Union County Business & Professional Association welcomed spring with its 26th Annual Prayer Breakfast on Good Friday, 2023. With the theme of “Dare to Begin Again, President Tammie Hill welcomed members, family, and friends to Maynardville Fellowship Baptist Church. Pastor Matt Cooke related several stories and passages from the Bible that told how people should never give in to adversity, but rather face life's challenges armed and supported by their faith.

R. Larry Smith, UCBPA's first president, introduced Don Dare, noted WATE Consumer News Reporter, who inspired everyone with his message on the “Power of Prayer”. He described how his pastor gave him a small Bible that fit in his shirt pocket. As he was called to serve his country in Vietnam, his Bible never left his pocket. He noted that his faith and the 23rd Psalm supported his every step. He faced extreme trials, but he never lost hope nor faith that he would return home to begin his life again.

Musical inspiration came from the songs performed by the Cox Sisters, Allison Cox Smith and April Cox Headrick. Their rendition of familiar gospel tunes was truly magical and just filled everyone's heart with joy.

Of course a prayer breakfast needs a bounty of food and Emily Cooke of Buttercup Bakehouse spread the table with scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits with sausage gravy, crispy bacon, and a variety of sweet treats. Ridge and Valley Coffe House filled the air with the scent of fresh perked Bolivian coffee.
Mr. Dare even commented on how good the coffee and the food tasted.

All were grateful for the work of the Prayer Breakfast Committee, Shannon Brooks. Tammie Hill, Martin Shafer, and Shannon DeWitt. UCBPA sends a great big Union County hug and a thank you to our sponsors who were all golden, Commercial Bank, Corum Bookkeeping, Inc, FirstBank, R. Larry Smith & Associates, Randy Turner Union County Assessor of Property, The Sign Guys, Tammie Hill Realty Executives Associates, Union Data,LLC, and Marilyn & Wayne Toppins.

Proceeds from the event help fund donations to Union County 4H, Union County Children's Charities, Union County Libraries, Union County Public Schools Music Program, and the Union County Lions Club.

UCBPA meets the second Tuesday of each month at Li'l Jo's Bar-B-Que at noon. There is no meeting in July. The August Member Meeting meeting is Tuesday, August 8, 2023.