Pastor's Blog

Here is the latest from Jerry & Gloria:

Pastor and Friendship Family,

It is 10:30 pm here in Coimbatory, India and and I think that makes it around noon there in Grand Bay.

Day Three of the Pocket Testament League, India conference is over and we had quite a day. There are 304 Pastors, Lay Pastors, Evangelist, Church Planters and workers from PTL in attendance.

Of course Gloria and I are not the only guest speakers. Also in attendance are Pastor E. Daniel Martin and Don Haus from Kingdom Life Ministries,PA, Amos Stoltus from Eastern Mennonites Mission, PA. and Yemiru Tilahun from Ethiopia.

I spoke at the morning session sharing about how individual Christians can share the life of Christ just by living their daily life where God has placed them. Brother Alex then turned the main meeting hall over to Gloria and the ladies while he met with about 40 Church Planters in the dining hall and the other men were given some time off to play cricket.

I’m told there are 3 national sport frenzies in India. First is cricket, second is cricket and third is cricket. Would you believe they have no interest in soccer and of course don’t know a thing about Alabama football.

This afternoon I had the privilege of participating in the ordination of 22 new Pastors and 6 Overseers (sort of a Regional Director). The ordination ceremony included foot washing, laying on of hands and anointing each new Pastor with olive oil and much prayer and lasted several hours.

Tomorrow all the churches in this region are invited to a joint service with us at the conference. They are expecting appox 300 brothers and sisters to attend and worship with us.

Please continue to pray for the conference and for Gloria and I. Everyone here sends their love and blessings to the Saints in Alabama.

Mitchel’s surgery went all according to what Tiffany Dawn shared with Lisa via the phone late yesterday afternoon.  He was thinking that he would come home today but I do not know if that is going to happen.

No updates on any others.

The funeral arrangements for Randall Clark’s grandmother, Miss Joyce, are as follows – visitation with the family tomorrow beginning at 2:00PM until the 3:00PM service time.  Visitation and service will take place at the Franklin Creek Baptist Church which is just across the state line.

Raymond’s Aunt Pat will be buried today in the Atlanta, GA area.

We are on a regular schedule tomorrow morning.  The evening service will see us having a time of fellowship at 5:00PM followed by a service at 6:00PM.  That service will feature the ministry of Dale & Karla Bosarge.  We will be receiving a love offering for D&K, so pray and come prepared to give.

We need the staff and deacons in the CAB immediately following the 10:30AM service to set up tables and chairs for the fellowship.

We had one public profession of faith in the service at the Mission of Hope last night.  The band did a really nice job of sharing the Word through song.  The Friendship family was well represented with over thirty in attendance.  I thank Bro. Kenny Lingle for coordinating this ministry.

We have a SS class fellowship here today and Lisa is “demanding” that I get outside (it is still dark!) and work in the yard.  Her words were something like “your idea to host this fellowship so you can get ready for it” (loose translation of a fictional conversation between us!)

Hope to see many members of the Friendship family tomorrow morning and evening.

I pray that your Saturday will be great with Jesus.