Great fifth Sunday at The Springs

Greetings from The Springs! It is wonderful that God is letting us enjoy this cooler weather as we transition into autumn. The weather forecasters say that the ground is still dry and that we need more rain. Yet no matter what time or season it is the “Living Water” from The Springs always flows.
I know you have made plans to attend our second Annual Choir Extravaganza, which will be held this Saturday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. Our Minister of Music Dr. Kathy Hubbard has put together a lineup of the best gospel groups in our area and we are looking for you to come and enjoy this showcase of talent.
Sunday, Oct. 14 Pastor Robert Terrell will bring the message for Pastor Appreciation Day honoring Rev. Ozzie Hanson in Eatonton. The Springs family will be leaving immediately after service that day for that program, which starts at 2 p.m.
Junior ladies of USBS are honoring our mothers of the church with a Ladies Luncheon to be held the third Saturday in October. Sign-up is at the church and the deadline to get your name on the list is approaching soon. This will be a special time where we acknowledge our senior ladies and learn more about their vital role in the church of today.
Well we haven’t forgotten about our youth and the annual Hallelujah Fest is going to be held Saturday, Oct. 27 beginning at 11 a.m. Please be advised that this event will be held at the old campus at 2730 Old Mill Road. What a great opportunity for the community to join us for fellowship, fun and treats.
The highlight of the month of October is our annual Pastor’s Appreciation Day. This special occasion is set for Sunday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. and the speaker will be Rev. Hubert Langston of Elberton. Feel free to join us and bless this man of God.
I can’t go on without telling you more about Rev. Langston. He was my previous pastor at my home church St. Paul Christian Methodist Episcopal in Athens. He was there for four years before going to his next assigned church in Bowman. I was sad when he had to leave especially because his teaching really ignited me to develop a much closer relationship with the Lord. He is truly a great man of God dedicated to preaching and teaching God’s Word.
I must tell you that I was thrilled when he came to USBC on Sunday along with my good friends, Isom (Billy) and Frances Weems of Athens. It wasn’t a complete surprise for me since I knew the Wednesday before that they were coming. Yet I still felt like a child opening a present on Christmas Day when I saw them. I can’t wait to see them at the end of the month.
Pastor Terrell gave us a mini sermon on faith after the Spirit moved in the sanctuary Sunday. He spoke on faith with his text coming from St. Mark 5: 25-28. The woman in the passage turned to the doctors first to be healed instead of Jesus. She is the one that had the issue of blood for 12 years and ended up spending “all that she had and was no better.” Then she heard Jesus and sought Him to be healed.
When we put ourselves in the Word we see that we also have our faith in the wrong place. Many of us will look to modern medicine for our healing before seeking God. Pastor Terrell tells us our faith must be in the Lord first. Now He may heal through doctors and that is His choice. However, we must remember that the Bible instructs us to seek the kingdom of God first!
Our Fifth Sunday speaker was Minister Gary Marneze Walker and he finished the morning nicely. His message was titled; “The Benefits of Knowing Your Seasons” and he gave us a great way to look at the principle of seed time and harvest.
Genesis 8:22 tell us that “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer and day and night shall not cease.” Minister Walker gave us four seasons that we need to be aware of as we go through life.
The first season is the seedtime, which unleashes our potentials. Next is the season when our potential starts to grow and comes to life. That is followed by the season of harvest and maturity when our potential becomes a reality. Finally, there is the season of death and perseverance until it is time to plant for our next potential.
The mistake we make is expecting to reap exactly when we want it. There is a process to go through. But we still get upset when God does not move when we want Him to. This is a prime time for the enemy to make us miss our opportunity to sow the seed for our harvest. The enemy will also cause us to plant the wrong needs during our planting season, too. You reap what you sow, good or bad.
Minister Walker ended his message with two key benefits to knowing our seasons. One is that it allows us to uncover the attacks of the enemy. The other is that it gives us power to reroute our future. How many times have you missed your blessings by not understanding your season? Glory be to God!

Printed in the October 4th edition.