Ministry celebrates, encourages Tuscaloosa women

Ministry celebrates, encourages Tuscaloosa women

For the fourth year, women in Tuscaloosa Baptist Association were encouraged and challenged during the Associational Women’s Celebration held at Chapel Hill Baptist Church, Northport, March 13.

Sponsored by the association’s women’s ministry leadership team, the celebration strived to “inspire Christian women throughout our association to establish and maintain strong healthy women’s ministries in their churches,” according to Judy Patrick, director of the leadership team and member of Chapel Hill Baptist.

As part of the celebration, team member Tollie Meggs of Valley View Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, challenged the women to “always keep Jesus the focus of any events or programs.” Although women love to come together to fellowship and have fun, Meggs said those times also need to have a spiritual message that points to Jesus.

The celebration’s keynote speaker was Rushan Smyth of Peniel Pillows Inc. (see story, this page). She told about her pillows with a biblical message and related the biblical truths illustrated in the design of the pillows.

The celebration is one way the association helps strengthen women’s ministries in the area.

Patrick said the constantly changing culture presents many challenges for groups reaching out to women. “The biggest challenge for women leaders today is the ability to stay on the cutting edge of meeting needs of women,” she explained. “Meeting needs is our opportunity to connect with women spiritually. If we are not in touch with their needs and are not ready to meet those needs, we miss out on tremendous opportunities to reach women with the hope of Jesus Christ.”

Patrick said many of the association’s 83 churches have women’s ministries, and the leadership team provides them with training events and one-on-one contact.

Each of the seven team members is assigned approximately 12 churches with which to work. Team members stay in contact with the women’s ministry leaders of the churches and keep them informed about associational and state events and opportunities for service.

Patrick said the leadership team is also available to answer questions, provide resources and meet with leaders to help them develop healthy women’s ministries.

The leadership team also leads churches to work together on missions projects. It recently completed an associationwide effort to provide hygiene supplies and other products to women in a local shelter in May. The team distributed the products for four days, and on the fifth day Meggs led a Bible study for the team and the women.

A new venture for the leadership team will be a missions trip to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in September. Team members and other women from the association will do volunteer work at the seminary during the day and will provide an evening retreat for female students and staff, as well as wives of students.

The team wants to encourage the women who will come to campus for the fall semester, some of whom are returning for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.

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Pillows deliver gospel message with soft touch

By Sammie Jo Barstow

Several years ago, Rushan Smyth of Calvary Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, asked a young friend who was graduating from high school what gift she would like. The friend described a particular type of pillow, and after an unsuccessful search, Smyth decided to make the gift.

Having no sewing experience didn’t deter her. She located fabric and other supplies and was happy to present her friend with the handmade pillow.

Shortly after that, another friend was diagnosed with cancer. Smyth searched for a way to comfort her friend and express her love and God’s love. A pillow — again handmade by Smyth — seemed the perfect gift.

Those two experiences were the basis for a business that has given Smyth a platform for spreading the gospel through a product that demonstrates numerous Bible stories and truths.

Through Peniel Pillows Inc., she produces a multitude of specially designed pillows, each full of symbolism intended to point recipients to God.

Even the business’ name — Peniel Pillows — is rooted in Scripture. Smyth said the inspiration for the name came from the experience of Jacob as he wrestled with God throughout the night. Jacob called the place Peniel, “for I have seen the face of God and yet my life was preserved.”

Each pillow has a card describing its Scripture passage and explaining the symbolism upon which the design is based. A New Testament is tucked under the back fabric of every pillow.

According to Smyth, “knowing God’s Word is the key,” so each pillow has a small brass key attached as a reminder of that principle. She believes that by sewing, she is also sowing God’s Word as her pillows are distributed throughout the country.

Smyth also travels across the nation addressing women’s groups and sharing her testimony. With tenderness and a love for Jesus, she shares how, through life’s circumstances, she began to really “see the face of God” in the things around her, including fabrics.

In addition to speaking to women’s groups, she has appeared on “The 700 Club” and was featured in Southern Lady magazine.

For more information on Peniel Pillows or Smyth, visit www.thealabamabaptist.org.