More than 400 women gathered at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega on July 24–25 for Equip, a training conference for Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) and women’s ministry leadership from around the state.
With missionary testimonies, guest speakers, corporate worship, training sessions for all ages and relevant breakout sessions, the event has continued to grow in recent years. This year also featured a dramatic prayer experience for the entity’s partnership with the International Mission Board’s South Cluster in South Asia and Global Gates in New York City.
“We are thrilled with the attendance of course,” said Alabama WMU Executive Director Candace McIntosh. “But more than the number of ladies, we are just blown away by seeing how God moved among us. It was truly a blessing, and I believe this weekend will have Kingdom impact for eternity.”
In addition to the annual conference, Alabama WMU also held its biennial meeting. There was a special recognition for outgoing president Laurelle Stoudenmire as well as recognition of the board of trustees and the executive leadership team.
New officers elected
New officers were elected for a two-year term, including 2015–2017 president Anna Speir, of Selma; vice president Michelle Wise, of Mobile; and recording secretary Kay Stewart, of Bay Minette. Karen Burnham, of Oxford; Charlotte Madison, of Huntsville; and Linda Peek, of Trussville, were each elected to a six-year term of service as trustees. Phyllis Ingram, of Montgomery, was elected to a six-year term as trustee at large. Pam Newman, of Pike Road, and Stoudenmire, of Thomasville, were each elected to a two-year term as trustees. After the election of new officers and trustees, the membership voted to host the next biennial meeting July 22, 2017, at Shocco.
The membership of Alabama WMU also voted to support the historic establishment of the Myers-Mallory State Missions Offering in memory of Dr. Martha Myers and Kathleen Mallory. The offering was approved by the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions in May.
If approved by messengers at the Alabama Baptist State Convention, the new offering will launch in January 2016. It will replace Alabama WMU’s Kathleen Mallory Missions Offering and merge with the Disaster Relief Missions Offering. The offering will go first to Alabama WMU ($550,000), then to DR ($200,000) and anything above those amounts would be divided among missions partnerships and church planting/church revitalization.
(Alabama WMU, TAB)
For more information about Equip or about Alabama WMU, visit www.alabamawmu.org.
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