From our presiding clerk, Matt Wilber:

Dear Friendswood Friends,

Many of you have asked about the status of the senior pastor transition.  While it may seem that nothing is being done, that is far from the truth.  First and most importantly, many of you along with the coordinators and myself are praying.  We trust that God will provide and sustain us.  We are praying for unity among our members.  Bobby and I are in constant conversation as we prepare for David’s absence and plan for what is best for the future of our church.  Many from our body have volunteered to preach Sunday mornings and for that I am grateful.  The encouragement that I’ve received is incredibly meaningful and lifts my spirit.  I will continue to give updates as appropriate.  I hope to see you as we celebrate David and Rochelle on the 26th after worship.

Peace,

Matt

The Coordinators are planning a luncheon to honor David and Rochelle Bridges and celebrate their 23 years of ministry among us. The celebration will take place on Sunday, February 26th following the morning service, which will be David’s last Sunday as our Senior Pastor. We need to provide a headcount to the caterer, so the deadline to sign up is Monday, February 20th.  Please sign up by using this link, or you can sign up in the Coffee Café this coming Sunday. 

From David Bridges:

Greetings in Christ’s name!

Saint Valentine was a 3rd century priest or bishop who has been celebrated as one who encouraged love. He is the patron saint of the central Italian city of Terni, and according to Wikipedia, he is also the patron saint of epilepsy and…beekeepers (who knew beekeepers had a saint?). There are many stories about Saint Valentine, though it’s hard to know which of them are accurate. In any case, Valentine’s Day has become a time to express love to those who are closest to us. And even if we resist buying candy hearts, roses and silly cards on Valentine’s Day, it’s good to be reminded of our call to love others.

Jesus taught his followers to love not only those who loved them, but even those who were their enemies. He asked rhetorically, “if you only love those who love you, aren’t you just like everyone else?” He reminded his disciples that God shows unconditional love to all people by making the sun rise and the rain fall on both evil people and good people. And then, he challenged his listeners to be “complete, just as your Heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone” (Matthew 5.43-48, CEB). 

Valentine’s Day reminds us to love the ones who most love us. And of course, that’s a good thing to do. But Jesus calls us to something higher—to love everyone. On this Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to do something that shows your love for people who may not love you.

This Week:

If you’re looking for a way to support relief work in Syria and Turkey, I deeply trust the work of Mennonite Central Committee. They are receiving donations for their relief work here. 

Join a Bible study! The Sunday Night Bible Study at 5 pm in the Coffee Café is open to all. The Women’s Bible Study started last Wednesday, but you can join at any time.  Click here for details.  A Wednesday evening class, focused on Jason Porterfield’s book, “Fight Like Jesus,” begins February 22nd at 7 pm – click here for more information.

This Sunday, my friend Dr. Albert Anderson, the pastor of Breath of Life International Ministries, will be preaching in worship. Come hear his inspiring message to our congregation.  

An inmate I speak with each week is seeking help in typing and self-publishing a book of poetry. If you are interested in typing around 250 easy-to-read, but hand written pages in Microsoft Word, and/or working to get those files uploaded to a kindle book, please contact me—David Bridges.

The letter of 1st John says, “God is love.” May the God of love so fill you this week so that love spills out onto those around you, in Jesus’s name.

Peace,

David Bridges