“WMU is still alive, still growing, and still relevant,” South Carolina WMU executive director-treasurer Laurie Register told messengers to the 2009 Woman’s Missionary Union annual meeting, which was held March 27-28 at Alice Drive Baptist Church, Sumter.
Laurie Register, right, holds a plaque of appreciation from the South Carolina Baptist Nursing Fellowship. With her is B.J. Pettit, SCBNF president.“There is no greater time for the church to be the church,” she said. “WMU is poised to be at the forefront. We have a chance to be a beacon,” Register said.
The meeting included state business, missions reports from North American and International Mission Board missionaries, and missions opportunities happening through the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The annual meeting also marked the first for Register in her new role as state WMU executive director-treasurer.
Using the theme word, “One,” messengers celebrated missions through special music, dramatic interpretations, and missionary speakers. A reported 550 registered messengers from 38 associations participated in the two-day event. The top three associations recognized for having the highest percentage attendance of registered messengers were Williamsburg, Edgefield, and Southeast associations.
For many attending the meeting, it was an opportunity to reconnect with old friends who share a passion for missions.
Surfside First Baptist Church member and WMU director Martha Bullard said she loves coming to the annual meeting because she “learns so much about missions and from each other. I also love the people I’ve met here.”
State WMU business was discussed during the Friday morning session. The 2009-10 executive board and the 2010 state nominating committee were approved. Current president Gail Hodson, a member of Mid-Valley Baptist Church, Langley, was elected to serve her third one-year term as president.
Clover JarrettThe 2009 Janie Chapman Offering for State Missions, missions education, and Experience Kingdom Life goal has been set at $2 million.
During the meeting, South Carolina WMU associate executive director Sandra Tapp recognized 124 churches and 11 associations with the “Triple A” award. The award is a WMU measuring tool for progress and missions growth in churches and associations.
“WMU has had one goal for the past almost 121 years: to involve everyone in missions. Through all the avenues of ministry, the church is responsible for missions,” said Wanda Lee, national WMU executive director-treasurer. Lee said she was excited about the future of South Carolina WMU under Register’s leadership.
Testimonies from the mission field were shared by International Mission Board missionaries to South Asia and a North American Mission Board missionary serving in Arkansas. Each missionary spoke of the importance of the Cooperative Program, the Southern Baptist Convention’s missions funding source, to their work.
“Thank you for giving to the Cooperative Program,” said Diana Lewis, NAMB missionary in Arkansas. “It is together that we are doing this work.” An IMB missionary home on stateside assignment also thanked messengers for their devotion to missions through their giving. “It’s because of you that I can serve and be a voice in the darkness.”
Gordon Fort, IMB vice president of overseas operations, described a 76-year-old woman on her first mission trip who shared the gospel with a young man dying of AIDS. The local church had tried unsuccessfully for three years to reach this young man, yet because of her willingness to “go and tell,” the man became a Christian shortly before his death. “Never underestimate the power of one person,” Fort said, emphasizing the meeting theme.
Messengers heard an update on the partnership South Carolina WMU began with the Jamaica Baptist Women’s Federation in 2003. Federation president Clover Jarrett said more than 8,000 women are now involved in 300 different branches of the missions organization. “Jamaican women have learned about Christ and are growing in their confidence to witness,” Jarrett said.
Debbie McDowellDebbie McDowell, SCBC missions mobilization group director, spoke about ways to become involved in a missions response to the current economy. “There is an increased openness for spiritual discussion right now. Take time to listen, pray, give hope, give Jesus. If we don’t respond to the needs of others, that will be our response.”
Also during the meeting, Kenneth Weathersby, senior strategist with NAMB’s evangelism group, shared national evangelism statistics and the impact believers can have. “God has a plan for each of us; we have been called to the purpose of sharing.”
Sylvia Pack, member of Pine Grove Baptist Church, Sumter, came to the annual meeting to celebrate how God is working in her life and to give back to the organization that has helped her so much. Pack is a new Christian who quickly became involved in her church’s WMU. It was a source of fellowship and missions education for her, so she wanted to help with registration for the meeting. Pack had a stroke last year that affected her speech, but it did not keep her from the meeting because she wanted God to use her. “I am so glad to be here.”
Register closed the annual meeting Saturday afternoon with encouraging words about WMU’s future. She said WMU is a relevant organization that is effective in missions and missions education, citing 1,401 new WMU organizations begun in South Carolina in the last 10 years – 169 beginning in 2008 alone – and another 124 begun since Sept. 1 of last year. – SCBC