Pastor's Blog

Jack Sims will be having open heart surgery today.  I don’t know all of the details i.e. how many by-passes but do ask that you pray for Jack, Annette, Todd & Linda and the family.  Pray for the doctors who will be doing this procedure.

Ted Ezell remains in rehab and can stay there for several more days under his insurance.  Keep praying.

Pattie gave an update on Gage so keep him in your prayers as he will soon begin another round of treatments.

Soy & Deidra should be getting close to China.   Pray for them as they begin this six weeks of ministry/visiting family.  Alisha Vice is in Kenya doing ministry.

Keep praying for the GRACE team in Guatemala.  All is well and you can read the updates on the GRACE blog.

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

Word I hear is that we had a good attendance in our morning services yesterday and a fair attendance in our evening service.  I really appreciate those folks who are faithful regardless of who is preaching or what is going on.  Special thanks to Bro. Jerry & Bro. Benny for supplying in my absence.

Elizabeth Sessions’ sister-in-law, Doris Leach, is in the hospital and is in serious condition.  Jack Sims is scheduled for open heart surgery tomorrow.  Robin Black’s best friend, Kelly, is 31 weeks into her pregnancy and her water broke on Friday.  They have her on complete bed rest in hospital and are trying to prevent the birthing process for another two weeks.  Pray for these folks as well as the others on our prayer list.

Rita sent me a couple of e-mails to let me know that Alisha made it safely to Kenya.  Praise the Lord.  Pray for her as she is obviously involved in the work by now.

Soy & Deidra left this morning bound for China & the Philippines.  They will be visiting/staying with/observing/working with four IMB families while in the Philippines.  They will also get to spend time with Soy’s maternal grandparents.  While in China they will visit with my brother, Eddie, and, later, his wife, Sue.  They are scheduled to be back home on 7/26.  I would appreciate your prayers for them.

A special “thank you” to each member of the Friendship family who contributed a couple of weeks ago to the special offering for Tico & Kirk.  I wish you could have seen their faces when they were presented with their laptop – priceless to see them speechless!

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

Good morning from Guatemala!  It is shortly after 5:00AM and several of the team members are up and stirring as we will begin our day with breakfast at 5:45AM followed by our morning worship at 6:30AM.  I will be posting on the GRACE blog tonight, Lord willing.

Not much to report in the way of folks sick and in the hospital.  Ted Ezell appears headed to a rehab facility.  Barbara Kelley continues to struggle in her recovery from having her tonsils removed.  Her mother, Miss Dottie Fore, is at home but really is no better.  Dollie Trout came home from the hospital.

I need someone to leave a comment as to Alisha Vice’s status and I am not talking Facebook.  She is spending a month in Kenya doing missions.

We will have a regular schedule this Sunday, 6/20.  Obviously, I will not be in the pulpit but I am very confident in the men who will be bringing the Word.  I encourage each member of the Friendship family to be faithful!

Repeat!  Yes, the Lakers finally were able to beat the Celtics in a 7th game!  June Bailey may not be happy about it but she will just have to deal with it!  LOL!  We Laker fans are already thinking about back to back to back!

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

This entry will be short & sweet as it is approaching midnight and I have to leave at 2:30AM.  I probably should sleep at least thirty minutes before driving the bus to the Pensacola airport.

Bro. Chris asked me to share those folks who purchased the Boston Butts and did not ask to have them delivered may pick them up this Saturday, 6/19, from 9:00AM until noon at the church.  There are six extra BB’s and will be sold on a first come, first served basis.  Contact Bro. Chris to make the purchase.

Alisha Vice leaves for Kenya today.  She will spend a month working with children infected with HIV/AIDS.  Pray that everything will go well for her in her travels and ministry.

We have a team of 44 leaving today from Mobile, Pensacola, Houston, & Atlanta to take part in GRACE ’10 II.  Pray for their safety in travel as well and that we will have a great week of ministry.  Because of Tropical Storm Agatha the needs are even greater than before.  Bret Hart & his team from Faith of Bartlett return home today.

My family is traveling home from Orlando today so I would appreciate your prayers for them too.

Go Lakers!

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

After getting the necessary document from the church office yesterday morning, I made my way over to the Orange County Convention Center for the meeting.  It was an eventful afternoon as Bryant Wright from Marietta, GA was elected as the new president of the SBC defeating Ted Traylor from Pensacola, FL in a runoff.  (I voted for Ted both times)

Of course, the big item for the convention was the passage of the seven recommendations made by the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force.  It passed after a lengthy discussion.  I went to the meeting with the intention of voting for the recommendations set forth by the task force and voted accordingly.  This changes significantly the way Southern Baptists do things.  One major change is that the International Mission Board can now work in the United States which has been prohibited up to this point.  It also allows for “Great Commission Giving” in addition to the Cooperative Program.  I don’t know all of the ramifications but suggest interested folks contact either Pastor Travis Northcutt, Dr. Rex Looney, or Joe David Bailey as they keep up with the latest within the SBC.  (By the way, Pastor Terry Rainey sent me a text during the meeting saying he was there but I didn’t see him so I have my doubts!)

The Lakers won game 6 to force a game 7.  Morris Bryant and I were talking Sunday before last about the Finals and he said it really didn’t matter who won early because it was going 7.  That Morris is a smart guy!  (I can’t figure out whether Diane married him for his looks or brains!)  Les Hacker says the NBA is rigged!  I’m appalled!  At any rate, they will battle for it all tomorrow night and the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics in a game 7.  Come on Lakers!

We are on a regular schedule today with one exception.  Our young adult Bible study that normally meets at 8:00PM at Soy & Deidra’s house will meet at 7:00PM in the parsonage.  Chris Taylor, please put that on MyFace!  Bro. Robbie will be preaching in the morning & 7:00PM services in the auditorium.

I leave my family in Orlando and head back to Grand Bay today.  Pray for me as I travel.

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

P.S. – From the “for what it is worth” department – Texas stayed in the Big 12 because with only 10 teams they will no longer have to play in a league championship game which makes it easier to advance to the BCS title game.  They basically only have to beat OU each year to be in that position.  What a weak football league – in my opinion.  That’s for Gene & Gena!

Ted Ezell remains in the hospital with no indication from the doctors what is causing his problems.  Barbara Kelley is having her tonsils removed tomorrow and Dollie Trout is having a heart cath on Wednesday also.  Betty Creech’s dad may have to be placed in the hospital as they suspect he has pneumonia.  Pray for all of these needs as well as those who are battling cancer.

Joe David Bailey is a friend from Danville, Alabama.  He is trying to take his student group on a mission trip in July.  If you know of senior adults in south Mobile County who need minor house repairs, painting, et cetera done would you please call Bro. Jerry today or tomorrow.  (Personally, I think they should have taken up Dr. Rex Looney’s offer!)  Mary Cook, does your dad know of folks with needs in BLB?

I had no input on the good, used laptop for a pastor in Guatemala.  Pastor Travis says he has a lead.

IMPORTANT – we are moving our 8:00PM Bible study to 7:00PM tomorrow night and changing locations.  We will meet in the parsonage and supper will be served!  Please pass the word!

Otto was right!  Those blasted computers!  You can register online as a messenger to the annual meeting of the SBC.  Simple process which makes registration seamless – not so fast my friend! (Corso)  I got online Saturday to register and it asked for our seven digit code assigned by the SBC.  No problem as I knew our code.  However, it listed seven other churches and asked me which one was our church.  Long story short – couldn’t register online.  So, now I have to register the old fashion way today.  I will have to wait on a letter from Edna so I can prove that I can be a messenger.  Otto is saying, “I told you so!”

My family and I had a delightful time together yesterday.  We visited a couple of Disney’s parks.  Wow, it is as hot here as it is in Grand Bay!  That’s it for me as I do the convention today and then fly home Wednesday morning.

Pastor Terry  Rainey & Pastor Eddie Burdette are all smiles today as Clemson beat Bama in the baseball super regional yesterday to advance to the CWS.  Somehow, they think that makes us even following Bama’s thrashing of Clemson in football two seasons ago.  I will take the football victory every time!

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

Happy Flag Day!  This post is coming from the Magic Kingdom in Orlando.  I left Gulfport at 5:00PM yesterday and got to the room at 2:00AM this morning.  Short night!  Today we will be doing the Disney World thing and tomorrow I will attend the annual meeting of the SBC.

We had a good day in our morning services.  It is a joy to welcome Mac & Karen McGriff into the Friendship family by transfer of letter.  Obviously, I wasn’t in the VBS family night service so I can’t comment on how that went but prayerfully everything went well.

Ted Ezell is in the hospital having had some problems falling on Friday & Saturday.  Pray for him and all the others who are battling sicknesses.

It was not a good night for me as those Celtic’s beat the Lakers and the Dodgers lost their third in a row.  I didn’t see the Lakers game but I am sure it was partly due to poor officiating!

My family is ready to go!  I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus!

P.S. – Pastor Travis Northcutt is trying to locate a “good” use laptop for a pastor in Guatemala.  It doesn’t need to have the Spanish programs but just be in good shape.  If you know of one that someone will either donate or sell at a greatly reduced price, please send me an e-mail at pastor@friendshipfamily.net.  Thanks!

The AARP is killing me – maybe not!  About a week or so before my 50th birthday I got a letter from them asking me to join.  I promptly threw it in the trash can.  I was looking to book a hotel room online the other night and realized that if I were a member of the AARP I could save 20% each night on that room.  So, yesterday they sent me another “acceptance” letter and I am now thinking this might not be too bad after all.  I can join for just $12 a year and will realize that much in savings after one hotel stay.  The best news is that Lisa gets to join for free since she is my spouse – she will love it!

The Lakers are killing me!  Those lousy Celtics!  I pretty much figured the Lakers would not win last night but they could have.  Oh well, at least if they do win it all it will now happen in LA.

I do not have a report from Day 4 of VBS.  I can report that Jason Husband and I went to The Lighthouse for supper last night and then I took him to Wal Mart so he could do his shopping.  As Jason says, “we have fun!”

Lord willing, today will see me mowing grass, driving the red bus for VBS, mowing grass, driving the red bus for VBS, mowing grass, spraying the garden, et cetera.  I hope to get a lot done today as I have much to do tomorrow in other areas.

All of the family, minus me, leaves early in the morning heading for Mickey’s world.  The annual meeting of the SBC takes place in Orlando and I will go down on Sunday night and attend the Tuesday session of the meeting.  This looks to be a pivotal meeting for Southern Baptists as the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force brings their recommendations.  Honestly, that is my sole reason for attending this year’s annual meeting.  Pray for God’s will to be done by Southern Baptists!

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

Joey Switzer told us last night in the service that his mother has been moved to a regular room in the hospital.  Barbara Kelley’s mother was discharged from the hospital.  Pattie Suthoff gave a brief update of Gage’s situation yesterday too.  Lois gave a praise report in the service last night.  She is encouraged and that encourages us!

Day 3 of VBS went well according to Bro. Jerry.  I do not know how many were present yesterday morning but I know it was more than 1 and less that 1,000!  Bro. Chris e-mailed me to say they had 114 present in the session last night.  The adults met in the student ministry building and that was different.  Pray for Day 4.

“Take A Seat” is the slogan for the summer and hopefully last night’s service helped some of our adults consider giving the funds to purchase some chairs.  Just mark “chairs” on the designated side of an offering envelope.

Bret Hart is leading a team from Faith Baptist of Bartlett, TN to Guatemala today.  Bret is a great friend of GRACE Ministries.  Pray for this team.

Speaking of Bret, I was very surprised yesterday when Julie, Chris, & Jonathan Chow stopped by for a visit.  They are from Faith of Bartlett and “Chinese” Chris went to Guatemala with us a couple of years ago.  It was good to see him and to meet his family.

Jason Husband and I had a plan just like the “A Team” but our plan didn’t come together.  You can’t get fresh seafood in Raleigh, MS so we were going to The Lighthouse after taking the children home on the bus.  Unbelievably, The Lighthouse was closed!  Something to do with an electrical problem!  Jason was not a happy camper and we feel that Myrtle sabotaged our plan!

The Dodgers are red hot as they swept the Cardinals last night!  I think the Big 12 may be no more in a short matter of time!  Will USC get hammered by the NCAA?  Will Bush lose his Heisman and will USC have to vacate one of their championships?

This is entry number 1,000 for this blog!  Hooray!  All 12 of our readers are pretty pumped!  If Joe David keeps the pace he has presently set, he will reach 1,000 entries about the time he is 50 years old too!

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

P.S. – The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last night!  Double hooray!

P.S.S. – Bath & Body will be having a huge sale tomorrow through Sunday.  (Just trying to keep all the readers happy!)

Pray for Kendall Wayne English and  his family as they gather today for the visitation at 10:00AM followed by the funeral service for Jayne at noon.  The visitation, service, and burial will all take place at Mobile Memorial Gardens.

Thank you to Miss Vinnie Brewer for coordinating the ministry to feed the English family and thank you to each person who is bringing food or helping in any way.

Continue to pray for Barbara Kelley’s mother, Miss Dottie Fore, and Joey Switzer’s mother, Shirley Switzer.  I don’t really have updates on anyone but ask that you keep praying for those battling cancer too.  I do now that Lois Kirschenman got a good report from the doctor as her cancer has decreased in size – praise the Lord!

Day 2 of VBS went well.  I think I heard the attendance was 263 which was down from day one.  So much for my predictions.  I predict today’s attendance will either be up or down from yesterday.  The middle/high school students have had two good nights with four salvations the first night.  Keep praying for VBS.

Thank you Joe David Bailey – you are a sweetheart!  Yes, the Lakers showed something last night as they went into the Garden and picked a victory from the Celtics!  (Have I ever mentioned that I don’t like the Celtics?)  Paul Pierce said after game two that they weren’t going back to LA and he may be right.  However, I think the series will shift back to LA.  The Lakers really need to win one more in Boston.

The Dodgers moved into first place in the NL West last night with their victory over the Cards and now own the best record in the NL.

Not a regular Wednesday here as we will NOT have our morning service.  We will have a regular schedule in the evening!  I pray that your day with Jesus is great!