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

Weekly Word from Pastor Curry: May 7, 2021

Hello Friendship Family…

I pray this week’s video message and weekly update finds each of you well!  I pray you are finding your stamina in the Christian race and running with endurance. Remember, running a race is an active process, not a passive one. It’s challenging. There’s a reason why the Christian life isn’t compared to a summer picnic or a quick stroll around the block. We are to live in the determined pursuit of Christ; we cannot live as though passive, half-hearted devotion will get us closer to our goal of being more like Him. It is an active process, requiring our attention and the best of us. Living for Christ must be our chief occupation, set as the ultimate priority of our lives. And just like in a race, you will have troubles in this life, and you will face obstacles, and you will get tired, but we must keep running!

Things continue to go well in California relating to the spread of the Coronavirus and our vaccination rate. Los Angeles County entered the yellow tier yesterday, May 6th. In Orange County, however, we remain in the orange tier.  The issue in Orange County is the number of new daily cases. That number has to fall to below 2 cases per 100,000 residents. However, news outlets report that all of the Southern California Counties are doing better, and it’s just a matter of time before things open up, so we must have patience and vigilance.

As most of you know, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has loosened their guidelines on masks outdoors. There are lots of thoughts on this. As a leader, I believe it’s important to remind you that we are not entirely out yet. I suggest you wear your mask regularly when around others. Remember, all indoor activities require a mask. So, wear your masks, vaccinated or not! Wash your hands regularly and watch your distance.

It was great to see so many of you Sunday. I pray that our in-person gatherings have been helpful to you. Please know that we work hard weekly to make these gatherings both safe and beneficial. For those who continue to worship online in the cyber sanctuary, I pray we continue to meet your needs.

Registration is now open for this Sunday’s worship experience. Our capacity is limited to approximately 40% per service. We are allowing as much room as possible for physical distancing. Therefore, you will need to register to attend the service. Please register today. Registration allows us to monitor capacity. All attendees will still need to wear masks for worship. Remember, this is a state mandate. It will stay in place until the state lifts it. To register, please go HERE.

Please note Ex Hour now meets from 10am to11am. If you desire to stay after the first service or come earlier for the second service to attend Ex Hour in-person, please indicate this in your registration to accommodate you.  

As we regather, we invite our ministries to Spring Into Service. Your ministry needs you! Yes, YOU! Whether you are an usher, greeter, children, or youth leader or serve in ANY ministry, we need you BACK! We are returning to a weekly in-person worship service which means there is work to be done. AND if you were not serving before and are looking for a place to volunteer, WE NEED YOU TOO! If you want to volunteer, contact Rev. Eric Archer at [email protected], and he will direct you to the right ministry lead. And if you are unsure what ministry is right for you, fill out the CHANGE MAKER form by clicking HERE.

Let me highlight this week’s  announcements :

YOUNG ADULT WOMEN’S EVENT FOR WOMEN AGES 18-40 YEARS-OLD
The Deaconess and Mothers Ministries are hosting a “Young Ladies Sip & Say,” which will be an experience to remember! Join us for a CONFIDENTIAL experience to ask REAL & RAW questions and receive genuine biblical responses from women of God. This event will take place on Saturday, August 7, 2021. The time and location will be announced at a later date. All Young Ladies Ages 18- 40 are invited, and you do NOT need to be a member of Friendship to participate, so invite a friend, cousin, sister, aunt, or niece. To help us ensure this is an event that meets your needs, please fill out & return the following questionnaire by Monday, May 10th by clicking HERE!

VETERAN’S SERVICE
Attention all veterans! We invite you to attend our 2nd virtual workshop of 2021 on Wednesday, May 12th at 6pm. Our Guest Speaker will once again be Mr. Dwayne Harris from the Veterans Administration of Los Angeles. Dwayne Harris will share on VA Benefits, Compensation, Pension, Healthcare, Education, and more. For more information, go HERE.

SIDE-BY-SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY
The next Virtual Side by Side Couples Ministry class, “The 5 Love Languages,” will take place on May 14th at 7pm.  The topic for this class will be “ Receiving Gifts.” You can join the meeting by clicking HERE. Should you have any questions, you can contact Deacon Hilton McDaniel by email at [email protected] or call (949) 652-1489

BABY DEDICATION SERVICE
I am excited to announce that we are planning a special baby dedication service for all the families who have had babies in the last 18 months to two years and have not had their babies dedicated and desire to do so. This service will be a special service separate from our Sunday morning Worship Service. Our tentative date is Sunday, June 13th at 10am. If you are interested in participating, please register HERE.  

HOPE FOR WIDOWS 5K WALK
“FBC Kingdom Widows bible study invites all widows, widowers, and the entire church family to join them on May 15th at 8:00 am for a 5K safely distanced walk to bring attention to the challenges of more than 245 million widowed women worldwide.  The Hope for Widows Foundation sponsors this event, and you may participate live with the Kingdom Widows at Yorba Regional Park or, virtually, your location, your pace.   To register, go to https://hopeforwidows.org and select the option to join a team, then choose FBC Kingdom Widows.  Those who register will receive a customized race bib to “Say their name” with the name of the loved one, finisher’s medal, and proceeds benefit the Hope for Widows Foundation grants and projects for widows. For those who join us live, this will be a time of fellowship in motion, encouragement, and support for widows/widowers, and remembrance of loved ones.

SINGLES MINISTRY
The singles at Friendship are on the move, and I want to encourage ALL singles to consider participating in the offered events. They offer a Bible study class, a monthly prayer event, and quarterly chat & chews. They especially need men to be a part of this fellowship. If you are a single man, would you please consider joining the ministry and helping to make it more comprehensive? This is not a hook-up club. This is a ministry designed to encourage and build community. Please check out the singles page HERE for more information.

Here are some general information things I would like to share with you.

VACCINATIONS:
We continue to advocate for the vaccine. As we do so, we will share information with you regarding locations to get a vaccination. If you have information on clinics, please contact my office so we can share that information.  Please read the joint statement from the Black Orange County pastors HERE.

As many of you know, the Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been cleared for use again. So those of you who prefer or desire a one-shot vaccination, that option is available to you!  

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.

General Church things to remember:

  • Phone Line for Worship: For our members who may have a tough time connecting to our worship service online for whatever reason, we are now offering a way for those members to dial in and listen to service over the phone. To access the service via telephone, members and guests need to dial 1 216-930-8774‬ and enter the PIN: 464 267 559‬#. It is live for both the 8:00am and 11:30am worship services.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

  • EX HOUR: Ex Hour meets weekly on Sundays, and we are studying Luke. Remember, EX Hour takes place every Sunday through the video conference app, ZOOM. Join us for class on Sundays at 10a via this link HERE. Also, there is a YOUTH EX HOUR: Our youth Ex Hour takes place during our designated EX Hour time via Google Meet. 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
 
  • WEDNESDAY Prayer Day: Join us each Wednesday for Prayer. We pray at 6:30a, 12p, and 6:30p. To connect with our prayer services, please follow this link HERE or dial in at +1 (413) 418-4274 and use the PIN 287683504#. 
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  • 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 bag of groceries.  The Food Bank’s hours of operation are Tuesday - Thursday 2:30p-4:30p.   

  • COVID Membership Assistance Fund: We are STILL accepting applications for the COVID Membership Assistance Grant. 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.

I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday for Mother’s Day!

I love you, Friendship, but God loves you, BETTER!  

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected!

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