Hello Beulah,

     My friends, it has been a busy summer. Our Father has blessed us in so many ways. I will make an attempt to share just some of the ways in this letter.

     First let me start with the M.R.M.. Mt. Pleasant Baptist church of middle Tennessee came into our association and where a great blessing. The worked on a couple of roofs in Union City, and a wheelchair ramp in Obion. They where a pleasure to work with and blessed us greatly.

     Our Team from Emmanuel Baptist of Texas, has blessed our area once again. They put on a roof, and did repairs inside a home in Union City, as well as constructed a wheelchair ramp in Harris station in South Fulton. They also conducted a B.Y.B.C. in which 7 young people came to know Christ as well as one adult! They also distributed clothes to the community and conducted bible studies in the evenings. It was a honor once again to work along side these fine brothers and sisters from Texas, all 43 of them!

     I would like to thank Sunswept Baptist for hosting these teams and their efforts to be a blessing in God’s Kingdom. As I write this article, we are preparing to receive Polk county Baptist association’s mission team. Bro. Ryan Potts is returning with a group and will be doing construction in the Union City and South Fulton Area. Thanks to Johnson Grove for hosting this team.

     We are also expecting teams from Arkansas, and Owensboro Kentucky in the weeks ahead. Please pray for these teams and for wisdom to discern our Father’s will for all these, as we seek to directs these teams in areas where God is at work.

     I have just returned from Youth Venture! Wow! Our Father is blessing in extraordinary ways in Columbus. Bro. Mark Hayes and all our ministers and lay leaders of our youth in our association are doing a marvelous job there. There are no less than 7 churches represented and 3 states and 4 associations! The homes and B.Y.B.C.’s  are being used as tools to help glorify our Lord, but the greatest tools and resources are our young people! Our tool trailer is a great blessing once more, and is being utilized daily. The greatest aspect of the whole experience is the report of precious souls coming to Christ and changed lives!

     Our associational tent has once again been utilized by one of churches. Pleasant Hill, Martin was able to use the tent for V.B.S., as their building is under renovation. Bro. Mac said it was a great blessing to have and worked very well for them.

     Bro. Joe Wright of Dyer association would like to thank all who responded to the recent floods in the area by way of food donations, financial gifts, and volunteer labor. Thanks to all in our association who are ready to respond to our sister churches, if and when, it is needed.

     I also have just returned from Antigua and St.Thomas. What a blessing the trip was. We had 11 people from 2 associations and 5 churches. We where able to do what our Heavenly Father set before us, with maintenance  work on the grounds we where staying as well as lay out the site for future building project, and a great deal of counseling for both men and women of the Antigua army. God blessed, and at least one soul was saved and many lives touched through this trip.

     St. Paul Baptist church in St. Thomas is alive and well! I returned there to find our friends celebrating their 30 anniversary! They have remodeled the worship hall and started a Day care center for over 30 young children! They have also started a homeless feeding and clothing program that is feeding over 100 homeless weekly, while sharing the good news of Jesus Christ! Their have been souls saved and lives changed in this ministry. What a privilege to return to a place where we have been and see our investments of years past bringing in great dividends! We are in the process of collecting good clothes for them to use in the homeless ministry. Both new and used clothes can be dropped of at the office and we will send them to the island when a appropriate amount is reached.

     I have had the privilege to work with and along side all these teams, as well conduct a revival meeting since our last report. I thank our Father for the opportunity to serve with these people on these projects, and on the mission trips. Much more….no room to share it here!

May God bless….Pastor Mike Hazlewood