Pastor's Blog

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

I continue to hear good things from our Vacation Bible School after the first three days.  Pray for today’s evangelistic emphasis.

Eddie Whitmore will begin his chemotherapy treatments today.  Pray that they will be effective this time as they were previously.

As it stands right now, Jo Nell Barnes’ daughter will have surgery in Birmingham next week.  That still could change.

Evangelist James Messer will be our guest messenger this Sunday, 6/14, in both of our morning worship services.  We will receive a love offering to support his ministry.  I pray that the Friendship family will be faithful to attend.

Pastor Wes Bates did a nice job of preaching his first funeral service this past Monday and I am now told that Dale Bosarge did likewise yesterday with this father-in-law’s.  I am proud of these young ministers.

It is basically 3:00AM and our first wave of folks going on the first GRACE Ministries mission trip of the Summer are leaving for the Gulfport, MS airport.  There are eight of them flying out of GPT and two more will be flying from Mobile early this morning and all ten will meet up in Houston, Texas.  I am very grateful to Carl Ray Moulds for driving these folks to the Gulfport airport.

Meanwhile, Pastor Keith Martin and nine others from Kennedy Baptist Church will depart from Birmingham, AL early this morning.  They will be connecting through Atlanta, GA.

This afternoon, six more will depart from Gulfport, MS courtesy of Bernard Suthoff (thank you Bernard) driving them there.  At basically the same time, nine others will depart from Mobile, AL and all fifteen will meet in Houston, TX before arriving in Guatemala City later tonight.

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.  Pray for our VBS!

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

The visitation with the Bill Teasley family will take place today from 12:30PM until the 2:00PM service time.  Visitation and service from Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore.  Pray for Dale as he will be preaching the service.  Bro. Jerry will do the comments/prayer at the graveside.

Those bringing food for the Teasley family need to have it in the fellowship hall no later than 11:45AM today.  Again, thank you to those who are doing this ministry.

As far as I know, no real changes in the folks we have mentioned for prayer over the past couple of days.  (Peggy K, please send me an e-mail update on your sister’s situation)

I am told that yesterday’s VBS was exciting with rain, lightning, power outage, et cetera – wow!  Pray for day three!

I am also told that the weather adversely affected the church’s phone system and maybe the modem.  If so, contacting the office may not be a reality for some days.  The phone system will likely be up and running before the internet as Bro. Chris is away.

I anticipate that the pastor’s letter and the “news & notes” will not be available until tomorrow (Thursday).

Remember, no 10:00AM prayer service this morning because of VBS.  However, the evening service/classes are on  a regular schedule.  Lisa is cooking a really great meal for the 7:30PM Bible study with poppy seed chicken being the main entree.  She is amazing!

Dana, Gina and I arrived in Guatemala safe and sound yesterday.  The flights were a bit late and there was a little turbulence from ATL to GUA but nothing bad.  From the time we landed until the time we walked out the door of the airport was  twenty minutes – what a blessing!  John King was there waiting on us and it was all good.  We are thankful!

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

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

I am told that our first day of VBS went well.  I do not have any numbers to report and for that I apologize.  I will try to do better.  Pray that today will be another good day.

Visited with Louis Reyer in the hospital yesterday.  He seemed to be doing much better in my opinion.  He was not on oxygen which is a good thing.  He was “down” because he had just gotten word that his younger sister had passed from this life.  He will not be able to attend the service but is assured of her relationship with Jesus which means she is now in His presence.

Attempted to see Martha Patrick who has been admitted to the hospital but she was sleeping very soundly.

Visited with Miriam Moates in the hallway of the hospital as the nurse was in Jimmy’s room.  Miriam says that Jimmy is better and she can see them going home in a day or two.

The 40-49 Sunday School class (Sonny & Jeanette Bates) along with the 20-29 Sunday School class (Rick & Beth Bradley) will provide the meal for the Teasley family following tomorrow’s service.  Thank you to the ladies who are coordinating this and to all who are providing food.  Keep praying for the Teasley family.

Dana, Gina and I are leaving early this morning bound for Guatemala.  I have a few things to do before the team arrives on Thursday and this also will give me the opportunity to visit with the team there now which is being led by Bro. Johnny Tucker.  Bro. Jerry Hovel will preach in the 6:30PM service tomorrow night and Davy Bosarge will teach in the 7:30PM Bible study.  Evangelist James Messer will preach this Sunday morning, 6/14, in both of the morning services.  Of course, the 5:00PM service will be our VBS family night.

Pray for the three of us as we travel today and then for the team as they will do likewise on Thursday.

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

The visitation with the Bill Teasley family will take place on Wednesday, June 10, from 12:30PM until the 2:00PM service time.  Visitation and service from Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore, Alabama.  Keep praying for the Teasley family.

I hit the publish button too soon on the first entry.  My apologies.

Eddie Whitmore will receive his first treatment of chemotherapy this Thursday, 6/11.  Pray that this will work for him this time as it has previously.

Jo Nell Barnes’ daughter, Carol, has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  Indications are it could be advanced.  She is scheduled to have surgery in Birmingham this Thursday, 6/11.

Nicole Brewer’s infant son, Hunter, remains hospitalized in Birmingham as does Anthony Havard.

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

Tuesday, 6/9 – 1 Kings 5:1-6:38 Acts 7:1-29 Psalm 127:1-5 Proverbs 16:28-30

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

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

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

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

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

Bill Teasley departed this life around 12:30PM yesterday afternoon.  His wife and three of his children were at the hospital with him.  The arrangements are incomplete but the plan is to have a visitation and service on Wednesday.  Pray for Lynn and the family.

Louis Reyer was admitted to the hospital yesterday afternoon.  The doctors seem to think that he suffered a heart attack at some point Saturday night.

Jimmy Moates was also admitted to the hospital yesterday.  Still have much difficulty eating and drinking.

Becky Sellers will receive her sixth radiation treatment today and will then meet with the radiation oncologist to get a plan for the radiation treatments.  She continues to do well.

Pastor Wes Bates will be preaching the funeral service for the young boy (12 years old) whose life was taken in an ATV accident over the weekend.  This will be Wes’ first funeral and it will obviously be a tough one.  Pray for the family and for Pastor Wes.

What a wonderful day we enjoyed in our services yesterday – praise the Lord!  To see the baptismal waters stirred six times in the morning services was a real blessing.  Our morning attendance as strong!  Our evening attendance was good.  We thank God!

The Friendship family unanimously adopted our position and policies on the matter of same-sex marriages.  We are simply using the Bible as our guide.  I appreciate the many hours of prayer and work put into the formulating of this position and policies by our deacons.  They did a nice job.

Vacation Bible School begins in a little over three hours from now!  It will run from 9:00AM until noon today through Friday. Pray for all of those involved in this ministry.  Pray for this important week.

Bro. Chris Taylor leaves today to help lead a Wild Week camp in Texas.  Pray for him.  He will be one step closer to realizing his dream of being Ken Freeman!  (If he becomes another KF, Brianne will adore him!)

Griefshare will meet tonight beginning at 6:00PM.

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

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 2:1-3:2 Acts 5:1-42 Psalm 125:1-5 Proverbs 16:25

Do not have an update on any of the folks for whom we have been praying.  I am certain that I will hear reports as we gather for our services today.  Just keep praying, please.

Regular schedule this morning and evening.  We will observe the ordinance of baptism in both of our morning services.  I think we will be baptizing at least three folks in each service.  Praise the Lord!

The Friendship family will take a position and put policies in place this evening regarding this matter of same-sex marriages (although they are not marriages) as a part of our evening service.  There will be a time of discussion in the auditorium at 4:30PM.  The vote will be without any further discussion.

The church buildings/grounds were the proverbial bee hives of activity yesterday morning as folks were busily preparing for VBS, washing the buses, doing some yard work, et cetera.  Thank you to each person who helped in any way.  Our VBS begins in the morning at 9:00AM and concludes next Sunday afternoon beginning at 5:00PM.

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

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 1:1-53 Acts 4:1-37 Psalm 124:1-8 Proverbs 16:24

Happy birthday to our oldest daughter, Deidra Ann!  I hope her day is great!

Heard from Jerry Whitmore yesterday regarding Eddie Whitmore’s visit with the doctor on Thursday.  As suspected, the malignancy has returned.  The good news is that it is the same type as before so they will treat it with the same chemotherapy as before which was effective.  Eddie has a strong trust in the Lord and is not ready to stop fighting!  Pray for Eddie as he begins chemotherapy treatments this next week.

Heard from Ruby Gulley that her granddaughter, Faron Steiner, is back in the hospital in ICU.  Has had some seizures.

As far as I know, there was no significant change in Bill Teasley’s situation yesterday.

Student pastor, Joe David Bailey, and his team arrived home safely yesterday afternoon.

Men’s breakfast this morning beginning at 7:30AM in the fellowship hall.  All are invited to attend this time of food, fellowship and prayer.

Baptism in both morning services tomorrow.  Any candidate who has not contacted me personally needs to do so today.

Important vote in our service tomorrow night.  A time of discussion will take place at 4:30PM in the auditorium.  Honestly, from what I am hearing, folks are ready to affirm what they have in their hands as is which is what I expected.

Regular schedule tomorrow morning and evening.

VBS begins this Monday, 6/8, at 9:00AM.  Pray for VBS!

I spent a long day yesterday in the garden and then began working in the yard.  Picked snap beans, peas, okra and corn.  How much corn did I get?  Does it really matter?  I will say that it is the first time ever that the corn was totally free of worms and bugs.  I have not used one bit of poison this growing season up to this point.  About to need to put some Sevin dust on the pepper plants.

Lisa, Dana & Gina are away for a few days.  Lisa left me a list of things to get done before she returns or else!  Today will be spent in the yard playing with the weed eater, push mower and zero turn.

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

Today’s Bible reading – 2 Samuel 23:24-24:25 Acts 3:1-26 Psalm 123:1-4 Proverbs 16:21-23

Bill Teasley was feeling “some” better when I visited him yesterday afternoon.  He was about to receive a couple of units of blood.  He still is not doing good and needs our prayers.  He asked that I tell you thank you for the prayers and please keep praying.

Visited the folks in the convalescent home and everyone that I was able to see seemed to be doing ok.   Two were asleep and one was being tended to by the staff.

Attempted to visit with Anthony Havard’s father yesterday but was not successful.  He and some of his other children left last night headed to Birmingham to visit with Anthony.

Joe David and crew leave today heading home.  They have done a nice job.  They have been very complimentary of the Friendship family.  I say “thank you” to them as well as to you.  Pray for their safety as they travel.

Men’s breakfast in the morning at 7:30AM.  Everyone invited.

The garden and the yard are calling my name.  Charles did a lot of grass cutting yesterday so that will be a huge help.

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

I posted fairly early this morning and I forgot to include Seth Switzer as a prayer request.  He will be having surgery on his right foot today at noon in Covington, Louisiana.  It is supposed to be a really quick procedure.  Pray for Seth.

Why Covington?  $37.12 cheaper per Joey!  Wow!