PASTOR'S UPDATE JUNE 9, 2023
Greetings, Friendship! Pastor Jaron here...
God is good! All the time! Even during times of transition!
June is a month of transition. June is the month of most high school graduations. Many college students return home for the summer in June. Children finishing their academic year might be starting or resuming swimming lessons. Older high school students might be taking a summer class on a college campus or taking driving lessons. Many couples seek to get married in June. So many changes happen in the month of June. Sometimes, in times of transition, we can have a bit of anxiety.
No one can see what is going on inside our heads, but when our circumstances are changing we can feel crushed by overwhelming thoughts of worry, stress and even fear. Feelings of worry and anxiety are normal parts of being human. When facing difficult situations, it's natural to wonder, where is God in all of this?
God is good! All the time! Even during times of transition!
June is a month of transition. June is the month of most high school graduations. Many college students return home for the summer in June. Children finishing their academic year might be starting or resuming swimming lessons. Older high school students might be taking a summer class on a college campus or taking driving lessons. Many couples seek to get married in June. So many changes happen in the month of June. Sometimes, in times of transition, we can have a bit of anxiety.
No one can see what is going on inside our heads, but when our circumstances are changing we can feel crushed by overwhelming thoughts of worry, stress and even fear. Feelings of worry and anxiety are normal parts of being human. When facing difficult situations, it's natural to wonder, where is God in all of this?
When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 94:18-19 NIV
Psalm 94:18-19 NIV
Letting go and learning how to trust God with all our worries and fears will be a practice that takes a lifetime. Knowing that God is here for us amid our worries and understands fully what's going on with us can be the first step in learning to trust the Lord during times of transition. When we learn His heart for us by studying scripture, this can help us learn to trust Him.
Start small. Pray and ask the Lord for comfort. Share with Him your deepest emotions and ask that He provide you with protection, deliverance and peace. Do not be ashamed that you feel anxious. Instead, speak to God knowing that it is His heart to help you through life’s dark valleys and slippery slopes.
Amen.
Now, here are this week's announcements.
Start small. Pray and ask the Lord for comfort. Share with Him your deepest emotions and ask that He provide you with protection, deliverance and peace. Do not be ashamed that you feel anxious. Instead, speak to God knowing that it is His heart to help you through life’s dark valleys and slippery slopes.
Amen.
Now, here are this week's announcements.
SIDE-BY-SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY
The next virtual Side by Side Couples Ministry class is scheduled to take place tonight, Friday June 9th at 7:00 pm. via zoom. We are studying the book Cherish by Gary Thomas. The topic for our upcoming session is Taking Your Marriage to the Next Level. No registration needed. The link to join the ZOOM class on Friday evenings is listed HERE. Should you have any questions, please contact Deacon Hilton McDaniel (949) 652-1489 or email Sheila McDaniel HERE. We look forward to you joining the class.
GOSPEL VOICES OF OC
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 10th at 7:00 pm. This original event chronicles African American lives and artistry through chorale works, dance, orchestra, band theatre and spoken word. With more than 100 performers, Gospel Voices of OC spans June 19, 1865 to contemporary times. It's a joyous Juneteenth celebration of freedom and excellence sure to inspire all people of all ages. For tickets click HERE.
RHEMA MENS MINISTRY MONTHLY GATHERING
RHEMA Men's Fellowship Monday, June 12th at 7:00 pm in-person in the multipurpose building on campus. The title for this meet-up is: Stepping Up Into Discipleship Session 4 - Be One, Make One. The Session Leaders will be: Deacon Allen Gobert, Brother Erwin Cross, Dr. David Smith and Deacon Charles Owens.
This session will close out the discussion and learning on discipleship. We look forward to seeing each of you in the house as we conclude our journey down the discipleship pathway. All men are welcome and encouraged to come out, even if this is your first time. It's okay. You'll be able to catch on and participate just as if you've been here the entire time. Food will be provided, so come on out for the camaraderie and join in on an interactive, action packed session, oh yeah and BRING A FRIEND! Please register using the link HERE so we can plan accordingly.
5K HEALTH WALK TRAINING
Jump-start your exercise routine by walking with the Healthcare Ministry! In preparation for our Annual 5K Health Walk at the Church Picnic, our Healthcare Ministry will offer a pre-walk training on Saturdays beginning Saturday, June 17th at 7:00 am. This training will take place on the El Cajon Trail in Yorba Linda. Participants will meet in the parking lot of the St Jude’s Heritage Medical Group at 4300 Rose Drive, that’s just one block from the Ship. The other dates for training are June 24th, July 1st and July 8th. If you are intimated by the 5K, we still want you to join us. You can walk with the regular group that meets every Saturday from 7:00-7:30 am at the same location. There will be something for everyone. Let’s all have fun walking. To sign up-stop by the healthcare ministry table.
CHILDREN & YOUTH DAY IS COMING
Sunday, June 25th, will be our ANNUAL CHILDREN & YOUTH DAY. On this day, we will celebrate the children and youth of our church. In preparation for this Sunday, the Children and Youth Day Choir have rehearsals on Wednesday, June 14th and 21st at 7:00 pm. Rehearsal will take place in the Multi-Purpose Building. For more information on the choir, please email Sonya Griffin HERE.
2022 BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
Our Baccalaureate Service will take place on June 25th at the 8:00 am service. All graduating High School seniors are encouraged to participate. An email with the details will be sent to all who have submitted their names. If you have not submitted your name or your graduate’s name yet, you may do so HERE. We will also recognize college graduates that day.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS & EX-HOUR PROMOTION CEREMONY
Our Scholarship Award Ceremony will also take place on June 25th at 10:00 am. Join us as we celebrate the academic success of those in K-5th Grade and 6th - 12th Grade. We will also celebrate with our children as they promote in their ExHour classes.
COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCACY TRAINING (CHAT)
CHAT is a community-based educational training program designed to provide communities with tools and resources to reduce cardiovascular disease disparities and improve health outcomes by reducing disparities in cardiovascular disease.The next FREE Monthly Virtual Conversation will be on Tuesday, June 27th at 7:00 pm. The ZOOM Meeting ID: 851 2551 3204 |Passcode #738897
HARVEST CRUSADE
The Evangelism Ministry wants to encourage you to stretch your faith by serving outside the walls of our church. On July 1st & 2nd 2023 the two-day Harvest Crusade event will be held at the Honda Center. They are offering ministry opportunities in a variety of positions. The various areas of services are listed in this week’s bulletin. If you want to serve, please sign up HERE.
DISCIPLESHIP BOOTCAMP
Discipleship Bootcamp is Coming!
Friendship family, we invite you to join us for Discipleship Bootcamp, taking place Tuesday, July 11th through Thursday, July 13th, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm here at the church. This year’s theme is “Building Resilient Faith in the Twists and Turns of Life.” It's not all smooth sailing in the game of life - even after becoming a Christian. Jesus guides us through the ups, downs, and zigzags of life. Even when we mess up, it's never "game over." Following Jesus changes the game! We’re prepared to host classes for adults, children, and youth, but we need you to please register so we can plan and prepare for your arrival. Please register HERE.
CHURCH PICNIC
Our Annual Church Picnic and 5K Health Walk will take place on Saturday, July 15th, at Ted Craig Regional Park. We are returning to the time before the pandemic, with the foods we enjoy, hamburgers, hot links, desserts, and the famous roasted buttery corn. We will have games, jumpers, and lots of fun for the entire family. More information will be provided in the coming weeks. Volunteers are needed to cook, serve, and set up. Please contact the church office to volunteer and don’t forget about the 5K Health Walk.
ANGEL TREE SIGN-UPS
The Outreach Department will begin sign-ups for the Angel Tree projects in June 2023. Angel Tree mobilizes local churches like ours to minister to hundreds of thousands of children by delivering a gift, the Gospel message, and a personal message of love on behalf of their mom or dad behind bars.
If you are interested in participating, please complete the interest form HERE.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
Friendship Family, our Celebrate Recovery Ministry, invites you to join them weekly for encouragement and fellowship! Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens the face of his neighbor.”
Celebrate Recovery is a biblically-balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts, habits and hang-ups. It guides us toward new healthy truths and life-giving habits as we repair our broken relationships. Join us every Thursday Night in the Multipurpose Building. Dinner begins at 6:00pm. The General session begins at 7:00 pm and the Men’s and Women’s Small Group begins at 8:00 pm.
FAITHFUL GIVING
Beloved, as the summer approaches, we encourage you to remain faithful in your giving. I know it is graduation and travel season, but we still have ministry and financial obligations, and we need your faithful tithing support to meet those obligations! Therefore, we ask that you continue to be honest and trust God by bringing God your “whole” tithe weekly. Since most are paid at the end of the month or the first of the month, we will emphasize bringing the whole tithe on the First Sunday, but if you are paid bi-weekly or some other schedule, we encourage you to bring your whole tithe as an act of faith and obedience on the appropriate Sunday. Remember, you can still give online, via the mail, or in person on Sundays. Give HERE.
The next virtual Side by Side Couples Ministry class is scheduled to take place tonight, Friday June 9th at 7:00 pm. via zoom. We are studying the book Cherish by Gary Thomas. The topic for our upcoming session is Taking Your Marriage to the Next Level. No registration needed. The link to join the ZOOM class on Friday evenings is listed HERE. Should you have any questions, please contact Deacon Hilton McDaniel (949) 652-1489 or email Sheila McDaniel HERE. We look forward to you joining the class.
GOSPEL VOICES OF OC
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 10th at 7:00 pm. This original event chronicles African American lives and artistry through chorale works, dance, orchestra, band theatre and spoken word. With more than 100 performers, Gospel Voices of OC spans June 19, 1865 to contemporary times. It's a joyous Juneteenth celebration of freedom and excellence sure to inspire all people of all ages. For tickets click HERE.
RHEMA MENS MINISTRY MONTHLY GATHERING
RHEMA Men's Fellowship Monday, June 12th at 7:00 pm in-person in the multipurpose building on campus. The title for this meet-up is: Stepping Up Into Discipleship Session 4 - Be One, Make One. The Session Leaders will be: Deacon Allen Gobert, Brother Erwin Cross, Dr. David Smith and Deacon Charles Owens.
This session will close out the discussion and learning on discipleship. We look forward to seeing each of you in the house as we conclude our journey down the discipleship pathway. All men are welcome and encouraged to come out, even if this is your first time. It's okay. You'll be able to catch on and participate just as if you've been here the entire time. Food will be provided, so come on out for the camaraderie and join in on an interactive, action packed session, oh yeah and BRING A FRIEND! Please register using the link HERE so we can plan accordingly.
5K HEALTH WALK TRAINING
Jump-start your exercise routine by walking with the Healthcare Ministry! In preparation for our Annual 5K Health Walk at the Church Picnic, our Healthcare Ministry will offer a pre-walk training on Saturdays beginning Saturday, June 17th at 7:00 am. This training will take place on the El Cajon Trail in Yorba Linda. Participants will meet in the parking lot of the St Jude’s Heritage Medical Group at 4300 Rose Drive, that’s just one block from the Ship. The other dates for training are June 24th, July 1st and July 8th. If you are intimated by the 5K, we still want you to join us. You can walk with the regular group that meets every Saturday from 7:00-7:30 am at the same location. There will be something for everyone. Let’s all have fun walking. To sign up-stop by the healthcare ministry table.
CHILDREN & YOUTH DAY IS COMING
Sunday, June 25th, will be our ANNUAL CHILDREN & YOUTH DAY. On this day, we will celebrate the children and youth of our church. In preparation for this Sunday, the Children and Youth Day Choir have rehearsals on Wednesday, June 14th and 21st at 7:00 pm. Rehearsal will take place in the Multi-Purpose Building. For more information on the choir, please email Sonya Griffin HERE.
2022 BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
Our Baccalaureate Service will take place on June 25th at the 8:00 am service. All graduating High School seniors are encouraged to participate. An email with the details will be sent to all who have submitted their names. If you have not submitted your name or your graduate’s name yet, you may do so HERE. We will also recognize college graduates that day.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS & EX-HOUR PROMOTION CEREMONY
Our Scholarship Award Ceremony will also take place on June 25th at 10:00 am. Join us as we celebrate the academic success of those in K-5th Grade and 6th - 12th Grade. We will also celebrate with our children as they promote in their ExHour classes.
COMMUNITY HEALTH ADVOCACY TRAINING (CHAT)
CHAT is a community-based educational training program designed to provide communities with tools and resources to reduce cardiovascular disease disparities and improve health outcomes by reducing disparities in cardiovascular disease.The next FREE Monthly Virtual Conversation will be on Tuesday, June 27th at 7:00 pm. The ZOOM Meeting ID: 851 2551 3204 |Passcode #738897
HARVEST CRUSADE
The Evangelism Ministry wants to encourage you to stretch your faith by serving outside the walls of our church. On July 1st & 2nd 2023 the two-day Harvest Crusade event will be held at the Honda Center. They are offering ministry opportunities in a variety of positions. The various areas of services are listed in this week’s bulletin. If you want to serve, please sign up HERE.
DISCIPLESHIP BOOTCAMP
Discipleship Bootcamp is Coming!
Friendship family, we invite you to join us for Discipleship Bootcamp, taking place Tuesday, July 11th through Thursday, July 13th, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm here at the church. This year’s theme is “Building Resilient Faith in the Twists and Turns of Life.” It's not all smooth sailing in the game of life - even after becoming a Christian. Jesus guides us through the ups, downs, and zigzags of life. Even when we mess up, it's never "game over." Following Jesus changes the game! We’re prepared to host classes for adults, children, and youth, but we need you to please register so we can plan and prepare for your arrival. Please register HERE.
CHURCH PICNIC
Our Annual Church Picnic and 5K Health Walk will take place on Saturday, July 15th, at Ted Craig Regional Park. We are returning to the time before the pandemic, with the foods we enjoy, hamburgers, hot links, desserts, and the famous roasted buttery corn. We will have games, jumpers, and lots of fun for the entire family. More information will be provided in the coming weeks. Volunteers are needed to cook, serve, and set up. Please contact the church office to volunteer and don’t forget about the 5K Health Walk.
ANGEL TREE SIGN-UPS
The Outreach Department will begin sign-ups for the Angel Tree projects in June 2023. Angel Tree mobilizes local churches like ours to minister to hundreds of thousands of children by delivering a gift, the Gospel message, and a personal message of love on behalf of their mom or dad behind bars.
If you are interested in participating, please complete the interest form HERE.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
Friendship Family, our Celebrate Recovery Ministry, invites you to join them weekly for encouragement and fellowship! Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens the face of his neighbor.”
Celebrate Recovery is a biblically-balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts, habits and hang-ups. It guides us toward new healthy truths and life-giving habits as we repair our broken relationships. Join us every Thursday Night in the Multipurpose Building. Dinner begins at 6:00pm. The General session begins at 7:00 pm and the Men’s and Women’s Small Group begins at 8:00 pm.
FAITHFUL GIVING
Beloved, as the summer approaches, we encourage you to remain faithful in your giving. I know it is graduation and travel season, but we still have ministry and financial obligations, and we need your faithful tithing support to meet those obligations! Therefore, we ask that you continue to be honest and trust God by bringing God your “whole” tithe weekly. Since most are paid at the end of the month or the first of the month, we will emphasize bringing the whole tithe on the First Sunday, but if you are paid bi-weekly or some other schedule, we encourage you to bring your whole tithe as an act of faith and obedience on the appropriate Sunday. Remember, you can still give online, via the mail, or in person on Sundays. Give HERE.
FUTURE NOW INITIATIVE
We also want to thank those who have already started to give for our FUTURE NOW INITIATIVE. We request that you submit your PLEDGE FORM and begin making your pledges.
On the pledge form, please indicate your planned pledge amount and your frequency of giving. Again, if you have the printed form, please put your total pledge amount on the KICK STARTER LINE. Then tell us, on that form, whether you will give your pledge over 12 months or 15 months. Lastly, please tell us the frequency of your giving, whether you will give weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly (as a one-time gift). Also, the form is available online HERE.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Make sure to follow us on our social media pages for upcoming content. For Facebook, that’s Friendship Baptist Church. For Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, it’s @wearefriendshipchurch.
We also want to thank those who have already started to give for our FUTURE NOW INITIATIVE. We request that you submit your PLEDGE FORM and begin making your pledges.
On the pledge form, please indicate your planned pledge amount and your frequency of giving. Again, if you have the printed form, please put your total pledge amount on the KICK STARTER LINE. Then tell us, on that form, whether you will give your pledge over 12 months or 15 months. Lastly, please tell us the frequency of your giving, whether you will give weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly (as a one-time gift). Also, the form is available online HERE.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Make sure to follow us on our social media pages for upcoming content. For Facebook, that’s Friendship Baptist Church. For Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, it’s @wearefriendshipchurch.
General Church things to remember:
Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV
Eph.2:4-5, Titus 3:5, Heb 4:15-16; James 3:17; 1 Peter 1:3
✔️ The entire Bible,
✔️ The Pentateuch (or the first five books of the Old Testament),
✔️ The entire Old Testament,
✔️ The Gospels (or the first four books of the New Testament),
✔️ The entire New Testament, and
✔️ Psalms and Proverbs (3 times)
Well, that’s all I have this week. As Pastor Curry announced Sunday, he has been away this week at the Hampton University Minister’s Conference in Hampton, Virginia. Let us pray for traveling grace for he and Lady Karima as they make their way back home.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Joy,
Rev. Jaron Singley
Executive Pastor of Ministries
- 2023 CHURCH THEME:
Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV
- JUNE PRAYER FOCUS:
Eph.2:4-5, Titus 3:5, Heb 4:15-16; James 3:17; 1 Peter 1:3
- CURRENT PREACHING SERIES:
- BIBLE READING
✔️ The entire Bible,
✔️ The Pentateuch (or the first five books of the Old Testament),
✔️ The entire Old Testament,
✔️ The Gospels (or the first four books of the New Testament),
✔️ The entire New Testament, and
✔️ Psalms and Proverbs (3 times)
- WEEKLY HEALTH WALK
- IN-PERSON EX-HOUR:
- Adult Class One (Sanctuary): The team teaching in the Sanctuary includes Lady Karima Curry, Pamela Jones, Deacon Demetrius Linebarger, Melanie Porter, Vivian Randolph, & Deacon James Shelby
- Adult Class Two (Carrington Building Room 217): The team teaching in the Carrington Building Room 217 includes Le Shon Archer, Deacon Rick Archer, Karen Ammons, Gwen Matthews, and Rev. Phil Yoder
- Young Adults Class (Carrington Building Rooms 207-208): This class is designed for those aged 18-35.
- EX HOUR: Virtual Ex-Hour meets weekly on Sundays via ZOOM. Join us for class at 10:00 am via this link HERE.
- YOUTH EX HOUR: Our in-person youth EX-Hour takes place during our designated EX Hour time in the Multipurpose Building. Parents, please encourage your students to join youth teachers for this biblically fun opportunity to learn God’s Word, connect with others, and grow.
- CHILDREN’S EX-HOUR: As stated in previous weeks, our Children’s EX-Hour is back and meets on Sundays at 10am in the Multipurpose Building. Parents, please note you must check in and check out your children weekly for Ex-Hour.
- MOMMIES WITH BABIES: We have our Mommies with Babies class simultaneously during EX-Hour in the Multipurpose Building. Mommies with two years old and younger children are invited to this EX-HOUR class and are encouraged to bring their children with them! Come for encouragement, community, and growth! Amen!
- WEDNESDAY Prayer Day: Join us each Wednesday for Prayer. We pray at 6:30 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:30 pm. To connect with our prayer services, please follow this link HERE or dial in at +1 (413) 418-4274 and use the PIN 287683504#.
- FBC FOOD BANK OPEN: The FBC Food Bank is OPEN with a new drive-thru system where our clients will receive a pre-packaged food box and a bag of groceries. The Food Bank’s hours of operation are Tuesday - Thursday, 2:30 pm-4:30 pm.
Well, that’s all I have this week. As Pastor Curry announced Sunday, he has been away this week at the Hampton University Minister’s Conference in Hampton, Virginia. Let us pray for traveling grace for he and Lady Karima as they make their way back home.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Joy,
Rev. Jaron Singley
Executive Pastor of Ministries