May is Lupus Awareness Month and some maybe asking yourself what is Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system — the body system that usually fights infections — attacks healthy tissue instead. So to bring awareness to this and in recognition of those suffering and for those who have lost the fight to Lupus we wear Purple so we are asking all that can and to wear purple the 4th Sunday, May 26th! If you would like any information please visit Lupus.org

There are times when words seem so inadequate, so incapable of conveying the heart’s message.  Even the most learned etymologist would experience difficulty in articulating appreciation and gratitude for the acts and deeds of the loving people of Friendship.

On today we share with the Greeters their Annual Day. What a great group of people, who contribute significantly to the expansion of the Kingdom of God.  On this day we recognize the Greeters, and as such, we all share with them their core ministry.  Today, we are all Greeters. In a much larger sense, the Greeters are part of the whole, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:  so also is Christ” (1^st Cor. 12:12). How thankful we are to God for the Greeters, and we appreciate their faithfulness to the Kingdom.  The same can be said concerning the choir, the Missionary Society, the Brotherhood, the deacons and trustees, the ushers and each and every member of the Friendship family.  To simply say “thank you” for all the awesome work and deeds that Friendship members do for the Kingdom, and for this Pastor and his family seems totally inadequate, however, it does convey the hearts message. 

To the Greeters and to all of Friendship:  THANK YOU! and “The Lord bless you, and keep you:  The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.  The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal.
A memorial service for Issac Clayborne, son of our own Minister Vannessa Adderly will be held this Thursday, May 2nd, 4:00 p.m. at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Please keep the family in your prayers.

A big “God bless you” goes out to the members of the Mission Ministry as they, and we, celebrate Mission Annual Day. It is with thanksgiving and great appreciation that we commend them for their very fine work in the Mission Ministry.  First of all, these sisters have received the message, and that message is “The mission is evangelism.”  In the Missionary Society, there are a myriad of activities, but the focus is on soul-winning.  Proverbs 11:30 tells us that“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”Ladies, thank you for your wisdom. Jesus, the master teacher, tells us in Luke 15:7, “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance”. Wisdom reminds us of God’s love for each individual. It is so great that He seeks each one out and there is rejoicing when he or she is “found.”  Again, to the members of the Mission Ministry, thank you for your service to the Kingdom. 

Now, and in larger sense, all members of the Body of Christ are called to missionary work. Jesus said to disciples of all times: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Remember, he or she that winneth souls is wise.

Pastor J. Amos Jones