Pastor's Blog

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 8-11

Our schedule for today is Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by our morning worship service at 10:30AM.  As we did last year, we are only having one morning worship service so I can address the entire Friendship family in the same service.

We will then gather in our auditorium at 5:00PM (note the earlier starting time) for our evening service which will be a joint service with the Grand Bay Church of God.  Friendship family, we need to attend this service in strong numbers and be good hosts to our guests.  The GBCOG will provide the musical worship and I will be bringing a message from the Word.  Come join us!

Beginning this Wednesday, 1/6, we will resume our normal schedule on Wednesdays and Sundays.  (There is one exception to this – our college/young adult Bible studies at 7:30PM will not meet this Wednesday but will resume on 1/13)

The visitation with the Cynthia Cumbie family takes place from noon until 2:00PM today at the Serenity Funeral Home.  The celebration of life service begins at 2:00PM in their chapel.  The committal service will take place tomorrow, 1/4, at 2:00PM in the Mobile Memorial Gardens.  That service is basically designed to be a family time although they will not prevent anyone wishing to attend from doing so.

I am loving this cooler weather.  Scott Fontenot told me yesterday that I was going to like this upcoming week weather wise and, if the forecasters are correct, he is right!

Can one player make that much of a difference in a football game?  Ask Oregon after last night’s game when Vernon Adams was knocked out of their game in the second quarter with the Ducks leading 31 – 0.  They would eventually lose that game – wow!  Speaking of bowl games, the SEC went 8 – 2 which is a record for most wins by any conference.  Just saying!

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

Today’s Bible reading – Genesis 4-7

Elizabeth & Ellie were discharged from the hospital yesterday.

Visited with Caroline yesterday.  She is doing better physically but is obviously struggling emotionally.  The visitation with the family takes place tomorrow, 1/3, from noon until the 2:00PM service time.  Everything takes place at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore.

Upward basketball resumes this morning at 8:00AM.

We will have Sunday School at 9:15AM followed by a service at 10:30AM tomorrow.  Our evening service will begin at 5:00PM tomorrow.  It is “possible” that it will not be a joint service.  I will make that announcement in the morning service.  There has been a misunderstanding about the date.

I would encourage each person reading this blog to attend a church service tomorrow.  Some of you may have gotten out of the habit of attending services on Sunday nights or Wednesdays.  Why?  Do you now need less of the church?  Does Hebrews 10:25 not ring true any longer?

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

Happy New Year!  My prayer is that 2016 will be an absolutely blessed year in your life!  I have made a decision regarding the reading of the Bible for 2016.  I am going to post a reading assignment that will allow a person to join me in reading the Bible through chronologically in 2016.  We have ten blog readers and I am in hopes that at least three of you will join me on this journey.  Honestly, it does not matter which plan, if any, you use just read the Word daily.  Here it goes:

Friday, January 1 – Genesis 1-3
Saturday, January 2 – Genesis 4-7
Sunday, January 3 – Genesis 8-11
Monday, January 4 – Job 1-5
Tuesday, January 5 – Job 6-9
Wednesday, January 6 – Job 10-13
Thursday, January 7 – Job 14-16
Friday, January 8 – Job 17-20
Saturday, January 9 – Job 21-23
Sunday, January 10 – Job 24-28

Elizabeth & Ellie should be discharged from the hospital this morning.  Both are doing well – thank the Lord!

Spoke to Caroline via the phone last night.  She remains sick.  She is weighted down with the loss of her only daughter.  She knows God’s grace will sustain her but she also knows it is not natural to bury your children.

Lisa, Dana, Gina and I arrived home late yesterday morning.  Lisa and I had driven through the night so she was really tired.  She said, “I am going to bed and you are going to buy groceries at Walmart!”  Folks, I learned a really valuable lesson yesterday – do not go to Walmart on New Year’s Eve afternoon!  I have never seen that many folks in Walmart!  The aisles were crowded with people and the check out lines were long, It was not a pleasant experience!

I did watch college football late yesterday afternoon and last night.  I know that Pastor Terry Rainey and Bro. Eddie Burdette are beside themselves this morning as their beloved Clemson Tigers won!  I missed that one in my picks.  Thought OU was better or maybe I did not think Clemson was that good?  Regardless, congratulations to Coach Dabo and his team.

Going to try and catch Elizabeth in the hospital this morning and do some shopping for the Upward concession stand.  After that, hope to maybe watch some bowl games although they seem anti-climatic to me after yesterday’s games.

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