Pastor's Blog

The following arrangements have been finalized for Maria Wainwright’s mother, Mrs. Irma Hamilton.  There will be a visitation with the family in Louisiana this Wednesday night from 5:00 – 8:00PM.

On Thursday, 5/4, there will be visitation with the Hamilton family from 10:00AM until noon.  The celebration of life service will begin at noon.  The visitation and the service will take place from our auditorium.

Keep praying for the Hamilton family as they walk through this valley.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Good day in our services yesterday.  To God be the glory.  Spirit was good and our morning attendance was up.  Evening attendance suffered because of the stormy weather and some of our faithful folks being on the trip to Kentucky.  So thankful to the folks who are faithful week after week.  What a blessing to this pastor!

I will be checking on Phil Sims and Jimmy Tagert’s mother today as they both remain in the hospital.  Jimmy’s mother is now in a regular room.

Ethan Nelson’s sister, Shelby, was involved in an automobile accident yesterday morning.  She suffered a severely broken leg but appears to be ok otherwise.  Thank God for sparing her from further injury.

Miss Annie Rogers, age 102, fell and broke a hip early yesterday morning.  They did surgery.  Not sure the outcome or how long they expect her to be in the hospital.  Pray for Miss Annie.

The Irma Hamilton family will meet with the funeral directors this afternoon in order to make the arrangements.

The Paul Petersen family will begin the process of locating records, et cetera today and will then set up a meeting with the funeral directors.

I am assuming that “no news is good news” as far as our traveling group is concerned.  They will drive on to Kentucky today.

Big night for the Friendship family tonight.  Our prayer time in the auditorium takes place from 5:00 – 6:30PM.  (Note the change in the ending time)  Come and go or come and stay but just pray.

We are asking the workers from our Adult Sunday School Department and the workers from our Youth Sunday School Department to join us in the fellowship hall at 6:30PM for a time of brief instruction before we go out on visitation.  Plans are to be out by 6:45PM.  We will then gather back in the auditorium between 7:30 – 7:45PM for a time of sharing and celebration.  Plans call for us to finish by 8:00PM.  Staff members, deacons and other church leaders are asked to join us for this ministry.

Thank God for the rain.  My corn stalks are kind of mangled but I think they will be ok with some sunshine.  One site is reporting that Grand Bay got 2.8 inches of rain yesterday.  What do our folks with rain gauges say?  Just curious.

I told Levi that the Clippers would beat the Jazz in game seven yesterday.  I was wrong!  Predicting the NBA scores is not my strong suit!  The SNBA was in action last night and I seemed to guard Dylan Westbrook each game I played.  Held him to around ninety percent shooting and only allowed him to score eight of his team’s ten total points each game.  I am a defensive specialist!

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

May 1 1 Kings 10-11; Luke 21:20-38
May 2 1 Kings 12-13; Luke 22:1-30
May 3 1 Kings 14-15; Luke 22:31-46
May 4 1 Kings 16-18; Luke 22:47-71
May 5 1 Kings 19-20; Luke 23:1-25
May 6 1 Kings 21-22; Luke 23:26-56
May 7 2 Kings 1-3; Luke 24:1-35
May 8 2 Kings 4-6; Luke 24:36-53
May 9 2 Kings 7-9; John 1:1-28
May 10 2 Kings 10-12; John 1:29-51
May 11 2 Kings 13-14; John 2
May 12 2 Kings 15-16; John 3:1-18
May 13 2 Kings 17-18; John 3:19-36
May 14 2 Kings 19-21; John 4:1-30
May 15 2 Kings 22-23; John 4:31-54
May 16 2 Kings 24-25; John 5:1-24
May 17 1 Chronicles 1-3; John 5:25-47
May 18 1 Chronicles 4-6; John 6:1-21
May 19 1 Chronicles 7-9; John 6:22-44
May 20 1 Chronicles 10-12; John 6:45-71
May 21 1 Chronicles 13-15; John 7:1-27
May 22 1 Chronicles 16-18; John 7:28-53
May 23 1 Chronicles 19-21; John 8:1-27
May 24 1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59
May 25 1 Chronicles 25-27; John 9:1-23
May 26 1 Chronicles 28-29; John 9:24-41
May 27 2 Chronicles 1-3; John 10:1-23
May 28 2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42
May 29 2 Chronicles 7-9; John 11:1-29
May 30 2 Chronicles 10-12; John 11:30-57
May 31 2 Chronicles 13-14; John 12:1-26

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 8-9; Luke 21:1-19

As I write this entry, I am still having a difficult time wrapping my head around the happenings in Oscar Petersen’s life.  Just know that Oscar and family need a lot of prayer support during this time.

The family of Irma Hamilton will meet with the funeral directors tomorrow afternoon to make arrangements for the visitation, service and burial.  Plans call for a visitation in Louisiana one night and then a visitation/service the next day in Grand Bay.  Those arrangements will be posted here once they are completed.  Keep praying for the Hamilton family.

Phil Sims remains hospitalized as does Jimmy Tagert’s mother so keep praying for them too.

We have a group of folks leaving from the church parking lot at 12:30PM today heading to Kentucky.  They will return on Friday.  Pray for safety in their travels and for a blessed time.

Regular schedule this morning and evening.  Buildings and Grounds committee meets at 5:00PM.  Students have a movie night immediately following the evening service.  SNBA tonight too.

I pray that you will have a great Sunday with Jesus.  Go to church!

Oscar Petersen’s son, Paul, very unexpectedly passed from this life this afternoon.  As you probably remember, Oscar’s only other son, Mark, passed from this life in January.  What a tragic happening in Oscar’s life.

Pray for Oscar, Paul’s children and the entire family as they walk through this valley.  Pray for Miss Vinnie Brewer as she is the one who found Paul.  Paul was in the backyard using a pole saw to clear some brush.  It “appears” he suffered a heart attack. He was sixty four years of age.

It goes without saying that the arrangements are incomplete.  Just know that this family needs much prayer and support.  I appreciate those from the Friendship family and others who were able to be at Oscar’s this afternoon/evening.  Pastor Louie Davis was also present and I appreciate him being there too.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 6-7; Luke 20:27-47

Word came to me late yesterday afternoon that Mrs. Irma Hamilton, Maria Wainwright’s mother, passed from this life.  She fought cancer for a long time and was very valiant in doing so.  She was lovingly supported by her husband, her son, and her two daughters along with the rest of the family.  Arrangements are pending but there will be something in Louisiana as well as something in Grand Bay.  Pray for the family as they walk through this valley.

Word also came to me that Karla Teasley Bosarge’s maternal aunt, Jan Woods, passed from this life yesterday.  She lived in New York.  Pray for her family.

Phil Sims is in a regular room and tells me that his doing good.  I know Phil and he is no ready to be discharged.  He is thinking tomorrow but I am thinking maybe Monday or Tuesday.  We shall see.

Jimmy Tagert’s mother remains in the hospital.  Keep praying.

Keep praying for Becky Sellers in her battle against cancer.

Anna Arrington sent me a message late yesterday afternoon saying that she passed the Praxis.  (I think that is a small Toyota hybrid car but I am not for certain!). What does this mean?  It means that she will now get to student teach this Fall and graduate in December with a degree in Spanish education.  Congratulations Anna!

By the way, there is a wedding shower for Rusty & Anna tomorrow afternoon.  All ladies invited.  They are registered at Sam’s Super Burger.

Soccer begins today at 8:00AM.  Pray for this ministry.

Bus workers meet today at 8:30AM.  Pray for this ministry.

“Thank you” to each person who helped with the service for the men from the Mission of Hope last night.  There was food aplenty.  Randall, Rita, Adrianna & Sophia did a very nice job of sharing in song.  (Actually, Sophia carried that group in my opinion.  Just saying!).  Good service.

Regular schedule tomorrow morning and evening.  Lord willing, I will be in the pulpit all three services.  Buildings & Grounds Committee will meet at 5:00PM in their regular place.  Student movie night in the youth building following the evening service.  SNBA in the CAB following the evening service.

The group traveling to see the replica of Noah’s ark will depart from the church parking lot at 12:30PM tomorrow.  Pray for them as they travel.

Our request for your help in finding folks on our membership list has proven helpful immediately as we have gotten some update contact information on a few folks and found out that one of our members passed away two years ago.  More list to come!

Spent hours riding the weed eater yesterday.  More to do today.  John Milton called me over to give him some help/advice with his garden.  He is learning!

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

Phil was moved into a regular hospital room around 1:00PM today.  He is a happy camper and has been out walking the halls!  Just FYI for those who have been wanting to visit once he got put into a room.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 3-5; Luke 20:1-26

This entry is late and that is by design (did not really plan on being this late but things happen).  Wanted to wait until after I had visited with Phil Sims before posting.  He remains in SICU and their first visiting time is from 5:30 – 6:30AM which I absolutely love.  So, I was there shortly after 6:00AM to visit with Phil although it was closer to 6:30AM before I got to see him due to his nurse working with him.  The nurse said that Phil “may” get into a room today but she was not one hundred percent positive.  Phil did not rest well last night.  He wants to go to a regular room.  Actually, he wants to go home but he definitely is not ready for that move.  So, just keep praying for Phil in his recovery.

Did not visit with Jimmy Tagert’s mother yesterday because of her remaining the the unit and the contact isolation.  Keep praying for Mrs. Hickman.

Keep praying for Keith Young in Georgia.

Mission of Hope service tonight beginning at 7:00PM in our CAB.  Meal for the men beforehand.  Any help with food for that meal would be appreciated.  Pray for the service.

I am going to try and get a job like these NFL draft gurus.  They are almost always so far off on their projections and yet people clamor over the projections prior to the draft.  The only job I know where you can fail miserably year after year and still have people following your every word.

I do know that even though a player is drafted in the first round it makes a huge difference financially where they are drafted in that round i.e. top five, top ten, top twenty.  It all relates to guaranteed money based on the selection.  Some of those guys lost some big money last night simply by sliding down in the draft.

The yard and garden are calling my name.  Sure does look like rain although the weather folks say “not today!”

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

Visited Phil early this morning.  His ICU nurse said that he “probably” would not be moved from the unit today.  He said he was feeling good but they have not gotten him up to walk him yet.  Just keep praying.

Really posted this in case anyone was planning on visiting today thinking Phil would be in a regular room.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:10

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Kings 1-2; Luke 19:28-48

Visited with Phil Sims yesterday morning and he was doing well.  He had some soreness/pain where the opened him up but otherwise he felt good.  Very thankful for the prayer support.  Someone told me they visited around noon and he was sitting up in a chair.  Just keep praying for Phil.

Looked in on Jimmy Tagert’s mother but she was asleep.  Did not attempt to go into her room because she is in contact isolation which means you have to put the mask, gown, gloves, et cetera on due to infections.  Spoke to Jimmy on the phone for an update and then talked to Ian last night at the 7:30PM Bible study.  She is doing good all things considered but obviously needs our prayer support.

Dave Sellers sent me an update on Becky.  She is having a tough time.  She definitely continues to need our prayer support.  As Dave and I say, “pray big!”

Mark Hubbard sent me an update on Courtney.  She is still fighting hard and is seeing some good things and some things that are not necessarily good.  Keep praying.

Keith Young lives in Georgia now and is in a battle for his life.  His condition has to do with the front lobe of his brain and the doctors are numbering his life in months.  I have never heard of anything like this.  Keith and his wife definitely need our prayers.

Good day in our services yesterday morning and evening.  Saw two miracles – the folks in the morning service actually moved closer to the front of the auditorium.  Then the evening crowd did likewise.  Folks, the return of Jesus must be getting close!  LOL!

The Mission of Hope service tomorrow night will take place in our CAB.  Service begins at 7:00PM.  Meal beforehand.  Everyone invited.

We need our senior adults who have not signed up for the meal on Sunday, May 7, to call the church office no later than Monday, May 1.  We want to be accurate on our food order.

I sure do hope we get some of the rain they are forecasting but the high winds predicted for Sunday could be problematic for the corn crop.  God knows and I trust Him.

Rumor has it that Chis Cavin attend the Nick Saban event this past Tuesday night and got Saban’s autograph?  Chris is denying these rumors but where there is smoke there is fire!  He so wants to be a Bama fan as does Courtney.  Maybe this will be the season Chris comes to the table!  The girls are going to be so cute in their Bama outfits!

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