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

PASTOR’S WEEKLY UPDATE NOVEMBER 4, 2022

PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY
SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS WRITTEN HERE ARE NOT IN THE VIDEO
Happy November, Friendship Family,

We are in a new month—the month of gratitude. The month when the Thanksgiving Holiday falls. We are thankful for all God has done and continues to do!

The Bible is filled with commands to give thanks to God ( like Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 1 Chronicle 16:34; & 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Most verses go on to list reasons why we should thank Him, such as “His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:3), “He is good” (Psalm 118:29), and “His mercy is everlasting” (Psalm 100:5).

Thanksgiving and praise always go together. We cannot adequately praise and worship God without also being thankful. Feeling and expressing appreciation is good for us. Also, giving thanks reminds us of how much we do have.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We are to be thankful not only for the things we like but also in the circumstances we don’t like. We can have thankful hearts toward God even when we do not feel thankful for the circumstances we may find ourselves in.

This month, let’s express our gratitude and give thanks, Friendship!

As I move on, I want to encourage you to check out this week’s episode of OVERTIME. Join Pastor Rodney, Pastor Jaron, and me as we talk about the two Spiritual Disciplines I preached about last Sunday: Submission & Service. Lord Help! I know you feel challenged as I feel challenged! I look forward to Sunday as we talk about Confession & Worship!!

As we prepare for Sunday…
✔️ Don’t forget to set your clock back one hour Saturday Night! Praise the Lord; we gain an hour!

✔️ Remember, it’s the First Sunday, and we will have communion together. So if you attend worship online only, please prepare your communion elements in advance so you can have them when we take communion Sunday. If you need more information on your items, please go HERE.

✔️ Also, this Sunday is Bring the Whole Tithe Sunday! Bring the Whole Tithe Sunday is an extension of our Call to Biblical Stewardship Sermon Series.
 
We ask that each Friendship member be honest with God and trust Him by bringing God your “whole” tithe. 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.

✔️ Also, beginning this Sunday, we will start our Gratitude & Generosity Month! Each Sunday in this month, we invite you to Practice Over & Above Giving by supporting FOUR great causes:

⚫ This Sunday, November 6th, will emphasize financial support for The Nehemiah Project. The Nehemiah Project LA is a faith-based initiative that builds greater awareness of the challenges faced by our nation’s at-risk and transitioning foster youth.

⚫ November 13th ~ Church Planting through TM (Transformation Ministries) & NAMB of SBC (The North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention)

⚫ November 20th ~ World Vision ~ World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization helping children, families, and communities overcome poverty and injustice.

⚫ November 27th ~ International Missions ~ Pastor Hopkins and the Burundi Mission & Evangelist Francie Jones and the Latter Rain Ghana Mission’s Trip

We have special envelopes for this endeavor and special giving designations in our electronic giving located HERE.

JOIN US FOR FAMILY PRAYER TONIGHT
Prayer Posse invites you to join us tonight, Friday, November 4th, for our Monthly Family Prayer Service. This service happens regularly on the Friday before First Sunday, from 7:30pm to 8:30pm via google Meets. Remember, this prayer meeting is open, so if you feel led to pray, simply unmute your line and PRAY! See you there!  To connect with our prayer service, please follow this link HERE or dial +1 (413) 418-4274 and use the PIN 287683504#. We will pray on this month’s prayer focus which is Expressing Thankfulness for God’s Grace  & Mercy! Beloved, this is when we recall and reflect on God’s goodness and articulate that we are thankful. Again, expressing appreciation is good for us. So that’s our prayer focus for the entire month of November.

KINGDOM WIVES
Attention all Wives of Friendship, the Kingdom Wives Class is returning with a new study beginning Saturday, November 5th. The new study is entitled ~ Now You’re Speaking My Language: Honest Communication and Deeper Intimacy for a Stronger Marriage!

This class is open to all wives and engaged women and meets virtually via Zoom on the first and third Saturday of each month from 9AM to 10:30AM. To register, go HERE.

SOCAL HARVEST CRUSADE
The 2022 So Harvest Crusade will occur at the Angels Stadium of Anaheim on November 5th & 6th. This evangelistic hope-filled event encourages those anxious about what the future holds for this crazy mixed-up world. It is two days of music, community, and hearing a life-changing message from Pastor Greg Laurie about getting right with God. Please go HERE to understand the event and see how you can attend, spread the word, invite others, and serve. There are volunteer opportunities available. Please check the volunteer page HERE.

SIDE BY SIDE COUPLES MINISTRY
The next Side by Side Couples Ministry Session will take place on Friday, November 11th, at 7pm via Zoom. This group studies the book You and Me Forever by Lisa and Francis Chan. The topic for the upcoming session is “Parenting to the Glory of God!”  The link to the class is provided in the written update. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Deacon Hilton McDaniel at (949) 652-1489 or email Sheila McDaniel at [email protected]. To join the session, go HERE. They look forward to you joining the class.  

SPIRIT OF THE HEART
We are excited to announce our collaboration with the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) for the annual Spirit of the Heart health education and equity events for 2022. On Thursday, November 10th, at 6 pm, Friendship will host the Spirit of the Heart Leaders Forum Dinner in the Multipurpose room. The emphasis is on Advocating for Health in Communities of Color. This forum is to educate, empower and motivate leaders in the Orange County community, including many of you at Friendship. If you are a healthcare provider, community leader, or advocate for health equity, we would love to see you there! Attendance is limited so register at the link below today! Registration: https://bit.ly/ABCSOHForumOC22

Then, on Sunday, November 13th, after the 8:00 and 11:30 am services, the FBC Health Ministry and Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) will have a mini health fair in the quad here at Friendship! There will be health screenings, health education, healthy snacks, and medical providers to help answer some of your health-related questions. Don’t miss this opportunity to check in on how you manage your health at every stage in life!

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY RETURNS
Let’s Bring the Children Back! This month, Children’s Sunday Services return! On 11/20/22, we will reopen in-person Children’s Ex-Hour (Sunday School) from 10:00-11:00 am and Children’s Church at 11:30 am service.  Children’s Sunday Services are for children Pre-K (age 3)-5th grade.  Additionally, the Mommies and Babies class will return during Ex-Hour (10-11am) for mothers and their babies 0-2 years old.  We are excited to have children back in worship and bible study, don’t miss our first Sunday Funday on 11/20/22 when we welcome them back!

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE AT ECCLESIA:
On Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 10:00am,  Ecclesia Christian Fellowship of San Bernardino will host our First Lady Karima as their keynote speaker for the Hearts in Focus Women’s Ministry Conference.  We invite you to join our First Lady at this free in-person conference.  If you are interested in attending, please contact Lady Karima at [email protected].

ORANGE COUNTY SOUTHERN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION (OCSBA)
On Thursday, October 28th, I was voted in as the 2023 Moderator of the Orange County Southern Baptist Association. It is a great honor, and I appreciate the opportunity to serve.

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

NOVEMBER PRAYER FOCUS:
Expressing Thankfulness for God’s Grace  & Mercy
II Tim 1:9, John 1:16, Titus 2:11, II Cor. 12:9, John 1:14, Eph 2:8-9, II Peter 1:2

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. We now have two adult classes meeting in person on campus, along with 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.

We invite you to stay after the first service or come earlier for the second service to attend Ex Hour in person.

NEW MEMBERS CLASS:
If you’ve recently become a member of Friendship or are a member who has never attended the New Members Class, we invite you to attend a new session starting on Sunday, October 2nd. Over eight weeks, this class teaches what we believe about fundamental Christian doctrines, including Salvation, the Trinity, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. In addition, this class provides a good foundation on key doctrines in the Bible. Join us at 10 a.m. on Sundays; we meet on the 2nd floor of the Carrington Building, Room 209.

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 worshipping! 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 COVID-19, we invite you to apply for one of our $500 assistance grants. The guidelines are available HERE, and the application is available HERE.

LOST & FOUND
Have you lost your favorite Bible, glasses, or a personal item while here at the church? If so, please get in touch with the church office at 714-528-0990 or stop by on the 1st floor of the Carrington Building Monday-Friday between 9:00am-5:30pm or Sunday between 10:00am-2:00pm. There is a collection on the blue counter under the TV monitor.

Well, that’s it!

I love you, Friendship, But God Loves you BEST!

Continue to Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and 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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