Pastor's Blog

Alben Gaston  Room 8302  UAB Hospital North Pavilion  619 Nineteenth street   Birmingham, Al 35249

Posting this just in case anyone wants to send Pastor Alben a card.

Today’s Bible reading – Micah 1:1-4:13 Revelation 6:1-17 Psalm 134:1-3 Proverbs 30:1-4

Tuesday, 12/16 – Micah 5:1-7:20 Revelation 7:1-17 Psalm 135:1-21 Proverbs 30:5-6

Wednesday, 12/17 – Nahum 1:1-3:19 Revelation 8:1-13 Psalm 136:1-26 Proverbs 30:7-9

Thursday, 12/18 – Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 Revelation 9:1-21 Psalm 137:1-9 Proverbs 30:10

Friday, 12/19 – Zephaniah 1:1-3:20 Revelation 10:1-11 Psalm 138:1-8 Proverbs 30:11-14

Saturday, 12/20 – Haggai 1:1-2:23 Revelation 11:1-19 Psalm 139:1-24 Proverbs 30:15-16

Sunday, 12/21 – Zechariah 1:1-21 Revelation 12:1-17 Psalm 140:1-13 Proverbs 30:17

Kevin Sprinkle’s brother, Archie, passed from this life very early this morning.  I was able to go by the hospital and pray with Kevin & Tina after the service last night.  Pray for the family as they make arrangements and walk through this valley.

Clara Broadus’ sister, Faye, remains hospitalized in Panama City, FL and is not doing well.  Certainly needs our continued prayer support.

The funeral arrangements for Amy Reynolds’ grandfather are as follows:  visitation with the family on Wednesday, 12/17, from noon until the 2:00PM service time.  Visitation and service at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore, AL.

The visitation with the Caryn Suthoff family is today from 3:00 – 9:00PM in our church auditorium.  The added hours should help with the size of the line and I appreciate the family being considerate of others.  It is going to be a long day for the family.  Kim French & Soy Taylor’s class (30 -39) will host a break room for the family with a meal and drinks.  I appreciate them doing that.  I ask that we respect the family’s private time from 2:00 – 3:00PM.

The service takes place tomorrow at 11:00AM preceded by one hour of visitation with the family.  Pray for Caryn’s niece, Layla, April Nicholson, Randall Broome and Brad Hutto as they will all be sharing a message in song.  Levi will be playing the piano for them.  Jeanette will be playing the pre-service music.  I appreciate each of these folks being involved in this ministry.

Tony Tripp’s maternal grandmother passed away over the weekend.  She lived in Pennsylvania.  Pray for Tony’s family.

Keep praying for Lisa Thompson and the others battling cancer.

Pastor Alben Gaston is in a Birmingham hospital and is showing some good signs of improvement.  Dr. Thomas Wright gave me an update following our second morning service yesterday and Cecil Guidry did likewise last night.

Dylan says that Levi Westbrook is at home and is making improvement.  He will be able to work from home.  Keep praying.

We were blessed with a really good day in our services yesterday.  Derrick did a nice job of sharing about the work God has called them to and promoting the LMCO.  Pray that they will have a good time with family over the Christmas season.

Tena Hovel and the children’s choir did a nice job of presenting the Gospel in the evening service.

Our attendance was really good in the morning services.  I appreciate folks who are faithful!

Our final wave of folks who were on the GRACE Ministries trip returned home yesterday afternoon.  Several of them were in our service last night.  I was blessed by that fact.  It was a really good trip.  This trip will perhaps become our most popular one in the years ahead.

The Finance Committee has given the committee overseeing the asphalt work the green light to begin.  That ad hoc committee will now pursue the absolute lowest bid and move forward with phase one of the project.

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

Today’s Bible reading – Jonah 1:1-4-11 Revelation 5:1-14 Psalm 133:1-3 Proverbs 29:26-27

Amy Reynold’s maternal grandfather, Bert Eden, passed from this life last night.  The arrangements are pending but Amy said they are thinking maybe Wednesday for a service.  Again, that is not set in stone at this point.  Pray for Amy’s family.

Kevin Sprinkle’s brother, Archie, is not doing well.  Special prayers needed.

Pastor Alben Gaston, 1st Semmes, had an aneurism and was taken to Birmingham.  Honestly, I have gotten conflicting reports on his condition but do know that we can pray for him.

The Friendship family will provide the post service meal for the Caryn Suthoff family on Tuesday, 12/16.  Caryn’s Sunday School class will take the lead in this ministry opportunity but will definitely need much help as the family is large numerically.  We will ask folks to sign up today in our services and then to have the food at the church no later than 11:00AM on Tuesday.

Derrick, Jodie & Bella will be sharing in our services this morning.  It will be good to hear from them as it relates to the IMB and the LMCO.

Our children’s choir will present their Christmas musical this evening at 6:00PM.  (There will be no Discipleship Training from now until January)  I encourage each member of the Friendship family to support our children in this service tonight.

I pray that you will have a great Sunday with Jesus.  Go to church!

Caryn Hyatt Suthoff, 24 of Grand Bay, Alabama passed from this life on Friday, December 12, 2014 in Mobile, Alabama. She was born January 22, 1990 in Mobile. Caryn was a graduate of the University of South Alabama and taught Kindergarten at Dodge Elementary School in Mobile. She was a faithful and loving Christian with a wonderful sense of humor. She enjoyed yard sales, photography and spending time with her family. Caryn was preceded in death by her father, James Lane Hyatt. She is survived by her husband, Rusty Suthoff of Grand Bay; mother, Deborah Hyatt of Grand Bay; sister, Kayla Hatcher and husband Ryan of Grand Bay; brothers, James Hyatt, Travis Hyatt and wife Rosalie, Marshall Hyatt, and Cody Hyatt and wife Alia all of Grand Bay; grandparents, Norman and Martez Richerson of Grand Bay; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held on Monday, December 15, 2014 from 3:00 until 9:00PM at Friendship Baptist Church, 12581 Saeger Road, Grand Bay, AL 36541. Funeral services will be Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 11:00AM from the church with Rev. Teddy Turrentine officiating. Interment will follow in Grand Bay Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be James Hyatt, Travis Hyatt, Marshall Hyatt and Cody Hyatt. Honorary pallbearers will be Norman Richerson, Bernard Suthoff, Jason Poiroux, David Richerson and Jerry Lundy. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers that memorial donations be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The American Cancer Society or Friendship Baptist Church in Grand Bay. Caryn’s family would like to offer a heartfelt “Thank you” to the 4th floor nurses at Springhill Medical Center and family and friends who have shown love and support during this most difficult time.

Today’s Bible reading – Obadiah 1:1-21 Revelation 4:1-11 Psalm 132:1-18 Proverbs 29:24-25

The real likely hood is that no one reading this blog entry will ever live long enough to see those numbers put together for the month, day, and year again.

It is almost 2:00AM and I have not been able to go to sleep after having slept basically none last night.  Could not sleep on the planes yesterday either which is somewhat out of the norm for me.  Arrived in Mobile around 10:00PM and Soy then took me to visit with Amy Reynolds and her family at Springhill Memorial.  He then drove me home and I spent some time with Rusty.  Rusty is hurting but he shows a maturity beyond his years.  The adrenaline is flowing pretty strongly tonight and I guess it is because of C’s passing.

If I am hearing correctly, there is no need for food at either Debbie Hyatt’s home or at Rusty’s.  May want to give it a day or two in order for them to eat some of those respective mountains of food down before taking any more.

Amy’s grandfather is doing much better than expected at this point.  He has had an aneurism in his stomach for a long time and it began to bleed yesterday which caused concern among the medical folks.

Keep praying for Lisa Thompson, Gloria Morrison and the others battling cancer.

Five of us arrived home from Guatemala yesterday/last night.  Eight more hope to do the same today.  The remaining twelve are scheduled to arrive home on Sunday.  Pray for traveling mercies.

No wedding shower for Jamie Hall today.  Ladies, please take note.

Upward basketball today from 8:00AM until 3:00PM in the CAB.

Derrick, Jodie & Bella in our morning services tomorrow.

Children’s choir Christmas musical in our 6:00PM service tomorrow.  (No DT now until January 2015)

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

Amy Reynold’s maternal grandfather, Mr. Eden, age 87, suffered an aneurism this afternoon.  The prognosis is not good.  He is also battling cancer.  Obviously, Mr. Eden is in the hospital and his family is waiting beside him.  Pray for him and the family.

The visitation with the Caryn Hyatt Suthoff family will take place on Monday, 12/15, from 3:00 – 9:00PM.  (Please respect the family’s privacy until the 3:00PM hour)  Another hour of visitation will take place on Tuesday, 12/16, from 10:00AM until the 11:00AM service time.  Everything takes place from the auditorium of Friendship Baptist Church 12581 Saeger Road Grand Bay, Alabama 36541.  (Church phone number is 251 445 5412)  Caryn will be buried in the Grand Bay Cemetery.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to either The American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Hospital or Friendship Baptist Church.

Keep praying!

Jamie Hall has me to announce that the wedding shower scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.  (I do not know if this means it will be rescheduled but do know it will not take place tomorrow)  Ladies, please take note.  Jamie is doing this out of respect for C and her family during this most difficult time.

Terry Lucky did well through his surgery yesterday morning.  I knew that as I wrote my earlier post but felt the timing was not right and knew I could report it later.  Terry & Carol are such wonderful members of the Friendship family.

As I type this entry, I am on a plane somewhere between Guatemala City and Mobile.  It is a small miracle of God that I am on this flight and I thank Him.  Rusty and family are meeting with the funeral director at this time so I should be able to post the arrangements as some point tonight.

FYI, we will have Upward basketball tomorrow.

Keep praying for Rusty, Debbie, Kayla, Caryn’s brothers, Norman & Martez and the entire family.

Today’s Bible reading – Amos 7:1-9:15 Revelation 3:7-22 Psalm 131:1-3 Proverbs 29:23

This entry is being written with a very, very heavy heart.  Caryn Hyatt Suthoff passed from this life around 3:30AM.  There were some problems with the scope yesterday which caused them to place C in ICU and put her on a vent.  Her family was called to the hospital and stayed there through the night.  Bro. Chris Taylor and several members of the Friendship family were there as well.  I appreciate those folks being there.

I received the news of C’s passing as Larry Crawley and I had just dropped Bernard & Pattie off at the Guatemala City airport.  They had changed their flight from tomorrow to today because of the situation.  I was able to tell them of C’s promotion before they entered the airport.  They are scheduled to arrive in Mobile around 1:00PM.

I had changed my flight last night too.  Delta only flies once daily from Guatemala City so I will not get to Mobile until 10:00PM tonight.

Our Sunday School class will coordinate the feeding of the Suthoff/Hyatt family.  However, they will need help because of the large number of family members who will be in attendance.

Obviously, no arrangements have been made.  I do not even know what the thought process is as far as a potential scenario.  The arrangements will be posted here once completed.

I am going to miss C!  She was more than just a church member to me – she was a friend!

Pray for Rusty, Debbie and the entire family as they walk through this valley.

Today’s Bible reading – Amos 4:1-6:14 Revelation 2:18-3:6 Psalm 130:1-8 Proverbs 29:21-22

Terry Lucky is having surgery this morning.

C will have a scope today to try and help them understand what is taking place in her body.  The family requests no visitors for the time being.  I ask the Friendship family to honor this request while praying fervently.

Kevin Sprinkle’s brother, Archie, remains hospitalized.

Lee & Candy Sugiyama are house parents at Casa Aleluya.  Lee’s mother in California is seemingly near death.  He will fly today to be with her and his family.  Pray for the Sugiyama family.

All is well in Guatemala.  Yesterday was a highlight day as each of the forty children were presented with a brand new bicycle for Christmas.  The students at Alba Middle School raised $1,125 and two other individuals gave the remaining funds needed to make this purchase.  The children were so very excited!  I wish you could have seen them!

On Tuesday night, we hosted the American staff from Casa Aleluya to a Christmas meal.  What a neat evening of fellowship.

Last night, we hosted fifteen of the forty families involved in our feeding center ministry for a Christmas meal.  There were sixty seven folks served.  We were able to give them a gift basket which contained a lot of stuff – thanks to John & Laurie King for overseeing this project!  There were some happy people in that room last night!

Our house building is on a secondary level this trip.  Four have basically been completed with two more ready for the concrete.  We have two more to build from scratch.

Thank you for praying for our GRACE team.

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