NEW ORLEANS (BP)–Missions is the heartbeat of Woman’s Missionary Union, SBC, leaders of the organization told messengers during the Southern Baptist meeting in New Orleans.
Wanda S. Lee, WMU executive director, and Janet Hoffman, WMU president, in their June 13 report to the SBC, used the organization’s five strategic principles to describe the organization’s commitment to missions:
— Pray for missions. Hoffman told the crowd gathered in the Louisiana Superdome that prayer is a top priority for WMU members because of the their commitment to missionaries.
“The first thing missionaries say to us is, ‘Thank you for praying,'” said Hoffman of Farmerville, La., adding, “and the last thing is, ‘Don’t stop praying. We cannot serve without it.”
— Do missions. Lee reported on several ways the national organization helps members be involved in missions, including Christian Women’s Job Corps and MissionsFEST.
CWJC began in 1996 and has grown from five pilot sites to more than 160 sites in 35 states. “The ministry is helping change women’s lives,” Lee said.
MissionsFEST is a new volunteer program for WMU members to involve them in projects in several locations across the nation. Five projects are scheduled this year and eight in 2002.
— Give to missions. Hoffman thanked church members for their record contributions to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering during the past year. The 2001 LMCO topped $113 million, while the 2000 AAEO surpassed $48 million.
— Learn about missions and develop spiritually toward a missions lifestyle. Highlighting the age-level organizations sponsored by WMU, Hoffman said that the ultimate goal of everything done in a WMU missions organization is to help members grow in their commitment to God and sharing the gospel with others.
— Support the work of the church and denomination. Highlighting WMU’s on-going work with the SBC missions boards, Lee said, “We (WMU) feel a deep responsibility to communicate the purposes of missions to the local church as we challenge them to give so a lost world can come to saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior.”
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*Name changed for security concerns.
