Pastor's Blog

I am going to go with the “no news is good news” theory as I am not hearing anything from the home front.  That is a good thing.

Have heard of no new cases of the virus within the Friendship family and that is good too.  Praise the Lord!  Keep praying for those who are battling the disease.

Basketball this morning beginning at 8:00AM.  Pray for this ministry.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening including our AWANA ministry and children’s choir.

The team in Guatemala had a good day yesterday.  Breakfast, feed the students, devotion and then house building.  Two houses were completely finished and the other two are basically ready for the tin.  Good fellowship within the team and with the families for whom the houses are being built.

Today will basically be a repeat of yesterday with the exception of adding a food distribution and beginning cooking to serve the church lunch tomorrow.

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

Thank you to those who responded to my request asking which members of the Friendship family have tested positive for Covid-19 since last March.  So far, I have had everyone on my list but it is nice to have that confirmed.  Not going to share names.  So, if you have tested positive since March 2020 and are an active member of the Friendship family please send me an email at pastor@friendshipfamily.net.

The mission team arrived on GRACE Mountain around 3:00PM or so yesterday.  They quickly went to Colegio JET to spend time with the older students.  It was then off to the mall food court for supper and then time to call it a day.  They were all physically tired.

Scott Peyton, Max & Margie Peacock’s son-in-law, from Michigan stopped by the mission house last night with two pastors.  They toured the house and the school buildings.  Very nice men.  Very excited to see all that God has done on GRACE Mountain.

This morning will see the team serve breakfast to the younger students, have a morning devotional and then head out to build houses.  It promises to be a great day.

Regular schedule on our campus this Sunday morning and evening.  My prayer is that many members of the Friendship family will be in attendance.

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

Good morning from GRACE Mountain.

I really do not have any “new” news regarding the folks on our prayer list.  I do know that we added two more folks to the list of those within the Friendship family who have been diagnosed with the virus.  Pray for all of these folks.

Speaking of folks who are actively involved in the Friendship family, I am trying to keep a tally of those who have tested positive.  If you have tested positive at any point since March of 2020, would you send me an email at pastor@friendshipfamily.net?  I “think” I have everyone on my list but I could be wrong.

We have twelve folks from Alabama, Michigan & Mississippi heading to Guatemala today.  Pray for safe travels and a great week of ministry.  The needs here are very great.   By the way, eight of the team members are first timers to GRACE Mountain.  Joey & Bibbi Bosarge were set to join us but that is not going to happen now.  I am going to miss Joey!

I watched a guy administer a Covid test today.  The “Q-tip” he used had to be sixteen inches long and he used very inch!  The results were negative but it hurt me just to watch it!  I mainly watched because our whole team will have to be tested before flying home and I wanted to see the process.  I am going to ask to be put to sleep before being tested!  (Calling Dr. Stan Gordon!)

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

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and evening.

Donnie Felps’ procedure went well yesterday.  Keep praying for Donnie.

We have eleven or thirteen folks who will join me in Guatemala tomorrow.  Keith & Aninha Barrett will be in that number.  Pray for these folks as they will travel from Alabama, California, Michigan & Mississippi.

Keep praying for those within the Friendship family who are battling the virus.  We added two to that number yesterday.

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

Good Tuesday morning from the Mobile Airport.  I am about to board a flight to Atlanta and will then go directly to flight heading to Guatemala City.  A team of either eleven or thirteen will join me this Thursday if all goes as planned.  We have already lost two team members due to the virus.  Pray for this team as they minister in Guatemala until 2/4.

Join me in praying for Ethan & Brittney Nelson and their family today.

Sad to read about the death and damage caused by the tornado in Fultondale, Alabama last night.  Give me a hurricane over a tornado any day of the week.

I “think” Donnie Felps is having a procedure today.  It could be a consultation.  Pray for Donnie.

Keep praying for those folks battling the virus.

Miss Kittie sent a message yesterday expressing her thankfulness for the love shown to her on Sunday.

Regular schedule on our campus tomorrow morning and evening.

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

Our “Miss Kittie Camp Appreciate Sunday” went well.  Thank you to each person who attended and to those who brought cards for Miss Kittie.  Thank you to those who shared in last night’s service too.

It was a blessing to have Miss Vinnie Brewer in our first service yesterday morning.  She is the epitome of faithfulness!

Miss Edna attended the evening service after having had a surgical procedure on Tuesday.  It was good to see her in our service.

Want to talk about tough?  Debbie Kendrick fell in August.  Not a big deal.  Well, she went to the doctor last week and it was discovered that she had actually broken her hip and fractured her pelvis during that August fall.  She has been going about life as normal for the past five months or so.  She is a lot tougher than Bill!  She will have hip replacement surgery in a few weeks.  Pray for Debbie.

We presently have at least three folks from the Friendship family who are actively battling the virus.  Pray for them!

Lisa and I will be traveling to Silas, Alabama today in order to attend the graveside service for Miss Dot Tucker.  Miss Dot was ninety seven years old.  Of course, she is the mother of Evangelist Johnny Tucker.

Our 8:00AM attendance yesterday was good.  Our 10:30AM attendance was pretty good.  Our 6:00PM attendance was on the not so good side.  I am concerned that folks have gotten very comfortable not gathering for worship.  Pray with me that folks will see the need to gather for corporate worship.  It is important.  It is Scriptural.

Lord willing, I will leave early in the morning heading to Guatemala to lead a team that will be doing some medical, building houses and distributing food in two villages.  Plus, the team will be actively involved in Colegio JET.  The team will join me on Thursday and we all will return on the following Thursday.  Our team will have either eleven members or thirteen members.

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

Happy third birthday to our grandson, Jayden!  I pray that his day will be a great one!  We love Jayden and thank God for him!

Regular schedule on our campus this morning and tonight.

Today is our “Appreciation Day for Miss Kittie Camp!”  Katelyn Johnson has prepared two baskets that will be on the platform in all three of our services.  We are asking the Friendship family to bring cards of appreciation.  Financial gifts will be accepted as well.  Thank God for Miss Kittie!

Baptism will be a part of our evening service.  Looking forward to that time of worship.

A discussion meeting regarding the proposed budget for 2021 will take place in the auditorium beginning at 5:15PM.  Heidi Butler will be leading that meeting on behalf of the Finance Committee.  The vote on the proposed budget will take place in our evening service with no further discussion.

Matt & Bonnie Cain, along with their four children, moved to GRACE Mountain this past Tuesday.  On Friday, a paternal Uncle of Matt’s very unexpectedly passed from this life.  Matt will be traveling home today in order to be with his family and attend the funeral service.  Pray for Matt and family.

Bro. Johnny Tucker’s mother, Miss Dot Tucker, passed from this life yesterday afternoon.  She was ninety seven years of age.  A service will take place tomorrow in Silas, Alabama.  Pray for the Tucker family.

We had at least three new cases of the virus within the Friendship family this week.  Faithful members.  That means a minimum of nineteen folks will not be in our services today due to having to quarantine.  Yes, that will hurt our attendance.  Pray for the folks battling the virus.

The password for the livestream of our 8:00AM service remains the same as last week.  Please note that it is all lower case letters.

I pray that you will have a great Sunday with Jesus.  Go to church if at all possible.

The service scheduled to take place at the Mission of Hope tonight has been cancelled.  Please pass the word!

When they heard I was preaching and Al Stokes was singing they said, “we are good!”  So, now you know!

Nothing new to report on the folks for whom we have been praying.  Just keep praying.

Service at the Mission of Hope tonight beginning at 7:00PM.  The bus will not be going.  Everyone invited.  Mask are required.

Want to build a house for four hundred dollars?  In Guatemala?  In honor or memory of someone?  We can make that happen next week.  Contact me for the details.

Want to invest in the life of a child by providing for his or her education?  You can do that for only forty dollars per month.  I “think” we have around twenty children in Colegio JET who need a sponsor.  Contact me for more information.

Basketball in the morning beginning at 8:00AM.

Regular schedule on Sunday morning and evening.

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

P.S. – I wrote this entry last night and simply forgot to publish it this morning at 4:30AM.  I am going to get the computer whiz, Elizabeth Westbrook, to teach me how to make it post on an automatic, delayed basis.

Edna Glover was discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Jeff says that she will have to go back in the somewhat near future to have her gall bladder removed.  Keep praying for Miss Edna.

Johnathon Jordan’s mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  She lives in Mississippi.  Pray for her as she will soon begin a regiment of chemotherapy treatments.

Larsyn Kyser had some oral surgery yesterday and it was not a walk in the park.  Pray for Larsyn.

Mission of Hope service this Friday, 1/22, beginning at 7:00PM.  Everyone invited.  The bus will not be going.  Masks must be worn by all in attendance.  The preaching will be poor and the music will be fair at best.  Just saying!

A reminder that Pharmacist Ross Hatcher and the Grand Bay Pharmacy will be having a vaccine clinic this Saturday, 1/23, beginning at 8:00AM.  Please pass the word to anyone who is age seventy five years old or older.

Basketball games on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00AM.

This Sunday, 1/24, will honor Miss Kittie Camp, present and consider the proposed budget and observe the ordinance of baptism.  Big day.

Want to build a house for four hundred dollars?  In Guatemala.  In memory or honor of someone.  We can make it happen.  Just let me know by this Sunday, 1/24, please.

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