Missouri WMU takes up cross for missions work
November meeting
at Baptist Building focused on Luke 9:23
By Allen Palmeri
Staff Writer
November 15, 2005
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union (MWMU) met Nov. 4-5 at the Baptist Building to focus on Luke 9:23, where Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, take up the cross and follow Him.
Led by President Lorraine Powers, board members recited the verse out loud before entering a time of prayer for Southern Baptist missionaries.
The MWMU was affirmed during the Oct. 24-26 annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), according to Vivian McCaughan, WMU/Women’s Missions & Ministry Specialist. As McCaughan was manning the organization’s exhibit booth at Second Baptist Church, Springfield, with Judy Warson, ministry assistant to the MWMU Board, people kept on stopping by and uttering a common refrain.
“We need missions education in our church,” McCaughan said, communicating the essence of those sentiments. “Can somebody help?”
Missions is at the very core of MWMU’s being, and prayer is integral, too. PrayerWays is a monthly MWMU prayer guide featuring prayer requests from Missouri missionaries and for prayer partnerships of Lesotho and Tian Jin, China. And the prayers are not limited to that. Powers reminded board members to keep on praying for MBC Executive Director David Clippard on the 26th of every month. Another special prayer emphasis is Dec. 3-Dec. 10, when WMU ladies throughout the nation will be praying for International Missions and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
MWMU operates out of Missouri’s eight regions from a historically anchored position. They pray quite seriously for those regions, that the regional consultants will rise up and do the work of the ministry as churches respond in kind. For example, as Powers led in prayer for the regions, one of the board members spoke a prayer request for a “fresh fire” for missions in the East Central Region. The other seven Missouri regions are: Northwest; West Central; Southwest; South Central; Southeast; Northeast; and Central.
Powers kept directing the meeting toward the central MWMU priority of providing mission resources that rekindle a passion for God’s mission among God’s people. The MWMU president has made it a point to be positive about issues and ministry as they are discussed in these meetings.
“Missions is fun,” Powers said.
