Pastor's Blog

Happy eighteenth wedding anniversary to Brad & Daphne Hutto!  I hope they will have a great day!

Wow, what a great night at our annual cake auction!  We added watermelons and honey to the items being auctioned and everything went well.  The cakes were amazing!  The pre-auction meal was superb (thank you Stacey & Gayla) and folks helped like never before.  To quote Miss Kittie Camp, “many hands make light work!”  Thank you to each person who helped in any way!

Special thanks to my brother, Eddie, for serving as the auctioneer.  He did great!  The reviews have been very positive.  I plan on him doing the same next year, Lord willing!

So, what was the total raised?  Great question.  Our amazing CPA, TJ Vice, is crunching the numbers as I type this entry.  I can say that we will exceed the seventy thousand dollar mark.  By the way, the top two cakes (financially speaking) were Miss Vinnie Brewer and Miss June Bailey.  The cow took the overall title.  All good stuff!

Who won?  The students/families of Colegio JET in Guatemala.  It brings joy to my heart to know that those families will have their stomachs filled because of the generosity of a number of kind folks in the States.

Who was the biggest winner actually present at the auction?  That one is easy – Stacey Dyess!  He got very emotional when he received the bottle of Big Bob Gibson’s white barbecue sauce.  I am just glad that he did not cry!

Keep praying for Clinton Stringfellow.  I will check on him today.

The church office will be closed this Thursday, 7/3, and Friday, 7/4.  Regular schedule this Wednesday, 7/2, and Sunday, 7/6.

The July emphasis is on the “Bags of GRACE!”  Virginia Morris did a great job on preparing one yesterday and Amanda Steele followed suit last night.

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

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning.  Cake auction tomorrow afternoon – light meal begins at 4:00PM.  Auction begins at 4:30PM.  Silent auction sheets will be available beginning at like 3:30PM if not before.  All cakes need to be in the CAB no later than 2:00PM.  Questions?  Contact Daphne Hutto (251) 533 4595.

The menu will consist of a pulled pork sandwich, a bag of plain chips and a drink (unsweet tea, sweet tea or water).  Dessert will be dutch treat!  Just FYI.

The news relating the auction has just gotten better and better as the week has gone on.  We are now at cakes (and pies), corn beef hash (Rhett Butler), condo (Karen Walker), cow (anonymous), creatures of the sea (anonymous), cow (ground beef) (anonymous), comb (honey).  Looking forward to it!

We have some great bakers bringing cakes tomorrow.  I am obviously excited about Miss Vinnie Brewer’s cake.  Likewise, this will be the first year for Miss June Bailey to send her world famous carrot cake.  I am told it is fantastic.  Clara Broadus is making a coconut cake using Caroline Ford’s recipe.  (The true Baker in attendance will be Pamela!)

The best part of the auction is knowing that there will be students/entire families who will not go hungry at specific times because of this emergency food fund distributed by the staff of Colegio JET.

How about those who do not live in South Mobile County but want to be a part of this auction?  If you live in the Danville, Alabama area then you can bid through FT (contact Daphne) and we will get your cake to you by tomorrow, 6/30.  (I think)

If you just want to make a donation then you can do so through Venmo, mail a check, give online, et cetera.  Again, contact Daphne for the details.  Any size donation will be greatly appreciated even from the tight folks I know.  And the generous.  Can you say Ross Genzink, Robert Wiley, Tom Compagner, Steve Compagner, Willard Garnett, Rex Looney, Derek Kerley, BJ Parson, Ben Nobles, Jack Bailey, Doug Chappelle, Tom Campbell, Johnny Maxwell, Clint Landry, Kandi Adams, Eddie Burdette, David Walters and the list goes on!  Which of those are tight and which are generous?  Great question.  (All claim to be poor but some have a dollar or two in their pocket). Just saying!

I pray that you will have a great Saturday with Jesus.  Keep praying for Clinton Stringfellow.

Sorry for no entry yesterday.  Long story.  My mistake.

Clinton Stringfellow had surgery yesterday.  All went well.  He remains in the hospital.  Keep praying for Clinton.

Eddie Brinkman had outpatient surgery yesterday.  Surgery was a success and he came home yesterday afternoon.  Pray for a speedy recovery.

Gary Walton continues to have problems with his knees.  He will see the doctor today.  Pray that he can get some relief.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning.  Sunday School at 9:00AM followed by worship service at 10:00AM.

We will meet at 4:00PM Sunday in the CAB for a pulled pork sandwich meal which includes a bag of chips and drink (tea or water).  Thank you to Stacey & Gayla Dyess for doing the meat and slaw.  At 4:30PM our annual cake auction will begin.  Eddie Turrentine will serve as the auctioneer.  We have some great cakes, a condo and corn beef hash plus some twists from our normal auction.  It is going to be good and all proceeds will help with our emergency food ministry at Colegio JET in Guatemala.  I pray we will have great participation.  Thank you to each person who is providing anything for the auction.

The great news is that Miss Vinnie Brewer will place a cake in the auction.  Hooray!

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

Clinton Stringfellow remains in the hospital and was thinking that he would possibly have surgery today.  I have not had that confirmed at the time of this writing but I do know that Clinton continues to need our prayers.  Thank you for praying for Clinton.

Betty Hamil continues to be at home.  Her daughter was scheduled to arrive yesterday afternoon and I assume that happened.  Keep Betty and Andy in your prayers, please.

Coley & Katelyn will be in court again this morning concerning Bubba.  Pray that all goes well.

Regular schedule on our campus this morning (10:00AM) and evening (6:30PM).  Praying for a great attendance both times.

We will have a meeting immediately following tonight’s service for those interested in helping work the cake auction this Sunday, 6/29.  Hopefully, the meeting will conclude around 8:00PM.  You do not have to attend tonight’s meeting to work the cake auction but it could prove to be beneficial.

Our annual cake auction will take place in the CAB beginning at 4:00PM with the meal (pulled pork sandwich, bag of chips and drink).  There will be no serving line.  The sandwich, chips and drink will be brought to each table.  Folks will have the option of purchasing a cake to be used as dessert at their respective table (and beyond).

Yes, we still need cakes.  We do have a condo stay (Ft Morgan) and corn beef hash being offered in the auction too.  Obviously, we need folks to bid on and purchase the cakes, pies, et cetera.  Remember, all proceeds go to the emergency food fund at Colegio JET.  Thank you in advance for your participation in this most worthy ministry opportunity.

Yes, I have had one recurring question regarding the auction.  I plan on getting that answer today, if possible.  Answer coming!

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

Folks desiring to help with the auction this Sunday are invited to attend a informational meeting tomorrow night, 6/24, immediately following our evening service.  Probably will last around thirty minutes.  Those not attending can still help with the auction so attending the meeting is not mandatory.  The meeting will be to define some roles and responsibilities.  Pass the word.  Thank you.  Blessings!

Clinton Stringfellow remains hospitalized.  He is in a great deal of pain.  Keep praying for Clinton.

Betty Hamil is home.  She is not feeling well but is happy to be home.  Her daughter is scheduled to arrive today.  Keep praying for Betty and Andy.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.  Hope to be joined by many!

Wrote a letter to the church family yesterday.  We need more cakes for our auction this Sunday, 6/29, which will begin at 4:00PM in the CAB.  Contact Daphne at (251) 533 4595 or daphnehutto@gmail.com if you will bake a cake.  Or, we will take cakes from a stand alone bakery (not from grocery stores and such).  Daphne needs to hear from you no later than this Thursday, 6/26, at noon.

“Bags of GRACE” are being accepted.  Thank you to all who will help in any way.

Keep praying for Israel and for the USA.

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

What is this?  A blog entry?  Wow!  I apologize for my “absence” since June 11 but my life was fairly busy.  Bro. Abel did a superb job of keeping me informed which allowed me to pray for those in need.  I offer no excuses.

Clinton Stringfellow spent Monday through Friday of last week in the hospital related to his treatments.  He was discharged but was admitted back to the hospital early yesterday morning.  Pray for Clinton.  I will visit him today.

Betty Hamil was discharged from the hospital and admitted to a rehab facility.  Yesterday afternoon she was discharged from that facility and is now at home.  Pray for Betty and Andy as they definitely need our prayer support.

Gary Walton continues to struggle with pain in his knees.  So much so that he had to miss our services yesterday which is unusual for him.  Pray for Gary & Rachel.

I have lifelong friends in Hartselle, AL who are in a battle with a malignancy.  Radiation treatments begin today at UAB.  Join me in praying, please.

The Lord blessed us with a really good day in our services yesterday.  I have received positive communication regarding both services.  All I can say is “thank You Jesus!”

Our time in Guatemala was blessed.  Very good team from the Friendship family, Grand Bay Ministries, Providence Baptist (Hatton, AL), New Life Fellowship (Anderson, SC) and from the Kalamazoo, MI area.  Our folks did a nice job of sharing in our service last night.

Our annual cake auction takes place this Sunday, 6/29, beginning at 4:00PM.  As far as I know, this auction will consist of cakes, pies and corn beef hash.  This is a critical part of our emergency food program related to GRACE Ministries and Colegio JET (school).  We need cakes and bidders.  We need prayer warriors too.  More details coming in my letter to the Friendship family later today.

Pray for our country.  Pray for Israel.  Pray for our military personnel.  Pray for our President and the other leaders.  Pray!

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

Good (late) morning from GRACE Mountain.  The Lord blessed as Daphne & Titus, Scott Fontenot and I arrived here safe and sound yesterday afternoon.  We pretty much hit the ground running as we went with fifteen of our seventeen seniors for an out to eat supper late yesterday afternoon.  That was a good time!

This morning I had the privilege of sharing the Word with the team from South Carolina & Louisiana that is presently here.  Sandra Wilson leads this team.

Shawn Siker and Al & Cindy Stokes are traveling this way today.  Pray for traveling mercies.  It will be good to see Shawn & Cindy!

Daphne and I will spend some time with Deidra today doing a late celebration of her birthday which was last Friday.  We get to go to Antigua – joy, joy, joy!  (I would rather have my wisdom teeth pulled!)

Spoke to Andy Hamil very briefly this morning.  They are hopeful that Betty will soon be back on track to go to rehab.  Keep praying!

A life long friend contacted me yesterday to ask for prayer for his daughter-in-law.  She is the mother of a three year old, a one year old and a three week old.  She has just been diagnosed with a malignancy.  Possible multiple locations in her body with breast being one of those.  This young lady is forty years old.  Please join me in praying!

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

This entry is being written from the Delta gate at the Mobile Regional Airport.  I, along with three others, leave today heading to Guatemala, three more do likewise tomorrow, and thirty-two others will travel Thursday.  Pray for traveling mercies.

It appeared that Betty Hamil was headed to a rehab facility yesterday but “not so fast my friend!”  She developed a complication that will keep her in the hospital for a few days.  No visitors, please.  Pray for Betty & Andy.

Bro. Abel is fully capable of ministering in my absence.  Bro. Chris will be around tomorrow before heading to Guatemala on Thursday.  Our nine deacons are readily available to minister as well.

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

What a good day in our services yesterday.  Really strong attendance last night – praise the Lord!  What a joy to welcome Matt & Jackie into the Friendship family by transfer of letter.

Keep praying for Betty Hamil.  Her next step will be to go into a rehab facility for physical therapy.

It was a blessing to see Tina Sprinkle in both of our services yesterday.  What an inspiration.  Keep praying for Tina.

Clinton Stringfellow continues to need our prayer support as he goes through his treatments.  Clinton is a good guy!

Seventeen members of the Friendship family will be taking part in a GRACE Ministries mission trip beginning this Thursday, June 12.  They will be traveling Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Pray for this mission team.  Thank you to each person who has financially supported the ministry portion of this trip.  You have done well!

Our “Bags of GRACE” ministry is taking place now through the end of July.  Contact Daphne Hutto (daphnehutto@gmail.com) for more information.

Annual cake auction for GRACE Ministries on Sunday, June 29.  Bakers, other than Pam, needed!

Johnny & Charlene Sessions gave us fresh tomatoes and some funny cucumbers last night.  How nice is that!  Rhett & Heidi Butler gave us a bag of fresh blackberries yesterday morning.  John Milton Ladnier gave us “normal” cucumbers Friday night.  Thank you to each of these folks.  We are blessed!

Word is that there is a “save our VBS bus drivers” group being formed.  Folks, appreciated but totally not necessary.  It is the thought that counts!

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