Pastor's Weekly Update October 8, 2021
Hey there Friendship Family!
I am grateful to God for you, and I am grateful to reach out to you weekly via this weekly update though I fear many of you have stopped reading these regularly. I am determined, however, to finish out the year with these updates and then figure out what the next season of communication to the body will look like!
I appreciate those of you who read the weekly update to know what is going on in your church and hear your pastor’s heart! Additionally, I appreciate the media team that works with me weekly to make this happen. So again, I am a grateful man!
Last week I began a conversation with you on “redeeming the time.” I told you that Paul uses this phrase in Ephesians 5:16 & Colossians 4:5 and that I think we ALL should consider “redeeming the time” as we close out the year. But, again, when Paul wrote of “redeeming the time,” he spoke of redeeming opportunities. He said God could help us recoup, recover, regain, and retrieve lost time and opportunities!
The word redeem in Greek means to “buy out of the marketplace.” So the word picture is of a merchant who diligently seeks to buy up the best bargains in the marketplace, taking care not to miss the fleeting opportunities!
Redeem in these verses is in the present tense, which calls for us to make redeeming our lifestyle, our daily, moment by moment practice. That is to buy up for ourselves (to our eternal advantage) the strategic opportunities God providentially places in our path.
Do you realize that each new day brings us 24 hours, 1440 minutes, and 86,000 seconds? Each moment is a precious gift from God. Additionally, each moment is a calling for us to be good stewards who are mindful that one day we must give an account for how we spent the time God loaned us, how effectively we “bought up” the opportunities He provided. If someone gave you $1440 each day and said spend it or lose it, how diligent would you be to comply? Yesterday is but a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is all of the cash that you have. Spend it wisely.
As someone has well said,
I am grateful to God for you, and I am grateful to reach out to you weekly via this weekly update though I fear many of you have stopped reading these regularly. I am determined, however, to finish out the year with these updates and then figure out what the next season of communication to the body will look like!
I appreciate those of you who read the weekly update to know what is going on in your church and hear your pastor’s heart! Additionally, I appreciate the media team that works with me weekly to make this happen. So again, I am a grateful man!
Last week I began a conversation with you on “redeeming the time.” I told you that Paul uses this phrase in Ephesians 5:16 & Colossians 4:5 and that I think we ALL should consider “redeeming the time” as we close out the year. But, again, when Paul wrote of “redeeming the time,” he spoke of redeeming opportunities. He said God could help us recoup, recover, regain, and retrieve lost time and opportunities!
The word redeem in Greek means to “buy out of the marketplace.” So the word picture is of a merchant who diligently seeks to buy up the best bargains in the marketplace, taking care not to miss the fleeting opportunities!
Redeem in these verses is in the present tense, which calls for us to make redeeming our lifestyle, our daily, moment by moment practice. That is to buy up for ourselves (to our eternal advantage) the strategic opportunities God providentially places in our path.
Do you realize that each new day brings us 24 hours, 1440 minutes, and 86,000 seconds? Each moment is a precious gift from God. Additionally, each moment is a calling for us to be good stewards who are mindful that one day we must give an account for how we spent the time God loaned us, how effectively we “bought up” the opportunities He provided. If someone gave you $1440 each day and said spend it or lose it, how diligent would you be to comply? Yesterday is but a canceled check. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is all of the cash that you have. Spend it wisely.
As someone has well said,
I have only just a minute, only 60 seconds in it;
forced upon me; can’t refuse it;
didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it.
But it’s up to me just how I use it.
I must suffer if I lose it; give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.
forced upon me; can’t refuse it;
didn’t seek it, didn’t choose it.
But it’s up to me just how I use it.
I must suffer if I lose it; give account if I abuse it.
Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.
How are you redeeming the time as we close 2021? That’s a rhetorical question, but you should answer it personally and privately when you have time.
Next week I hope to provide you with some practical ideas on how to redeem the time!
Here are your weekly updates!
Remember, you can redeem time reading the WORD of God!
BIBLE READING
At Friendship, we encourage every member to read one of six Bible reading plans in the year. These plans include;
1. The entire Bible,
2. The Pentateuch (or the first five books of the Old Testament),
3. The entire Old Testament,
4. The Gospels (or the first four books of the New Testament),
5. The entire New Testament, and
6. Psalms and Proverbs 3 times.
If you have not completed a reading plan, there is still time. To help you, we will load a 90-day plan to complete the Gospels in the Church App. Simply open the “Bible” tab from the bottom menu of the church app and select “plan.” Each day will include a reading of ONE chapter per day... just one chapter a day to complete the Gospels in 90 days!
If you would like to complete a different plan, I have attached some other 90-day plans HERE for you to download and follow. So let’s finish strong and read our bible before the end of 2021.
SIDE-BY-SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY
The Side by Side Couples Ministry invites all married, engaged, and seriously dating couples to join us for a new study titled Growing Together in Christ. This study starts tonight, October 8th, at 7pm and will be held virtually via Zoom. Couples are encouraged to join us for this 6-week series, where we’ll learn about: The power of prayer in marriage, what it means to follow Christ together as a couple, and having a spiritual influence on other families. Growing Together in Christ will help you pursue God together as a couple. Go HERE to attend the class. All couples are welcomed and encouraged to attend as we strive to grow together in faith.
KINGDOM WIVES CLASS:
Ladies, tomorrow, October 9th 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
LEADERSHIP MEETING
The Leadership Meeting is tomorrow, Saturday, October 9th, at 10am. This meeting will take place via ZOOM. To join the meeting, go HERE. Again, I apologize for the change and any inconvenience this may cause. If you cannot attend, I understand, but please make us aware by contacting Leigha Carrington at [email protected] so we can be sure to get you meeting notes afterward!
NEW MEMBERS CLASS
A new session of our New Members Class has begun! It began last Sunday, and it is not too late to join. The class meets weekly on Sundays in the Carrington Building, Room 209. This 8-week class is open to anyone who has joined Friendship in the past two years and has not completed the orientation of new members to our church history, existing ministries, and foundational beliefs. Completion of the New Members Class is a prerequisite for serving in Friendship’s ministries. So let’s get you started today! For more information, visit the church website HERE.
REMEMBERING OUR LOST LOVED ONES:
Don’t forget our 2021 Remembering Our Lost loved One’s Service takes place Tuesday, October 19th, at 7:30pm at Friendship in the Sanctuary. This event will be an in-person service that will also stream live. This event honors those who we have lost and serves as an opportunity to remember the memorable moments of their lives and share the impact of those moments with other grieving people. Sister Vanessa Hunter will be our speaker, and we will have other impactful moments of remembrance.
FOURTH-QUARTER PUSH
As we approach the end of the year, I want to thank you all for your generous financial support of Friendship. You have been amazing, and we are very grateful to you. This last quarter is generally our time to make about 35% of our yearly budget. Those of you who have been around Friendship for a while know that we generally do a FOURTH QUARTER PUSH to help make this happen. We STILL need your help to FINISH 2021 STRONG!
As we consider REDEEMING the time, I pray you will remember your church and continue your financial support. Your generous contributions have assisted us in our local ministry and mission fields, both near and far. We have been making a substantial investment in our technological equipment, and your giving has helped us do this and will help us do more. Ultimately, because of you, we can help spread the word of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you again for your consideration.
General Church things to remember:
Well, that’s all I have this week! Thank you for reading! Thank you for allowing me to serve as your pastor. Again, I am grateful to you! 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
Next week I hope to provide you with some practical ideas on how to redeem the time!
Here are your weekly updates!
Remember, you can redeem time reading the WORD of God!
BIBLE READING
At Friendship, we encourage every member to read one of six Bible reading plans in the year. These plans include;
1. The entire Bible,
2. The Pentateuch (or the first five books of the Old Testament),
3. The entire Old Testament,
4. The Gospels (or the first four books of the New Testament),
5. The entire New Testament, and
6. Psalms and Proverbs 3 times.
If you have not completed a reading plan, there is still time. To help you, we will load a 90-day plan to complete the Gospels in the Church App. Simply open the “Bible” tab from the bottom menu of the church app and select “plan.” Each day will include a reading of ONE chapter per day... just one chapter a day to complete the Gospels in 90 days!
If you would like to complete a different plan, I have attached some other 90-day plans HERE for you to download and follow. So let’s finish strong and read our bible before the end of 2021.
SIDE-BY-SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY
The Side by Side Couples Ministry invites all married, engaged, and seriously dating couples to join us for a new study titled Growing Together in Christ. This study starts tonight, October 8th, at 7pm and will be held virtually via Zoom. Couples are encouraged to join us for this 6-week series, where we’ll learn about: The power of prayer in marriage, what it means to follow Christ together as a couple, and having a spiritual influence on other families. Growing Together in Christ will help you pursue God together as a couple. Go HERE to attend the class. All couples are welcomed and encouraged to attend as we strive to grow together in faith.
KINGDOM WIVES CLASS:
Ladies, tomorrow, October 9th 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
LEADERSHIP MEETING
The Leadership Meeting is tomorrow, Saturday, October 9th, at 10am. This meeting will take place via ZOOM. To join the meeting, go HERE. Again, I apologize for the change and any inconvenience this may cause. If you cannot attend, I understand, but please make us aware by contacting Leigha Carrington at [email protected] so we can be sure to get you meeting notes afterward!
NEW MEMBERS CLASS
A new session of our New Members Class has begun! It began last Sunday, and it is not too late to join. The class meets weekly on Sundays in the Carrington Building, Room 209. This 8-week class is open to anyone who has joined Friendship in the past two years and has not completed the orientation of new members to our church history, existing ministries, and foundational beliefs. Completion of the New Members Class is a prerequisite for serving in Friendship’s ministries. So let’s get you started today! For more information, visit the church website HERE.
REMEMBERING OUR LOST LOVED ONES:
Don’t forget our 2021 Remembering Our Lost loved One’s Service takes place Tuesday, October 19th, at 7:30pm at Friendship in the Sanctuary. This event will be an in-person service that will also stream live. This event honors those who we have lost and serves as an opportunity to remember the memorable moments of their lives and share the impact of those moments with other grieving people. Sister Vanessa Hunter will be our speaker, and we will have other impactful moments of remembrance.
FOURTH-QUARTER PUSH
As we approach the end of the year, I want to thank you all for your generous financial support of Friendship. You have been amazing, and we are very grateful to you. This last quarter is generally our time to make about 35% of our yearly budget. Those of you who have been around Friendship for a while know that we generally do a FOURTH QUARTER PUSH to help make this happen. We STILL need your help to FINISH 2021 STRONG!
As we consider REDEEMING the time, I pray you will remember your church and continue your financial support. Your generous contributions have assisted us in our local ministry and mission fields, both near and far. We have been making a substantial investment in our technological equipment, and your giving has helped us do this and will help us do more. Ultimately, because of you, we can help spread the word of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you again for your consideration.
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.
- 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.
- 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 allowing me to serve as your pastor. Again, I am grateful to you! 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