Pastor's Blog

Alisha Vice arrived in Uganda safe and sound on Monday morning (Sunday night Alabama time) and is happy to back to the place where God has called her.  Pray that her next year or ministry will be productive.

Tom & Shari Compagner became grandparents this past Sunday as their daugher, Leah, gave birth to a 6 pounds 2 ounces boy.  He came about one month early.  They put a feeding tube in but otherwise he is doing good.  Pray for Brian, Leah, and the baby.

Eddie, Sue, Lisa and I toured the Old City yesterday – everything from Calvary, the Garden tomb, Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, the Via Della Rosa, et cetera.  It was a full day of trying to absorb everything.  Today, we head to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and more.

I was in hopes that Michigan would win the NCAA basketball title last night.  I have a number of UM fans including, but not limited to, Ross Genzink, Dr. Mark Stid, Dr. John Nicely, Jon Duimstra, Brian Cochran, Chad Compagner, et cetera and wanted UM to win for them.  Congratulations to Louisville.  Could their women’s team also win it all tonight?  That would be pretty amazing!

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

It is my understanding that Bro. Jim Chinners (morning) and Bro. Benny McGath (evening) did very good jobs of bringing the Word to the Friendship family yesterday.  I appreciate these men doing this in my absence.

I am also told that our attendance was pretty good.  I do want to thank the members of our Sunday School class for being faithful as I am told we had a room full.  Thanks to Bro. Curtis Taylor, Soy’s dad, for teaching in my absence.

We attended the only evangelical church inside the Old City.  The pastor’s message would have worked well in Friendship or any other church I know.  He talked about folks who only go to church on Sundays, folks who go to church on Sundays and maybe read their Bible some, and folks who love the Lord and serve Him with their whole heart.  We also joined them in observing the Lord’s Supper.  Good service.

We then saw the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.  We visited the Dead Sea beach.  Lisa and I rode a camel just to say that we had done it.

The tour in the tunnel last night was amazing!  We actually stood on the pavement that was there in the days of Jesus – wow!

We also visited a hotel that has the original handwritten copy of the hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul.”  Thanks for Ronnie Cottingham for letting me know about this.  Impressive!

We are about to hit it hard today in the Old City.

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