Weekly Word from Pastor Curry: September 10, 2021
Greetings, Friendship Family!
I trust and pray this week’s email blog, and video blog finds each of you doing well. I want to keep this week’s message short, so I am working to give you the pertinent information only!
First, let me say thank you to everyone for your well wishes and birthday blessings on Sunday. I truly appreciate you, Friendship! I have read every card and have been encouraged by your personal messages to me! Wow! You all make me laugh, cry, and blush at times! Thank you to everyone who helped to execute Sunday. Thank you to our hospitality team, the Guardian Angels, church staff, and my wife, Karima. I am very appreciative of your kindness!
I am looking forward to the fourth Sunday, September 26th, when we will celebrate my 8th Pastoral Anniversary serving here at Friendship. It is not my anniversary alone. It is OUR anniversary as Pastor & People! Remember our speaker is my friend, sister, and colleague, the Rev. Dr. Karen E. Curry-Stewart, the Director of Evangelism and Discipleship at First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, AZ. We will have a refreshment hour from 9:45am to 11:15am. Ex-Hour will be canceled on that Sunday for both in-person and online classes.
Before I address our announcements for this week, I would like to say something about 9/11. As many of you know, tomorrow is the 20th Anniversary of 9/11. On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush. Twenty years later, we look back at the day people will never forget, we never forget, the damage, the destruction, and the devastation we as a country experienced. But, we never forget also God’s great faithfulness to see us through this!
Here are your announcements and updates for this week. Sabbath Rest is officially over, and we are getting back in the swing of things here at Friendship. It is time for us to reengage and to carry on!
SIDE BY SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY:
KINGDOM WIVES CLASS:
MONTHLY MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
On Monday, September 13th, we will have a special meeting to gauge interest in the following areas:
NEW BIBLE STUDY CLASSES:
All classes will be held virtually, and books will be available for pick up shortly in the church office. To register for any of these classes, please visit the church website HERE. We hope you’ll join us for one of our new studies. Let’s learn and grow together in God’s Word!
SCHOLARSHIP MINISTRY 2021-2022: We are excited to announce the open enrollment for our Scholarship Ministry beginning today through October 4th! We are now accepting applications for students to join for this academic year. The scholarship ministry is available for all students K-12th. Our scholarship ministry is designed to nurture Friendship’s students to be the best scholars and be a meaningful part of our faith community that we believe is a catalyst for faithful ministry and service. Potential applicants and their families can find the application on our website. Please go to www.wearefriendship.church/scholarship to access the application. We need all new and returning students to complete the online application. More information about our “Virtual Kick-Off Meeting” in early October will be coming soon. If you have any questions, please email Rev. Jaron Singley at [email protected].
REMEMBERING OUR LOST LOVED ONES: Looking ahead, We will have our 2021 Remembering Our Lost Loved Ones Service on Tuesday, October 19th, here at Friendship in the Sanctuary. Yes, we are planning an in-person event that will also stream live. If you would like to remember your loved one in this service, please send their name, relationship to you, and photo to Leigha Carrington in Membership Services at [email protected]. Especially note if your loved one passed away in 2020. You can submit via email or regular mail. The last day to submit this information is Friday, September 24th.
REVIVAL 2021 CANCELLED: Please note, will NOT have a revival in September.
Here are some things I don’t want you to forget…
✔️ CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VIDEO: Remember 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 via the Friendship Youtube Channel HERE.
✔️ VOLUNTEER CORE: We STILL need volunteers and would love to have you join our
volunteer core. We expressly and immediately need volunteers for our Sunday Worship
Hospitality Team. We need individuals to help us welcome members and guests on
Sundays and various other hospitality-related tasks. If you are willing, please email
[email protected]. Also, there is a table in the QUAD you can stop by on
Sundays. I appreciate your consideration in this.
✔️ INTERNS NEEDED: We also need interns in our media ministry. So if you are a student
who needs an internship opportunity, we welcome you to be a part of the Media Ministry
here at Friendship! To apply for a non-paid intern position, please email Candace Clark at
[email protected].
SERMON BASED SMALL GROUPS ~ PASTOR CURRY’S DISSERTATION PROJECT
General Church things to remember:
Well, that’s all I have this week! Thank you for reading! Thank you for your prayers and support! Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected God loves you, and so do I!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor
I trust and pray this week’s email blog, and video blog finds each of you doing well. I want to keep this week’s message short, so I am working to give you the pertinent information only!
First, let me say thank you to everyone for your well wishes and birthday blessings on Sunday. I truly appreciate you, Friendship! I have read every card and have been encouraged by your personal messages to me! Wow! You all make me laugh, cry, and blush at times! Thank you to everyone who helped to execute Sunday. Thank you to our hospitality team, the Guardian Angels, church staff, and my wife, Karima. I am very appreciative of your kindness!
I am looking forward to the fourth Sunday, September 26th, when we will celebrate my 8th Pastoral Anniversary serving here at Friendship. It is not my anniversary alone. It is OUR anniversary as Pastor & People! Remember our speaker is my friend, sister, and colleague, the Rev. Dr. Karen E. Curry-Stewart, the Director of Evangelism and Discipleship at First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, AZ. We will have a refreshment hour from 9:45am to 11:15am. Ex-Hour will be canceled on that Sunday for both in-person and online classes.
Before I address our announcements for this week, I would like to say something about 9/11. As many of you know, tomorrow is the 20th Anniversary of 9/11. On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush. Twenty years later, we look back at the day people will never forget, we never forget, the damage, the destruction, and the devastation we as a country experienced. But, we never forget also God’s great faithfulness to see us through this!
Here are your announcements and updates for this week. Sabbath Rest is officially over, and we are getting back in the swing of things here at Friendship. It is time for us to reengage and to carry on!
SIDE BY SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY:
- The Side by Side Couples Ministry class meets this evening at 7pm for married and engaged couples. The topic for tonight’s class will be “Growing in Love.” You can join the meeting via Zoom HERE. Should you have any questions, you can contact Deacon Hilton McDaniel by email at [email protected] or call (949) 652-1489.
KINGDOM WIVES CLASS:
- Ladies, tomorrow, September 11th at 9am, is another session of the wife’s class. This class continues to explore the book, Sacred Marriage, Sacred Hearts. This study is open to all married women of Friendship and their friends and family, so share this opportunity to grow in community with other Kingdom Wives. If you are not already a member of the Kingdom Wives class, please click HERE to register. Or you may visit our church website at www.wearefriendship.church/wives
MONTHLY MEN’S FELLOWSHIP
On Monday, September 13th, we will have a special meeting to gauge interest in the following areas:
- Working with youth/young men here at Friendship
- Outreach - working with the Mentor Up Program for fatherless & foster boys
- Gifts and talents you have and would like to share
- Volunteerism in general - Where would you like to help out?
NEW BIBLE STUDY CLASSES:
- Hermeneutics: New study series starts on Saturday, September 11th. This 10-week class teaches the art of rightly dividing the word of truth and clarifying inaccurate interpretations & application of the Scriptures. Teacher: Rev. Patrick Christian
- Precept Upon Precept: New Study starts on Tuesday, September 14th at 10am. This 12-week series will focus on the book of Hosea and emphasizes, ‘A Love That Won’t Let Me Go.’ Teacher: Sis. Joyce Jackson
- Women’s Bible Study: New Study starts on Wednesday, September 15th, at 7:30 pm. All ladies are invited to join us for a new study based on the book Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us From the Inside Out. This study explores the “Holy Makeover” God wants to give each one of us. This book and class will deal with disciplining our minds, guarding our hearts, and managing our thought lives. Ladies will be encouraged to direct your gaze past your shortcomings to the God who stands ready, willing, and able to make you into new women-from the inside out. Teachers: Rev. Belinda Wright & Rev. Fredia Travis
- Singles Class: This new study starts on Thursday, September 16th at 7:00 pm. Are you tired of going through the motions of faith? Do you want to make real progress in your life but not know where to start? If you want to grow spiritually and help others grow, join us for this new study based on the book How to Grow: Applying the Gospel to All of Your Life by Daryl Dash. We’ll unpack the gospel, show how it applies to every area of your life, and help you evaluate your current stage of growth, so you’ll know what steps to take next. You’ll learn why habits are important, how to build them, and which ones to focus on first. How to Grow offers actionable ideas to facilitate spiritual growth in the lives of regular, messy people—people like you and me. Teachers: Allen Gobert & Elona Brown
All classes will be held virtually, and books will be available for pick up shortly in the church office. To register for any of these classes, please visit the church website HERE. We hope you’ll join us for one of our new studies. Let’s learn and grow together in God’s Word!
SCHOLARSHIP MINISTRY 2021-2022: We are excited to announce the open enrollment for our Scholarship Ministry beginning today through October 4th! We are now accepting applications for students to join for this academic year. The scholarship ministry is available for all students K-12th. Our scholarship ministry is designed to nurture Friendship’s students to be the best scholars and be a meaningful part of our faith community that we believe is a catalyst for faithful ministry and service. Potential applicants and their families can find the application on our website. Please go to www.wearefriendship.church/scholarship to access the application. We need all new and returning students to complete the online application. More information about our “Virtual Kick-Off Meeting” in early October will be coming soon. If you have any questions, please email Rev. Jaron Singley at [email protected].
REMEMBERING OUR LOST LOVED ONES: Looking ahead, We will have our 2021 Remembering Our Lost Loved Ones Service on Tuesday, October 19th, here at Friendship in the Sanctuary. Yes, we are planning an in-person event that will also stream live. If you would like to remember your loved one in this service, please send their name, relationship to you, and photo to Leigha Carrington in Membership Services at [email protected]. Especially note if your loved one passed away in 2020. You can submit via email or regular mail. The last day to submit this information is Friday, September 24th.
REVIVAL 2021 CANCELLED: Please note, will NOT have a revival in September.
Here are some things I don’t want you to forget…
✔️ CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VIDEO: Remember 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 via the Friendship Youtube Channel HERE.
✔️ VOLUNTEER CORE: We STILL need volunteers and would love to have you join our
volunteer core. We expressly and immediately need volunteers for our Sunday Worship
Hospitality Team. We need individuals to help us welcome members and guests on
Sundays and various other hospitality-related tasks. If you are willing, please email
[email protected]. Also, there is a table in the QUAD you can stop by on
Sundays. I appreciate your consideration in this.
✔️ INTERNS NEEDED: We also need interns in our media ministry. So if you are a student
who needs an internship opportunity, we welcome you to be a part of the Media Ministry
here at Friendship! To apply for a non-paid intern position, please email Candace Clark at
[email protected].
SERMON BASED SMALL GROUPS ~ PASTOR CURRY’S DISSERTATION PROJECT
- I want to thank those who have answered my appeal for individuals to participate in my research project on sermon-based small groups.
- I am in a holding pattern because I am waiting for final approval from the school/dissertation program. This delay is my fault, and I apologize for the delay. I hope to have information for you real soon. I am avoiding saying a date because I do not want to disappoint anyone. Again, I apologize.
General Church things to remember:
- IN-PERSON EX-HOUR: In-person Ex-Hour meets each Sunday from 10am to 11am each Sunday 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 10a 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.
- 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#.
- 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 2:30p-4:30p.
- 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 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.
Well, that’s all I have this week! Thank you for reading! Thank you for your prayers and support! Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected God loves you, and so do I!
In His Service,
Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Your Pastor
Posted in COVID-19