Pastor's Blog

After facing some technical difficulties, finally able to get online and send a quick entry from the hospital waiting area.  Steve Morris has been taken back to get prepped for his surgery which is being described as “major!”  Pray for all to go well and that time will pass quickly for Virginia.

Saw Bro. Johnny & Miss Judy Tucker earlier this morning as he will be having his defibrillator changed today.  Pray for this to also go well.

Per Bro. Jerry, Max Peacock is not doing well. Pray for Max and Marjorie.

Bro. Jerry says the fish fry was a huge success.  Thank you to each person who helped in any way.  Thank you to each person who attended.

Only one morning worship on our campus this Sunday, 10/16, and that will begin at 10:30AM.  Our Sunday School will begin at 9:15AM.  Regular schedule in the evening with our worship service beginning at 6:00PM.  Pastor Johnny Maxwell will be our guest messenger in both the morning and evening service.  Folks, do not miss these services!

Thank you to those who have sent your email address in order to be included on the internal updates.  Want to be included?  Send me your name and email address to pastor@friendshipfamily.net.

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

Steve Morris is scheduled to have a major surgery beginning at 7:00AM tomorrow, 10/14.  Steve looked and sounded good yesterday afternoon.  Pray fervently for Steve, the operating team and Steve’s family.

The surgical procedures for Karen McGriff and Keith Barrett yesterday morning were successful.  Thank you for praying!

Myrtle Bowden had a good day yesterday largely in part to the blood she received on Tuesday.  Keep praying!

No change in Miss Vinnie’s son’s situation.  Just keep praying!  Buddy’s faith in the Lord is strong.

Senior adult fish fry today from 11:00AM until 2:00PM on our campus.  All senior adults from the Friendship family are invited to attend.

One morning service on our campus this Sunday, 10/16, and that will begin at 10:30AM.  Sunday School at 9:15AM and then a normal schedule in the evening with worship at 6:00PM.  Pastor Johnny Maxwell will be our guest messenger in both services.

Want to receive the internal updates via email?  Send me your email address.  pastor@friendshipfamily.net

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

Karen McGriff will be having a procedure done on her shoulder this morning.  It is not a “cutting” procedure but rather putting her to sleep and working her shoulder to unfreeze it.  This freezing is caused by scar tissue from her previous surgery.  Pray that all goes well.

Keith Barrett will have having surgery on his right hand this morning.  Pray for it to be successful.

Myrtle Bowden did receive blood yesterday.  I think Sammy told me she was receiving two units of blood.  Pray that his will be a “pick me up” for Myrtle.

Steve Morris looked and sounded much better yesterday morning.  He has a long road ahead of him with a major surgery looming  within the next few days.  Steve is one of the nicest guys I have ever known.  Keep praying for Steve & Virginia.

I should hear from Miss Vinnie this morning regarding Buddy’s situation.  Keep praying!

Senior adult fish fry on our campus tomorrow, 10/13, from 11:00AM until 2:00PM.  (I am going to speculate that once those folks eat they will head to the house for a nap which means I think it will be over long before 2:00PM – LOL!)  All senior adults are invited to attend.

Still a need for folks to host a station at the Trail of Truth and Treats on Sunday, October 30, from 4:00PM until 6:30PM.  Contact Bro. Abel or Lindsey Vice to volunteer or for more information.

Major change for this Sunday, October 16.  We will only have one morning worship service and that will begin at 10:30AM.  Our day will begin with Sunday School at 9:15AM.  Our evening schedule will be normal with our worship service beginning at 6:00PM.  This is for this Sunday only.  Please pass the word!

We have had twenty something folks from within the Friendship family send me their email address in order to receive the internal updates going forward.  Our two major means of communication will the weekly (most weeks) letter and this new email.  So, if you want to be kept up to date, get prayer requests, et cetera then please send your email address to me at pastor@friendshipfamily.net.  There is not a “deadline” on this as folks can be added whenever.  However, you will not be added unless you request to be through an email to me.  That does not matter who you are, what position you hold, et cetera.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  Our morning service is going to be a “sweet” time in the Word and in fellowship.

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

A good bit to unpack this morning and even more for which to pray so let’ jump right in.  Karen McGriff contacted me late yesterday to share that she has a “frozen shoulder” and will be having surgery tomorrow.  Pray that all will go well as this will be her second surgery in the last couple of months.

Steve Morris was placed in an intensive care unit yesterday afternoon.  The doctor wanted to do emergency surgery but the decision was made to wait five days because Steve has to be off of his blood thinner for the five days due to the type of surgery.  So, I am not sure when the surgery will take place but Steve will be kept in the hospital until he has recovered from the surgery.  Pray, pray, pray!

I was wrong (again, let that sink in) about Myrtle’s blood transfusion.  She did not receive one yesterday but will do so this morning.  Pray for Myrtle!

Continue to pray for Miss Vinnie’s son, Buddy.  Pray for the insurance company to pay for his needed treatment or for the doctor to find another suitable option.

Pray for Tim Knighten as he is now under a month before his surgery.

VERY IMPORTANT – after much thought and prayer yesterday, I have made the decision to only have one morning service this Sunday, 10/16.  I will not go into the details but suffice it to say that I feel this is best for Pastor Johnny Maxwell.  I need you to help pass the word to our non-blog readers.  So, our schedule for this week only will be Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM and then a normal schedule Sunday evening with worship beginning at 6:00PM.  Please know this decision was not easily or hastily made!

The initial response to folks within the Friendship family providing me with their email addresses for future internal updates as good.  We have a long way to go but the start was good.  It will be used this week as we move toward Sunday.  Send your name and email address to pastor@friendshipfamily.net.  Do it now while you are thinking about it, please.

The following comes from Bro. Abel regarding the Trail of Truth and Treats – “We would like to have at least 4 more cars               (participants). We also need candy , candy, candy or donations.  Friendship Family can contact me at 979-299-9125.” 

Senior adults, please remember the fish fry this Thursday, 10/13, beginning at 11:00AM.

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

Steve Morris was taken to an emergency room this morning.  After undergoing a MRI, he was admitted to the hospital for observation.  Keep praying for Steve and Virginia.

I failed to mention in this morning’s blog entry that Gary Walton’s brother passed from this life a few days ago.  Pray for Gary and family.

Cecil Guidry sent me an update on her sister’s (Myrtle Bowden) condition after getting the PET scan results.  Some areas showed improvement while others remained about the same.  They gave Myrtle blood and opted to not do a treatment as the doctor did not think it would be best today.  They will begin her original treatment regiment in two weeks.  Here is the final thought from that update – “We serve an on-time, awesome God who heals and performs miracles everyday.”

Friendship family – I plan to soon begin sending email updates.  If you want to be included then please send an email to me at pastor@friendshipfamily.net.  Include your name and active email address.  (Some folks have email addresses that do not include their name so help me here)  Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Good Monday morning!  The Friendship family was blessed with another good day in our services yesterday.  The spirit was once again excellent – praise the Lord!  We had another public profession of faith in our second morning worship service.  That is like at least one POF in eight of the past ten Sundays or something close to that – praise the Lord!  Pastor Clint Landry did an excellent job of sharing the Word with us in our evening service – praise the Lord!  To God be the glory!

Myrtle Bowden goes this morning to get the results from her latest PET scan.  Pray that the report will be great!

Steve Morris has a consultation with the doctor today.  I do not know what this is about but do know we need to keep praying for Steve & Virginia.

Miss Vinnie’s son, Buddy, needs a treatment(s) for his malignancy but they have hit a snag with the insurance company.  Pray this issue can be resolved quickly.  Pray for Buddy!

Tim Knighten’s surgery is scheduled to take place one month from today.  Keep praying!

Bro. Dylan and Elizabeth along with the other chaperones will spend today recovering from the lock in last night.  Glad it is them and not me!  Just saying!

Bro. Jerry and our senior adults will gather on our campus for a fish fry this Thursday, 10/13, from 11:00AM until 2:00PM.  All of our senior adults are encouraged to attend.

Bro. Abel tells me that our fall soccer season is going well.  Basketball sign ups begin soon and then it will be on to the spring soccer season.  I am grateful for our sports ministry.

I have been blessed with cards, words of encouragement, food and financial gifts over the past few days.  Thank you to each person who has had a part.  Totally not necessary but very much appreciated.  I am a blessed pastor!

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

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

Pastor Clint Landry and family will be our guests in our evening service tomorrow.  Pastor Clint will be bringing the message and I pray that many members of the Friendship family will attend.

Our students, 6th – 12th, will have a lock in tomorrow night beginning at 5:00PM and ending at 7:00AM on Monday, 10/10.

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

This entry is going to be short and will end sweet.  I begin by saying “glory to God” for a very good Wednesday in our services.  The main thing that I took away was the absolute “sweetness of spirit” in both services.  That is a God thing.  Then, our attendance was really good especially in the morning service.  Praise the Lord!

I was in the bayou yesterday and noticed that Dr. Clint Landry will be preaching at First Baptist this Sunday morning, 10/9.  So, I placed a call to him and invited him to preach for us on Sunday night.  He accepted the invitation and will be our guest messenger this Sunday evening during our 6:00PM service.  I am encouraging the Friendship family to be faithful to attend this service and support this son in the ministry.

Soccer this Saturday morning.  Youth lock in this Sunday night.  Senior adult fish fry one week from today, 10/13, from 11:00AM until 2:00PM.

Bro. Jerry is using a vacation day today.  So, please do not contact him but rather allow him this personal time.

Elizabeth Westbrook brought a dozen cookies into the auditorium following last night’s Bible study.  I am not totally clear on the “why” but I am very thankful.  They were beautifully made and had things like, “our pastor rocks” or was it “throw rocks at our pastor?”  written on them.  LOL!  Either way, they are great looking and I am sure will be delicious.  Lee Fore offered me ten dollars on the spot for the dozen – the last of the big spenders!  Who baked them?  Kristi Bradley Nelson of “Kookies by Kristi” (www.kookiesbykristi.kom)  I “may” be a bit off on the name and website but Kristi Nelson was the baker/decorator.

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

Tim Knighten was discharged from the hospital yesterday and is now recovering in Mississippi.  If I tried to write all that happened in Tim’s & Peggy’s life yesterday then you would think I was making it up so I will just say that had an eventful day!  Pray for Tim’s recovery not to mention the injuries Peggy received from taking a fall in the hospital room last Friday night.  Keep praying for Tim.

Marisa Felps sent me a message yesterday detailing all that is going on with her family.  Suffice it to say that they have been hit from every side and definitely need our prayer support.

Keep praying for Steve Morris, Myrtle Bowden, Dale Ellerman, Richard Tillman, Michelle Fore’s mother and the others who have been on our prayer list.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and evening.

I encourage the members of the Friendship family to check the online church calendar regularly.  Go to our website and scroll down to the bottom of the home page to see the calendar.

By the way, parents of our young children (three years of age to fifth graders) may want to take advantage of the parent’s night out this Friday, 10/7.  Just saying!

Our students will have a lock in this Sunday, 10/9, beginning at 7:00PM and ending at 7:00AM on Monday, 10/10.  Contact Bro. Dylan for the details.

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

Heard from Peggy K late last night.  Tim is experiencing some pain but did walk twice yesterday afternoon, ate some food and is doing pretty good.  The belief is that he will be discharged today.  Keep praying!

Still rejoicing over the good news Steve Morris received from the test results yesterday.  Keep praying!

The senior adult fish fry fellowship is now scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 13, from 11:00AM until 1:00PM.  It will be held in our Preschool Building.  Seniors, please make plans to attend.

Dale Ellerman expresses his thanks for all of the prayers, cards, visits, food, et cetera during his surgery and recovery up to this point.

Friendship family, make plans to be present in our services on Sunday, October 16, to hear the messages from Pastor Johnny Maxwell.  Going to be a special day.

The long range weather forecast shows South Mobile County looking at highs in the low eighties/upper seventies and lows in the fifties consistently beginning in about a week or so.  That works for me!

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