Thanksgiving Blessings

On behalf of the staff of First Presbyterian, Brenda Atkins, John Holt, Perry Phillips, Russell Hallman, Barri Pratt, myself and on behalf of the Session, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for your faithfulness in serving Christ in this congregation.

Crickett and I give thanks for the simple things of life - for good health, for family, for the call of God in our lives, for purpose in serving Him and for eternal life in Christ. Let us give thanks for our form of government, for those serving in our military promoting peace and fostering justice in this sinful world.

Most of all on this Thanksgiving Day, we remember that the mercy of the Lord is wide, the grace of the Lord Jesus is deep and the love of the Lord extends to all generations. He has taught us to be grateful in any and all circumstances - a tall order. Yet He has also promised that whatever valleys we tread, He goes before us each step of the way. He holds our hands and guides our feet. Thanks be to God.

We begin Advent this Sunday morning in our beautiful sanctuary adorned and prepared for the celebration of the coming of the Lord into our lives. Next year we shall be celebrating Advent in new space and with the same rich grace of our Heavenly Father. Let's make this Advent season the best we've ever known at FPC. We thank the Christmas angels who met Monday morning to prepare the sanctuary for this Advent season.

Grace and Peace,
Randy Kesler
First Presbyterian Church
Bessemer, Alabama

Prayer concerns for 11/27

Please pray for the family of Richard Shane Black (39).  He was a cousin of Vicki Latta. He passed away on Sunday and the funeral is today.  He is one of the men mentioned on the news as being found in a car in the parking lot of UAB West. 

Also, be in prayer for the family of Charles Thomas. He has been on our prayer list for some time and was a great uncle to Gracie Ann Poole and the brother of Sue Parsons (Keith's friend and co-worker). Charlie passed away on Sunday and the funeral is today.

Frank Watson received some good news - his pathology report showed everything benign. Praise the Lord! 

Prayer concerns for 11/21

Frank Watson had surgery this morning to remove a small tumor in his chest.  He came through surgery and may be able to go home by 1:30 this afternoon.  His surgeon did not think it looked like cancer, but of course they will have to wait on pathology reports.

 

Also, A.W. Jinright is continuing to show some improvement with his breathing issues.

 

Please continue to keep them in your prayers.

Prayer concerns for 11/19

Keith and I are asking for prayers today for Pop, A.W. Jinright.  He has been having some difficulty breathing over the last couple of days with little excertion and is on his way now for a chest xray to determine if there is fluid in his lungs.  Pop has lived with COPD for a long time and when the weather changes, this sometimes happens.  Please join me in asking our Lord for a clear xray so as to determine what course of care Pop needs to breathe better.  Also, we are trying to get an appointment with his regular doctor today so please lift up that request as well.  And finally, Keith's uncle is with Pop today while Keith is at work which is hard for Keith because he feels like he should be there with him.  Let us lift Keith up today with encouraging prayers that God is with Pop and can relieve him today for a little while.

 

Love,

Becky

Prayer concerns for 11/14, more

Beth is Dr. Percy's niece who is in Princeton. Lung cancer has spread into brain cancer now. Please remember her as well as her family and particularly Percy.

Grace and Peace
Randy

Prayer concerns for 11/14

Charlotte Bruce, Becky Jinright's mom, has taken her radiation treatment as of Wed am and will now be sitting around glowing for the next few days.  The worse part of this whole ordeal for her is the diet she is on.  While it could be a lot more restrictive she is happy to eat some different tasting things playing with spices in place of iodized salt.  No dairy makes food prep a little dicey, but she is a trooper and now counting down until next Wednesday when she will have a scan and afterwards a BIG breakfast at the first place she comes to that WILL include a bacon biscuit I am sure!  Please continue to pray for the radiation to do its thing and for a clear scan next week.

 

Becky's uncle, Frank Bruce, finally heard from his prostate biopsy.  2 of the 10 samples did indicate cancer.  It is not the fastest or the slowest growing kind.  He has an appointment on Friday and they will know more then.  Please keep him in your prayers asking for minimal but effective treatment.

 

Also, Keith Jinright has a friend at work, Laura Silas, who is in surgery as I write.  She is having her neck operated on, removing C1, C2 and C3 and replacing them with cadaver bones.  Please lift her up to our Father in heaven who is overseeing her surgery and pray for a successful surgery and recovery.  Also bless those who donate their bodies and organs for such surgeries as then to be possible.  

 

Love,

Becky

Congratulations to the Hallmans

Congratulations to Madhura and Russell Hallman on the birth of their precious daughter, Elizabeth Anjali, She was born at 5:20 am, November 9, weighting 7 lbs and 19 inches.  All three are well and we give thanks to Almighty God for his grace and blessing.  May she find her purpose in life through Jesus Christ and bring joy and peace to those around her all her life through.  May the God of new beginnings bless this family and use their lives to bring honor to the name of Christ and advance his purpose in our world.

 

Rev. Randolph Kesler

Prayer concerns for 11/08

Charlotte Bruce is feeling better today.  The tingling that she was experiencing due to her calcium deficiency has subsided so she's resting at home.  Thanks for your prayers and please continue them into next week as she tackles the radiation treatment.

 

Love,

Becky

Prayer concerns for 11/07, more

Charlotte Bruce is in need of special prayers today.   She has her radiation treatment scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week.  In prep for the shots and pills, she has had to deplete her body of iodine by her diet, eliminating iodized salt, dairy products and fish.  The idea is that once you deplete your body of iodine, the shots and pills have iodine in them and any rogue thyroid cells left in the body (that might be cancerous) will be attracted to the iodine and the radiation will kill them thus eliminating the threat.  However, her calcium is terribly low now since she has been on the diet for about 2 weeks.   She had some blood work done yesterday because she has been feeling so badly and the doc told her to eat her calcium supplements throughout the day today and take her calcium prescription.  If her calcium has not risen by tomorrow they want to put her in the hospital to give to her in an IV.   Please join me is praying that her calcium will rise today, that she will feel better and her reaction to the radiation next week will be positive.

 

I also understand that Justin Latta is still suffering from issues as a result of his gall bladder surgery.  They are trying to regulate with meds but he still is getting sick throughout the day and having cramps.  As you can imagine he has lost a lot of weight.  Please keep him in your prayers that the right meds will be found or if there is another issue that needs to be handled that the doctors will find it. 

 

I'd like to give you an update on Gracie Ann Poole.  She had mutliple surgeries last week including a trach revision, tubes in her ears replaced, GI and hernia fixes and a bronchoscopy taking cultures to see what all is growing in there to alleviate some of her issues hopefully.  As you can imagine, little sista is having a rough time after all that.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers continually, there are more surgeries upcoming.  If you are on Facebook, I recommend you go to Gracie's page, Walking By Faith with Gracie.  There are pictures and updates from her mom and you can see her sweet smile.  And a little ways down the page you can see her Happy Birthday pictures where she turned 6!  Even at 6 years old, she knows, and has known for a long time, that God holds her in His arms and gives her strength.  Be blessed by her story!

 

Love,
Becky

Prayer concerns for 11/07

This is a good friend of Al's and she is 4 1/2 months pregnant and is in the hospital because she is throwing up non-stop and they don't know why.  They are thinking gallbladder.  We need prayer for Stephanie and her baby.

 

-Mona

Sympathy for the Mitchells and Cowherds

Our Christian Sympathy is extended to Mark and Rhonda Mitchell, on the death of Rhonda's brother, Jimmy Cowherd.  Arrangements are at Brown's Bessemer, Friday, November 8.  Visitation from 1-2 PM with the service at 2 PM.

Update on Bruce Cornell

Bruce went in for his first radiation treatment yesterday and we met with Dr Holladay.  Dr Holladay was very pleased and said everything is outstanding.  He is going to check his PSA every couple of weeks and that will tell us our progress.  We had our second treatment today and will continue every day for the next 7 weeks.  Doing great on the meds for the blood clots.  Praise God!  Thank you for your support and prayers.