National Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) leaders learned about a new missions initiative during the Jan. 14–17 board meeting at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega. They also worked on long-range goals to engage more Christians in service to expand the Kingdom.
More than 200 people attended the meeting, including executive board members, state and national WMU staff members and staff from the North American Mission Board.
Kristy Carr, WMU volunteer connection specialist, shared information about WMU’s new missions initiative, On Call.
When needs arise suddenly, such as natural disasters, the On Call missions teams go to areas of need to provide short-term relief efforts. Initiatives such as On Call allow for growth while WMU continues its two-pronged approach to capturing the attention of today’s generation for missions involvement: church-based learning experiences and personal opportunities to serve in hands-on missions experiences.
Age-level missions education teams also highlighted Mission Friends, WMU’s missions organization for preschoolers — which will celebrate 110 years in 2006 — and plans for Blume, the national convention for Acteens and other teenage girls which will be in Kansas City, Mo., July 10–13, 2007.
Also during the meeting, WMU leaders heard reports on disaster relief and rebuilding the Gulf Coast following hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Candace McIntosh, executive director of Alabama WMU, was on the panel delivering the report.
During the executive director’s report, WMU Executive Director Wanda S. Lee shared about progress on goals for 2010. Created in 2003 and following more than a year of research, meetings and prayer, the Vision 2010 task force, constituted of a cross section of state and national WMU leaders, brought recommendations for what WMU should look like by 2010.
In January 2005, the WMU executive board approved the Vision 2010 recommendations as “God’s vision” for the organization. Some of these included intergenerational approaches to involve families in missions, the development of an international volunteer leadership corps and opportunities for online and distance learning.
Reports were also presented from New Hope Publishers, the general-trade publishing arm of WMU, and WorldCrafts, WMU’s ministry that imports 340 handcrafts from 31 different countries.
Nearly 30 retired International Mission Board missionaries also shared stories of their years of service. Patsy Davis, director of the women’s department of the Baptist World Alliance and former missionary, also addressed the group.
In other business, the executive board:
– Approved the theme of Live the Call: Beyond the Walls for Project HELP: Poverty 2006–2008. The purpose of Project HELP: Poverty is to lead Christian believers to share the hope of Christ by engaging in face-to-face ministry with people who are experiencing poverty. Local, national and international action plans were approved in addition to the Scripture verse 1 John 3:17–18. (WMU)
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