PASTOR'S UPDATE OCTOBER 20, 2023
Happy Friday, Friendship Family!
I pray this message finds you blessed and basking in the continual favor of our great God!
I pray as you step into the weekend that it is a blessed and relaxing weekend for you!
Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. It has been quite a blessing to have the Friendship family members pray for my family and me consistently! The power of prayer has been evident in our church down through the years. Prayer has been the foundation of this ministry and continues to be. You all know I believe in the power of prayer. When we can’t do anything else, we can pray! We should pray! We all need to pray for each other because it reinforces our relationship with Jesus Christ and bolsters our compassion for one another. So look, don’t stop praying! Keep on praying! Prayer still works.
James 5:16 reminds us that “the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much!” So let’s pray effectively, fervently, and consistently! Amen!
Well, we have a FULL weekend before us! It is Women’s Weekend here at Friendship! Things kick off tomorrow, Saturday, October 21st, with the WORD Conference! Ladies, tomorrow is the day! We are grateful to God to be back in person for the conference!
Ladies, you are invited to participate in the WORD conference at 9am. It will go from 9am to 3pm. This year’s conference’s theme is Kingdom Women: Created and Called According To God's Kingdom Purpose.
Ladies come out to celebrate and give God praise for the marvelous things He has done!
Our guests are First Lady Linda Beckley, Evangelist Janette Bentley, Dr. Karen Stewart and Pastor Franchesca White.. We will have music from Radiance and encouragement from several Friendship ladies as well! Join us for what we believe will be an AWESOME time in the Lord! It’s not too late to register online! To register, please go HERE. You can also register in person before the event starts.
Then on Sunday, October 22nd you are invited to join us for Women’s Day 2023 - Praise in Pink. Our speaker will be Pastor Connie “CJ” Jackson, who will be with us for both services! We look forward to your being with us for Women’s Day!
Here are this week's announcements...
I pray this message finds you blessed and basking in the continual favor of our great God!
I pray as you step into the weekend that it is a blessed and relaxing weekend for you!
Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. It has been quite a blessing to have the Friendship family members pray for my family and me consistently! The power of prayer has been evident in our church down through the years. Prayer has been the foundation of this ministry and continues to be. You all know I believe in the power of prayer. When we can’t do anything else, we can pray! We should pray! We all need to pray for each other because it reinforces our relationship with Jesus Christ and bolsters our compassion for one another. So look, don’t stop praying! Keep on praying! Prayer still works.
James 5:16 reminds us that “the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much!” So let’s pray effectively, fervently, and consistently! Amen!
Well, we have a FULL weekend before us! It is Women’s Weekend here at Friendship! Things kick off tomorrow, Saturday, October 21st, with the WORD Conference! Ladies, tomorrow is the day! We are grateful to God to be back in person for the conference!
Ladies, you are invited to participate in the WORD conference at 9am. It will go from 9am to 3pm. This year’s conference’s theme is Kingdom Women: Created and Called According To God's Kingdom Purpose.
Ladies come out to celebrate and give God praise for the marvelous things He has done!
Our guests are First Lady Linda Beckley, Evangelist Janette Bentley, Dr. Karen Stewart and Pastor Franchesca White.. We will have music from Radiance and encouragement from several Friendship ladies as well! Join us for what we believe will be an AWESOME time in the Lord! It’s not too late to register online! To register, please go HERE. You can also register in person before the event starts.
Then on Sunday, October 22nd you are invited to join us for Women’s Day 2023 - Praise in Pink. Our speaker will be Pastor Connie “CJ” Jackson, who will be with us for both services! We look forward to your being with us for Women’s Day!
Here are this week's announcements...
W.O.R.D. WOMENS CONFERENCE
It's HERE! Kingdom Women, IT'S TIME - Join us for our first, post-pandemic, “In-Person” Women of Radiant Design (W.O.R.D.) Conference! The date is tomorrow, Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and it is here at Friendship!
The theme for this year’s conference is Kingdom Women: Created and Called According To God's Kingdom Purpose. We are excited and waiting with tip-toe anticipation as our special guests and beloved sisters in ministry join us with a Timely Word and Timely Teaching.
There's still time to REGISTER for the conference, CLICK HERE.
It's HERE! Kingdom Women, IT'S TIME - Join us for our first, post-pandemic, “In-Person” Women of Radiant Design (W.O.R.D.) Conference! The date is tomorrow, Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and it is here at Friendship!
The theme for this year’s conference is Kingdom Women: Created and Called According To God's Kingdom Purpose. We are excited and waiting with tip-toe anticipation as our special guests and beloved sisters in ministry join us with a Timely Word and Timely Teaching.
There's still time to REGISTER for the conference, CLICK HERE.
WOMEN'S DAY 2023
And That's Not All! Be sure to join us on Sunday, October 22nd as we celebrate Women’s Day - Praise In Pink at Friendship. Our guest speaker, Pastor Connie Jackson, will deliver a powerful Word at the 8:00 and 11:30 am services. We invite FBC members and our guests to wear something pink in honor of breast cancer survivors and to honor the memory of those we lost to the disease. All are encouraged to wear Pink - All pink, pink and black, black with pink accents, etc.
Ladies, you don’t want to miss out on this Wonderful Women’s Weekend!
And That's Not All! Be sure to join us on Sunday, October 22nd as we celebrate Women’s Day - Praise In Pink at Friendship. Our guest speaker, Pastor Connie Jackson, will deliver a powerful Word at the 8:00 and 11:30 am services. We invite FBC members and our guests to wear something pink in honor of breast cancer survivors and to honor the memory of those we lost to the disease. All are encouraged to wear Pink - All pink, pink and black, black with pink accents, etc.
Ladies, you don’t want to miss out on this Wonderful Women’s Weekend!
BAPTISM - OCTOBER 29TH
We will be having baptism service on the 5th Sunday of this month.
We will be having baptism service on the 5th Sunday of this month.
CAREERS IN THE ARMED FORCES INFORMATIONAL
Sponsored by our Veteran's Ministry and out Boy Scouts, this event on Saturday, November 4th is especially for all middle, high school and college students and their families. Come learn about various careers that our armed forces offer. Active-Duty Representatives will be here to share and answer your questions. For more info, please contact Mark Saunders HERE.
HIGH CHURCH - FIRST SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH
Throwback Sunday. Where your church finest and Ladies, wear your hats! Please do not be overly concerned about what to wear. We will be installing some new Mothers to our Mothers Ministry. Our Mother's Ministry is an honorary ministry but these mothers serve as witnesses of the faithfulness of God in the church! We have three Mothers that we will bring to our Mother's Ministry: Mother Dimple Baylis, Mother Hattie Knuckles, and Mother Mildred Henderson. This is first Sunday, so we will also celebrate the Lord's Supper together.
Sponsored by our Veteran's Ministry and out Boy Scouts, this event on Saturday, November 4th is especially for all middle, high school and college students and their families. Come learn about various careers that our armed forces offer. Active-Duty Representatives will be here to share and answer your questions. For more info, please contact Mark Saunders HERE.
HIGH CHURCH - FIRST SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH
Throwback Sunday. Where your church finest and Ladies, wear your hats! Please do not be overly concerned about what to wear. We will be installing some new Mothers to our Mothers Ministry. Our Mother's Ministry is an honorary ministry but these mothers serve as witnesses of the faithfulness of God in the church! We have three Mothers that we will bring to our Mother's Ministry: Mother Dimple Baylis, Mother Hattie Knuckles, and Mother Mildred Henderson. This is first Sunday, so we will also celebrate the Lord's Supper together.
GRIEFSHARE IS COMING TO FRIENDSHIP
We trust that your choice to participate in GriefShare proves beneficial and that healing may begin and or continue in your life. This group is here to encourage, and support you in this journey to healing from our loss. This session will begin on November 7th at 7:00 pm and goes for 13 weeks. It is our intention to meet each week as scheduled with the exception of really bad weather and for the winter holidays. This group is open to our Friendship family and guests. Please go HERE to register on our GriefShare page.
We trust that your choice to participate in GriefShare proves beneficial and that healing may begin and or continue in your life. This group is here to encourage, and support you in this journey to healing from our loss. This session will begin on November 7th at 7:00 pm and goes for 13 weeks. It is our intention to meet each week as scheduled with the exception of really bad weather and for the winter holidays. This group is open to our Friendship family and guests. Please go HERE to register on our GriefShare page.
HEALTH COMMUNITY FORUM
Join us here at Friendship on Thursday, November 9th for the Spirit of the Heart Community Forum. The Spirit of the Heart is the signature community program of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC). We are going to be discussing health in the African American Community. This program is scheduled in several U.S. cities each year and are developed to help consumers understand that heart disease is preventable, and to share heart-healthy practices as important steps for longevity. This program has made measurable differences in communities nationwide even leading to legislation for health care reform. This event is open to everyone! To register, please scan the QR code above or click HERE.
Join us here at Friendship on Thursday, November 9th for the Spirit of the Heart Community Forum. The Spirit of the Heart is the signature community program of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC). We are going to be discussing health in the African American Community. This program is scheduled in several U.S. cities each year and are developed to help consumers understand that heart disease is preventable, and to share heart-healthy practices as important steps for longevity. This program has made measurable differences in communities nationwide even leading to legislation for health care reform. This event is open to everyone! To register, please scan the QR code above or click HERE.
SIDE BY SIDE COUPLES GATHERING
Save the date! November 10th. We are in this new series entitled US IN MIND by Ted Lowe.
Save the date! November 10th. We are in this new series entitled US IN MIND by Ted Lowe.
FAITHFUL GIVING
Lastly, in the last several weeks, I have told the congregation we are in a $200,000 deficit. Our deficit continues, and my team and I are concerned. We need ALL members to continue to be faithful and generous, and we also need you to help encourage the others in our membership and fellowship to do so. We must try and close the gap and raise the budgeted amount by the end of the year. We have roughly 1,000 givers here, so if every member gives an extra $200 on top of what we are already giving for the year, we will meet our budget. We need to make a "Dent in the Deficit!" We must raise essentially $1.2M by December 31st. If we go into the new year with a deficit, it makes it that much harder for us to do excellent ministry. We will be sending a letter out soon that says "Thank you" for your past giving as well as articulate our current need. I sincerely want to thank all of those who give faithfully here at Friendship. You may give HERE.
FUTURE NOW INITIATIVE
Also, please continue to pray for the Future NOW Initiative. God is up to something!
Also, please continue to pray for the Future NOW Initiative. God is up to something! Plans are being reviewed and we are making progress! Prayerfully, we can start sometime in November. Pray!
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.
General Church things to remember:
- 2023 CHURCH THEME:
Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV
- PRAYER FOCUS:
Col.2:2-3; James 3:17; 1 Cor 1:30; James 1:5; Prov.2:6
- 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)
Plans have been printed and you may pick up a copy in the foyer of the Carrington Building.
- 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 10 am 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.
That is all I have!
Be in prayer. Pray for peace in the Middle East. Pray for our nation's leaders and our country's role in all of this. Prayer still works, and it changes things, people and situations.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Remember this, God loves you and so do I!
God bless you!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor