Pastor's Blog

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Corinthians 5-8

Found out yesterday that Miss Kathleen Henderson remains in the hospital.  They are fairly certain that she will be discharged today.  I will be checking on her following our morning service.

We are on a regular schedule this morning and evening.  Hopefully, the Friendship family can settle back into a “normal” routine from now until school breaks for Christmas.  Prayerfully, that “normal” will involve being faithful to attend our services.

If you are sponsoring a resident of the convalescent home for Christmas, we need your gift brought to the church either this morning, this evening or this Sunday morning or evening.  You can simply place your gift in the foyer of the auditorium.  Please make sure the name of the resident is on the outside of the wrapped gift.  Thank you.

Our Girls In Action are once again sponsoring the GA Post Office for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  If you are going to send Christmas cards to folks within the Friendship family then please use this service.  Simply put the name(s) of the recipient on the envelope and place it in the “mailbox” in the foyer of the auditorium.  You can then put $0.47 for each card in an offering envelope and simply mark “GA Post Office” on the designated side.  All of the money will go toward our LMCO.  The deadline for placing cards in the “mailbox” will be Sunday, 12/18.

We have twelve Yankees, five folks from outside the Friendship family and twelve members of the Friendship family who will be traveling to Guatemala this Saturday in order to celebrate Christmas with the families involved in our feeding center.  Also, they will be building six houses and hosting six block parties for some very needy children in six different villages.  Folks, this may be the best trip of the year for GRACE Ministries as it is definitely different from any other trip we host.  Pray for this team.  (I will be joining this team on Monday, 12/5, as I will be here for our services this Sunday)

I am praying that we will get some rain today.  My prayers go to those families who lost loved ones in the Northeast part of Alabama early this morning due to the possible tornadoes.

Let me say “good morning” to Nanette Brooks Fontenot!  Why?  Really?

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

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Corinthians 1-4

We had a good number attend our final regularly scheduled prayer time for 2016 last night.  I am grateful to those who are faithful to attend this time of calling out to God.  I will have to be honest in saying that I was tremendously blessed last night when Tim Knighten showed up just before our ending time.  He had just left from receiving his first radiation treatment and drove straight to the church.  He had gone through about six or seven hours of receiving his first chemo treatment as well.  Now, Tim did not come just because he is undergoing treatment as Tim has been one of our “regulars” on Monday nights.  Pray for Tim!

Dave Sellers contacted me yesterday to say that Becky received her final chemo treatment yesterday.  In due time they will do another scan.  Keep praying for Becky.

TJ sent word yesterday that Lindsey & Piper aka Tjetta both came home from the hospital yesterday.  He said mother and daughter are both doing well.

Thank you to each person who sent me recipes for roux and/or gumbo yesterday.  Really nice response.  I am gathering this information to share with a friend who is trying to learn how to cook gumbo.  We only have like thirteen readers and I heard from like five of them regarding this request.  That is fifty percent which is good!

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

We will have our final scheduled prayer time of 2016 tonight from 5:00 – 7:00PM.  Please enter/exit through the West side door of the auditorium.  Come and go.  Come and stay.  Just pray!

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – Acts 18:19-19:41

Tuesday, November 29 – 1 Corinthians 1-4
Wednesday, November 30 – 1 Corinthians 5-8

We seemingly had a “ton” of our regular church folks out of town yesterday but we still had a good attendance in all three services.  I am always grateful when the Friendship folks are able to get away and spend time with their family.  I am also grateful when those in town are faithful to attend – what a blessing!

Lazaro & Glendy Suruy did a nice job of sharing in the Hispanic service yesterday morning and then in our evening service.  They will be with us until this Saturday morning when they will fly back to Guatemala.  All of their evenings are filled but they are available for breakfast or lunch today, Thursday or Friday.

What a blessing to see Blow Joe Guidry in our 10:30AM service yesterday.  He only missed two Sundays after having five heart bypasses on 11/11.  Pretty amazing!

Tim Knighten begins his chemotherapy treatments this morning and his radiation treatments this afternoon.  Pray for Tim as he begins this phase of this journey.  Tim has such a positive outlook and his faith in God is solid!

Carla Kyser will have a surgical procedure this Thursday morning, 12/1.  This procedure is designed to help combat the fluid build up in/around her lungs.

Lisa Thompson has a low white blood count which is preventing her from receiving another treatment.  They are giving her shots to try and raise those counts so pray that it works.

Miss Dollie Kyser is having issues with her kidneys.  Pray that this can be corrected.

I have not heard from Becky Sellers over the past few days but do know that she has been having some issues because of her treatments and such.  Pray for Becky.

Les Hacker’s great niece was involved in an ATV accident on Saturday.  She is ten years old.  She was injured but not in a life threatening way.  However, her twelve year old friend was fatally injured so please pray for his family.

One of our students, Elizabeth Martin, injured her knee while jumping on a trampoline last Sunday night.  A MRI is scheduled for this Thursday, 12/1, with the results being known on Friday.  It “could” involve her ACL so join me in praying that it does not.

I was under the impression that Miss Kathleen Henderson was discharged from the hospital last Tuesday but I “think” I was wrong on that one.  I will get the details today.

Greg Boutwell did come home from the hospital but still needs our prayer support.

We are on a regular schedule this Wednesday, 11/30.  Our December Sundays will see us NOT have Discipleship Training.  Our Sunday mornings will be “normal” with the exception of Christmas Day when will will only have one service which will begin at 10:30AM.  We will be having a musical praise service this Sunday evening, 12/4, our children’s musical on the evening of 12/11, and our adult choir musical on the evening of 12/18.

Our December Wednesdays are “normal” with the exception of the last one, 12/28, when we will not have any services, classes or activities.

Odd request – do any of you have a good recipe for making gumbo roux?  I know you can buy it in the stores.  I am looking for the best way to make it from scratch.  Believe me when I say this is not for me as I do not cook!  If you have a good recipe or secret, please send it to me via e-mail.  Thanks!

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

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – Galatians 4-6

How about some good news to begin with?  Greg Boutwell was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  What a nice Thanksgiving gift for him!  He was a happy camper!  Keep praying for Greg!

Piper “Tjetta” Vice remains under a small oxygen tent in the nursery.  TJ said that Lindsey “may” be discharged tomorrow.  Not sure if that would apply to Piper or not at this point.

Talked to Cecil Guidry on Wednesday and she said Blow Joe is doing really good in his recovery.  Those Cajuns are tough folks!

Sandra McElwee sent me an e-mail yesterday saying that David’s recovery is slow but sure.

Tim Knighten starts chemo and radiation on Monday.

I hope your Thanksgiving Day was blessed.  I made a couple of hospital visits but other than that did nothing productive.  Wanted to see a close college football game but it became so one sided that I turned it off.  We were blessed to have Lazaro & Glendy with us and we helped them celebrate their twenty first wedding anniversary!  We had turkey, dressing, and all of the trimmings just for them!

Lisa and crew have been shopping all night – boring!  Logan Wainwright has taken Lazaro duck hunting.  Lazaro has never been hunting in his life!  WT & Bernard need to take him deer hunting one day next week!

Lord willing, driving to Birmingham today and then over to Tuscaloosa in the morning to attend the game.  I plan to be back on Saturday night and will be preaching in the morning services.  Lazaro will preach in the Hispanic service on Sunday morning and then to the entire church on Sunday evening.

I “probably” will not post an entry tomorrow or Sunday.  We have a good number of folks out of town but I pray those of us in town will be faithful to attend the services.  I also pray that the members of the Friendship family who are out of town will attend a church service wherever they are.

Why would you not name your baby girl “Tjetta” when her daddy’s name is TJ?  Just asking!

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

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – Galatians 1-3

Happy Thanksgiving!

Piper Arlene Vice entered this world yesterday afternoon!  She checked in at six pounds and five ounces.  She had a couple of minor issues mainly because of being a little early.  Congratulations to TJ, Lindsey, Parker, Tucker and the entire family.

Greg Boutwell remains in the hospital and will do so for at least the next few days.  He is not happy about being in the hospital but has a good attitude in spite of that fact.  Keep praying for Greg.

Bro. Jerry coordinated the hanging of the Christmas decorations in the auditorium and it all looks nice.  I appreciate all those involved in this process.  Yes, Christmas is here!  It is the best season of the year so enjoy it!  O come let us adore Jesus!

I pray that your Thanksgiving Day will be a blessed time with family.  I am praying for those going through your first Thanksgiving Day without that special loved one present because of their passing.  May you find God’s grace sufficient today!

I pray that you will have a great Thanksgiving Day with Jesus!

P.S. – I will be enjoying Thanksgiving with my family even though Nanette Brooks Fontenot has basically begged me to join them today!  Says she wants it to be like old times – what does that mean?

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – Acts 15-16

Lindsey Hatcher Vice (she scolded me for calling her by her maiden name in yesterday’s blog; TJ panicked thinking he may not get to claim her as a deduction on his tax return if anyone from the IRS reads this blog but I assured him that we only have thirteen readers with none of them being IRS folks!) will see her doctor this morning and will “probably” give birth today.  It is a girl and her name is Tjetta.  I am going to guess her weight at six pound and one ounce and her length at eighteen and three quarters inches.  Pray that all goes well in the delivery of this precious gift of life.

Visited with Miss Kathleen Henderson early yesterday morning and she was feeling much better.  Was in hopes of being discharged yesterday.  I do not know if that happened or not.  (Joey Switzer is basically useless when it comes to providing pertinent information).

Visited with Greg Boutwell too.  He was thinking that he will be in the hospital through Thanksgiving Day and possibly beyond.  Pray for Greg!

Tim Knighten will begin his chemotherapy and his radiation treatments this coming Monday, 11/28.  Fairly long road in front of him so keep praying for Tim.

Jonny Gaston went with me (my ears hurt) to Meridian, MS yesterday to get Lazaro & Glendy Suruy.  We met Pastor Jordan, Lana and John Mark Lollar for lunch and then brought the Suruys to Grand Bay.  The Lord gave us traveling mercies and for that we are most grateful!

No services/classes/activities on our campus today.  I pray that everyone will spend time with family.

The church office is open this morning from 8:00AM until noon.  It will then be closed until Monday morning, 11/28, at 8:00AM.

Remember, there will be no letter from the pastor this week.  There will also be no “news & notes!”

I have decided after conferring with Jeanette Bates that we will not have a choir in our 8:00AM service for the remaining five Sundays of this calendar year.  However, we need the choir loft filled for the 10:30AM service each of those five Sundays.  Our senior adults are asked to fill the choir loft on Sunday, 1/1, for the 10:30AM service.

We will be having a “family night” on Sunday, 1/1, from 8:00 – 10:00PM at the bowling lanes in Gautier, MS.  Folks will come to the 6:00PM service and then we will make our way to the bowling center.  Cost is five dollars per bowler (non bowlers do not pay) with a twenty dollars maximum per family.  This event is for the entire family and all ages.  Do folks like Sammy, Myrtle and Les still have it after all these years removed from the Friendship bowling league?  I know Jack Lastorka and Rusty Suthoff have it as I have seen them bowl.  The question is, “can they beat Soy & Brad?”

My hope is for a standing room only crowd for our Christmas Eve service which will begin at 5:00PM and end at 6:00PM.  All angel tree recipients will be present for that service.  Please mark it on your calendar and come join us!  On Christmas Day we will only have one service which will begin at 10:30AM.

Bloomington, Indiana is no longer celebrating Columbus Day or Good Friday.  They will now celebrate a Fall Holiday and a Spring Holiday.  Afraid of offending folks thus the name change.  I think Good Friday is a pretty important day in the life of followers of Jesus.  I did note that they are not changing the name of any of the Muslim special days?  God help America!

I mentioned Rusty earlier in this blog.  The situation between Soy & him is bad.  How bad?  Last night Rusty joined us for supper as we welcomed Lazaro & Glendy to Grand Bay.  When Soy found out that Rusty was here he left and went to Dale Bosarge’s house.  Wow!

My new laptop arrived yesterday.  My cousin, Tony Gettig, gave me great advice as this MacBook Air is sweet.  Soy ordered for me and would have helped me set it up but Rusty was here and well you know!

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

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – James 1-5

Sharon Jardee was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  Praise the Lord!

Greg Boutwell remains in the hospital.  As of yesterday morning, he was not sure when he would be discharged.

Miss Kathleen Henderson was moved from the ICU and is now in a regular room.  She was in hopes that she will be discharged today.

I have not checked on Lindsey Hatcher but she is most likely going to give birth tomorrow.  TJ was told that you get a discount if the baby is born the day before a holiday instead of on the actual holiday so he opted for tomorrow.  Just saying!

Our prayer time numbers have decreased.  This is such a busy time of the year so I understand.  I am very grateful to those who come and pray each week.  We will have the prayer time next Monday, 11/28, and then not have it again until 2017.

Our only grandson presently living here will have his seventh birthday this Friday, 11/25.  We had cake and presents Sunday at lunch but his “party” was last night at the bowling lanes.  That was his wish.  I am a little embarrassed to write this but in the first game Soy & Brad beat me by a fairly wide margin (I honestly do not remember the scores).  However, I got my game on a bit in the second and narrowed the gap to only two pins!  If only we had played a third game!

I said all of that to say this – we have reserved the entire bowling center for the Friendship family on Sunday night, January 1, 2017, from 8:00 – 10:00PM.  This is going to be a family outing!  The cost will be five dollars per bowler with a maximum of twenty dollars per immediate family.  I know that the public school teachers have to go back to work the next morning but the students will still be on vacation.  So, mark it on your calendar and make plans to join us!

I want to say a huge “thank you” to each person who has helped Maria Wainwright clean the buildings since she has been hobbling around because of her broken foot.  I will not mention names for fear of leaving someone off the list.  Those folks know who they are and I am very thankful!  Maria is thankful too!

Once again, Nanette Brooks Fontenot is mad at me!  What did I do this time?  I failed to mentioned yesterday that her (and Scott’s) daughter, Corie, has been named the head softball coach at the University of Mobile.  Honest truth – Nanette even came to the church office yesterday!  Her comment was something like this, “if that was one of your daughters it would make the blog!  Well, Corie is just like your daughter!”  What?  Pray for Scott!

Lord willing, driving to Meridian, MS today to get Lazaro & Glendy Suruy.  They will then be in Grand Bay until Saturday, 12/3.  Lazaro will be preaching in our Hispanic service this Sunday morning and then in our evening service.  He & Glendy will be staying in Henni’s old room this week and will then move to stay with Clara Broadus next week.

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

P.S. – I know that Korie’s name begins with a “K” but just wanted to ruffled Nanette’s feathers a bit more.  Plus, “Coach Corie” looks better than “Koach Korie!”  Just saying!

The auditorium will be open tonight from 5:00 – 7:00PM for our prayer time.  Come and go.  Come and stay.  Just pray.  Please enter/exit through the West side door.  Blessings!

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19:14 KJV)

Today’s Bible reading – Acts 13-14

Tuesday, November 22 – James 1-5
Wednesday, November 23 – Acts 15-16
Thursday, November 24 – Galatians 1-3
Friday, November 25 – Galatians 4-6
Saturday, November 26 – Acts 17-18:18
Sunday, November 27 – 1 Thessalonians 1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3

Greg Boutwell was admitted to the hospital last week.  The thinking is that he “may” be discharged today.  Pray for Greg.

Miss Kathleen Henderson was admitted to the hospital over the weekend and is in the ICU.  I will be visiting with her today.  Miss Kathleen is so very faithful to attend our services and to pray for me.  Pray for her.

Sharon Jardee remains in the hospital and should be discharged today per her doctor.  Pray that her recovery will go as planned.

I mistakenly wrote that Tim Knighten would begin his raditation treatments today.  He will see the oncologist today.  Not sure when his treatments will begin.  Keep praying for Tim.

Becky Sellers has been having some tough days.  Pray for her.

Carla Kyser is MIA!  Really?

Brooke Whitehurst is having outpatient surgery on her knee this morning.  I overheard Rusty telling her yesterday morning that she will probably be “out” for the next three or four years based on his experience!  Pray for Brooke!

Good day in our morning services yesterday.  Thanks to everyone who helped with the food boxes and/or the bus ministry meal.  The adult choir was really strong in the second service – awesome!

Thank you to each member of the Friendship family who attended the community Thanksgiving service at the Methodist Church last night.  We were well represented.

We had forty five students attend the outing last night in Gulf Shores.  Special thanks to Terry Lucky for driving the bus to and from this activity.  Not sure how well Terry did on the trampolines!

Lazaro & Glendy Suruy will arrive in Grand Bay tomorrow, 11/22, if all goes as planned.  They will be with us in our services this Sunday, 11/27.

The following is taken from the calendar of activities which has been distributed for the past three or four weeks:  Wednesday, November 23 – No Services/Classes/Activities.  I will not get on my soapbox (LOL) but will simply remind everyone that we are not having any services, classes or activities this Wednesday, 11/23, as has been announced for the past month.

Courtney Cavin is my hero!  Why?  She gave me a Hope’s Cheesecake!  Amazing!

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