Pastor's Blog

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.  Bro. Jerry will be preaching in the morning service and Bro. Abel will be preaching the evening service.  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to be faithful to attend.

Had the opportunity to visit with Sammy & Myrtle Bowden yesterday afternoon. Myrtle has been in this battle for years now and her faith is probably stronger now than it has ever been.  What a great testimony!  Keep praying for Sammy & Myrtle.

I did not talk to Virginia yesterday.  However, I ask that you keep praying for her and Steve.  Virginia is doing a great job of caring for Steve.

The Friendship family will be helping eleven year old JZ Baker fulfill one of his dreams from his bucket list.  That dream?  To go to Guatemala and help build a house.  JZ and family will travel to Guatemala in April, Lord willing.  Yesterday, Gary & Rachel Walton stepped up and promised the funds a house to be built in honor of JZ.  What a nice move by Gary & Rachel.  More things coming very soon!

We have a team leaving today and tomorrow for a GRACE Ministries mission trip.  Pray for traveling mercies.

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

Had the opportunity to briefly visit with Steve & Virginia yesterday.  The nurse arrived at the same time so my time with them was limited.  Steve was experiencing a great deal of pain.  The nurse found a couple of issues and gave him medicine that will hopefully give Steve some relief.  Keep praying for this fine couple!

Also, visited with Sharon Jardee.  She was just returning from seeing her wound care doctor. He assured her that they would get this thing corrected.  Pray for Sharon as she is basically confined to the house with much of that time being in the bed.  Sharon is a sweetheart!

Stopped by to see Myrtle but she and Sammy were not home which means they were at the doctor’s office.  Keep praying for Myrtle and Sammy.

Our friend, Kristie, “may” hear from the pathology report tomorrow.  Pray for a good word!

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

A team of twenty-five folks will leave tomorrow and Thursday to take part in a mission trip for the next ten days.  There will be folks from Alabama, Maryland, Michigan and South Carolina.  Jeanette Bates, Betty Creech, Bro. Jerry Hovel and Elizabeth Westbrook will represent the Friendship family on this team.  Pray all goes well!

Our basketball leagues begin this Saturday, December 3.  Looking forward to a great season!

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

This entry is late and for that I apologize.  Long story.

We were blessed with a good day in our services yesterday.  I give God the thanks and the glory.  It was a blessing to end the day with a baptism as Abby excitedly followed Jesus in this ordinance.  God gives the increase.

I ask you to join me in continuing to pray for those for whom we have been praying.  Steve Morris is at home.  Myrtle Bowden remains at home.  Sharon Jardee is also at home.

Lisa and I have a friend, Kristie, in Michigan who was diagnosed with colon cancer two weeks ago, had surgery last week, and will get the staging results this week.  Pray for Kristie and John.

Also, we have a friend, Sammy, who lives in Ozark, Alabama who had a blockage in his widow maker.  Stents were put in place this past Saturday.  Pray for a complete recovery.

Our schedule for this Sunday, 12/4, will be Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by worship at 10:30AM.  Our evening service will begin at 5:00PM and will feature the ministry of our children’s choir.  Friendship family, please be faithful to attend this Sunday.

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

Happy birthday to our oldest grandchild, Titus, as he turns thirteen years old today!  He has his day planned out and I hope it goes as planned.  Lisa and I love Titus and pray God’s best on him today and for the rest of his life!

Our Sunday schedule for 11/27 is Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM, adult choir rehearsal at 5:00PM, children’s choir at 6:00PM and worship at 6:00PM.

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

Glenda Faye Miller, age 75, of Heber Springs, Arkansas, passed away November 22, 2022. Born on February 27, 1947, in Athens, Alabama, she was the daughter of the late Audrey and Mytrice McCowen Emberton.

Glenda was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother. She was a member of the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by her husband Milton David Miller, her son Joshua David Miller and his wife Bethany, her grandson Malachi Miller, her sisters Delores Lindsey and her husband L.A., and Mary Beth Armstrong and her husband Ken, and her brothers Audrey Emberton, Jr. and Tony Emberton. Mrs. Miller is also survived by her other relatives and many friends.

Visitation will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday at the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Church with funeral services following at 2:00pm with Rev. Mark Williams officiating. Interment will follow in Cleburne County Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements are by Olmstead Funeral Home. www.olmstead.cc

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Glenda, please visit our floral store.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

First, no services or activities on our campus today – morning or evening.  The church office is open until noon today.  The office will be closed this afternoon and tomorrow.  It will open again on Monday morning, 11/28.

Our schedule for this Sunday, 11/27, will be Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM, adult choir rehearsal at 5:00PM, children’s choir practice at 6:00PM and worship at 6:00PM.

Steve Morris arrived home around 3:30PM yesterday and he is a happy camper!  Keep praying for Steve and Virginia.

Glenda Miller, wife of evangelist David Miller (Edna’s first cousin), passed from this life yesterday afternoon.  Pray for David, Josh, Malachi and the rest of the family.  The Millers live in Arkansas.

Keep praying for Myrtle Bowden!

Also, pray for Sharon Jardee!

Thank you to each person who baked a pie for our children’s ministry.  The fellowship hall is open today should you need to drop one off.

Brandon & Pam are applying for the boys passports today.  Hooray!

Here are the members of the ad hoc committee helping lead the way in fulfilling one of JZ’s bucket list dreams.  Bibbi Bosarge (co-chair), Chelsea Staup, Tena Hovel, Daphne Hutto (co-chair) and Elizabeth Westbrook.  (Bro Jerry volunteered to serve on this committee but he bombed during the interview – oh well!)

We have one more Sunday to give to the Camp 20 emphasis before the mission team departs.  Miss Kittie would be so honored and happy about this emphasis!  Thank you to those who are praying, reading and giving.  To God be the glory!

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

I was on the road from 5:30AM yesterday until 1:00AM this morning so I do not have much in the way of updates.  I did hear from Virginia and know that Steve will have a radiation treatment this morning and will then be transported home by ambulance early this afternoon.  There are no plans to do further treatments and Steve will receive his care at home from this point forward.  Pray more now than ever for Steve & Virginia.

Nothing on our campus tomorrow – morning or evening!

Want to be on the committee to help with JZ’s bucket list fundraisers?  Email me before lunch today, please!

Interested in the four free South tickets for this Saturday’s game?  Contact Lisa.  First come, first served.

Our Sunday schedule will be the exact same as this past Sunday – no early service.  Sunday School at 9:15AM, worship at 10:30AM, adult choir rehearsal at 5:00PM, children’s choir practice at 6:00PM and evening worship at 6:00PM.

Speaking of the adult choir, Sonny & Jeanette are set to move into their new house today.  Hooray!  Mark & Brenda Timberlake have been very kind to them during this transitional time.  Nice to see!

I was very impressed with the Cullman Hospital yesterday.  Very impressed with the surgeon who did Eddie’s surgery.  I plan on sending him a card on his fifteen birthday!  Eddie’s surgery was a success.  He will be discharged this morning.  He has a full arm cast on his left arm.  It was a blessing to be able to pray with Eddie before he went into surgery.  Eddie is a great guy even if he is my brother.  He deserves to be Mama’s favorite child!

I was able to spend a couple of hours (+/-) with Mama as we enjoyed supper together at Big Bob’s.  I could not spend much time in her room afterwards because it was so hot.  (Definitely made me not want to go to Hell!)  And Mama was wearing a sweater!  Unbelievable!  I did enjoy being with Mama.

Took my time driving home as I just prayed, thought, and prayed some more.  I do not mind driving alone for those very reasons.

My plan is to blog tomorrow and then take off until Monday, 11/28.  Just so you know!

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

The Lord blessed us with a really good day in our services yesterday.  The evening service was especially meaningful.  A sweet spirit was present.  I am grateful to have been present.  I was the last one to leave the auditorium yesterday morning and walked out singing, “surely the presence of the Lord is in this place!”  Thank you Jesus!

I received this message from Pam Baker when I got home last night – We told the boys and they are so excited! JZ said, “Are we going to get to do mission work? I want to build a house.”  Someone very graciously gave me two hundred and twenty dollars in cash after the evening service to help with this new ministry opportunity.  How about that!

So, I am going to appoint an ad hoc committee to lead us through this time.  I have some ladies in mind.  If you want to help, send me an email at some point by noon tomorrow (Tuesday) and I will take it from there.  Pray for Brandon, Pam and the boys, especially JZ!

Coley & Katelyn Johnson will be in court today.  Pray for all to go in their favor.  What a fine young couple!

Sharon Jardee will see the doctor today.  Cecil Guidry will be taking her – thank you Cecil.  Sharon is not doing great so prayers are needed!

As it stands now, Steve Morris will not be coming the the Grand Bay Convalescent Home due to insurance issues.  Not sure what the future has for him and Virginia.  Keep praying!

Sammy told me that Myrtle was having a good day yesterday.  Myrtle is a trooper.  Keep praying!

My older brother, Eddie, took a fall yesterday and severely broke an elbow.  He was admitted to the hospital and will have surgery today.  Therefore, I am heading North to be with him and will also go visit with Mama.  Traveling today was not in my plans but I definitely wanted to go see Mama at some point this week.  Pray for Eddie’s surgery to go well and for a quick recovery.

No services/activities on our campus this Wednesday.  This Sunday’s schedule will be a duplicate of yesterday’s.  We will observe the ordinance of baptism in our evening service this Sunday.

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

My wife has four tickets to this Saturday’s South football game which will be played on South’s campus beginning at 11:00AM.  I am told that they are good seats, include a parking pass and some kind of concession stand deal.

The only stipulation is that the person taking them actually use them and not sell them.  The kick off time is set so a person can attend the South game and then get home close to the kick off time of the Auburn vs Alabama game which will be on CBS around 2:35PM.

Interested?  Contact Lisa at 251 259 8072.  First come, first served.