SERVICE: SUNDAYS AT 8:00AM & 11:30AM

PASTOR’S WEEKLY UPDATE APRIL 29, 2022

Happy Friday, Friendship Family! 
Today is the last Friday of April. Wow! Spring is in full swing! 

Just as winter symbolizes death, Spring symbolizes new life. Trees, plants, and grass are beginning to turn green, and new life emerges from the ground. The Christian faith is all about new life all year round, especially during Spring when Easter occurs — something died but now lives again. In Christianity, it’s not something but Someone.

The New Testament says in 2 Corinthians 5:17,“…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Our new life, our new creation, springs from Jesus Christ. Just as plant life re-emerges from the earth during Spring and can’t be held back, the earth could not hold Christ, He emerged, and because Christ came up from the ground, our new life comes from knowing Him, belonging to Him, and worshipping Him!

Spring represents an awakening. Its many images and symbols speak of our rejuvenation and coming out of winter’s hibernation with energy and enthusiasm for what comes next. Just like in nature, so in the church, springtime is a gift of God. No one can stop the coming of Spring when God has appointed its time. And no one can bring forth the life of Spring unless God sends it. Spring reminds us that God makes everything new.

God’s Word guarantees seasons at the beginning time in Genesis 8, so every time we see the signs of a new season, we see God’s Words and Promises fulfilled. Amen! 

Let us enjoy Spring and remember Eccelesiates 3:11, “He makes everything beautiful in its own time!” (Paraphrase). 

So here are this week’s announcements for you…

FAMILY PRAYER SERVICE:
Please note and plan to attend our next Family Prayer Service tonight at 7:30pm via our Prayer Line on Google Meets. We start on time and only meet for one hour. Please join the Prayer Posse and me as we pray for our May Prayer Focus and our 2022 Church theme. Remember, this prayer meeting is an open prayer time, so if you feel led to pray, simply unmute your line and PRAY! See you there!  To connect with our prayer service, please follow this link HERE or dial +1 (413) 418-4274 and use the PIN 287683504#.

LET’S TALK ABOUT MARRIAGE AND ROMANCE ~ IT’S NOT TOO LATE
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 30th, at 9am, Lady Karima and I will facilitate a marriage event for Ecclesia Christian Fellowship. We are honored to join Pastor Joshua & First Lady Lynda Beckley of Ecclesia Christian Fellowship and Pastor Larry &  First Lady Patricia Weaver from Atherton Baptist Church for Ecclesia’s Let’s Talk About Marriage and Romance Zoom Series. Yes, it is a virtual event open to all those who are married, engaged, or seriously dating and want to gain knowledge about marriage. To register, go HERE. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link to attend the session. Maybe we will see you there!

KINDOM WIDOWS SPRING LUNCHEON & TEA ~ IT’S NOT TOO LATE
The Kingdom Widows Ministry would like to invite all widows and widowers of Friendship to come out and enjoy an afternoon of fellowship at our Spring Luncheon and Tea. This event takes place tomorrow, April 30th, at noon in the Multi-Purpose Building at Friendship. To RSVP, please click go HERE or contact Lady Karima via email at [email protected].

LOVE YORBA LINDA/LOVE PLACENTIA ~ IT’S NOT TOO LATE
The Love Yorba Linda and Love Placentia events are BACK! This year they will be combined and will serve Yorba Linda primarily. Love Yorba Linda is a community-wide service day where residents, businesses, city government, faith groups, service groups, schools, and sports organizations unite to make Yorba Linda better. The event takes place tomorrow, Saturday, April 30th. If you are interested in participating, please go HERE for more information and sign-up!

GOSPEL VOICES OF OC: A JUNETEETH EVENT
The Chapman University College of Performing Arts, in collaboration with the Arts & Learning Conservatory, is happy to announce A Juneteeth Event entitled the Gospel Voices of OC. The event takes place on Sunday, June 19th. It is a staged concert event that chronicles African-American lives and artistry through choral 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 Juneteeth celebration of Freedom and excellence to inspire people of all ages. Our very own Sonya Griffin will be the vocal soloist for the event.

For more information, view the event advertisement, and purchase tickets, please go HERE. There is also a video announcement HERE.

JOHN P. KEE CONCERT
The Inland Empire presents a night with John P. Kee on Thursday, May 12th, at 7pm. Bishop Kenneth Wells and his wife, gospel artist, Shervonne Wells, will host this event. The concert takes place at Mt. Rubidoux Seventh Day Adventist Church in Riverside. For ticket information, go HERE. To view the concert announcement and advertisement, go HERE.

ATTENTION CLASS OF 2022
Attention Class of 2022! We are collecting the names of all Friendship Members who are graduating from high school or college this year. So, if you are a member of Friendship and are graduating from high school or college or know a student connected to Friendship and that student is graduating from high school or college this year, please let us know by adding their name to the list HERE.

FIRST SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2022: COMMUNION & MASK OPTIONAL: 
Remember Sunday is the First Sunday. So this is communion Sunday. If you are online, please prepare your communion elements in advance. If you need more information on your items, please go HERE.

Also, please note beginning this Sunday, May 1st,  we move to mask optional for our in-person worship services. So this Sunday and every Sunday after that is mask optional. Please plan accordingly

Here are a few church office updates…
JOBS AT FRIENDSHIP
We invite you to visit the church website and see the jobs we have posted. We invite qualified candidates to apply. Go HERE to see the job postings.

General Church things to remember:
2022 CHURCH THEME:
United & Unashamed: God’s People United in Mission, Ministry, & Mandate
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 ESV; Romans 1:16-17 ESV

MAY PRAYER FOCUS:
Praying that Friendship Walks Freedom of God
Gal.5:1, II Cor 3:17, Gal 5:13, Eph 3:12 

BIBLE READING
You have  248 days to complete a Bible reading plan, including today. At Friendship, we encourage every member to read one of six Bible reading plans in the year. These plans include;

✔️ 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)

SOCIAL MEDIA
Make sure to follow us on our social media pages for upcoming content. For Facebook, that’s @FriendshipBaptistChurch. For Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, it’s @wearefriendshipchurch. 

IN-PERSON EX-HOUR: In-person Ex-Hour meets each Sunday from 10am to 11am in the Multipurpose Building. We invite you to stay after the first service or come earlier for the second service to attend Ex Hour in person. 

EX HOUR: Virtual Ex-Hour meets weekly on Sundays via ZOOM. Join us for class at 10am via this link HERE.  

YOUTH EX HOUR: Our youth Ex Hour takes place during our designated EX Hour time via Google Meet and in-person. Yes, it’s a hybrid approach! Parents, please encourage your students to join youth teachers for this biblically fun opportunity to learn God’s Word, connect with others, and grow. To join Youth Ex-Hour, follow the link HERE

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VIDEO: There’s a weekly Children’s Ministry Worship Video designed to keep our children connected, encouraged, and worshipping! Rev. Jaron Singley works hard weekly to produce a Children’s worship video. It is available through our website HERE or the Friendship YouTube Channel HERE

WEDNESDAY Prayer Day: Join us each Wednesday for Prayer. We pray at 6:30am, 12pm, and 6:30pm. To connect with our prayer services, please follow this link HERE or dial +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, 2:30pm-4:30pm.   

COVID Recovery Kits:
We still have Covid Recovery Kits through Providence Health and the Yorba Linda Rotary Club. These kits help individuals who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 and are recovering at home. Each kit includes a pulse oximeter to monitor breathing, a thermometer, a box of masks, and a package of sanitizing wipes in a small canvas bag. If you or someone in your family could benefit from one of these kits, please call the church office and arrange to get one. 
COVID Membership Assistance Fund: We are STILL accepting COVID Membership Assistance Grant applications. If you are experiencing financial distress due to COVID19, we invite you to apply for one of our $500 assistance grants. The guidelines are available HERE, and the application is available HERE.
Well, that’s all I have!

Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected!

God loves you, and so do I! 


In His Service,
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/lK6ri-mjKfB2sIhmcqg2Hi5NyudCSRNzgARr3Mf2K6eUJbquKsJKTjRH8bwIsoC_hqMxDcBGgvz_iM-bLMT8GRoG7ZyW8HAgJwXEgcNgXaSzgCXTwPnItGvBjZf7eqWKVIIalN7w
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor
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