Pastor's Blog

Clinton Stringfellow is scheduled to have surgery this morning.  If all goes as planned, he will be in the hospital for five days.  Pray for Clinton.

Bonnie Smiley remains in the hospital.  Not sure when she will be discharged.  Plans call for her to go to a rehab facility following her hospital stay.  Pray for Miss Bonnie.

Rachel Walton continues to recover at home.  She is dealing with the pain.  Pray for Rachel (and Gary)!

Huge congratulations to the folks involved in our Co-0p ministry for their outstanding job of serving our senior adults a delicious meal yesterday.  A job very well done!  The students were nicely dressed, very polite and seemed to enjoy serving.  It was a good day for our senior adults.  Thank you to the adults who lead this ministry blessing.

This morning there will be a “sod laying” on our church campus.  Hopefully, the work will begin around 9:00AM.  I appreciate those who will help!

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

Rachel Walton’s surgery was a success per the surgeon.  I spoke to her this morning and reminded her that now it is up to her to follow the surgeon’s instructions to a tee.  Will she?  No comment.  Pray for Rachel and Gary.

Our senior adults meal hosted by the co-0p takes place in the CAB this morning beginning at 11:00AM.  Our senior adults are asked to attend the 10:00AM service in the auditorium and then go over to the CAB once that service ends.  Thank you to the adults & students who are hosting this meal.

Regular schedule on our campus tonight beginning at 6:30PM.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.  I hope many members of the Friendship family will join us for the Bible study and worship.

On Sunday, 11/30, we will have our regular Sunday morning schedule but there will be no evening activities/service.

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

Rachel Walton will be having surgery this morning.  It was scheduled for this afternoon but got moved to an earlier time.  That is good for Rachel.  Pray that all goes well.

Miss Bonnie Smiley remains in the hospital and will most likely be moved to a rehab facility once discharged from the hospital.  They repaired her hip and it appears they will replace it at some point in the future.  Pray for Miss Bonnie.

We have had a strong number of our senior adults sign up for the meal tomorrow.  Looking forward to it and I am thankful to the co-op folks for doing this ministry.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening.

We will begin laying sod this Thursday morning, 11/20, around 9:30AM.  It should not take long.  I am thankful to the business, MAECO, across the road for allowing us to use a fork lift.  That will be a huge help.  Want to help?  Come join us!

Our Ladies Helping Hands will be meeting this Thursday morning, 11/20, at 10:00AM in the Preschool Building.  All ladies invited to attend.

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

We were blessed with a good Sunday in our services.  Thank you, Jesus!

Tim Knighten will replace Jason Fosmore as a deacon on 1/1/26.  Tim will serve for two years.  Jason is now a paid staff member.

Rachel Walton will have shoulder surgery tomorrow.  It will be outpatient.  Pray that all goes well.

Miss Bonnie Smyly took a fall and broke her hip.  She had a surgical procedure on Saturday and remains in the hospital.  Pray for Miss Bonnie.

The co-op will host a lunch for our senior adults this Wednesday, 11/19, beginning at 11:00AM in the CAB.  Bibbi Bosarge is leading this ministry opportunity.  Our senior adults need to attend the 10:00AM service and then move over to the CAB for the meal.

The plan is to lay sod this Thursday, 11/20, beginning around 9:30AM.  If the job is not finished Thursday then it will be on Saturday, 11/22.  Any men available are welcome to join us on Thursday and I “think” the job will be finished that day.

Regular schedule on our campus this Wednesday, 11/19.

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

Sorry for the tardiness of this entry.  There is a reason but I will simply say “sorry” and move on.

Richard Bentley’s surgery went well, he came home and was at the Waffle House earlier this morning.  I not really sure he even had surgery – just saying!  Thanks to Bro. Jacob and Deacon Scott Fontenot for covering that surgery for me.

Richard’s mother-in-law was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Keep praying for her as she recovers at home.

Tim Knighten got the all clear from his stress test that was done yesterday.  So, he is good to go for the December trip to Guatemala.  Praise the Lord!

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday – AM & PM.

Lisa arrived home right around midnight last night.  I am glad to have her home as I am tired of cooking and cleaning.

I left early yesterday morning and drove to Decatur, AL to see Mama.  She had fallen early Tuesday morning and I just wanted to check on her.  In the facility where she lives they had their Thanksgiving dinner yesterday so I got to join her, all three of my siblings and a couple of others around the table.  A blessing.  Thank God for safe travels.

This Sunday night, 11/16, I will make an announcement from our deacons.  Anticipation!

Bro. Jacob and Scott Fontenot did a bunch of work in the youth building yesterday.  Bro. Jacob sent me pictures – nice!

Also, the area where the playground used to be is looking nice.  Will obviously look even nicer once the sod is in place.  Thank you to each person who has helped and will help.

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

Richard Bentley is scheduled to have surgery this morning.  It is outpatient.  Pray that all goes well.

Angie Bentley’s mother had surgery on Monday and may be discharged from the hospital today.  Pray for that situation too.

Our senior saints will be traveling to Laurel, MS today.  The bus leaves at 8:00AM sharp!  Pray for traveling mercies and for a great time of fellowship.

The Lord blessed us with a good day in our services yesterday.  Praise Him.

Sue Wyse is now our church hostess.  I appreciate Sue serving in this capacity and I am thankful for those who will help her.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday – morning and evening.

My parents were married for sixty-four years before dad passed from this life.  Today would mark their sixty-ninth wedding anniversary.  Remembering dad and praying for Mama today.

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

God is good!  Peggy Knighten sent me an update last night on Tim.  He does have some blockage in both carotid arteries but they are not going to do anything at this point but rather watch them for the next year or so.  He has been put on a statin and they will do a stress test before our GRACE Ministries mission trip.  So, Tim & Peggy are very thankful for God’s blessings!  Amen!

Regular schedule on our campus today – morning and evening.

We had a good number men and young men come to our campus yesterday and helped with a number of projects.  I appreciate each person who came and each project that was completed.  Special thanks to Bro. Abel & Bro. Jacob for their leadership.

I pray that you will have a good rest of your Wednesday with Jesus.

Veterans – thank you for your service!  We are indebted to each of you!  Thank you to those who are presently serving as well!

Happy fourteenth birthday to our granddaughter, Lizzi.  I pray that today will be a special day for her.  We love Lizzi!  She is now in her second year of being a teenager which means Deidra needs prayers now more than ever!  Happy birthday, Lizzi.  We love you!

Tim Knighten saw his primary doctor yesterday.  He will see a cardiologist today.  They are trying to get him on an expedited track to see what is going on in his body.  Keep praying for Tim & Peggy.

The lady who lives in our kitchen tells me it is twenty-nine degrees outside our house this morning.  The Weather Channel online tells me it is thirty degrees.  Nice either way!

Friendship family, contact me personally if you want to know how to give to the Refresh offering.  Yes, there are options.

I attended a service last night where Evangelist Michael Mason was preaching.  It was nice seeing him and listening to the Lord speak through him.

Bro. Spencer Bell will be preaching at the Alabama State Convention tomorrow morning.  Obviously I will not be in attendance but I did speak to him and assured him of my prayer support.  Join me in praying for Dr. Spencer.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow – morning and evening.

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

Tim Knighten will see a local doctor today as they continue to seek counsel on what to do regarding his carotid arteries.  There were scheduling difficulties in getting to a Houston hospital so Tim has chosen to go the local route.  Pray that all goes well and for the doctors to have wisdom in handling Tim’s case.

We were blessed with a really good day in our services yesterday.  Our morning attendance was strong in spite of many members of the Friendship family being out of town and the attendance for our evening fellowship meal as very good.  Praise the Lord!

A very special thank you to Stacey & Gayla Dyess for cooking the meat for last night’s fellowship – delicious!  Likewise, a very special thank you to Sue Wyse for coordinating the meal and for all who helped her (not listing names for fear of missing someone).  How about that spread of food on the table last night!  Wow!  Thank you to each person who brought sides & desserts.  Thank you to each person who helped set up, take down and clean up.  A very good night of fellowship and I was very happy!

The special offering received in our morning service for our Refresh project was good!  Do we need to put out the “stop giving” proclamation?  No, but we did receive probably around half of what we need to make the refreshing of the auditorium take place.  The offering continues so give as the Lord leads!  More details will be in my letter this week to the Friendship family.

Absolutely loving this cooler weather!  The projected high for today in Grand Bay is fifty-three degrees and the low tonight is thirty degrees.  I do not think we will get that low but I would love to be proven wrong!

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

As far as I know, all is quiet on the home front and that is good.  Ditto for GRACE Mountain.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday.  Refresh offering and anniversary fellowship/meal.  Lord willing, I will be in the pulpit for the morning service.  Deacons meet at 7:45AM.

Honestly, I am a little concerned about the reduction in flights that is being proposed.  Will it begin tomorrow, Saturday, next week?  How much of an impact will it have on the Atlanta airport?  I do try to not borrow from tomorrow’s troubles.  God knows.

I enjoyed attending the service at Iglesia JET last night.  The best part is that our granddaughters really enjoy the Wednesday night classes.  Good stuff!

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