By Robert Dilday
A longtime Baptist minister and social worker will be recommended Feb. 8 to be the ninth executive of Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia — the first African-American to hold the post in the organization’s 140-year existence.
Valerie Carter, associate pastor for glocal ministries at Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond, Va., will be nominated as executive director/treasurer by WMUV’s board of trustees at a called meeting of the organization’s membership at Richmond’s Mount Tabor Baptist Church — the congregation which licensed and ordained Carter to the ministry.
Carter has been on the staff of Bon Air Baptist Church for the past 10 years. Earlier she was associate of Christian social ministries for WMUV for five years, developing Hope Builders/Christian Women’s Job Corps sites across Virginia.
For 10 years prior to that, she was director of the Hillside Baptist Center, a now closed community center operated by the Richmond Baptist Association.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Carter holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Adelphi University, a master of divinity degree from the School of Theology at Virginia Union University, and a doctor of ministry degree from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.
She is a trustee of Baptist Seminary at Richmond and on the governing board of Fresh Expressions, a movement which aims to help churches engage postmodern culture through new creative communities of faith. She also is a member of the Association of Black Sociologists.
“Valerie’s gifts, education, training and experiences prepare her well to lead WMUV in our effort to inspire and equip women to be radically involved in the world for Christ,” said Pat Wright, WMUV president and a member of the executive director search committee. “Her high energy, vision for outreach and passion for ministry will lead in the motivation of WMUV members and others to be on mission with God at home and around the world.”