PASTOR’S WEEKLY UPDATE JUNE 24, 2022
Greetings, Friendship Family!
It’s me, Pastor Curry! I’m back! Did you miss me?
Well, I missed you! Lady Karima and I had a wonderful time away, but it was too short! But don’t worry, we will figure out how to get some more vacation soon!
I want to thank Deacon Chuckie and Deacon Shelby for stepping in for me in the last two weeks. What a great joy to have them standing with me in ministry. Thank you both for your faithfulness to Friendship, its members, and its pastor!
Now, last week Deacon Shelby encouraged the fathers with the hymn, Blessed Assurance! I like that one! Out of nowhere, I have been singing the hymn Blessed Quietness this week!
The song’s chorus says this…
It’s me, Pastor Curry! I’m back! Did you miss me?
Well, I missed you! Lady Karima and I had a wonderful time away, but it was too short! But don’t worry, we will figure out how to get some more vacation soon!
I want to thank Deacon Chuckie and Deacon Shelby for stepping in for me in the last two weeks. What a great joy to have them standing with me in ministry. Thank you both for your faithfulness to Friendship, its members, and its pastor!
Now, last week Deacon Shelby encouraged the fathers with the hymn, Blessed Assurance! I like that one! Out of nowhere, I have been singing the hymn Blessed Quietness this week!
The song’s chorus says this…
Blessed quietness, holy quietness
what assurance in my soul!
On the stormy sea, speaking peace to me
how the billows cease to roll!
what assurance in my soul!
On the stormy sea, speaking peace to me
how the billows cease to roll!
The first verse and the most famous verse says…
Joys are flowing like a river
since the Comforter has come,
who abides with us forever,
makes the trusting heart a home.
since the Comforter has come,
who abides with us forever,
makes the trusting heart a home.
The hymn was written by Mannie Payne Ferguson, the wife of a former Presbyterian minister who was a pioneer in the Holiness Movement in the United States and who ministers in the Los Angeles area. Ferguson left a legacy of over twenty hymns, and Blessed Quietness was the most famous. In this hymn, Ferguson uses many similes to describe the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Go HERE to see the word to this hymn.
This hymn reminds us that in the chaos of the times; we have peace in the middle of it all! Christ left us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to help us! He settles us! He comforts us!
We live in the age of saturated noise—notification bells, phones ringing, televisions and radios blasting. We experience constant “dings” from social media and news outlets delivering doom every hour. There’s gossip, daily demands, and stressful conversations. Kids are screaming, neighbors are arguing, and there’s the small talk in the break room. Everywhere you go, there is noise.
Quietness is a gift, and peace should be treasured. Unfortunately, the absence of external and internal noise isn’t always easily attainable. Still, it is a privilege that should be sought after and appreciated as the Spirit of God gives it to us! I pray that in the day’s chaos, you have His Blessed Quietness!
Look, I do not have much for you today, but I need to get to it! So here we go…
YOUTH DAY IS THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday, June 26th, is our ANNUAL YOUTH DAY. Sunday, we will celebrate the children and youth of our church.
2022 BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
Additionally, our Baccalaureate Service will take place this Sunday at the 8am service. All graduating High School seniors are encouraged to participate. Graduates, you should have received an email with the details about Sunday if you submitted your name. If you have not received the email, please contact Rev. Jaron Singley HERE immediately. We will also recognize college graduates on that Sunday during the Baccalaureate Service.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD CEREMONY
Our Scholarship Award Ceremony will also take place on June 26th at 10am. Join us as we celebrate the success of those in K-5th Grade and 6th - 12th Grade.
COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN ANAHEIM
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 25th, the University of California Irvine LEAD ABC Well-Being Project is hosting a community health fair at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Anaheim. This group aims to increase health education and services for medically underserved communities, specifically African, Black, and Caribbean communities, thus the name ABC.
The health fair will have various booths where community members can receive screening services and learn about essential health information. The fair will also have food, games, music, and prizes. For more information, go HERE and scroll down. This is New Hope’s website, and a flier is posted there regarding the event. To register for the event, please go HERE.
VOLUNTEERS NEED ~ CHRISTIAN EDUCATION & DISCIPLESHIP
Christian Education and Discipleship is preparing to bring back children and youth Ex-Hour in September this year! We are also preparing for the children and youth Discipleship Bootcamp and need volunteers for both areas. If you are ready to see our children back in their age-appropriate bible study groups and are willing to help with teaching, classroom assistance, and administration, please email us here at [email protected]. It takes a village to bring our children back, and we need your help!
CHURCH PICNIC
Our Annual Church Picnic and 5K Health Walk will take place on Saturday, July 16th, 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.
5K HEALTH WALK TRAINING
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 25th at 7:15am. 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 July 2nd and July 9th. So join the Healthcare Ministry and have fun walking!
Here are a few church office updates…
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
Please note the church office will be closed Monday, July 4th, in celebration of the Fourth of July Holiday.
FAMILY PRAYER SERVICE CANCELED
Since Friday, July 1st kicks off a holiday weekend, we will not have our Family Prayer Service scheduled to take place that day. However, we ask that at some point on that Friday, you will pray for your church in preparation for First Sunday, July 3rd.
General Church things to remember:
Well, that’s all I have!
Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and Stay Connected!
God loves you, and so do I!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor
This hymn reminds us that in the chaos of the times; we have peace in the middle of it all! Christ left us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to help us! He settles us! He comforts us!
We live in the age of saturated noise—notification bells, phones ringing, televisions and radios blasting. We experience constant “dings” from social media and news outlets delivering doom every hour. There’s gossip, daily demands, and stressful conversations. Kids are screaming, neighbors are arguing, and there’s the small talk in the break room. Everywhere you go, there is noise.
Quietness is a gift, and peace should be treasured. Unfortunately, the absence of external and internal noise isn’t always easily attainable. Still, it is a privilege that should be sought after and appreciated as the Spirit of God gives it to us! I pray that in the day’s chaos, you have His Blessed Quietness!
Look, I do not have much for you today, but I need to get to it! So here we go…
YOUTH DAY IS THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday, June 26th, is our ANNUAL YOUTH DAY. Sunday, we will celebrate the children and youth of our church.
2022 BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
Additionally, our Baccalaureate Service will take place this Sunday at the 8am service. All graduating High School seniors are encouraged to participate. Graduates, you should have received an email with the details about Sunday if you submitted your name. If you have not received the email, please contact Rev. Jaron Singley HERE immediately. We will also recognize college graduates on that Sunday during the Baccalaureate Service.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD CEREMONY
Our Scholarship Award Ceremony will also take place on June 26th at 10am. Join us as we celebrate the success of those in K-5th Grade and 6th - 12th Grade.
COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN ANAHEIM
Tomorrow, Saturday, June 25th, the University of California Irvine LEAD ABC Well-Being Project is hosting a community health fair at New Hope Presbyterian Church in Anaheim. This group aims to increase health education and services for medically underserved communities, specifically African, Black, and Caribbean communities, thus the name ABC.
The health fair will have various booths where community members can receive screening services and learn about essential health information. The fair will also have food, games, music, and prizes. For more information, go HERE and scroll down. This is New Hope’s website, and a flier is posted there regarding the event. To register for the event, please go HERE.
VOLUNTEERS NEED ~ CHRISTIAN EDUCATION & DISCIPLESHIP
Christian Education and Discipleship is preparing to bring back children and youth Ex-Hour in September this year! We are also preparing for the children and youth Discipleship Bootcamp and need volunteers for both areas. If you are ready to see our children back in their age-appropriate bible study groups and are willing to help with teaching, classroom assistance, and administration, please email us here at [email protected]. It takes a village to bring our children back, and we need your help!
CHURCH PICNIC
Our Annual Church Picnic and 5K Health Walk will take place on Saturday, July 16th, 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.
5K HEALTH WALK TRAINING
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 25th at 7:15am. 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 July 2nd and July 9th. So join the Healthcare Ministry and have fun walking!
Here are a few church office updates…
CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
Please note the church office will be closed Monday, July 4th, in celebration of the Fourth of July Holiday.
FAMILY PRAYER SERVICE CANCELED
Since Friday, July 1st kicks off a holiday weekend, we will not have our Family Prayer Service scheduled to take place that day. However, we ask that at some point on that Friday, you will pray for your church in preparation for First Sunday, July 3rd.
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
⚫ JUNE PRAYER FOCUS:
Praying that Friendship Embraces the Grace of God
Eph.2:8-9, Acts 20:32a, Rom. 5:2
⚫ BIBLE READING
You have 191 days to complete a Bible reading plan, including today. Friendship encourages 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: A weekly Children’s Ministry Worship Video is provided to keep our children connected, encouraged, and worshipped! 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, and Stay Connected!
God loves you, and so do I!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor