1 Newsletter of the Union County Baptist Association May 2017 From the Interim Director of Missions… Do you remember these lyrics, “March winds and April showers make way for sweet May flowers”? What the song is referring to is that May is the month the weather begins to turn warmer and the days become sunnier and as a result flowers, if they have not already done so, be- gin to bloom. It is the time for the planting of gardens. There are more family outings and picnics and people enjoying the warmer weather. As we think of new life that spring and summer bring to plants and the animal kingdom, what about God’s king- dom and new life spiritually speaking? I trust that you and your church are making plans to use the association block party trailer for your church’s outreach, be it either for Vacation Bible School or some other outreach. God has given us nice warm weather and long summer days for a purpose. One of those purposes is for outreach. In Luke 8:4-15, Jesus tells the story of the man who goes out into his field to sow his seed. Jesus then goes on to say that the seed falls into one of four places- the road, the rocks, among the weeds or the good soil. In verse nine, the disciples question Jesus about the meaning of the story. In verse ten Jesus tells those disciples who have listened to His story how God’s kingdom works. In verse 11, Jesus tells us the seed is the word. He implies that you and I are the seed sowers. In verses 12-15, Jesus tells four responses to hearing the word. Praise the Lord for verse 15, the good soil- as we sow seeds some will respond. What is the principle? We are to do the sowing. It is God who is at work to make that seed grow. In the case of sharing the word of God, you and I are to share the word. God’s work is to use that shared word and change people’s lives as people respond to hearing God’s word. So, as we are now in spring and going into summer, let’s not only make plans to be sowing God’s word, but let’s all of us make sure to actually be sowing God’s word. So then, as the song goes, we will see not only May flowers, but more importantly new believers in Christ. So, happy sowing! Walter Association Staff Interim Director of Missions Rev. Walter Ludwick Ministry Assistant Carol Heatherly Contact Us P.O. Box 147 Union, SC 29379 Phone: 427-8443 Fax: 427-8445 E-Mail [email protected] [email protected] Website www.ucbaptist.org Facebook www.facebook.com/Union County Baptist Association Have News for The Echo? Please send us your news by the middle of the month for the next month’s issue. [email protected] Associational Officers & Leaders Moderator………Randy Smith Vice-Moderator…Lynn Ford Clerk…………..Carol Heatherly Treasurer…………Sue Morgan Missions Mobilization...Greg Black Evangelism………....Lynn Ford Congregational Development… Scott Cannon WMU Director……..Ann Queen News From Our Churches Mon Aetna—passed their Annie Armstrong goal of $5,000, receiving $6,756.25. Thursday, May 4, 2017 Pray for Our Nation “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord” Psalms 33:12 Pray for our Nation