Baptist volunteers blitz Birmingham with service during WMU MissionsFEST

Doris Elliott of First Baptist Church, Fort Payne, in DeKalb Baptist Association knows what missions is all about. 
    After all, she’s done everything — evangelism, construction, food lines, you name it. 
    This time was a bit different, though. Instead of hopping in a van and traveling hours, this trip was practically in her backyard. 
    Elliott joined nearly 150 volunteers serving in the Birmingham area during Woman’s Missionary Union’s (WMU) MissionsFEST April 22–29. MissionsFEST allowed many to serve locally in ways they never imagined.
    “Seeing how God put all our different churches together to use our gifts and talents was amazing,” said Elliott, who has been on five MissionsFEST trips. “There were nine people in my group — four who had served before. One lady had never heard of it before and has caught the excitement.”
    Elliott and her group served at Camp Sonshine in St. Clair Baptist Association. In St. Clair Association, 32 of the 69 Baptist churches were involved in MissionsFEST. More than 1,500 showed up for five block parties in the area, with 18 decisions for Christ. One pastor said they had seen a miracle in their association because churches were working together.
    “I’m amazed at what happened,” said Ben Chandler, director of missions (DOM) for St. Clair Association. “We learned something about unity and what God can do when we are willing to live the call. I thank WMU for all they have done to support us.”
    Volunteers also spent time in Shelby County doing various ministries. Hugh Richardson, DOM for Shelby Baptist Association, said volunteers worked more than 2,000 hours in just one week in his association. Almost 40 professions of faith were recorded. 
    Volunteers from Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover, in Birmingham Baptist Association joined forces with others from Providence Baptist Church, Daleville, in Dale Baptist Association and First Baptist Church, Semmes, in Mobile Baptist Association in working at the Shelby Baptist Ministry Center. The volunteers sorted through clothes and helped stock the food pantry, among other projects. 
    Mary Falkenhagen of First, Semmes, came to MissionsFEST as the only volunteer from her church. She worked all week at the Shelby Baptist Ministry Center. 
    “I knew about MissionsFEST for a long time but couldn’t go while living on the West Coast. But then I moved to Alabama and Birmingham was just up the road,” she said. “What we accomplished is not even a drop in the bucket of all the work that can be done there (Shelby Baptist Ministry Center).”
    The first-time MissionsFEST volunteer said the experience left her wanting more missions opportunities. She plans to attend another this fall in Maine.
    Candace McIntosh, executive director of Alabama WMU, thanked Falkenhagen and the other volunteers for their devoted service throughout the week. 
    “You have left your imprint on our state,” she said. “I thank you for the lives you touched.”
    Volunteers served throughout the week by prayer walking, hosting block parties, doing home repairs and construction and much more. This MissionsFEST attracted volunteers from Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, along with many national WMU staff members. 
    Each MissionsFEST and FamilyFEST is a collaborative effort between national WMU, state WMU and local Baptist associations. Kristy Carr, WMU’s Volunteer Connection specialist, expressed gratitude for all of the hard work in coordinating missions opportunities in the Birmingham area. 
    “We greatly appreciate all the work of Candace McIntosh and the Alabama WMU staff, as well as the staff of the Birmingham, St. Clair and Shelby Baptist associations,” Carr said. “They participated in the planning and implementation of the Birmingham-area MissionsFEST. Without them, it would not have been possible.”
The next opportunity to serve during WMU’s MissionsFEST, which is for adults 18 and older, will be Sept. 9–16 in Portland, Maine. Entire families, including all volunteers age 6 and up, can serve during FamilyFEST in Hawaii, June 30–July 5; Laramie, Wyo., June 30–July 5; or Vancouver, Canada, July 22–27. 
    For more information, call WMU’s Volunteer Connection at 205-991-4097, e-mail volconnection@wmu.org, or visit the WMU Web site at www.wmu.com. (WMU)