Pastor's Blog

The arrangements for Neal Barnes are as follows:  visitation Thursday, 6/28, from 5:00PM until 8:00PM; funeral Friday, 6/29, at 10:00AM.  Both of these events will take place at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore.  I hope a good number of the Friendship family will be able to attend either the visitation or service to support Burney & Jeannine. 

I had the opportunity to see Miss Lucine Bryant yesterday and she is making improvement.  She will probably be in the hospital for another couple of days or so.  I did not get any further update on Jo French or Juanita McRoy.  Carl Ray Moulds came by to ask us to pray for a friend from Leroy, AL who was injured in an accident and has since suffered a staph infection.  This teen’s last name is Alday but I don’t remember his first name.  What a neat story of how God put Carl into the Alday family’s lives.

By the way, Carl Ray is scheduled to go with us next week on our GRACE trip.  He applied to renew his passport in March and still doesn’t have his new one in hand.  He has made many calls to the passport agency and it is always going to arrive tomorrow.  We are running out of tomorrows.  Please join us in praying. 

My advice would be that folks who think they might travel out of the USA at any point within the next year or two go ahead and apply for their passport.  If you are close to your sixteenth birthday then I would wait until after that date as it doubles the time the passport is valid.  Otherwise, I would apply yesterday!

I received word yesterday that a lifelong friend of our family, Fay Edwards, passed away.  Fay, along with her husband, Ray, live in Rockyford (only Sonny Bates understands) about 1/2 mile or so from my parents.  They were actively involved in my home church, Shady Grove Baptist, and had a positive influence in my life.  That funeral service will take place this afternoon so please pray for Ray and their daughters, Mary & Martha, along with their families. 

I had the chance to spend about thirty minutes with Bro. Jerry yesterday afternoon listening to his report about their trip.  He posted two blog entries yesterday too.  They had a blessed trip and we are thankful for their safe return.  Pray for Pastor Keith Martin and the folks from El Bethel Baptist and Dalraida Baptist as they are presently in Guatemala doing ministry. 

Today is a normal Wednesday which means prayer meeting at 10:00AM, senior high Bible study at 6:00PM, prayer meeting, junior high Bible study, and mission organizations at 7:00PM, and college/young professionals Bible study at 8:00PM. 

It is wedding week day #4.  It is our last day before the Yankees begin infiltrating our ranks as the Queen and her entourage arrive tomorrow.  All of my family members, including Spencer Cole, are supposed to be here this weekend.  Pancho, Rita, and the girls will be here too.  Cindy Simmons will be a soloist in the wedding and Bro. Johnny Tucker will help with the ceremony.  It should be fun!     

I saw Whitney Bryant yesterday afternoon.  The test results are conclusive – she is a blonde trapped in a redhead’s body!  Don’t believe me?  Stay around her for about thirty minutes and you will figure it out! 

Our student ministry will have a pool party fellowship this Sunday evening immediately following the worship service.  FYI – I am preaching in the 8:00AM service and Bro. Johnny will preach in the 10:30AM service. 

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