MWMU, Women’s Ministries move closer
Both groups to benefit from shared experiences
Contributing Writer
JEFFERSON CITY – They say that two heads are better than one, and that is exactly what the Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union (MWMU) and Women’s Ministries are setting out to prove at next year’s WMU annual meeting.
With no intention to merge, the MWMU and Women’s Ministries of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) have engaged in a series of contacts designed to mutually enrich the knowledge and experiences of their members.
The two groups have made an effort to include one another on occasions where they think the other group might benefit. One such event is the upcoming MWMU annual meeting to be held April 27-28 at Hannibal-LaGrange College.
Known as M-COUNTER, signifying missions and ministry, the annual meeting will offer breakout sessions in both missions and ministry in addition to the regular MWMU business sessions. The theme of the meeting will be “Live the Call.”
Lorraine Powers, MWMU president, says her board met on its own prior to inviting the women’s ministry point person to meet with the MWMU advisory committee as they began preparations for the annual meeting. They felt both organizations would benefit from shared experiences.
She believes the resulting camaraderie will help spread the kingdom.
“The cooperation – sisterhood – of women in Missouri who are doing missions and ministry throughout the state will be a big advantage,” Powers said. “We want to gain the interests of a wide audience of women.”
Likewise, women who haven’t been exposed to the missions education part will benefit from the missions emphasis, says Vivian McCaughan, MBC women’s missions and ministry specialist.
“It’s our hope to see women in our churches and associations coming together to learn, fellowship and celebrate but continue to have the component of WMU and continue to have the component of women’s ministry,” she says.
Connie Cavanaugh of the North American Mission Board (NAMB), Canada, specializes in Bible studies and women’s ministries.
Diane and Don Combs and Shad and Michelle Spannagel serve with the International Mission Board (IMB) in Belarus and Niger West Africa, respectively, and can speak authoritatively on how women can minister in missions.
Chris Adams is a women’s ministry consultant specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville.
Kaye Miller, national WMU president, is highly qualified to talk about the organization’s impact on missions.
Both groups are seeking to cultivate relationships which will generate enthusiasm for the annual meeting. East Central District, for instance, made a push to involve more than MWMU members in its “Keeping Christmas All Year Long” training event August 12.
“We try to be creative,” Powers said. “We want to gain the interests of a wide audience of women.”