Pastor's Blog

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  Our RA & GA workers, along with those children, have been most flexible this church year and I appreciate their attitudes.  Those workers get it when it comes to the big picture and I am grateful!

The visitation and service for Wendy Johnston’s maternal uncle takes place today at Woodridge Baptist Church in Mobile.  Visitation is from 10:00AM until the noon service time.  Pray for the Hopkins family.

The visitation and service for George Versiga takes place tomorrow, 9/5, from Holder-Wells Funeral Home in Moss Point.  Visitation is from 10:00AM until the noon service time.  Pray for the Versiga family.

Daphne informed me yesterday that Mark Hubbard’s mother has passed from this life. A visitation will be held from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM on Friday, September 6, 2019 at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home with a 11:00 AM service to follow.  Pray for the Hubbard family.

Miss Kathryn Butler passed from this life on Monday afternoon. Funeral service will be held at Serenity Funeral Home on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at 12 noon with visitation from 10 am until service time.  I am not going to call names for fear of missing someone but there have been members of the Friendship family who have done a wonderful job of ministering to Miss Kathryn and those close to her before, during and after her passing.  I say a heartfelt “thank you” to those folks.

Sanna Collier is scheduled to see a specialist this week.  Not sure when that takes place but do ask that you pray for her.  Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they deal with her situation.

The doctors are scheduled to meet this Friday, 9/6, regarding Sonny Bates’ case.  Pray for wisdom there too.

Keep praying for Carol Lucky.

Pray for those who have been affected by Hurricane Dorian and those still in the storm’s path.

There were three ladies who prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Savior at the McKemie Place service last night.  Praise the Lord!

This pastor is pretty pumped about the beginning of our AWANA ministry this Sunday, 9/8, at 5:00PM.  Pray for Elizabeth Westbrook, the other workers and the children.

Evangelist Johnny Tucker and his wife, Miss Judy, will be our guests this Sunday morning.  Bro. Johnny will be preaching in our morning services.  Pass the word!

Bobby and the boys pulled out the wildest win of their season last night.  They entered the ninth inning trailing 5 – 4.  The Mets put up a five spot so the score went to 10 – 4 heading into the bottom of the ninth.  With one out and two on, Kurt Suzuki hit a walk off homer and the Nationals won 11 – 10.  Are you kidding me?  Bobby & the boys are hot!  Do not count them out this year!

Lord willing, I will drive to Hartselle on Friday and visit with my parents.  Dad will be discharged from rehab on Thursday.  I made a promise to him when I left last Saturday that I would be back this Friday and I plan to honor that promise.  The Versiga family was gracious enough to schedule the service for Mr. George on Thursday even though they originally wanted Friday.  I will miss attending the visitation/service for Mark’s mother on Friday.  Bro. Jerry will preach the service for Miss Kathryn on Saturday as my family and I will be attending the Alabama football game.

I spent about two hours mowing late yesterday afternoon – heavenly!  Charles Clark and Steve Morris have carried me this Summer when it comes to mowing due largely in part to my dad’s situation.  It felt good to be back in the proverbial saddle yesterday.

This “short story” has been too long.  I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Wendy Johnston had a maternal Uncle, Charles Hopkins, pass from this life this past Saturday.  There will be a time of visitation with the family tomorrow, 9/4, from 10:00AM until the noon service time.  Visitation and service will take place at Woodridge Baptist Church in Mobile.  Pray for the Hopkins family.

The visitation with the George Versiga family will take place on Thursday, 9/5, from 10:00AM until the noon service time.  This will take place at the Holder-Wells Funeral Home in Moss Point, Mississippi.  Pray for the Versiga family.

The Friendship family will host a service at the McKemie Place tonight beginning at 6:00PM.  Randall & Rita Broome lead this ministry and everyone is invited to attend.

Elizabeth Westbrook tells me that we had a good night of sign up for our AWANA ministry.  She realizes that a good number of our church family was gone this past Sunday so the anticipation is that the numbers will increase nicely this Sunday.  Remember, our AWANA ministry begins this Sunday, 9/8, at 5:00PM.  It will end at 7:00PM.  It is planned for this ministry to meet for the next fourteen Sundays (September 8 – December 8).  Encourage those families with children to get them involved in this ministry.

Our deacons will meet this Sunday, 9/8, at 4:00PM.

Our Finance Committee will meet this Sunday, 9/8, at 5:00PM.

Regular schedule for the Friendship family tomorrow morning and evening.

I mentioned some of the high scores from our bowling fellowship this past Sunday night.  I “think” I failed to mention that Bob Evans’ score of 233 was a two game total.  All of the others were single game totals.  Not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Bobby and the boys took a loss yesterday.  They are now six and one half games behind the Braves in the NL East but remain three and one half games ahead in the wild card race.  The Cubs are three games behind the Cards in the NL Central and hold a two and one half game lead for that second wild card spot.  So, if the playoffs were beginning today, the Nationals and Cubs were square off in a one game playoff to see who would play the top seed in the NL.

Rumor has it that Notre Dame won last night to close out the first weekend of college football.  Mama always said “if you cannot say something nice then do not say anything at all” so I will be silent.  Lord willing, Lisa, the girls, Jayden and I will travel to Tuscaloosa for this Saturday’s Bama game.  As a bonus, Bob Evans will be joining us – what was I thinking!

Speaking of college football, Andy & Betty Hamil’s good friend, R.B. “Pat” Patterson celebrated his ninety ninth birthday yesterday.  Andy & Betty met Pat & Dee through Alabama football.  Dee has since gone to be with the Lord.  Guess where Pat will be this Saturday, Lord willing?  If you guessed in Bryant Denny Stadium then you guessed correctly.  Pat is an amazing man.

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

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

Death stings!  It was thirty three years ago this morning that Lisa’s brother, Michael, passed from this life.  On one hand it seems like it was yesterday and on the other hand it seems like an eternity ago.  I just know that the sting of death is very real.

Speaking of death, Mr. George Versiga passed from this life yesterday morning.  I think Mr. George was ninety two years of age.  I spoke to his granddaughter, Heather, via the phone last night and the arrangements are pending.  Pray for the family.

We were blessed with a really good day in our services yesterday.  Bro. Alex did, as usual, a wonderful job in our morning service.  It is always a joy to have Alex and Alice with us.  I appreciate Jerry & Gloria Whitmore bringing them into our lives.  Thank you to those who gave to the offering for Alex & Alice.

Bro. Abel did a very nice job of sharing the Gospel in last night’s service.  We had a really good attendance.

The church wide bowling fellowship was a huge success.  I know we had over one hundred and fifteen folks bowling and a good number of folks who just went for the fellowship.  We probably had one hundred and forty to one hundred and fifty folks present.

I do know that Jack Lastorka posted a 234, Bob Evans a 233, Matt Everett a 204, Dale Bosarge a 195 and TJ Vice a 193.  There may have been others who posted similar scores but those are the ones I can verify as I personally saw them.  Rumor has it that Joey Bosarge broke one hundred but I cannot verify that one.  Joey is a living testimony to the fact that the gutter guards work!

Bobby & the boys have won four in a row but so have the Braves.  So, the Nationals remain five and one half games behind the Braves in the NL East but hold a strong four and one half games lead in the wild card chase.  If the season ended today then the Nationals and Cubs would claim the two wild card spots.   Justin Verlander of the Astros pitched an absolute gem yesterday in getting his third no hitter for his career.  Only five other pitchers in the history of the MLB have had three no hitters in their careers – Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, Larry Corcoran and Cy Young.  That is an elite group.

One of our thirteen readers complained last night about the blog not always being posted prior to 7:00AM.  Are you happy today BJ?

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