Pastor's Blog

My older brother, Eddie, and his wife, Sue, are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary today.  They live in China so I guess they may have celebrated yesterday since it is already almost tomorrow there!  Anyway, happy 30th anniversary Eddie & Sue!

We had a good day in our services yesterday and we give God the glory for all that He is doing in our midst.  Our focus has been on “we must pray” and I firmly believe God is honoring our prayers.  Thank you to those who have been praying and please continue to pray without ceasing! 

Our student ensemble did a very nice job of ministering in song during the service last night.  I commend them for being willing to lead us in worship! 

Gene & Gena Davis drove in from Texas and were in our service last night too.  It sure was good to see Gena! 

Martha Patrick remains in a local hospital and will not be coming home today as she is scheduled to receive her fourth unit of blood.  Vance May is not doing so well and remains at UAB.  Amy Huhn’s niece, Allison Collins, who is fourteen years old is in a local hospital.  They are trying to get Melanie Byrne home from the hospital but she is not doing well either.  Crystal Davis, niece of Carl Bradley, is not doing well as her cancer is seemingly progressing.  Billy Garnett, friend of Miss Kittie Camp, was involved in an automobile accident this weekend and is in need of our prayers.  Billy’s parents, Cy & Laura, were on a trip to China with Miss Kittie and they have been good friends ever since.  All of these folks need our prayer support. 

Thank you to each person who took part in the GRACE meal yesterday.  You were a blessing! 

I hope you have a great Monday with Jesus!

Kim French e-mailed me yesterday to say that the doctors have now told Melanie Byrne there is nothing else they can do for her.  As a matter of fact, they told him that in their estimation she only has about two weeks to live.  Please pray for this family and especially Melanie’s two young daughters.  Melanie’s dad is a Pastor in Baldwin County. 

 Our student ministry will host a GRACE meal this Sunday.  This is a means to help our high school students defray the cost of participating in one of the GRACE trips next summer.  Thank you in advance to those who will partake of this meal. 

Also, our students are selling 2008 Scripture wall calendars.  These are selling for $6 and are very nice.  See any student who is going on one of the GRACE trips or to camp next summer. 

 A dog was on a pier at Lake Michigan this past Tuesday when a wave knocked him into the water while knocking his owner down onto the pier.  The dog was struggling against the strong current and high waves when a surfer went into the water and placed him on the surfer’s board.  The dog hung 20 as the surfer brought him to shore.  After all we have heard in recent months about the mistreatment of dogs, this is a good story.   

Today is Brianne Wood’s 17th birthday and she is going to get her driver’s license too.  Personally, I think Kerry should buy her a 2008 car of her choosing!  Happy birthday Bre!  Brianne’s uncle, Morris Bryant, turns 50 tomorrow!  (I sure hope Morris doesn’t get as upset as Diane did when I simply mentioned that she was 50!)  Happy birthday Morris!

Lord willing, Lisa, Dana, Gina, and I will travel to Vance, AL late this afternoon to stay with my nephew, Josh, and his wife, Tracy.  We will then spend some of tomorrow with them before attending the Arkansas versus Bama football game. 

I hope to see the members of the Friendship family in Sunday School, Discipleship Training, and the worship services this Sunday.  I hope you have a great day with Jesus.

The Lord blessed and we had a really good Wednesday.  It didn’t rain nearly as much as the weather folks had predicted (imagine that) and we had a good attendance in all of our services.  We thank God for his blessings.

Jon Cowart from Mt. Vernon has been leading our musical worship in our student Bible studies for the past two Wednesday nights and has done a really nice job.  I miss Coach Nate but am glad that God has supplied our need in this area too. 

Myrtle Bowden did well through her surgery yesterday.  Vance May continues to be hospitalized in Birmingham.  Martha Patrick was admitted to a local hospital yesterday.  Jason Husband continues to recover at home.  The funeral service for Gary Moore will take place today.  Please pray for all of these situations. 

I want to remind the members of the Friendship family of the GRACE meal being served this Sunday, 9/16, by our student ministry.  I hope you will attend the services and participate in the meal. 

A shout out goes to Denise Vice today as it is her birthday!  I don’t get into ages but will simply say you can invert the numbers and it doesn’t matter.  (This is TJ’s mother so you know she needs extra prayers!)  Happy birthday Denise!  Hope you have a great day! 

I read about a man, 81 years old, in Wisconsin who is suing Brut and Wal Mart.  He applied Brut lotion to his face and used Brut deodorant.  He then went to cook breakfast over a campfire and his face, neck, and chest caught on fire.  Tough day! 

I read about another man, 82 years old, in Colorado who was away from home for two months.  His toilet malfunctioned during his absence and he returned home to a water bill of almost $1,200.  The man lives on a government pension.  A anonymous person heard of the situation and went to the water board and paid $790 while the water board dismissed $415.  All the anonymous donor said was to simply say “Joe” had paid the bill.  Good day! 

Hope you have a great day with Jesus! 

Day eight of our forty days of prayer proved to be our best day numerically up to this point as far as folks coming to the auditorium to pray.  Again, I am encouraged by those willing to take the time and effort to come and pray.  So, I thank those who are coming to the auditorium to pray and those who are praying at home, in the office, et cetera.   We must pray! 

I pray that day nine of this forty days prayer emphasis will be productive too.  Remember, our prayer time today will take place in the prayer room from 6:00PM until 7:00PM.

Jason Husband did well through his surgery and came home yesterday afternoon.  I appreciate Bro. Jerry being at the hospital with Jason and then bringing him home.

Myrtle Bowden will be having surgery today so please remember her in your prayers.  Vance May remains hospitalized in Birmingham. 

The world is watching!  Two men got into a fight over college football in a bar on June 17 in Oklahoma City.  One of the men was significantly injured.  The news report stated the name of the person charged with a crime, his age, and then stated that he is a church deacon.  I cannot help but wonder how many folks will simply “assume” that it is a normal thing for all deacons to frequent bars and get into fights.  “O be careful little feet where you go!”

The weather forecast calls for a wet Wednesday.  I hope the members of the Friendship family will join us for one of the services/Bible studies either this morning or tonight. 

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

Today is one of those days that you will always remember but you certainly wish it was for a different reason.  Six years ago 9/11 became a phrase that would forever carry a different meaning for Americans.  As long as I have a memory, I will never forget Lisa calling to tell me to go home and turn the television on because something bad was happening in New York.  Wow, what a day!  I ask that you join me in praying for the families of those victims on the planes, in the towers, and in the Pentagon.  Plus, a special prayer of thanks for the emergency personnel who died trying to help the injured, the trapped, et cetera.  We must pray!

I really don’t want to take away from our need to pray for those families today and to remember what happened on 9/11/01 so I will not write any more except to ask your continued prayers for Vance May and for Jason Husband as he has surgery today. 

I have already gotten e-mail messages this morning wanting to know why there hasn’t been a post today.  Sorry for being late.  Actually, I spent most of the night reading a dictionary and grammar book trying to stay mistake free in this post so Jennifer Wetterer and Lindsey Hatcher can rest easy! 

We had a good day yesterday as the Lord blessed our services.  I had several folks speak to me privately to express what God is doing in their lives.  Praise the Lord!  We must pray and I am excited about our forty days of prayer as today marks the eighth day of this emphasis.  Anyone can come to the auditorium any night except Sundays or Wednesdays from 6:30PM – 8:00PM.  (Please use the breeze way entrance)  On Sundays the auditorium is open from 4:00PM – 5:00PM and on Wednesdays the prayer room is open from 6:00PM until 7:00PM.  (Please note that for this Sunday, 9/16, our prayer emphasis will be moved to the prayer room)  We must pray!

Thank you to the guys who helped unload the items from the container last night.  Dr. Mike & Miss Dottie came by earlier today and we loaded his vehicle to the max with those boxes.  We will continue to off load Christmas items as folks from Mobile, Arkansas, & Georgia will be making trips to Casa Aleluya in the coming weeks.  Our next scheduled time to off load is Saturday morning, 9/29.  This will be a “for men only” event as the women should be at the conference that morning. 

Speaking of the women’s conference – if you haven’t purchased your ticket then please consider doing so this week.  Those planning the conference need to order the food and make other plans according to the number of tickets sold.  I know this is going to be a good weekend for those involved. 

Vance May remains hospitalized in Birmingham.  Please continue to pray for him.  Also, I received a request via our website this morning from a lady asking us to pray that God would put her family back together.  God knows who this family is so I simply ask you to join me in praying. 

My dad begins what we hope will be his final five days of chemo treatments today.  Thank you for your continued prayer support for him.  No definitive word on my uncle’s pending surgery. 

Tonight is FAITH!  Pray for this ministry.  Please begin praying now for our Upward basketball season and for the Hallelujah Festival.  Pray without ceasing.

I hope you have a great day with Jesus. 

Today is day four of our forty days of prayer.  I appreciate those who have taken the time and effort to come to the auditorium these past three nights to pray.  I realize that we have folks praying at home, work, et cetera too and I appreciate their efforts as well.  The Lord has been dealing with my heart about some more ways for us to be involved in prayer that I will be sharing in the days ahead.  Remember, the auditorium will be open tonight and tomorrow night from 6:30PM until 8:00PM and then from 4:00PM until 5:00PM Sunday afternoon. 

The Internet is reporting this morning that one hundred folks have died in Nicaragua as a result of Hurricane Felix.  Many of these bodies have been found in remote areas where they seemingly had little warning of the seriousness of the storm.  Please continue to pray for these families and for the rescue/relief work taking place. 

I spoke to my uncle yesterday.  The doctor is convinced that his cancer is contained and wants to surgically remove it within the next couple of weeks.  Please continue to pray as my uncle is nervous about having this procedure done and is hopeful that the surgery is all that will be needed to eradicate this cancer. 

Mike Clark called me yesterday asking if we could get about five hundred pounds of Christmas gifts off the container for him to take back to Lake Charles, LA on Monday.  If I am not able to get this done before Sunday, I plan on doing it after the service on Sunday evening and could use a little help. 

T.J. Vice and Josh Woods are not your normal, run of the mill, southern boys – no sir!  They could be at home this Saturday night watching some really good college football games on television but they have chosen to take their dates to the symphony!  I am not sure they are ready for this but I am sure the symphony isn’t ready for Jethro Bodine #1 & Jethro Bodine #2!  I can visualize them now sneaking in their popcorn in a Wal Mart bag!  I suspect they will be “refined” and “culturalized” by the time we see them on Sunday morning.  The rest of us guys will be talking about the football games while they talk about. . . . 

I am not perfect (as if you didn’t already know that!) and from time to time there are mistakes made in these posts.  Do not worry!  Lindsey Hatcher and Jennifer Wetterer live to find these mistakes and e-mail me immediately!  Honestly, I include mistaks from time to time just to give them purpose in life!  It’s nice to know smart people! 

Did you read about the guy in Escatawpa, MS who thought he was dialing 411 to call the television station to complain having to live in a FEMA trailer?  Instead he dialed 911 and hung up after realizing his mistake.  The authorities arrived to find a meth lab and arrested him and three other people.  Wow!     

I hope each person reading this entry will go to church this Sunday.  Thank you for taking the time to read this and I pray that you will have a great weekend with Jesus. 

Vance May was taken back to the UAB hospital on Tuesday and, obviously, he is not doing so well.  We had special prayer for him last night in our service and I ask that you pray often for him and his family today as the Lord brings him to your mind. 

We have no new word on Melanie Byrnes but Kim French will let me know once she gets an update. 

We had good services yesterday and last night.  Jon Cowart came to lead our musical worship in the senior high and junior high Bible studies and he did a nice job.  He lives in Mt. Vernon and I really appreciate him taking the time and making the effort to be with us.  He and Chris Taylor have classes together at USA. 

The word that I am getting from Guatemala is that they had some rains but nothing out of the ordinary for this time of the year.  Please continue to pray for the folks in the countries affected by Hurricane Felix. 

Our high school students who will be going on our GRACE ’08 summer trips will be hosting a meal on Sunday, 9/16, immediately following the 10:30AM service.  Also, they are taking orders for 2008 Scripture calendars.  Please help support our students in their mission/ministry efforts. 

This Sunday, 9/9, is the deadline for members of the Friendship family to sign up for the GRACE ’08 trips.  The dates are 2/15 – 22 (medical); 6/28 – 7/5 (Pastor); 7/19 – 7/26 (Bro. Jerry); & 7/26 – 8/2 (college).  Please do not assume that we know you are going!  Sign up forms are in the foyer of the auditorium. 

Our forty days of prayer enters day three.  Remember, the auditorium will be open from 6:30PM until 8:00PM tonight, tomorrow night, and Saturday night.  You can come to pray whether you have signed up or not.  We especially need prayer warriors for the Friday and Saturday nights of this emphasis. 

Happy birthday wishes are in order for Bro. Kerry Kelley today.  I hope you have a great day in the Lord! 

Bea Unrue had to spend Monday night in the hospital for observation as she had a slight problem with her knee replacement.  She came home yesterday but your prayers for her are appreciated.

I have been praying for the folks in the path of Hurricane Felix.  Obviously, we were very concerned for our staff, friends, et cetera in Guatemala.  Yesterday, it appeared Felix would pass through Guatemala today as a tropical depression.  A check of the 4:00AM projected path seems to indicate that it has now taken a turn to the south and it appears it will basically miss Guatemala altogether.  I do not know the extent of any rains they have received as a result of Felix but do know it is rainy season so they may have gotten a good rain regardless.  We do want to pray for the countries hit by this storm and pray for the ministries that will be responding. 

Our forty days of prayer got started on a good note yesterday/last night.  I think there were eight folks who came to the auditorium and prayed at some point between 6:30PM and 8:00PM.  Thank you!  Tonight, we will move our prayer effort into the prayer room from 6:00PM until 7:00PM and then will continue it at 7:00PM in the auditorium with our prayer service.  We need folks to step up for Friday and Saturday nights.  Pray without ceasing!

We are going to host a GRACE meal on Sunday, September 16.  This will be hosted by the senior high students going on one of the GRACE ’08 summer trips.  More details will be in the letter to the Friendship family this week and in this Sunday’s news and notes.  A meeting of the parents of these students will take place tonight immediately following the 8:00PM service.  This is important so please pass the word! 

My prayer is that the members of the Friendship family will join us in one of our Bible studies/prayer services today/tonight.  We have a new worship leader from Mobile for our senior high and junior high Bible studies. 

I hope you will have a great day with Jesus.

We had a good Labor Day weekend.  Our Sunday morning attendance was good in spite of a number of our folks being out of town.  Sunday night was another story as we were down significantly in our attendance.  However, Mike Clark did a nice job of sharing CPNA’s story and I really appreciate his willingness to give us a Sunday evening of his personal time.  Clint did a nice job in the 8:00AM service too.  Thanks to those who helped with the late night bowling fellowship as that was a good time too! 

Today marks the beginning of our forty days of prayer and fasting.  The auditorium will be open from 6:30PM until 8:00PM for those wishing to come and pray.  My prayer is that this will be a significant spiritual time for the Friendship family. 

Scott Fontenot’s uncle, M.C. Kelley, passed away this weekend and they will have a service this Thursday, 9/6, in Alexandria, LA.  Pray for this family. 

Melanie Byrnes will be going to the M.D. Anderson Clinic in Houston, TX this week to see if she can receive the experimental treatment.  Her Billi Ruebin count has to be at the proper level and that hasn’t been the case thus far.  Pray for Melanie.

My uncle, Bill Brown, got some encouraging news from the doctor regarding his cancer.  I haven’t spoken to him personally but do know that surgery is in the near future.  I have plans to call him today to get the details.  Thank you for your prayers and please keep praying. 

We are in the final week of sign up for our Summer ’08 mission trips to Guatemala as the deadline is this Sunday, 9/9.  (This deadline also applies to our February 15 – 22, 2008 trip)  Please don’t assume that we know you are going with us on one of these trips! 

I hope that you will have a blessed day with Jesus!