Women’s Missionary Union
Change a life: Change the world
As we emphasize our “CRITICAL ISSUE” this year, which is POVERTY, we are proud to be leading our church in continuing emphasis on North American missions. We are currently encouraging support for the Limestone Association Mission trip to Jenkins, Kentucky. Diapers and items for babies as well as hair and make-up items for the ladies of Jenkins, are being collected. Some of the ladies from our church will be giving those ladies a “make-over” while sharing the gospel of the One who does a permanent make-over.
WMU WATCHWORD: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39, NIV, adapted
FIRST BAPTIST WMU
Our WMU members participate in and bring church focus to major mission offerings such as the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. We place emphasis on missions education and Bible study for both children and adult members. We support the Southern Baptist Missionaries both financially and by focused prayer. Click Here for the chart that shows the current active elements of WMU at Athens First Baptist and the leaders for each element. Come and join us.
Meet one of our WMU leaders
Joyce Shown serves as Secretary for the WMU organization as well as serving as coordinator for Women on Mission which is a sub-group of WMU. Joyce’s duties are numerous and varied, including ordering the literature for all the WMU groups, ensuring that reservations for training are made in a timely manner, developing the programs for the joint group meetings, obtaining speakers and arranging for members to be responsible for part of the programs. Joyce has been involved in Woman on Mission for more than 25 years and has been secretary of Athens WMU since 1987.
Joyce grew up in Utica, Kentucky and her family moved to Owensboro, Kentucky, where she met Don Shown in July 1951. They were married in October 1951 and shortly thereafter Don was called into the Navy during the Korean Conflict. In 1953 they moved to Decatur and their son, Steve, was born in 1954. In 1956 Joyce went to work as the first full time employee of the Credit Union at Monsanto Chemical. Don was a Chiropractor and he and Joyce were friends of Dr. Chapman who had a chiropractic practice in Athens. Dr. and Mrs. Chapman were killed in a car accident and their son asked Don to take over his dad’s practice. Dr. Shown and Joyce moved to Athens in March 1957 and immediately joined First Baptist Church. Joyce continued to work at Monsanto for 20 years and retired as the manager of the Credit Union.
During this time Joyce worked with Mission Friends at First Baptist. She taught the 5 year olds and often thought they didn’t remember what she had told them; however, there were certain things that the kids remembered well – and so did Joyce. One of the missionaries they studied was Mrs. Chocolate. This name made the children laugh but they always remembered this missionary and what she did. Joyce said that she still sees Mrs. Chocolate’s name in the birthday list in the MOSIAC and Mrs. Chocolate is still working with children in New Orleans.
I asked Joyce what she thought was the most important contribution that WMU makes to our church. She said that we help to make our church aware of the importance of missions, both locally and world-wide. This includes emphasis on participating in missions, supporting missionaries with prayers, and encouraging financial support of all mission programs. She also talked about the importance of mission education for the children and young people of our church and said that approximately 50% of women missionaries first hear God’s call to the mission field through participation in GA’s.
JOYCE SHOWN – A good lady to know and a strong advocate for missions.
Throughout the year, various elements of WMU sponsor ministry activities.
We sponsor the collection of empty ink jet and laser printer cartridges, cell phones that are no longer being used and labels from Campbell products. These items are collected from church members and are forwarded to central receiving areas with the ultimate financial support going to specific missionary efforts. In the past, one of the North American missionaries in California has been able to purchase 3 vans with the money received as a result of various organizations participating in this effort. She also has over $300,000 toward a missionary home.
The WE BEAR LOVE Ministry collects new stuffed animals and distributes them to organizations such as police station and hospitals that serve children facing difficult situations. Medium and small size stuffed animals can be turned into the church library.
The Food Pantry ministry works with the Limestone County Churches Involved (LCCI) and food may be left at the Family Life Center where it is delivered to LCCI. In addition, our volunteers work at LCCI on Thursday mornings.
The Clothes Closet Ministry is open to the public each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and is staffed by our volunteers.
The GA’s and ACTEENS prepare fruit baskets at Thanksgiving for the shut-ins of our church.
Various groups of Women on Mission, a segment of WMU, meet monthly for Bible Study, prayer, and mission planning. The Rebekah Naylor Bible study group recently met at the home of Grace Holland. A picture of some of the ladies in this group is shown below.
LINKS:
http://www.wmu.com, a web site of the National WMU organization reflecting news, events and resources available from the national level.
http://www.alawoman.com, the Alabama WMU web site reflecting current training events and resources available, including staff members and their phone numbers.
http://www.mymissionfulfilled.com, a web site designed to appeal to women in their 20s and 30s as they seek to develop a missional lifestyle.