Considering Becky Luther’s lifelong involvement in Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) organizations, no one should be surprised by her latest move. Luther, a member of East Gadsden Baptist Church in Etowah Baptist Association, was elected president of Alabama WMU at its biennial meeting July 25 at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega.
The wife, mother of two adult children and grandmother of seven has worked with every age-level WMU organization.
Luther serves as WMU director at her church and has filled various roles with the Etowah Association WMU leadership team.
She is currently the volunteer coordinator for Temporary Child Care, a ministry of Alabama WMU.
Despite her experience, Luther was hesitant to accept the position of president. “I’m not a retired missionary or pastor’s wife, and I’ve not been to seminary, but I realized how I have grown in my love for missions through the years,” she said.
That love for missions is what Luther wants to share as she travels throughout Alabama during her two-year term as president.
“Becky Luther is so well prepared for this position,” said Candace McIntosh, executive director of Alabama WMU. “She is the woman in the pew, someone who has served in every missions organization in her church and association, as well as on the state level.”
Encouraging women to be mentors is one way Luther hopes to pass on the missions legacy.
“When I was 18 and newly married, I had a mentor, Ruth Walker, at College Heights Baptist Church in Etowah Association. As soon as I joined the church, she asked me if I knew anything about GAs (Girls in Action, the WMU missions organization for girls in grades 1–6). When I replied that I had been a GA, she said she needed a teacher and that was the beginning,” she recalled.
Luther credits Walker, who died three years ago, for encouraging her to accept increasingly more challenging responsibilities. “She kept pushing me but now I look back and see that she was guiding me and molding me in ways that I could serve the Lord and serve others,” Luther said.
Mentoring involves teaching women what WMU has to offer, according to Luther. “Too many young women have the perception that WMU is for older women, so we must have programs and activities that will appeal to the younger women to get them involved. We need to educate them,” she said.
Luther recently had such an opportunity with the women in her church. She enlisted a group of mothers to work at a GA camp. The experience led one woman to volunteer to become a GA leader and another to become a leader for Acteens, the WMU missions organization for girls in grades 7–12. “At camp, they caught the excitement. They never knew how exciting missions could be,” Luther said.
To contact her, call 256-546-7877 or e-mail beckyluther@juno.com.
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