Pastor's Blog

A post on Saturday – what’s up with that?  Well, it is 4:00AM and I just saw the first eight folks from our next GRACE team leave for the Gulfport airport.  I am waiting on Lisa to get ready and it is off to Wal Mart before coming back here to see the next group leave at 6:30AM. 

Today is the wedding day for Pam Landry and Brandon Baker.  The ceremony takes place at 6:00PM in our auditorium and you are cordially invited to attend. 

I need to share a couple of prayer requests with you.  First, Joey Switzer is the person I mentioned yesterday.  I will not go into great detail but suffice it to say that he needs our prayers.  He was in Colorado on vacation with his family and experienced some physical problems.  He has a doctor’s appointment Monday so just keep praying for him.  If all goes as planned, he will be in our services tomorrow. 

Second, a young girl from Casa Aleluya took a fall and suffered a fractured skull.  Her name is Carla and she is in a hospital in Guatemala City.  Please pray for her. 

I hope you will have a great Saturday with Jesus and that you will be in church tomorrow! 

We have scheduled a “major” event for our student ministry the weekend prior to the beginning of a new school year.  Kacy Benson from Wild Week will be with us the dates of August 8 – 10 with services on Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday morning.  More details will be forthcoming on this exciting weekend but please begin praying now that God will use this time to do a mighty work in the lives of our students. 

I totally forgot to mention in yesterday’s post that Brant & Natasha Smith became parents on Wednesday.  Natasha gave birth to Bradley Allen Smith and he checked in weighing 8 lbs 7 1/2 ounces and 21 inches long.  That means Doug & Diane Cordell are grandparents, Adam is an uncle, and Mason & Patsy Head are great grandparents!  (Mason is getting old!)  Congratulations to this family on this new addition! 

One of the members of the Friendship family had some pretty severe physical problems yesterday and will be consulting with the medical personnel over the next couple of days.  I realize that is vague but I don’t really have the liberty to share the details yet but do need for you to pray.  God knows!  (Plus, it makes for good water cooler talk trying to figure out who and what!)

I continue to hear good things from Bro. Johnny’s group in Guatemala.  I am told they completed 25 houses in four days.  Impressive!  We could do that if it weren’t for having to deal with folks like Larry Whitehurst, Tim Burnett, & Eddie Hall – they really slow the process down!  Pray for Bro. Johnny and the team as they are scheduled to return home tomorrow.  Of course, Bro. Jerry’s team is scheduled to arrive in Guatemala tomorrow.  Pray for Louise! 

I remind the members of the Friendship family to give priority to being in the service this Sunday evening.  Clint Landry will be bringing the message.  It is important that we have a good attendance for this service.

Also, our students will have a swimming fellowship immediately following the service.  This will include those students entering the sixth grade this year.  Wow, our youngest two daughters are now in the student ministry! 

T. Garrett, can you say google?  Shari, any word on the final seven?  Bret Hart, you still alive?  Mark Mast, thanks for the comments/messages as I know you are super busy this summer. 

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

We had another good Wednesday in our services, classes, Bible studies.  Our GA’s placed stamps on 500+ envelopes which contain the newsletter for the GBS Seminary in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.  Thanks to those girls and their leaders for helping with this mission project. 

It was also good to meet with our young adults for Bible study at 8:00PM last night.  As usual, Lisa prepared a good meal, we had good fellowship, and the time in the Word is priceless.  Any, and all, young adults are encouraged to join us for these Wednesday Bible studies.

Our next GRACE team is in the countdown mode as they leave this Saturday, 7/19.  Please keep them in your prayers and keep up with them via the GRACE blog. 

Carla Kyser e-mailed me yesterday and here is a part of her message:  “Just wanted to let you know that I went to the oncologist yesterday and received my results from both the PET scan and Bone scan that I had last week.  Both showed GOOD results with decreases in both size and intensity of all of the areas of concern!  We both agreed that I would continue with my current treatment plan of chemotherapy and repeat the scans again in three months.”   Praise the Lord!  Keep praying for Carla!

I spoke with Nicole Taylor last night and we are going to ask our children, 4K through 5th grade, to sign up for our AWANA program.  We plan on beginning AWANA on the first Sunday in September (9/7) at 4:30PM.  Sign up will begin this Sunday and go through August 10.  This will allow us to order enough materials. 

Also, the five Sundays of August will see us sign up the members of the Friendship family for the Summer ’09 GRACE trips.  We will be asking for a $100 non-refundable deposit at the time of sign up. 

Dale Bosarge has asked me to announce a “dodgeball” game night for our students next Tuesday, 7/22, from 6:00 – 8:00PM in the CAB.  There will be a student swimming fellowship this Sunday evening, 7/20, immediately following the evening worship service. 

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

I had the opportunity last night to be around some of the members of Bro. Jerry’s team as they packed for the upcoming GRACE trip.  They did such a good job and are so excited about their time of ministry.  This is a large team (40 folks) and is basically a combination of the Friendship family and Martin Bluff Baptist Church.  Pray for them as they continue to ready for this trip.

I also heard from Pam Landry last night and she is excited about her wedding this weekend.  Bro. Benny McGath has been cleaning the CAB floor in preparation for the reception and I so appreciate his spirit in doing that.  What a nice act of kindness!  (He will come and clean the floors at your house if you will just invite him!) 

Speaking of Pam, her brother, Clint, will be here for the wedding and I have invited him to preach for us on Sunday evening.  Clint is a son in the ministry and presently serves at the Minister to Students at First Baptist Wetumpka.  I encourage every member of the Friendship family to be present for that service. 

A time of fellowship is being planned for our students and it will take place this Sunday evening following the service.  Bro. Chris will be announcing the plans tonight.  We will be inviting the rising 6th graders to this fellowship as our new church year begins a a little over two weeks. 

I need some information from Jennifer Wetterer, Bethany Hatcher, & Whitney Howerin.  Will someone ask them to check their e-mail?  Women! 

We are on a normal schedule today with the morning service and evening activities.  I hope to see you there!  I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus. 

Wow, my Monday was a Monday!  It’s all good!  I slowly, but surely, began to remove the mountain before me.  I am not a huge baseball fan but I did turn on the television last night for a few minutes to surf by the MLB home run hitting contest.  Josh Hamilton (I had never heard of him previously) hit 28 homers in the first round.  He didn’t win the contest but what he said during and afterwards was impressive to me.  He spoke of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  This is coming from a guy who was drafted first a few years ago, received a multi-million dollar signing bonus, and then got hooked on drugs.  He missed three years of his career due to drugs.  His story is one of God’s amazing grace and I pray that he continues to be a witness for Jesus. 

Speaking of being a witness for Jesus, Tim Tebow, the reigning Heisman trophy winner, has spent his summer on mission trips sharing Jesus.  I read a very impressive article on him from a Florida newspaper.  I am not a Florida fan (sorry Rick Bradley) but I am definitely a Tim Tebow fan!  (I will send you the link and/or article if you e-mail me and ask) 

T. Garrett, first you come to the Big Easy and stiff us completely – not a good thing!  I thought of you last night and was grateful that you took me to Yankee Stadium a couple of years ago as this is her last year.  By the way, MLB in the first paragraph stands for Major League Baseball.  You are on your own when it comes to AWANA! 

I spoke to Miss Judy Tucker yesterday and she said the trip to Guatemala was going well.  She asked us to pray for their granddaughter, Bonnie Clair, as she is having problems with a kidney stone which is causing other serious problems.  Bonnie is the daughter of Shane & Carmen. 

I saw the replay of Miss USA taking a literal fall a couple of nights ago in the Miss Universe contest.  Ouch!  Two years in a row for Miss USA!  I thought of myself and the mistakes I make!  Example, yesterday I posted that Josh Caldwell is the student minister at Durant Chapel.  Hello!  Can you say Motlow Creek in South Carolina?  Sorry, Pastor Rainey & Josh! 

Linda Green has firewood to give away.  It is cut and ready to be loaded on your truck or trailer.  All you have to do is haul it away.  You can call the church office for more info. 

Twenty-nine years ago today saw my dad’s only sister, Roberta Martin, pass from this life and enter Heaven after a battle with cancer.  I basically spent the last eight days of her life at her bedside.  I loved my aunt and would have loved for her to have seen my wife and our girls.  God knows and I trust Him!

Bro. Jerry’s GRACE team is having a packing party tonight at 6:00PM.  Also, we need good children’s clothes to take to Guatemala on our next GRACE trip. 

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

I had a wonderful time in Guatemala but it is also good to be home.  I enjoyed being in the pulpit yesterday morning.  Of course that joy was simply intensified when Kayla Brown, Kristi Bradley, and Rick Bradley made public professions of faith in the 10:30AM service.  I also rejoiced as Rob & Reb Nevin came “home” after a brief stay in north Alabama.  Praise God for the increase! 

Patrick Bruce shared with us last night about the AWANA program which we hope to begin in the new church year.  I appreciate him coming to share with us. 

I am very appreciative to Bro. Jerry, Bro. Kerry, Bro. Benny, Bro. Chris, and all others who helped fill the gap during my absence.  I am especially grateful to all who helped minister to the Leasure family. 

Our next GRACE team, under the leadership of Bro. Jerry Hovel, departs for Guatemala this Saturday, 7/19.  This team will fly from Gulfport, New Orleans, and Ft. Worth.  Pray for them as they make all of the necessary last minute preparations for the trip. 

Bro. Johnny Tucker and IMA presently have a team of 54 folks in Guatemala.  They are staying in the Camp House and at Amor del Nino.  Pray for their trip. 

Our final GRACE team for the summer will leave on Saturday, 7/26.  There is a need for good children’s clothes to send with this team.  If you can help, please bring them to the church office by Tuesday, 7/22. 

We don’t presently have anyone from the Friendship family in the hospital – praise the Lord!  I don’t have an update on Carla Felps but do ask that you pray for her.  I would also ask that you continue to pray for David Boutwell, Greg’s brother, as he is to be moved to another hospital for therapy.  Josh Caldwell, student minister at Motlow Creek in South Carolina, continues to receive chemotherapy treatments in his battle against cancer.  Pray for him.   

It seemed that we had a “ton” of regular folks out yesterday even though we had a good attendance.  I am asking each member of the Friendship family to be present this coming Sunday evening, 7/20, at 6:00PM as Clint Landry will be our guest preacher.  It is important to me that we have a good attendance for that service! 

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

Without a doubt, Jack Leasure is one of the finest men I have ever known!  Yesterday morning around 3:00AM Jack passed from this life and entered Heaven.  I received word about his passing from Bro. Jerry around 9:00AM and my heart was heavy the rest of the day.  Pray for the Leasure family!

I have known Jack Leasure for 29 years.  He was our bus mechanic for a long period of time.  He was the teacher for the senior adult men for many years.  He and Miss Chris were in church every time the doors were opened until their health failed.  Jack always wore a tie to church – it may be a Looney Tunes tie but he always had one on.  He was a funny man as he always had a word! 

I seriously contemplated coming home for Jack’s service but after much prayer, and with the family’s blessing, I have decided to remain here.  I do this mainly because I know what Jack would tell me to do.  (It is very much similar to Bertha Peacock’s passing several years ago)  Bro. Jerry will preach the service at 10:00AM on Thursday. 

The visitation will take place Wednesday evening from 5:00PM until 8:00PM.  Out of respect for Jack, we will not have the service (morning or evening) that would normally take place in the auditorium.  We will have our regular classes i.e. RA’s, GA’s, youth Bible studies, etc.  I encourage the members of the Friendship family to attend the visitation and/or service. 

I thank God for the life of Jack Leasure!  My life is better for having known him!