Good morning beloved 34^th Street Church family,

Let me take this opportunity to wish you a Blessed and Happy Good Friday. When you look at all that happened during Holy Week only God could make this day “good.” When one looks at the events of Thursday night and Friday itself there is nothing that seems to be good. What we see is blood, gore, pain, suffering and death but what God saw was life, power, forgiveness, salvation, hope and love and in the end, those are the things that won. Good Friday tells us that life, love and the Lord always win and that is what makes it good.

Good Friday and Easter are monumental days in the Christian faith, and I can’t stress enough how crucial it is we take time, together, to reflect on the gift of Christ’s love for us. Today, I pray that you walk in the confidence and assurance that after three hours on the Cross, when Jesus cried it is finished, it was a shout of victory and you and I live triumphant over the grave and all that the grave represents.

Tonight, we gather at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church for our annual Seven Sayings of Jesus from the Cross at 7:00 p.m. The address is 3410 E. Wilder Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610.  This service is dedicated to assist the needs of Potter Elementary School. Each person is requested to bring school supplies. On Saturday, April 15, 2017 in the parking lot of the church we will host our Annual Spring Festival from 10 to 1:00 p.m. for the children of our church and community. On Sunday, we will celebrate The Glorious Service of Resurrection in two powerful services @ 6:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. The 6:30 a.m. Sunrise service will be in the heart of downtown Tampa in Joe Chillura Park, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. Following our Sunrise service, we will have breakfast at 8:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall of our church. 9:00 a.m. will be our annual Easter Program with our children.

Our Easter celebrations offer us the opportunity to invite family and friends to our church. Make calls, send emails—just reach out to those close to you and take the risk of asking them to join you at a service. You can change a life, and you will never regret taking this leap of faith.

I look forward to seeing you tonight as we worship on this Good Friday. In preparation for the word and worship on Resurrection Sunday, let me encourage you to read Luke chapter 24:1-6 (NLT) and let us pray for a powerful move of God on this Lord’s day.  Also, pray for our church, our members and our ministry that we will be all God is calling us to be.

In closing know that I love you and pray for you and that I am glad to be your pastor

Beloved, Good Wednesday Morning,

I pray that this note finds you well and that as you come to this midweek you are both prepared and positioned for the remainder of the week. I truly believe that preparation and position allows us to proceed with the expectation of success and both preparation and positioning come as we assess where we are, where we need to be and what we need to do to get there. I can think of no day in the week other than Sunday night better to do this than on Wednesday. With that in mind take a moment today to think about where you are, where you want to go and what it will take to get there, and know that I am praying with and for you as you move through this day.

Of course, I want to remind you that on Wednesday we gather at Noon and Seven today for our “Wednesday in the Word” and I want to urge you to make every effort to join us in one of these times of study in the word and a time of worship. However, tonight we are continuing our “Emotionally, Healthy Spirituality Course.”  We are in chapter 7 of our book and our focus will be on “Enlarge Your Soul through Grief and Loss.”  Sister Hadley sent an email out to us on yesterday reminding us of our assignment and encouraging us to come prepared tonight.

Jesus reminds us that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In closing, know that I am praying with and for you.

Pastor

Beloved, Good Wednesday Morning,

My prayer for you today is that you are well, blessed and encouraged and that at this midweek point you are seeing progress and moving towards the goals of your life. I have learned that fruit, (success) comes from focus and focus comes from finding what matters most and moving towards it…know that I am praying for you as you move towards those goals and objectives of your life.

Today of course is Wednesday and so we are preparing for our “Wednesday in the Word Worship Services. “Today at Noon I will be teaching a word on ” Fruit of the Spirit – Faith” that I am really excited about. Tonight, at Seven O’clock we are continuing our Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course and we will be looking at the life of Abraham and Journeying Through the Wall (Chapter 6).  Sister Hadley sent out an email on yesterday encouraging us to read chapters 12 through 24 about Abraham’s life. I want to encourage you to be with us today but especially tonight and I look forward to your being with me.

Let us continue to pray for our seniors, sick and shut in and for those who have recently experienced sorrow in our church family. Also, Dr. Woodside is needing some WD40 oil spray for the Bicycle Ministry. Let me encourage you to bring or give the money for at least one can of WD40 to Church this weekend for this ministry. Thank you in advance for your support.

The Leadership Council is meeting this Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 8:30a.m. in the fellowship hall of our church.  Come prepared to participate in the training and discussion.

We now have a “NEW ROOF” on our entire church building. Thank you so much for your giving and support as we improve our current church campus.  Thanks to all those who made this a reality!

In closing know that I love you and pray for you and that I am glad to be your pastor!

Beloved, Good Wednesday Morning,

I pray that the receipt and reading of this letter finds you well, strong, blessed and focused. As we come to the midpoint of the week we can both look back and look forward and that in and of itself is both powerful and a blessing. We can look back on what we have accomplished since Monday and we can at the same time look forward to what the remainder of the week will bring and offer.

In many ways Wednesday is a day to hit the restart button and I pray that you will take full and complete advantage of that. Of course one of the best ways to maximize the midweek is by being with your church family today at either Noon or at Seven tonight for “Word and Worship On Wednesday“.  However, tonight we are continuing our “Emotionally, Healthy Spirituality Course.”

We are in chapter 5 of our book and our focus will be on “Go Back to Go Forward.”  Sister Hadley sent an email out to us on yesterday reminding us of our assignment and encouraging us to come prepared tonight. What a great way to thank God for the past few days and seek Him for the week that remains, I hope to see you today or tonight.

Let me also remind you to support our Berean Conference on Friday, March 24, 2017 at 7p.m. and Saturday morning at 9a.m.  Bishop Timothy Clarke is preaching on Friday night.

In closing let us continue to pray for all of our members who are sick or who are in sorrow and let us daily, especially during this time of Consecration pray for one another.  Pray specially for Revealing Truth Ministry during the transition of their pastor.

In closing know that I love you and pray for you and that I am glad to be
your pastor

I pray that this note finds you well and that you have had a blessed and productive week.

To say that this week has been unusual for me is to be sure an understatement, from the weather to events in the world and in our lives; this has been a busy week.  I am in the airport in Cleveland Ohio getting ready to board my flight back to Tampa.  I have been here since Tuesday morning attending the Joint College of Bishop. I have really been blessed by this conference.  Also, it has been really, really cold here. When I arrived on Tuesday morning it was snowing and cold. As I prepare to leave it is snowing right now as I write this email!  Please pray I don’t get stuck in Baltimore Washington Airport where I will change planes.

On a more local front let me thank all of you who gave sacrificially on last Sunday in our First Fruit Giving offering.  I was so blessed by the excitement and rejoicing in a powerful anointed worship service.  It was so rewarding to see the saints of God give enthusiastically.  If you have not given it is not too late for you to give your First Fruit Offering.

We continue to be in prayer for Leigh Ann Reid, Dorothy Carswell Walker, Vera Hammond, Andrea Moore, Evelyn Laster. Pray for Margaret Brookins, Denna Pace, Lillian Bludsaw, Hilrie Kemp, Bertha Kemp, Lee Dessie Burney, Gladys Whaley, Richard Pace, Peggy Fredericks, Helen Dorsey and all our seniors on our prayer bulletin.

Finally in preparation for the word and worship this Sunday let me encourage you to read Joshua 10:12-15. I will be preaching from the subject “Pray Big Prayers.” You may read the entire 10^th chapter of Joshua, which makes up the context. Come praying and excited about the worship and the word.

Beloved, Good Friday morning,

I truly pray that this note finds you well that you and your day is off to a great start. I am excited about the coming weekend as we will gather on Sunday for our “Super Sunday First Fruit Giving.” As you know I have asked our members to commit to give a sacrificial gift for the First Fruit Sunday offering and I pray that you will honor my request. Your gift will help will the many needs we have around our church. In fact, On Monday, March 13, 2017 our entire roof on the church building will be replaced. Also keep in mind that Sunday morning begins Daylight Savings Time and so Saturday night set your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed.

The Married Couples Ministry is going bowling, Saturday, March 11, 2017 from 6-8pm at Pin Chasers Veterans located at 5555 W. Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33604.  Men, let’s show up and take the game to the women!

In preparation for the word and worship on Sunday let me encourage you to read Proverbs 3:9-10 (KJV) as we continue our series, “Living by The First Fruit Principle.”

Let us be in prayer as is the case every week, we have many in our church family who are under the care of the Great Physician and others who are walking through a season of sorrow, let us pray for all of them. Please be in prayer for mother Dorothy Carswell Walker who is in surgery today at Florida Hospital.  Pray for Andrea Moore she’s having surgery on Tuesday, March 14, 2017.  Pray for Leigh Ann Reid, Mildred Cosby and Margaret Brookins. We are praying a special prayer of healing for Mother Dorothy Walker, Leigh Ann Reid and Sister Andrea Moore. Pray for our seniors, Mother Hammond, Gladys Whaley, Bertha Kemp, Lillian Bludsaw, Alton Kemp, Denna Pace, Shirley Sledge, Pastor Mitchell Bettis and pray for each other.

In closing know that I love you and pray for you and that I am glad to be your pastor

Beloved good Friday,
I pray this note finds you well and you have had a safe and productive week.
I am excited about this past week of prayer and fasting. We have realized an increase in callers for our early Morning Prayer conference line. Prayers are already being answered, and people are being blessed during this time of consecration. The theme for this week was “Reinvent” and next week the theme is “Restructure.”
I hope that your plans this weekend include CHURCH! Don’t forget to join us in our specialty classes Sunday morning during our Bible Discovery Hour at 9:00 a.m. We have classes for the entire family.
Join me in our continual prayers for our seniors, our sick and shut-in, and those facing or coming out of surgery. We are praying for Claudette Walsh, Brenda Burney, Rujel Buggs, Angela Small, Lottie Hamilton, Dr. Melvin James’ mother, Mrs. Ruth Ann James, Deacon Herbert LaMons, Denna Pace, and Dr. W. James Favorite.
Also, as we observe and salute Black History month, all are encouraged to wear appropriate garb and all are welcomed. In fact, why not invite and/or bring someone with you?
In preparation for the Word and worship on Sunday, let me encourage you to read 1 Chronicles 29:1-17 as we continue our series on “Elevation.” In closing know that I love you, pray for you, and I am glad to be your pastor.

Beloved, good Friday evening,

I pray that this Friday finds you well, blessed and encouraged.

I am so excited about Sunday and our time together in worship. I want to encourage you to invite or bring someone to church with you this Sunday. Sunday morning in our Bible Discovery Hour we will have some special classes for our men, women and parents. Please join us for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and our special classes after breakfast.

Saturday morning our Leadership Council will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. All leaders are required to attend this all important meeting.

Saturday, February 6, 2016 at 4:00 P.M. we will worship with Dr. Henry J. Lyons and New Salem Missionary Baptist Church as they dedicate their new building. The church is located at 8525 North 78th Street Temple Terrace, Florida 33637.

On Sunday, February 7, 2016 we will observe the National Day of Red. Please wear something red to observe National Heart Disease Month. Heart disease is the number one killer among women in our nation.

This week we are praying for our seniors, our sick and shut in those facing or coming out of surgery and those in the midst of sorrow and bereavement. We are praying for Deacon Hubert Lamons, Denna Pace, Rujel Buggs, Becky Stevens, Dr. W. James Favorite and Dr. Melvin James mother in Atlanta, Georgia. Continue to pray for each other.

We will receive a special offering for our brothers and sisters in Flint Michigan this Sunday, February 7, 2016 to purchase two pallets of water.

In preparation for the Word and worship on Sunday, let me encourage you to read 1 Chronicles 29:1-17 as we continue our series on “Elevation.” On Sunday, I will continue preaching from the subject “Elevate Your Generosity.”

In closing know that I love you, pray for you, and I am glad to be your pastor