LYNCHBURG — As Dogwood Hall at Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center filled with people for the 108th annual meeting of Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia, it also filled with an overwhelming sense of unity and excitement. The various elements of the meeting, held on Saturday, Nov. 8, included worship, testimony, and a business session, all centered around the theme of “Called to Love.”
President Becky McKinney and Executive Director/Treasurer Laura McDaniel welcomed the crowd of women from all over Virginia and acknowledged the invaluable contribution of the WMUV and its CrossRoads Camp and Conference Center staff, who demonstrate creativity and passion for helping women and children discover God's call on their lives.
Photo by Jim White
WMUV participants fill Dogwood Hall for the organization's annual meeting.
McDaniel noted the release of the 2008 Corporate Report, pointing out that “WMUV has been a catalyst to transform thousands of lives in the past year, whether through summer camping or retreats and conferences at CrossRoads, statewide events for women and children of all ages, or in local churches across Virginia and extending around the world.”
WMUV continues to be a diverse network of women on mission for God, where each person's story combines into one collective story, noted McDaniel. Throughout the meeting, several examples of such stories and transformation were presented, including new initiatives and ideas that are being launched.
New in 2009, WMUV will highlight “Spend Yourself,” a world hunger initiative and joint venture with Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, local churches around Virginia and the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Based on Isaiah 58:10, strategies will be developed to alleviate the hunger pandemic that affects so many in Virginia, the United States, and around the world. This initiative will not only respond to physical hunger, but also to spiritual hunger, presenting the “bread of life” found in Jesus Christ.
With WMUV's commitment to providing pathways for leadership development in all age groups, the audience was introduced to several young women who exhibit a passion for Christ and for missions.
Kathryn Eckler, the 2008 Outstanding GA (Girls in Action), challenged listeners to “find what [they] can do for God.” Discovering a passion for knitting, Kathryn launched the GA Knitting Challenge at Aaron's Creek Baptist Church in Virgilina, where she is a member. Through Kathryn's challenge, young girls have knitted 243 hats for premature babies.
As the Outstanding GA, Kathryn received the Lisk Scholarship, which provided her with a week of summer camp at CrossRoads. During her week there, she enjoyed climbing the rock wall, swimming in the pool, making crafts, hiking and meeting new friends. She also continued to grow in her understanding of and appreciation for missionaries, as CrossRoads continues to be a mission-focused camp. Kathryn has learned, from being the Outstanding GA that “missions can take place anywhere and in any form, and one person can truly make a big difference. God has given us a mouth to tell, hearts to love, hands to do and feet to go!”
The four Virginia State Panelists — Angela Best, Carrie Dudley, Kaitlin Barrell, and Katie Hogan — shared their hearts with the audience by responding to questions about the impact of Acteens and WMUV on their lives. The thoughts of these teenage girls were inspirational and challenging to the attendees of the meeting.
Living a missional lifestyle, said Katie, means “serving God everywhere and everyplace in your life, to spread his word and to try and bring more people closer to him.” Carrie wanted to be a State Panelist because it gives her “a bigger voice where [she] can stand out to be a bigger role model for the younger girls.”
Angela feels that WMUV “has given [her] a view that missions can be done wherever and that [she] can help do missions” wherever she goes.
One question the girls answered concerned how the world could be different by the year 2050 if Christians united around the cause of missions. The powerful responses included Kaitlin's, as she said, “If every Christian united, we could eliminate a lot of poverty in the world … so many people would be touched by the movement and come to know Christ in a personal way.”
In addition to vision-casting for the future of missions, a special time of remembrance was included in the meeting time. Miss Alma Hunt, who died June 14, 2008, was an icon in Baptist life and an advocate for the involvement of women in impacting the Kingdom of God. A video tribute captured Miss Alma as a woman of courage and vision, who believed in empowering women to step out for God's call.
To honor the enduring legacy of Miss Alma, who held dear opportunities for mission education and involvement for children, WMUV has established Alma Hunt's Amazing GAs/ CIAs Scholarship. One GA/CIA group from Virginia will be selected each year to receive this scholarship, allowing them to engage in a mission service opportunity. An offering collected during the annual meeting will be designated for this scholarship fund.
During the business session of the meeting, with Becky McKinney presiding, several important matters were addressed. WMUV's restated articles of incorporation were approved as previously published. Ann F. Brown and Becky McKinney received Jefferson Cups, a WMUV tradition to honor their four years of service as officers, vice president/secretary and president, respectively.
Four members-at-large — Susan Stone, Marianna Boyer, Jennifer English and Sarah Pelfrey — were elected by the membership to serve on the board of trustees.
Additionally, Lucianne Warren was elected as the new vice president/secretary and Ann F. Brown as the new president. All terms of service will commence on Jan. 1, 2009.
In a time of reflection on her term of service as president, Becky McKinney remembered the many faces of WMUV in the last four years. There are the CrossRoads summer staffers who answer God's call so that children who attend summer camp can hear the call of God on their own lives. The WMUV staff consistently exhibits its giftedness, creativity and commitment to the organization's mission. Leaders in the local church continue to be committed to raising up future generations of missional leaders. McKinney believes that WMUV is poised for a time of incredible growth and exciting days.
“It will require sacrifice and commitment and a willingness to give our very best to the Alma Hunt Offering and the Cooperative Mission Program — to pray, give and go, using God-given gifts and talents for the cause of Christ. We need to remain true to our vision of connecting women and children to pray, give, and go wherever God calls us.”
At the conclusion of her message, McKinney received a standing ovation as well as gifts in appreciation of her leadership as president for the last four years.
In continuing the theme of “Called to Love,” the audience heard testimonies from missionaries Esperance Mangayi, who serves with her husband Credo in South Africa through Deeds of Love Ministry, and Tammy Stocks, who serves with her husband, Ralph, to the Roma people group in Hungary and Romania. Both women shared stories of the challenges faced by the children and families they minister with, and challenged the audience to be compelled by Christ's love to reach “the least of these.”
The 2008 annual meeting closed with attendees joining hands and singing a song together, followed by a reception to honor the president and president-elect. The unity and excitement that were present at the beginning of the afternoon continue to dwell as WMUV looks forward to what God has in store for the coming year.