Pastor's Blog

I just came back to the office after preaching the graveside service for Joe Hill, husband of Shirley Hill for almost fifty five years.  Joe was seventy nine years old.  He passed from this life this past Saturday, May 23, while in the hospital.

Shirley did not want anyone to know until after the graveside service.  She does not want any thing in the way of food, et cetera.  The family respectfully requests that folks not bombard Shirley with calls, messages or visits for the time being as she needs some time to work through some things.

So pray for Shirley and the family.  Shirley is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever known.  Just a jewel.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

The church office is open today from 8:00AM until 4:00PM.

I do not have any updates on our sick folks since yesterday was a holiday.

Originally, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 each year but that got changed in 1968 to the last Monday in May.  That means Memorial Day 2021 will be on Monday, 5/31.

I do have a special prayer request but I cannot share it now.  I “may” post an entry later today or it may be in the morning.  I am simply honoring a wish and once I post it then you will understand.  Just pray, please.  God knows.

We plan on having our regular classes i.e. RA’s, GA’s, et cetera tomorrow night beginning at 6:30PM.  Teachers, if you are comfortable with being present and teaching, please be prepared.  More details coming either in tomorrow’s blog or directly to you.

I will be meeting with Bro. Jerry & Bro. Abel over the next couple of days to set a definite plan for this Sunday’s Sunday School, nursery, extended session, children’s church, et cetera.  I hope to include that plan in my blog Wednesday but it may be Thursday’s entry that includes it.

I can write with certainty that there will be no nursery, extended session or children’s church during the 8:00AM hour this Sunday.  Those things will all take place during our 10:30AM service.  My hope is that we will also have a nursery and preschool care during our 6:00PM service.

My Memorial Day was just as I had thought it would be.  I was in the garden at the crack of dawn and then on the mower until around noon.  Lisa got home from the island early with the canned beans in tow.  The grandchildren spent the day in the pool.  Brad grilled.  We all ate.  I then was extremely lazy in the afternoon and evening.  It was a good day!

I have to give props to Grant Tillman for the irrigation system he installed for my garden.  It is awesome.  There are three valves that I turn on alternately and the entire garden is watered.  No more moving water hoses, sprinklers, et cetera.  What a great thing for me!  Thank you Grant for a job well done!

We had issues with our swimming pool but no despair as Gary & Rachelle Walton came to the rescue late yesterday afternoon.  They know pools!  They are booked all the way through September – crazy!

The forecast is calling for a pretty good chance of rain each remaining day of this week.  Saturday looks to be the wettest.  We shall see if they get it right.

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

The church office is close today, 5/25, in observance of Memorial Day.  Thank God for those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms! “All gave some.  Some gave all!”  Remember those heroes today!

The Lord blessed us with a good day in our three services and Sunday School yesterday.  It was a holiday weekend so it seemed our overall numbers were down some but it is really hard to tell because we do not yet know what “normal” numbers are these days.  I appreciated Bro. Abel preaching in our evening service and the one hundred plus who attended that service.  I was blessed by the young families who attended yesterday.

We were blessed to have two folks come forward making public professions of faith and one uniting with the Friendship family on promise of letter.  God gives the increase.

This Sunday, 5/31, we are basically going to go back as normal meaning three worship services, Sunday School classes, extended session (10:30AM), nursery (10:30AM) and children’s church (10:30AM).  Please note there will be no nursery, extended session or children’s church in the 8:00AM hour.

We will meet in the auditorium for all three of our worship services.  We are going to observe the ordinance of baptism in the evening service.  I think we will have at least three folks following the Lord in believer’s baptism.  We “may” also observe the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper too – TBD.

Yes, we plan on having our individual Sunday School classes.  Any teacher who is uncomfortable with teaching in such a setting is asked to contact me via e-mail (pastor@friendshipfamily.net) by the close of the office (4:00PM) Wednesday, 5/27.  We are going to look at dividing some of our adult classes in order to decrease the numbers and hopefully eventually grow.  Remember folks, this is a “learn as we go” process and I appreciate your prayers and cooperation.  Again, anyone uncomfortable with this arrangement is free to stay away.  Our adults, regardless of age, are invited to join Jeff Holifield in the auditorium for Sunday School.

Stella Brinkman’s situation remains basically unchanged.  Pray for Stella and her family.

I was wrong on Jo Nell’s situation.  I said that she would have a procedure on June 10.  Not so fast my friend.  She has a consultation on June 10.

Tim Knighten is simply waiting on the surgeon to set a date for his surgery.  The problem is that so many elective surgeries have been delayed lately that the operating room schedules are backed up big time.  Pray that they can work Tim in very soon.

Sonny and Jeanette Bates shared with me last night that Sonny’s numbers have been down for the third consecutive time which is a good thing.  Praise the Lord.

Ben Thomas’s mother had a pace maker put in yesterday.  That was in Georgia and Ben traveled to be with her.  Michelle & Jayden joined us for our 10:30AM service.  Pray for Ben’s mother.

Lord willing, I will spend some time in the garden early this morning and then mowing some grass.  Maybe Lisa will let me have some of the afternoon off – we shall see.

Lisa has been on the island this weekend but she has been productive as she has been canning green beans.  As a matter of fact, she canned all we need canned this year so that part of the garden is finished.

I pray that you will have a great Memorial Day with Jesus.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Tim Knighten got his scan results back yesterday.  He has renal cell carcinoma.  The plan is to remove the tumor robotically.  As it stands right now, no chemo or radiation will be needed.  Pray for Tim as he navigates this part of his life.

No update on Stella Brinkman.  Keep praying for Stella and family.

Services this Sunday on our campus at 8:00AM (Senior adults in auditorium – all others in CAB for live video feed); 10:30AM (auditorium) & 6:00PM (CAB).  At 9:15AM our adults will meet in the auditorium for a Sunday School lesson taught by Bro. Jerry Hovel, our students will meet in the youth building for a lesson taught by Bro. Abel and our children will meet in the CAB for a lesson taught by Bro. Dale.

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

Tim Knighten will be having a scan done this afternoon.  He will immediately be able to sit down with the doctor to discuss what the medical folks see on the scan.  Join me in praying for Tim.  Let’s pray that whatever they saw previously will be gone.  Completely gone!

Tim’s mother-in-law, Jo Nell Barnes, has been diagnosed with a malignancy.  I think I remember correctly saying that her daughter, Peggy, told me they will do a procedure on June 10.  Pray for Jo Nell.  She is a sweetheart!

Our good friend in Montgomery, Decker Terry, got a good report from his surgery and subsequent lab work.  He “may” have to have some radiation a bit later but he is doing well and giving God the glory.

A huge shout out to Dylan & Elizabeth Westbrook as, on very short notice, they took the children during the Bible study hour last night.  Thank you Dylan & Elizabeth!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Please continue to pray for Stella Brinkman and her family.

Our worship service schedule for this Sunday, 5/24, will be as follows:  8:00AM Senior Adults in auditorium, others welcome to view in the Preschool Building or CAB; 9:15AM – Sunday School with adults in auditorium, students in Youth Building and grade school children in CAB.  We will not offer SS classes for our preschoolers this Sunday as we are getting the building ready – sorry; 10:30AM worship for everyone; 6:00PM worship for everyone in the CAB.

Our 8:00AM service will be live streamed.  All three worship services will be available on the radio for those vehicles on our campus.

The plan is to basically offer everything beginning on Sunday morning, May 31.  We will have protocol in place for those entering the Preschool Building.

We had a really good day in our services yesterday.  I am thankful to those who attended.

Lisa and I continue to receive sympathy cards and we are most thankful.  We are truly blessed to be surrounded by such a wonderful church family.  Thank you!

I am going to take a vacation day today for two reasons.  First, I way behind in my yard work and my garden.  These two things will be good therapy for me.  Second, I have struggled emotionally with my dad’s passing and just need some time.  If you have a need then contact Bro. Jerry or Bro. Abel as they will be in the office.

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

We are going to have a meeting tonight immediately following our service to discuss our preschool and children’s departments opening.  This meeting is for our directors and any parents of children in these age groups who want to give input and gather information.  Obviously, those attending the meeting need to be in the service beforehand.  Pass the word!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

I apologize for there not being an entry yesterday.  Honestly, it was not until late yesterday afternoon that I realized I had not written an entry.  In my mind I had but I guess our twelve readers have a hard time reading my mind!  Sorry for the oversight!

How about some good news?  Myrtle Bowden left me a voice mail yesterday saying that she had gotten the results back from her latest tests and she has been declared “cancer free!”  Can you say “hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!”  Myrtle is giving God all of the glory and we join her in doing so.

Stella Brinkman’s situation continues to be dire.  She remains on a vent and is seemingly totally dependent on it.  She has shown very little, if any, responsiveness.  The family will most likely have some tough decisions to make in the days ahead.  Pray for Stella and her family.

I do not have an update on Mary Jackson but “assume” she is home.  Regardless, keep praying for Mary.

Regular schedule on our campus today with a service at 10:00AM and another one at 6:30PM.  Our students will meet in the CAB at 6:30PM.  My hope is to have our children back in class on Wednesday nights very, very soon.  Parents, please bring your children with you into the Bible study in the auditorium tonight.  Let’s turn the clock back many years by doing this.  I promise to keep the service as short as possible.  Young adults, teach your children the importance of attending church.  It is important!

I plan to announce some soon to be held meetings that will help us decide how we are going to transition back into Sunday School, extended care, nursery, et cetera.  Pray for wisdom on behalf of all making these decisions.

This weekend is a holiday weekend.  Many folks have been off work so much lately that I hope we will see a good number of folks remain in town and attending our services.  I will announce the service schedule tomorrow.

I am very grateful for the many calls, cards and electronic communications I have received since the passing of my dad.  They have come from near and far and I say “thank you” to each person who has reached out to my family and me.

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

Happy birthday to our son-in-law, Brad Hutto.  I hope his day is everything he wishes for it to be.  Lisa and I appreciate and love Brad.  He is a great guy!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

Keep praying for Stella Brinkman.

Linda Rogers is now battling COVID-19.  Pray for her.

Bro. Abel tells me that the services at Friendship yesterday went well.  He seemed to think that the evening service in the CAB was perhaps the best idea.  I do not have a hard count on the number who attended the service as we had some folks listening in their vehicles that did not get counted.  I do know that we were over two hundred in attendance which is definitely not our best effort.

I continue to be concerned about our young families missing the services but I do realize that our not having nursery, childcare and children’s church is a hindrance to those folks.  We are working on it.  I am wide open to any suggestions or helps.

I watched our 8:00AM service online yesterday.  I then attended a men’s Sunday School class at 9:30AM and then the drive in service at 10:30AM.  These things took place at Danville Baptist Church in Danville, Alabama where Bro. Joe David Bailey is the pastor.  I enjoyed my time with these fine folks.  I truly appreciate their partnership with GRACE Ministries and SLAM in Guatemala.  They are very faithful supporters in every sense of the word.

We spent from noon until around 3:15PM with our family at Eddie & Sue’s place.  Yes, it was a bittersweet time for me just knowing that dad was not there and that he will never be present for another of our family gatherings here on this earth.  Death stings!  I had a tough time emotionally leaving Rocky Ford to drive back to Grand Bay.  However, I found His grace sufficient!  Always has been, is, and always will be.  Thank you Jesus!

I have now moved from sympathy to empathy for those who have lost their earthly father.  Someone made this statement to me yesterday – “It will become real next week” to which I replied “It has already become real to me!”  No doubt.  I know what Stacey Dyess & Eddie Albritton have gone through this weekend.

Our church office is open today from 8:00AM until 4:00PM.

Our Wednesday schedule this week is normal as far as times are concerned – 10:00AM & 6:30PM.  Hope to have a good number of folks attend these services.

A huge shout out to Grant Tillman for installing an irrigation system for my garden over the weekend.  This is going to simplify my life when to comes to my garden.  I so appreciate Grant doing this for me!

According to the weather forecast, I will not need an irrigation system for the next few days.  Eighty percent chance of rain today.  I like the rain!

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

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

I do not have any updates on the folks for whom we have been praying for in past days.  I simply ask that you continue to pray without ceasing.  God knows.

We will have in person worship services tomorrow at 8:00AM, 9:15AM, 10:30AM & 6:00PM.  Check our earlier entries for the specific details.  Bro. Jerry Hovel, Bro. Abel Garcia and Evangelist Dale Bosarge will be the messengers during those services.  Pray for these men and pray for the services.

I was blown away yesterday when Rick Bradley and Tim & Peggy Knighten showed up for dad’s celebration of life service.  What a very nice surprise!  They drove up and back in the same day which is a lot of driving.  Only crazy folks do stuff like that!

The surprises kept coming as Pastor Roy Crouch and his wife, Rachel, showed up having driven from Ellisville, Mississippi.  Rachel is a maternal first cousin.  It was very nice to see them.

Then Josh & Mandi Fortner from Millbrook, Alabama walked in.  Mandi & Lisa are best friends through State Farm Insurance so that was a huge blessing to Lisa and me just to see them.

I was not as surprised but was very pleased when Ross & Kathy Genzink from Holland, Michigan showed up.  They were heading back to Michigan after the service.  How amazing is that!

Morris & Diane Bryant and Tony Gettig were present for the visitation Friday night and then attended the service yesterday too.  Heartwarming to me.

It made me realize afresh and anew how blessed I am.  The Friendship family has been super to me during this time and I am very grateful.  The Danville Baptist family did an excellent job of ministering to the Turrentine family before and after the service.  Thank you Pastor Joe David and Danville Baptist Church!

Pastors Joe David Bailey, Roy Crouch and Jack Bailey all did wonderful in sharing during the service and/or at the graveside.  Brad Hutto was his usual great self singing the two specials.  Catfish was great with the FB live stuff.  I am told that there were eighteen hundred engagements on FB.  Not sure what all that means but they say it is good.  I do know that it was viewed from the US, El Salvador, Guatemala and Spain.  There may have been viewings from other countries but those are the ones I am aware of as I write this entry.

My brother, Eddie, did a very nice job of sharing from his heart during the service.  I will be forever indebted to Eddie and his wife, Sue, for their sacrificial care given to dad and mama during these past couple of years.  I commend Melissa and Freddie too but Eddie & Sue went above and beyond.  Thank you to Eddie, Sue, Melissa & Freddie for a job well done.

What can I say about my mama and the faithful helpmate she has been to dad for the past sixty three and one half years?  She has been nothing short of amazing.  She has had her moments since dad passed but she will be ok.  “Granny” is dearly loved by so many folks in this community.  Everyone seems to know Granny.  Please keep praying for my mama as she adjusts to life without dad.  She is going to face some lonely days.

Thank you Friendship family for allowing me to miss the services at home today in order to be with my mama and family.  We four siblings have gotten much done over the past two days in the way of legal stuff.  I am pleased to say that there has not been one cross word spoken, we have acted like mature adults and have kept what is best for mama at the forefront.  None of us have been the least bit worried about stuff.  Refreshing!

I am going to worship with Pastor Joe David Bailey and the folks at Danville Baptist today.  They are major supporters of GRACE Ministries and I am honored to be able to worship with them.

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