PASTOR'S UPDATE MAY 19, 2023
Hey, there, Friendship Family!
Guess what? It is the month of May! In May, Friendship has a birthday. Yay! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIENDSHIP! Friendship was birthed officially as a church on May 20th, 1964. That’s fifty-nine years ago tomorrow!
The graphic below demonstrates the various activities that have taken place in Friendship in the last fifty-nine years! You name it; we have done it! To God be the glory for all that has been done in that time.
Guess what? It is the month of May! In May, Friendship has a birthday. Yay! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIENDSHIP! Friendship was birthed officially as a church on May 20th, 1964. That’s fifty-nine years ago tomorrow!
The graphic below demonstrates the various activities that have taken place in Friendship in the last fifty-nine years! You name it; we have done it! To God be the glory for all that has been done in that time.
I will add to that, praise God from whom all blessings flow. Indeed Friendship is a blessed Church! As we celebrate our 59th Church Anniversary, may we remember the faithfulness of God in all things! We invite you to join us this Sunday, May 21st, as we will celebrate our birthday with a special video presentation!
Look, there are a few things we need to update you on this week.
Here are this week’s announcements…
Look, there are a few things we need to update you on this week.
Here are this week’s announcements…
WOMEN’S MONTHLY FELLOWSHIP
Attention, Women of Friendship! Tonight, Friday, May 19th, at 7:00pm, is the next Women’s Ministry Virtual Monthly Fellowship. The guest speaker is our member, Dr. Tammy Gray, who will share on Saying So Long: So Long Self ~ So Long, Identity. Ladies attend this event and learn that “Your identity is in Christ, not your sin, past, or bad decisions. Not in yourselves, not in who people say we are. Not in what we think of yourselves.” Register HERE to receive the link to join the meeting. Don’t delay, REGISTER NOW!
Attention, Women of Friendship! Tonight, Friday, May 19th, at 7:00pm, is the next Women’s Ministry Virtual Monthly Fellowship. The guest speaker is our member, Dr. Tammy Gray, who will share on Saying So Long: So Long Self ~ So Long, Identity. Ladies attend this event and learn that “Your identity is in Christ, not your sin, past, or bad decisions. Not in yourselves, not in who people say we are. Not in what we think of yourselves.” Register HERE to receive the link to join the meeting. Don’t delay, REGISTER NOW!
COMEDY NIGHT @ THE ‘SHIP XIII
Comedy Night at the ‘Ship takes place on our birthday tomorrow, Saturday, May 20th, and you are invited to join us for this exciting event. For thirteen years, Comedy Night at the ‘Ship has allowed people to come together to have a CLEAN knee slappin’, face hurtin’, laughing good time exempt from profanity or profane references. We created this event to show just as we come together to worship and praise the Lord; we can come together to have fun and laugh at the realities of life through comedy. The Bishops of Comedy (Dexter Smiles & McClinton Neal) will host with comics: Al Dipmore, Mieka Jay, & Rubyn Warren. Please register and pay HERE.
Comedy Night at the ‘Ship takes place on our birthday tomorrow, Saturday, May 20th, and you are invited to join us for this exciting event. For thirteen years, Comedy Night at the ‘Ship has allowed people to come together to have a CLEAN knee slappin’, face hurtin’, laughing good time exempt from profanity or profane references. We created this event to show just as we come together to worship and praise the Lord; we can come together to have fun and laugh at the realities of life through comedy. The Bishops of Comedy (Dexter Smiles & McClinton Neal) will host with comics: Al Dipmore, Mieka Jay, & Rubyn Warren. Please register and pay HERE.
MINISTERS AND TEACHERS CONFERENCE
Attention all Associate Ministers, FBI Teachers, and LEAD Academy graduates! You are ALL invited and encouraged to join us on Saturday, June 3rd, at 8:30 am for our 2023 Ministers and Teachers Conference. Our theme is Equipping Leaders: Building Strong Faith (Eph. 4:11-12). This conference is designed to enrich, equip, and encourage leaders to build strong faith in themselves and others. Please join us and register to attend HERE so we may prepare and plan accordingly.
CHILDREN & YOUTH CHOIR
The combined Children & Youth Choir is looking for maximum participation for this coming fourth Sunday and the fourth Sunday in June, Children & Youth Annual Day! They are inviting ALL Friendship children and youth to come and sing together. The combined choir has been phenomenal and a great blessing to the congregation. To make things easier for the young people to participate, we are providing links to the songs HERE and HERE. You can go to these links to become familiar with the songs. Then please show up for rehearsal on Wednesday, May 24th, at 7pm. We hope we will see you there!
CLASS OF 2023!
We are trying to collect the names of all Friendship Baptist Church member graduating from high school or college this year. If you are a member of Friendship Baptist Church and are graduating from high school or college or know a student that is connected to Friendship Baptist Church who is graduating from high school or college in 2023, please let us know by adding their name HERE.
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.
Attention all Associate Ministers, FBI Teachers, and LEAD Academy graduates! You are ALL invited and encouraged to join us on Saturday, June 3rd, at 8:30 am for our 2023 Ministers and Teachers Conference. Our theme is Equipping Leaders: Building Strong Faith (Eph. 4:11-12). This conference is designed to enrich, equip, and encourage leaders to build strong faith in themselves and others. Please join us and register to attend HERE so we may prepare and plan accordingly.
CHILDREN & YOUTH CHOIR
The combined Children & Youth Choir is looking for maximum participation for this coming fourth Sunday and the fourth Sunday in June, Children & Youth Annual Day! They are inviting ALL Friendship children and youth to come and sing together. The combined choir has been phenomenal and a great blessing to the congregation. To make things easier for the young people to participate, we are providing links to the songs HERE and HERE. You can go to these links to become familiar with the songs. Then please show up for rehearsal on Wednesday, May 24th, at 7pm. We hope we will see you there!
CLASS OF 2023!
We are trying to collect the names of all Friendship Baptist Church member graduating from high school or college this year. If you are a member of Friendship Baptist Church and are graduating from high school or college or know a student that is connected to Friendship Baptist Church who is graduating from high school or college in 2023, please let us know by adding their name HERE.
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. This month (March), 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. This month (March), 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
Isaiah 14:10; Duet 31:8; Matt 11:28-29; John 16:33; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 37:23-24
✔️ 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. I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and Stay Connected!
Remember, God loves you, and so do I!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor
- 2023 CHURCH THEME:
Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV
- MAY PRAYER FOCUS:
Isaiah 14:10; Duet 31:8; Matt 11:28-29; John 16:33; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 37:23-24
- 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: We invite you to stay after the first service or come earlier for the second service to attend EX-Hour in person. Remember, we have two adult classes meeting in person on campus and a Young Adult Class. They meet as follows:
- 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 10am 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 6:30am, 12pm, and 6:30pm. 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, 2:30pm-4:30pm.
Well, that’s all I have this week. I look forward to seeing you Sunday!
Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and Stay Connected!
Remember, God loves you, and so do I!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor