WARRENSBURG \u2013 Moving forward on the quest to share the gospel around the world, Missouri women celebrated 125 years of Woman\u2019s Missionary Union (WMU) at the 2013 annual meeting April 12-13.<\/p>\n
Nearly 500 women gathered for the WMU Missions Celebration, held here at First Baptist Church.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know of any other event in the state of Missouri that presents missionaries and opportunities for learning like this,\u201d said President Joan Dotson. \u201cAttendance is up. Excitement is up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Attendance this year also included several men. WMU is now writing curriculum for the Royal Ambassadors boys program. Laura Wells, WMU executive director, said she and the board made a concerted effort to have programs that would appeal to male attendees. Bob Poinsett, husband of popular Missouri author Brenda Poinsett, led a breakout session on \u201cFishing For Men.\u201d Ken McCune and Rick Hedger of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) also led sessions.<\/p>\n
For several years, Missouri has hosted M-Counter, a combined meeting for women\u2019s missions and ministry. For 2013, the decision was made to host a conference focused on missions. MBC Women\u2019s Ministry leaders also participated in this year\u2019s event and several classes were about spiritual growth and women\u2019s ministry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is some specific that a woman has, they can participate in a breakout session and meet that need, whatever it is,\u201d Wells said.<\/p>\n
WMU\u2019s efforts to promote the Missouri Missions Offering and increase giving were recognized by MBC Executive Director John Yeats. He presented the WMU with a check for $1,673. The figure represented a 10 percent tithe of the amount raised over the offering goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to move the money to the ends of the earth. I know you\u2019re with me,\u201d Yeats told the women. \u201cWe\u2019re on the same page.\u201d<\/p>\n
Debby Akerman, national WMU president from South Carolina, presented theme interpretations around the conference theme \u201cThe Story Lives On.\u201d She talked about the history of the organization and the commingling of WMU history with His story.<\/p>\n
\u201cWMU has never lost its zeal for the Great Commission,\u201d Akerman said.<\/p>\n
International Misson Board missionaries serving in Japan, Togo and European peoples shared at the conference. Charles and Bette Moeller, who are originally from Missouri, told how they distributed 100,000 Bibles in three years to people hungry to hear the truth.<\/p>\n
Jon and Mindy Jamison are North American Mission Board missionaries serving in Iowa, Missouri\u2019s new mission partner state. They lead the Friendship Baptist Center in inner-city Des Moines.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease do not stop what you\u2019re doing,\u201d Mindy Jamison said. \u201cThose in your congregation must know and they must go. The story lives on through you.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WARRENSBURG \u2013 Moving forward on the quest to share the gospel around the world, Missouri women celebrated 125 years of Woman\u2019s Missionary Union (WMU) at the 2013 annual meeting April 12-13. Nearly 500 women gathered for the WMU Missions Celebration, held here at First Baptist Church. \u201cI don\u2019t know of any other event in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":12148,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[8,48,15,17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n