three folks send me their thoughts on IE3.  I must say that all three have done very well in their thought process and have given it some deep thought.  None lined up with what I am thinking.  You would have to think like me in order to have a clue and to think like me is not possible and would be scary!

Remember, this Sunday, 1/4, we will not have our 8:00AM worship service.  We will have Sunday School, the 10:30AM worship, choir rehearsal, Discipleship Training and the 6:00PM worship service.  Our deacons will meet at 4:00PM in the office suite.

Our Upward basketball season resumes tomorrow morning.  Pray for this ministry.

SEC, SEC, SEC – really?  They are now 5 – 5 in the bowl games with the West being a weak 2 – 5!  All I know is that the OSU win last night saved me a couple of days of vacation and several dollars.  I told Lisa yesterday afternoon that Alabama stood a very good chance of losing to OSU and when the score was in Bama’s favor at 21 – 6 I told her the same thing.  Bama just did not seem to have the fire and OSU did.  Thankfully, it is just a game!

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

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 1:1-2:25 Matthew 1:1-2:12 Psalm 1:1-6 Proverbs 1:1-6

Friday, 1/2 – Genesis 3:1-4:26 Matthew 2:13-3:6 Psalm 2:1-12 Proverbs 1:7-9

Saturday, 1/3 – Genesis 5:1-7:24 Matthew 3:7-4:11 Psalm 3:1-8 Proverbs 1:10-19

Sunday, 1/4 – Genesis 8:1-10:32 Matthew 4:12-25 Psalm 4:1-8 Proverbs 1:20-23

(I had written that I would not be listing the Bible readings in 2015 but was asked to continue.  If this helps even one person read the Bible through then I will continue)

This entry comes from 12521 Longview Drive in Grand Bay, Alabama.  Long story but longer drive!  We arrived home at 4:30AM having left Holland, MI at 1:30PM (our time) yesterday.

Peggy Knighten is a grandmother as her daughter, Kara, gave birth to Ava yesterday.  Peggy sent the details to Lisa so I do not remember them exactly but I am thinking 6 lbs 6 oz and 19 inches long.  As far as I know, mother and daughter are doing fine.

IE3 will be the focus of our one worship service (10:30AM) this Sunday morning, 1/4.  One person made a great effort at trying to determine what those two letters and one number mean.  It was an incorrect guess but I do appreciate the effort.  I will go ahead and say that no one will even get close.  I do hope to have a full house on Sunday for the service.

The SEC started 3 – 0 in the bowl games but have now slipped to 4 – 3.  Two of those losses were ugly!  I hope the remaining five teams win out.  I am a SEC homer!  I have listened to the Michigan fans crow about their new coach for the past two days.  Ross Genzink has a school girl crush on him – wow!

I pray that you will have a great first day of 2015.  My plans are to sleep and then watch college football well into the night.