RALEIGN, N.C. (ABP) — Ruby Fulbright, executive director/treasurer of Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina, since May 1, 2002, will retire Dec. 31.
Fulbright, who led the organization to make a dramatic break from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and to re-establish itself as a completely autonomous body, announced her retirement to her board Aug. 18 during a special called conference call.
Ruby Fulbright
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“My journey as executive director/treasurer has been an incredible experience,” said Fulbright, 65. “It has been fun, busy, mind and body stretching, humbling, sometimes frightening and difficult, but mostly meaningful.”
Fulbright, a former Southern Baptist missionary to Zambia, led a visioning process for WMU that culminated in a determination in April 2006 that it would be solely responsible for hiring decisions on its staff.
That assertion conflicted with the understanding of Milton Hollifield, who was elected that same month as executive director-treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, which housed WMU. Hollifield’s interpretation of convention personnel policy gave him responsibility for final approval of staff in all convention areas, including WMU.
Although the conflicting interpretations were never tested by the presentation of any potential staff to Hollifield, the divergent views launched two years of conflict that resulted in the WMU staff leaving the Baptist staff building and forfeiting a million dollars annually in support. The convention created a women’s ministry department called Embrace.
While some predicted its demise, North Carolina remains the largest statewide WMU organization and has experienced growth. Shut out of the Baptist State Convention’s state missions offering after its departure, WMU-NC reignited its own Heck-Jones Offering for organizational support.
Norman Jameson is reporting and coordinating special projects for ABP on an interim basis and is a contributing writer for the Religious Herald.