Pastor's Blog

Hurricane Nicholas made landfall in Texas early this morning.  It appears that it will be a very slow moving storm now that it is over land and will bring significant rain to the Gulf Coast.  So, I am going to make the call that we will NOT have our 10:00AM service tomorrow.  All of our regular attenders to that service are senior adults and that is the major factor in this call as I do not want them getting out in that type of weather.  So, please pass the word.  No 10:00AM service on our campus tomorrow.

If you disagree with my decision then call me and I will send you a cassette of one of my messages.  But wait, if you call within the next five minutes then you will receive not one, not two but three copies of my messages!  (Sorry, we are out of our copies on eight tracks)

As it stands right now, we will have a regular schedule on our campus tomorrow evening beginning at 6:30PM.  The cancellation only applies to our morning service.

Yes, the church office will be open regular hours tomorrow, 9/15.

I strongly encourage the parents of our children (fifth graders and down) to contact Dylan or Elizabeth Westbrook if you are interested in your child(ren) taking part in the skating outing this Sunday, 9/19.  This will be an off campus event.

Keep praying for Lee Sessions and the folks from within the Friendship family who are presently battling the virus.

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

Let’s begin with some good news – Lee Sessions was present in our second morning service yesterday.  He has had a tough go but he has strong faith and a great caregiver.  It was a blessing to see Lee.  Keep praying!

Clara Broadus’ sister, Dianne Clark, passed from this life late last night.  Obviously, arrangements pending.  Pray for Clara and family.

Pastor Cecil “Doc” Wainwright passed from this life last Monday, 9/6.  Here are the arrangements as posted by the funeral home – Celebration of life services will be held at Independent Church of God in Irvington, AL on Tuesday, September 14th, 2021 at 6 PM. Visitation will take place before the service from 4 PM until 6 PM. Graveside services will take place the following day (Wednesday, September 15th, 2021) at 11 AM from the graveside at Oddfellows Cemetery.

Pray for Pastor Doc’s family.  I did not know him well but he was always very kind to me.  His brother, Charles, and family are part of the Friendship family.  My heart always hurts when a fellow pastor passes from this life.

We were blessed with good services yesterday.  The girls who shared the message in song last night did a nice job.  I spent some time with a family following our evening service and they plan to join the Friendship family this Sunday evening.  God gives the increase and we give Him the glory.

Our children’s ministry will be off campus this coming Sunday.  If you are the parent of a child, fifth grade and under, then you need to contact Dylan or Elizabeth Westbrook for the details.

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

The church office will be open today, tomorrow and Thursday.  Open from 8:00AM until noon and 1:00PM until 4:00PM.  I am taking vacation days this week but Bro. Jerry and Bro. Abel are in the office and on call.

Lee Sessions was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon as he is feeling much better.  He is a happy camper to be home!  Keep praying for Lee!  Personally, I want to thank Elizabeth for being so faithful to keep me updated on Lee’s condition.  She has done great!

Lisa is going to verify the date with Lynn Presley but our plan right now is to have a church wide fellowship at Presley’s Outing on Sunday afternoon, September 26.  This will be deacon/staff led.  The key word is “fellowship!”  I believe the church needs in person fellowship in order to be spiritually healthy.  More details coming!

Our hill was empty of my family this past weekend.  However, my sweet mother-in-law, Ann Clark, did not let me starve.  She always looks after me food wise whenever Lisa is away.  Best mother-in-law ever!  (Grant Tillman has no idea what that is like!  Just saying!)

I predicted Bill Kendrick’s Rebels would win big last night and they did!  Remember, I am not a prophet but I do work for a not for profit!  I am going to predict that Alabama will beat Mercer this Saturday!  You heard it here first!

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

The church office is closed day for the Labor Day holiday and will reopen in the morning, 9/7, at 8:00AM.  Our staff members can be reached via cell phones in the event of an emergency.

We were blessed with a really good spirit in all three of our services yesterday.  The 8:00AM service as actually not far below a normal Sunday numerically.  We were blessed with a good number of guests in that service.  The Friendship family did well in welcoming those guests.  I was a proud pastor!  We had guests in our 10:30AM service but we were not as efficient as the first service folks in welcoming them.  Our goal is excellence in this area in all of our services.

Keep praying for those folks on our prayer list.

No doubt you are aware that our church website has undergone a renovation.  Brandon Baker led a team that has done a nice job renovating our site.  We need folks to give us good reviews on Google.

It was good to enjoy some football this past weekend and it is not over just yet as Ole Miss plays tonight.  I predict Ole Miss will win big.

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

Lee Sessions remains in the hospital and continues to have an elevated temperature.  They ran tests yesterday but I do not know the results.  I do know that Lee continues to need our prayer support so keep praying.

Our friend, R.B. “Pat” Patterson, celebrated his one hundred and first birthday yesterday.  How about that!  Pat lives in an assisted living facility in Gadsden but is out and about all of the time.  What a remarkable gentleman!  He is perhaps the most avid Alabama football fan I have ever personally known.  Happy belated birthday to Pat Patterson!

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning, 9/5.  An evening service only beginning at 6:00PM.  No Bible club and no children’s choir this Sunday.

Deacons will meet at 5:00PM this Sunday afternoon.

We will receive an anniversary love offering for Bro. Abel in all three services this Sunday.  Yes, we received one this past Sunday but our attendance was way down due to Ida so this is a mulligan.  Pray and give as the Lord leads.

Looking forward to a Saturday of college football.  The Clemson vs Georgia game on Saturday night should be a good one.  We shall see.

I do not plan on posting an entry tomorrow or Sunday unless something happens that needs to be reported.  Just FYI.

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

Today marks the thirty fifth anniversary of the passing of Lisa’s only brother, Michael.  What a tough day that was for this family. It seems like ancient history and yet it seems like it happened yesterday.  I loved Michael and cannot imagine what it would be like to know him as a fifty three year old brother-in-law.  Michael was spoiled but, in my opinion, he was a good young man.

Today also marks the thirty second anniversary of John M. “Dub” Ladnier’s passing from this life.  After a struggle with cancer, one of Michael’s best friends was taken from this life on the same date just three years later.  Thank God for those precious memories!

Lee Sessions remains in the hospital.  His is not covid related.  They are not sure why his temperature is elevated.  Pray for Lee!

Keep praying for Leah Falana’s son who is stationed in Kuwait and for Decker Terry’s nephew who was in Afghanistan.  Pray for all of our military personnel.

We also need to continue to pray for those impacted by Hurricane Ida.  What a tough storm!

Justice John Roberts has proven once again that he cannot be labeled as a conservative.  I am thankful for the conservative five on the US Supreme Court.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning.  We will have an evening service at 6:00PM but nothing else during that time.  I encourage those from the Friendship family who will be out of town on this last major holiday of 2021 to consider giving their regular offering online this week.  Why not do that now?  Thank you for giving to the Lord!

Speaking of giving, we will be receiving an anniversary love offering for Bro. Abel this Sunday in all three services.  Pray and give as the Lord leads if you did not get to do so last Sunday.

Our deacons will meet this Sunday afternoon at 5:00PM.  Brothers, take note and attend if at all possible.

Remember, NO church fellowship at Presley’s Outing this Sunday!

I watched some of the UAB game last night.  Looking forward to this Saturday’s games.  I do enjoy college football.

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

This entry is way late!  I apologize!  Why is it late?  Two words – Elizabeth Westbrook.  Enough said!

Lee Sessions has been admitted to the hospital.  He has been running an elevated temperature for several days.  They did blood work yesterday but those results are not back yet.  Pray for Lee.

Mark Timberlake now needs a pacemaker.  He is scheduled for that procedure on September 29.  He also needs surgery on his other leg.  Pray for Mark.

JoNell Barnes’ sister-in-law in Texas passed from this life.  JoNell and crew will be going there for the service.  Pray for them as they travel.

The Pouncey family with whom Bill & Debbie Kendrick are close friends continue to have one trial after another.  Pray for them.

Debbie’s sister-in-law, Mary, has two tumors on her thyroid.  These tumors need to be removed soon.  Pray that will happen in a timely fashion.

Pray for the thirteen families of the US military who were killed in Afghanistan recently.

Pray for the folks who have begun the recovery process from Hurricane Ida.

Speaking of Hurricane Ida, there will be no church fellowship at Presley’s Outing this Sunday, 9/5.  The water level is way too high.  We will have a worship service in our auditorium at 6:00PM.  Of course, Sunday morning is regular.

If you are reading this blog entry then you have most likely seen our newly redesigned website.  Good job by that group of folks who made this happen.  I was pretty instrumental in helping them with the technical stuff!  Just saying!

Dr. Rex Looney should be ashamed of himself!  Ashamed I tell you!

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