SO WHAT IS WMU ANYWAY?

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1 WMU in the Church What we ve prepared for you in this starter pack... 1 An overview and background information about WMU 2 Suggestions for getting your group organized: How to begin Leadership answers 3 Specific resources for leading each age level: Curriculum Resource kits Guide for leaders 4 Additional ideas for missions involvement: WMU ministries Project HELP sm International Mission Study 5 Samples! On separate pages are samples of resources that will help your church set up a plan for missions discipleship: Our Church Missions Education Needs Survey Sample pages from Getting there is half the fun! Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit our website and to seek out information for making missions alive and active for your church! Our team at national WMU would like to extend our help and offer the best resources available to help you meet the growing missional goals for your church. Contact information may be found on the bottom of this page as well as on our website. SO WHAT IS WMU ANYWAY? WMU is a channel for women, men, students, girls, boys, and preschoolers to discover their place in carrying out the Great Commission. The mission of WMU is to radically involve believers in the mission of God. In other words, WMU exists to draw people into missions. WMU seeks to accomplish six objectives in the lives of adults, youth, children, and preschoolers: Learn about missions Pray for missions; for missionaries in their work Support missions through time and money Engage in mission action and witnessing Be involved in the church and denomination Develop a missions lifestyle Please read on and learn more about how WMU can help you and your church grow in missions discipleship! ONLINE RESOURCES facebook.com/nationalwmu twitter.com/nationalwmu pinterest.com/nationalwmu instagram.com/nationalwmu 1 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

2 THE BASICS OF WMU leadership WHO LEADS WMU IN THE CHURCH? WMU in a church is typically led by a WMU director and a leadership team. If you have age-level small groups, each group has a leader or leaders, and these leaders serve on the WMU leadership team. The pastor or another church staff member may also serve on this team, ex-officio. The WMU director works with staff when plans involve all church members, so it s important to have church leadership involved in WMU planning. WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF THE WMU DIRECTOR? The director relates to the church by providing missions opportunities, oversees missions discipleship throughout the church, and is the liaison between church, associational, and state WMU. More about her responsibilities (and all of WMU) can be found in the WMU Missions Guide for Churches (available in print or download). WHAT RESOURCES DO I NEED? Basic materials for WMU directors as well as materials for age-level leaders and members can be found on pages 4 and 5 of this starter pack. HOW DO I INVOLVE ALL CHURCH MEMBERS? There are churchwide experiences such as the weeks of prayer for international and North American missions, the Lottie Moon Christmas and Annie Armstrong Easter offerings, and the International Mission Study. More on missions extras can be found on page 7 of this starter pack. ADDITIONAL HELP FOR LEADERS Visit ChristianLeader Learning.com for online, on-demand leadership training. Click on Develop to see courses related to WMU leadership. HOW DO I RECEIVE TRAINING? There are several ways: STATES: State WMUs offer training. If your state WMU has a website, you may find that information there, or call your state office. ASSOCIATIONS: State WMU staff can help you locate associational leaders or other church WMU leaders close by who can assist you. INDIVIDUAL STUDY: Another way to train is to do an individual study of the WMU Missions Guide for Churches (if you are the WMU director). A training plan can be found in the guide. WHOM CAN I CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION? us any time at leaders@wmu.org with questions or comments. You can also find a listing of state WMU websites at wmu.com/statecontacts. Issues dealing with subscriptions can be handled through calling the customer service number below. 2 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

3 HOW TO BEGIN WMU in your church TEN EASY TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED 1. Pray for God s direction and for understanding His will for your church. 2. Collaborate. Talk with your pastor about the missions vision for the church. Ask for his support to begin WMU as a way to develop missions discipleship in members. 3. Pray for leadership. Ask God for guidance in choosing the right individuals to bring together as you talk over what WMU could look like in your church. Invite those who are interested in missions, your pastor, and/or other church staff. 4. Plan a small-group, information-sharing meeting, keeping it short and concise. In respect of everyone s time, please begin and end the session on time. (See box below on Discussion Plan. ) 5. Follow up. Set up a second session soon after the informational meeting to nail down a plan of action. Will you begin with a churchwide approach or with one or more age levels? Assuming you re moving forward, determine any overall goals you want to accomplish and when. 6. Calendar. Decide on what to begin and when. Create a simple timeline for your action plans, as well as who will carry out each action plan. Be sure to include time for ordering materials and training leaders. 7. Order resources. Find a list of core materials on pages 4 and 5 of this starter pack. All materials can be ordered online at wmustore.com. 8. Build. Look for, enlist, and train leadership. 9. Encourage and pray for one another! Let your state WMU office know you ve started. State staff can provide additional support and training. 10. Evaluate your progress and grow! Discussion Plan Use the questions provided in the sample portion of this starter pack to help start a discussion about where your church is in educating and involving your church in missions. These answers can also provide insight as to the importance of and the church s attitude toward missions. Print off the discussion questions and distribute to participants ahead of time, giving them time to think. OR distribute when participants arrive at the session. For more feedback, consider distributing questions to church members ahead of time and include their responses in the small-group discussion. Be sure to take good notes during the session! 3 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

4 Save 20% on these resources with promo code PACK16. Offer expires September 30, RESOURCING WMU leaders and learners Outlined here are the basic leadership and member pieces for each audience: WMU DIRECTORS WMU Missions Guide for Churches* WMU Year Book (annual) Kit (3 times yearly) ADULTS Women on Mission Women on Mission Guide for Leaders* Missions Mosaic magazine for members (monthly) Women on Mission Leader or Women on Mission Resource Kit: Posters Plus (quarterly) Adults on Mission SM Adults on Mission Guide for Leaders* Missions Plan Book (annual) YOUNG WOMEN mymission SM mymission Guide for Leaders* Missions Mosaic magazine for members (monthly) mymission Leader (quarterly, download) *Guides are pictured on page 6. 4 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

5 Save 20% on these resources with promo code PACK16. Offer expires September 30, RESOURCING WMU leaders and learners Outlined here are the basic leadership and member pieces for each audience: PRESCHOOLERS (birth kindergarten) Mission Friends Mission Friends Guide for Leaders* Mission Friends Leader magazine for teachers (quarterly) Mission Friends at Home take-home leaflets for parents (quarterly) CHILDREN (grades 1 6, ages 6 11) Girls in Action (GA) Girls in Action Guide for Leaders* GA Leader magazine for leaders (bimonthly) GA World magazine for members (bimonthly) Royal Ambassadors (RA) Royal Ambassadors Guide for Leaders* RA Leader magazine for leaders (bimonthly) RA World magazine for members (bimonthly) Children in Action SM (CA) Children in Action Guide for Leaders* Children in Action Leader magazine for leaders (bimonthly) STUDENTS (grades 7 12, ages 12 17) Acteens Acteens Guide for Leaders* Acteens Leader magazine for leaders (3 times yearly) The Mag magazine for members (bimonthly) Challengers Challengers Guide for Leaders* Challengers Leader resource (annual) Youth on Mission SM Youth on Mission Guide for Leaders* Youth on Mission plan book (annual) *Guides are pictured on page 6. 5 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

6 Organizational Guides Save 20% on these resources with promo code PACK16. Offer expires September 30, Be certain to purchase your copy of the WMU Missions Guide for Churches and guides for all organizations. These guides have a comprehensive missions focus and are essential for missions leaders who are serious about leading members to live the call of Christ. Print: W $11.99 Download: E $9.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: M $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: L $11.99 Download: E $9.99 Print: M $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Print: W $5.99 Download: E $4.99 Order online at wmustore.com or by calling WMU Customer Service at WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

7 IN ADDITION missions extras Save 20% on these resources with promo code PACK16. Offer expires September 30, Aside from ongoing missions discipleship, there are many ways for your church to get plugged into missions. Three possibilities are listed here. WMU MINISTRIES If you re looking for more meaningful ways to be involved in hands-on missions, then look closer at WMU ministries. These opportunities are set up to help you connect to both domestic and international needs. More information may be found at wmu.com/ministries. Pure Water, Pure Love SM A clean water ministry Missions Trips Familyfest SM, Missionsfest SM, International Initiatives SM WorldCrafts SM A fair-trade ministry Baptist Nursing Fellowship SM For Christian health-care professionals Christian Women s Job Corps Christian Men s Job Corps Training in life skills & job readiness Project HELP SM A ministry to meet social needs Project HELP The focus of Project HELP changes every four years to help churches learn about and meet needs right at their doorstep. The current focus for is on post-traumatic stress disorder and is supported by materials that are written appropriately for any age level so your entire church family can participate. Here are a few resources that are available to help address PTSD: Drawing Near Sometimes I Am Afraid Your Pain Is Changing You INTERNATIONAL MISSION STUDY Each fall, churches around the country participate in the International Mission Study (IMS). WMU has developed age-level learning materials for preschoolers, children, students, and adults to help make this study come alive! For the WMU director, a special IMS Promotion Kit exists (shown at right) to help you promote the IMS in your church. Find more details at wmustore.com. 7 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

8 OUR CHURCH MISSIONS EDUCATION NEEDS Survey Use this survey when meeting with individuals who are interested in missions. Make copies as needed. Take up the surveys at the end of the discussion. Have a planning calendar on hand. 1. Is our church ready for missions education experiences? 2. What are the missions education needs of our people? 3. What do our people know about the missions message of the Bible? What understandings do they have? 4. In what ways do our people need to learn how to pray for missions needs? 5. What do our people know about giving financially to missions? 6. What are our preschoolers, children, students, and adults currently learning about missions? How and where do they get information? 7. How can we meet the needs of the various audiences? 8. What steps do we need to take to start missions education in our church? 9. What actions do we need to place on the church calendar? 8 WMU LEADERS (Customer Service) wmu.com/leaders leaders@wmu.org

9 Engaging Churches in Missions Sept Oct Nov Dec 2015 Calendar Highlights State Missions Emphasis... 3 Global Hunger Sunday... 5 Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer... 7 International Missions Emphasis... 9 Leader Essentials LEADER TIP: Becoming an Effective Christian Leader MODELING LEADERSHIP: Nobody Tells Me Anything! EMPHASIS INTERPRETATION: All for You: Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve EMPHASIS INTERPRETATION: Deny Self EMPHASIS BOOK STUDY: Give Your All to God by Putting Both Feet In MISSIONS GROWTH: Connect the Dots DEAR PASTOR: Can We Talk? WMU LEADERSHIP TEAM PLANS CHURCH: Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve PLANNING FOR FALL: Assistant WMU Director PLANNING FOR FALL: WMU Administrative Assistant YEARLONG IDEAS FOR CHURCHES WITHOUT WMU: Get Radically Involved in the Mission of God WMU LEADERSHIP TEAM PLANS ASSOCIATION: All for You WMU in the Church A Focus on Preschoolers A Focus on Children A Focus on Students A Focus on Adults A Focus on Cultures A Focus on Families PROJECT HELP: PTSD: Draw Near to Those Experiencing PTSD FROM THE PRESIDENT: Serve Wholeheartedly FROM MISSIONARY RIDGE: Little Becomes Much FROM THE WMU FOUNDATION: Growing Disciples in New York City... 43

10 a focus on STATE MISSIONS By Sandy Wisdom-Martin Understanding and Supporting Mission Strategies in Your State There is a book titled How Many People Does It Take to Make a Difference? The art of the book boldly displays the number one. Each person can be used of God to impact his or her state for Christ. It does not matter how old you are or how young you are. Neither physical limitations, declining health, family crisis, nor anything else need hinder any of us from God s call on our lives. Each of us comes into the world with certain gifts bestowed by our Father. We are to offer our time, talents, and treasure to God for His work. Our generous God gives to us so we can be generous with others. Take a moment to read Acts 1:8 and Ephesians 2:10. We need to get busy doing the work Jesus prepared for us to do. While we are faithful to support God s work in Samaria and to the ends be met through the Cooperative Program alone, state conventions usually promote a state missions offering. This state missions emphasis allows you to understand and support mission strategies near you. Your church members will be blessed as they learn about and support evangelism, discipleship, church planting, and ministry projects in your state. Ask your church to pray and give, but don t leave out a call to action. Future state missionaries, chaplains, church planters, ministry leaders, and disaster relief volunteers are sitting in the pews of your church. When people know and understand of the earth through our prayers and God s call on their lives, they can gifts, the state we live in represents our respond in obedience. Explore ways Jerusalem and Judea. you might engage volunteers from Each state convention typically your church in state missions. sets aside a special time during the God commands each of us to year to focus on its state. Often there is share the gospel of Jesus Christ and a week of prayer in September desig- make disciples in His name. Your state nated for awareness, reflection, and is your Great Commission and Acts 1:8 prayer for the needs and great oppor- challenge assignment. When Christ s tunities God has placed in our Jeru- kingdom grows in your state, His salem and Judea. Understanding that kingdom is affected around the world the missionary needs of a state cannot as He calls His people to service. [resources] Be familiar with the office in your convention responsible for state missions. In many cases, this is the state WMU office. Make sure you are on every distribution list to receive up-to-date information. Your state office may communicate through mail, , social media, or all of the above. Notify this office when you have a change of address or a new address. Contact your convention to discover available resources such as posters, prayer guides, envelopes, art, videos, sermons, and agelevel teaching guides. Many states have downloads available online. wmu.com/leaders 3

11 DRESS IT UP! creative ways to focus on state missions 1promote it Create Because You Give posters to place in restrooms. Use garland made from state maps (either hearts or pennants strung together) to decorate high-traffic areas. Invite children to make state missions placemats for your midweek meal. Make simple bracelets featuring the state missions theme to distribute to church members. Cover a cardboard frame with a state map and insert a picture of a state missionary. Give a frame to each family in your church or invite families to an art night so they can make their own frames. Encourage families to pray for the missionary and his or her work. Use a state missions video in each Sunday morning worship service during the month of the emphasis. Enlist someone to create a special responsive reading or choral reading to be used in a worship service. It should incorporate the state missions theme and Scripture reference. 2 take a break Sponsor a virtual coffee break each morning during the week of prayer. Encourage church members to pray at home, at work, or as they travel. Use the prayer guides available from your state convention office. Place a guide inside a coffee cup or mug and distribute to members. 3 make a joyful noise Encourage church members of all missions offering. If children or students need adapt it! ages to give sacrificially to the state ideas for how to earn their own money to give, suggest they do extra chores for family or help friends and neighbors with child care, lawn care, household cleaning, or washing cars. One Sunday during the week of prayer, place a large metal pot in front of the church. Challenge church members to make as much noise as possible putting their change, dollar bills (rolled with a rubber band around them), and checks into the pot as they make a joyful noise to the Lord in their offering to Him. for associations 4give and take Copy the pages of the church directory. Cut the copied pages into slips with one household per slip. Put the slips in the offering plate and instruct each family to take a slip when the plate is passed. Challenge the congregation to understand that everyone is a part of state missions praying, giving, and doing missions. Encourage families to pray for the person(s) on their slip of paper. 5 wrap up Keep the church informed regarding progress on your offering goal. If your church reaches its goal, host a special time of celebration. After the event, meet with the planning team to evaluate activities. Remember that to learn from an experience, there must be time for reflection. Plan and conduct a short-term missions outreach project during the week of prayer. Host a missions fair designed specifically to raise awareness about state missions. Schedule disaster relief training during the emphasis. Sandy Wisdom-Martin is executive director, Texas WMU. She and her husband, Frank, reside in Plano, Texas, with their daughter, Hannah. 4 wmu.com/leaders

12 Leader Tip Becoming an Effective Christian Leader By Clella Lee Becoming Good news! No matter how long someone has served in leadership capacities, none of us has arrived. With each new challenge, we have the opportunity to grow and develop. Consider this leadership role as God s invitation to learn new skills and expand your leadership abilities. Every experience can be an instrument in God s hands to continue to form you in His image for His service. Come to this role as a learner. Seek leadership training opportunities through your state WMU. Set a goal to read at least one book on leadership this year. Register to take some classes through Develop, WMU s online, ondemand leadership training. Regardless of your level of leadership experience, come with humility and a willingness to evolve as a leader. Commit to becoming an effective Christian leader through your WMU leadership role. So you are a leader! You have an exciting opportunity and a sacred responsibility ahead. You may have natural inclinations toward leadership or you may be wondering why on earth you said yes when someone suggested you take a WMU leadership role in your church. You may have great dreams for what your group will achieve this year or you may not know the first step you should take. Whether you are an experienced leader filled with confidence or a new leader with many questions and uncertainty, it is a good time to step back and really consider what it means to become an effective Christian leader as you begin your leadership role this year. Cost-effective, easy-to-access, educationally sound courses Take stand-alone classes or earn a learning certificate for age-level and churchwide WMU leaders. For more information, see wmu.com/develop. wmu.com/leaders 13

13 Effective Being effective means producing the desired results. As a WMU leader, you want your group or church to learn more about missions, give to missions, and do missions. It is the leader s responsibility to continually and clearly keep this vision at the forefront. 1. Take time to set goals for the year with your leadership team or church leaders. Make certain each goal will help you learn about, give to, or do missions. Take advantage of the suggestions and resources provided in to chart the course for your group or church. 2. Develop action steps to ensure the goals are met. List what needs to be done and ask who will plan or lead the various events or activities. 3. Make sure you schedule monthly times of evaluation. Review the various events or activities and ask, How did this activity help our group or church to learn more about missions? In what ways did we do missions this month? How much did we give to missions this month? 4. Be willing to adjust your plans to better meet your goals and produce the desired results. Being effective requires great focus. The leader is tasked with providing this focus. Be steadfast in consistently holding up your group s mission in word and in action. Christian Using the modifier Christian changes everything when it comes to leadership. Christian leadership requires being a faithful follower first. God desires to lead you in the decisions you make and the relationships you have. Developing a spirit that is sensitive to the promptings of God s Spirit and allowing God access to your heart and thoughts are essential to being the kind of Christ follower who can effectively lead others. Carefully guarding your time and prioritizing opportunities to learn from God s Word in silence and solitude are imperative for Christian leaders. In addition, as a Christian leader, the direction of your leadership and the methods of the leadership process must be consistent with God s purposes, character, and ways. This may seem to state the obvious, but we can easily slip into patterns of leadership that focus on our purposes and our ways with character traits more closely related to the world than to Christ. The people you lead will have their own ideas, and they won t always respond as you anticipated. A leader with the best intentions can resort to power plays, building coalitions, or demanding her own way. Prayerfully ask these questions when you find yourself having an inner struggle in leadership decisions or sensing a spirit of disunity in your group or church: Is the primary issue with God s purposes or my own purposes in this situation? Am I exhibiting the character of God with those I am trying to lead? What would be God s way in handling this situation? Consistently seek ways to honor God s purposes, character, and ways in your leadership. Leader Leaders recognize their primary role is to influence and empower others to accomplish the mission of their group or organization. Leadership is a vital role that must be given diligent attention, but it is only one role in a group. You are not alone. Seek to build a team. Clarify the roles on the team. Value the contributions of team members. Enjoy the fruitfulness of being an effective Christian leader as you see your team become radically involved in the mission of God. Start becoming an effective leader by reading this book on team building! Whether you have a full WMU leadership team or just a couple of people who are interested in missions, you can form and lead a team to encourage others to be radically involved in the mission of God. (N $10.99) Clella Lee served until June 2015 as the Christian Women s Leadership Center consultant, national WMU. Visit wmu.com/develop and wmu.com/cwlc to discover avenues for becoming a more effective Christian leader. 14 wmu.com/leaders

14 Missions Growth Connect the Dots By Suzanne Reece It s time to share the good news of how God is at work in the world, and by being involved in missions and missions education, you can be a part of God s great work. If you love missions, it s time to share the joy of what it means to serve God and His people. Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell your neighbors. Tell your whole community. National WMU is launching an all-new growth plan. It s time for us to get out there and help spread the word about all that WMU has to offer groups and individuals of all ages. Don t keep your missions involvement and love for missions a secret any longer. If being involved in missions is changing your life, it s time to tell the world. The new growth plan is called Connect the Dots. This plan is an effort to spread the word about the importance of missions involvement and help you find ways to grow WMU in your church, association, and community. Here s how it works: D O T S Discover new members. Organize groups. Teach churches. Spotlight entry points. Discover new members. Look around your church and discover how you can add new members to your existing WMU organizations. Many people are looking for ways to get involved; they just need to be invited. Organize groups. Could your church form new WMU groups? For example, are you currently leading children in missions through Children in Action SM but could easily transition to Girls in Action and Royal Ambassadors for girls and boys respectively? Teach churches. There are churches in your community who don t have missions education opportunities for their members. Think about how you can help them get one or more organizations started in their churches. Teach churches about the importance of ongoing missions education for all age levels. Spread the word. Offer to help. Mentor a new leader. Spotlight entry points. There are many ways to be involved in missions. Consider hosting a community-wide WorldCrafts SM party or planning a churchwide or an associational trip to participate in Missionsfest SM or Familyfest SM. You might also consider hosting a neighborhood or community Bible study utilizing one of the many Bible studies offered by New Hope Publishers. All these steps point to helping individuals and churches connect the dots and understand the importance of missions involvement. If we want to raise up the next generation of missions disciples, then we must begin by laying a missions foundation for preschoolers, children, and teenagers. If we want to be a church who gives wholeheartedly to missions, then we must include missions education and involvement in the DNA of the church. If we want to see our preschoolers, children, and teenagers understand that God can use them in His work in the world, then we must make missions a part of their everyday faith. We can connect the dots to greater missions involvement and a greater love for the people of the world. For more information and some practical resources, visit wmu.com /connectthedots. Suzanne Reece is ministry consultant for the Student Resource Team, national WMU. wmu.com/leaders 21

15 Dear Pastor Can We Talk? By Rick Boyne As the WMU director, a good working relationship with your pastor may be the most important relationship you have in your church. It is vital for your pastor to understand the purpose of WMU and its importance to the work of the church. You may need to start from the beginning, especially with a younger pastor. A younger pastor may have heard about WMU but may have no tangible understanding of what it is. Ask for an appointment (any day of the week but Sunday) to meet with your pastor to help him gain insight to the inner workings of WMU. Explain the history of WMU in your church. Help him understand the challenges women face today and how WMU seeks to engage younger women in the church. Ask for his insight, especially if you are an older leader. A younger pastor may be more in touch with the younger generation. If your pastor is older, he may have become complacent with WMU. Having been in the ministry for decades means he knows what it is all about or at least what it used to be all about. Spend some time with your pastor bringing him up to date with the challenges of your WMU. Help him understand the changes that your WMU has undergone and the challenges it faces for the future. Build trust with your pastor by respecting him. This can be accomplished by not approaching him with an important matter just before he preaches sending him a card of appreciation inviting his wife to WMU events if she is not involved acknowledging his children, especially if they are young or in college inviting him to a luncheon where the main purpose is to pray for him If your pastor trusts you, you will have a partner in the ministry. Two-way communication is the goal of a good relationship with your pastor. Clearly communicate with him the needs of your group and listen to him as he responds. Don t allow an opportunity for assistance to turn into a gripe session. Be open to suggestions and courteous in receiving them, even if you don t think they are helpful at the time. Your pastor may be a big picture kind of leader who has broad suggestions. This is great if you need general directions but frustrating if you need specific answers right now. Some pastors are micromanagers; that is, they are really good with minutia but don t have a clear vision for the future. Know what kind of leadership tendencies your pastor has. This will help you understand his approach to answering your questions. Most pastors realize the importance of WMU, even if they don t understand everything there is to know about it. Patiently help your pastor in his journey of understanding more about WMU. Above all, love and pray for him. Rick Boyne serves as a pastor in Wagoner, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Sally, served with the International Mission Board for more than a decade in West Africa and East Asia. Follow him on 22 wmu.com/leaders

16 WMU Leadership Team Plans Church Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve By Kristy Carr These are powerful words. As we launch into our second year of All for You: Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve, there is still so much to learn from our current watchword, Mark 8:34. Start out the church year with a leadership retreat. Find a retreat plan in the WMU Year Book on pages If you haven t already obtained the emphasis resources, then you ll want to do so as soon as possible: WMU Year Book (W $8.99) All leaders need their own copy of the WMU Year Book to use throughout the year. WMU Emphasis Kit (W $12.99) This kit contains the WMU Emphasis and Watchword posters, along with a set of eight 11-by-17 miniposters, to use throughout the year in various parts of your church. Spanish translation is on the back. All for You Card Set (H $12.99) Consider using these cards handcrafted by women artisans in Jaipur, India, to write thankyou notes for your volunteers and missions leaders. Find both priced and free emphasis resources at wmu.com /emphasis. If you have new leaders leading the missions organizations, then be sure to provide a WMU missions guide for their age level. This will assist them in effectively leading their age group. Visit wmustore.com and search for guide for leaders to see all the guides, which are available in either print or downloadable format. Discover online training available through Develop: WMU Leadership Training Program. See pages 24, 28, 30, 32, and 34 of this issue of Missions Leader to find more information as well as available and upcoming courses. As you plan your retreat, be sure to review the key emphases for the fall to include on the church calendar. Use the Calendar Highlights in this issue of (pp. 3 10) to decide which emphases you will focus on and how you want to be involved. State Missions Emphasis Global Hunger Sunday, October 11 Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer, November 2 International Missions Emphasis Go ahead and look toward the winter and spring to include on your church calendar as well. It is important to plan ahead and know the process in your church to submit dates for the church calendar. Don t assume that just because you and your leadership team have put them on your calendar that they will be approved and placed on the church calendar. Focus on WMU, February 8 14 Children s Ministry Day tm, February 13 North American Missions Emphasis Cooperative Program Sunday, April 17 Kristy Carr serves as the ministry consultant for churchwide and associational leadership, national WMU. wmu.com/leaders 23

17 a focus on PRESCHOOLERS By Joye Smith talks n tips Visit wmu.com/preschool for these articles that are exclusively on the Mission Friends website: All for You devotion Help! My Group Is Too Small! Family Issues: Divorce Helping Families with PTSD Connect the Dots toward missions growth by preparing for increased attendance in Mission Friends. Secure new teachers before new preschoolers attend so you will be ready for growth. Order preschool materials early for the International Missions Emphasis. The International Mission Study 2015 Preschool Teaching Guide: Indonesia (W $4.99) and Missions Banks (W $9.99/pkg. of 10) are two must-have resources to guide preschoolers in learning about and giving to missions during this emphasis. Do your Mission Friends classes share space with other preschool programs? Mission Friends may share a classroom with Sunday School, weekday child care, preschool music, or a discipleship program. Plan a time for teachers using the same classroom to meet together. Decide on room set-up, wall display space, and shared supplies. Commit to pray for one another as you guide preschoolers toward God. preps n plans September: Preschoolers will start out this year in Mission Friends by learning about Jeremy and Natalia Aylett as they serve in San Diego, California. October: During this month, preschoolers will focus on the work of Adam and Amy Kim* in Cambodia. Involve preschoolers in Global Hunger Sunday on October 11. November: Ben and Lynley Mandrell are missionaries in Denver, Colorado. Mission Friends will focus on their ministries during this month. December: Mission Friends will learn about the missions work of Jacob and Robin Talley* in Indonesia. The December unit coordinates with the International Mission Study for preschoolers. *Names changed. what s trending? Most pinned on the Preschool Missions board on Pinterest is the active game Walk the Line, in which preschoolers follow colored masking tape lines on the floor in zigzag, curved, or straight patterns. Mission Friends leaders pin activities related to the monthly missions areas, such as active games, art activities, and sensory bins. Check out the Preschool Missions board at pinterest.com/nationalwmu. what s developing? Teaching babies, ones, and twos makes a big difference in their lives. One of the major accomplishments during this age span is developing a sense of trust. Babies, ones, and twos develop trust in their parents or primary caregivers. They also develop a sense of trust in their caregivers at church. Help your young preschoolers by having consistent teachers each week in Mission Friends. Talk about God s love as you care for their needs. By helping them develop a sense of trust in others, you are setting the stage for them to trust in God later in their lives. Joye Smith is ministry consultant and team leader for the Preschool Resource Team, national WMU. wmu.com/leaders 27

18 a focus on STUDENTS By Suzanne Reece talks n tips It s not too early to begin planning for your summer 2016 missions experience. Taking students on a missions trip is one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever have as a leader and is certainly one that will have a lasting impact on your students. One of the most important aspects of your trip is preparation. Be sure to check out the all-new missions trip planning resource designed just for students and their leaders. Carry On: Prepping and Packing for Successful Missions Trips (W $14.99) is available by going to wmustore.com or calling WMU Customer Service at As you launch an all-new year of Acteens and Challengers or Youth on Mission sm, don t forget to plan opportunities to enlist new students. Encourage current members to invite their friends. Host an enlistment party where students share about what being involved in missions means to them. Visit places in your neighborhood where students hang out and share informational flyers about your upcoming meetings and events. The students you are currently leading are wonderful, but always be willing to make room for more. preps n plans This fall, students involved in Acteens, Challengers, and Youth on Mission will focus on what it means to be a disciple of Christ as we begin the second year of the WMU emphasis All for You. The focal passage for this emphasis is Mark 8:34. Students will study the following topics: I am called to be a disciple Living my life as a disciple of Christ Called to disciple others The following Scripture verses will be the focus of Bible study each month: John 8:31 32 Matthew 28:19 20 Luke 5:1 11 Matthew 4:18 22 John 18:15 27 John 21:1 19 Acts 18 2 Timothy 1 Mark 8:31 38 Daniel 1 Daniel 6:10 18 Students will learn about the work of missionaries serving in San Diego, Cambodia, Denver, and Indonesia. what s trending? Social media sites are attracting teens at an alarming rate. No longer is Facebook the place where teens hang out and chat with their friends. As parents and leaders, we must take the time to find out more about the apps and websites our students are using. For instance, younow.com is a website that allows students to live stream anything they are doing. This could include sleeping, eating, playing music, or just hanging out. The frightening part about this is a student can live stream absolutely anything and provide a hashtag and then a predator can search for students doing those things. For instance, #sleeping would give anyone on younow.com the opportunity to watch people sleeping. Certainly sounds creepy in many ways. The bottom line is that we must be knowledgeable about where our students are spending their time online. 1 what s developing? As you think about growing student missions organizations in your church and community, be sure to involve your students in leading and mentoring others. Students leading students is a wonderful way to help teenagers develop mentoring and leadership skills that will serve them well for many years to come. As students lead others, they are able to see themselves setting a positive example for others and they see God at work in their lives. 1 See Suzanne Reece is ministry consultant for the Student Resource Team, national WMU. wmu.com/leaders 31

19 WMU Leadership Team Plans Association All for You By Kristy Carr of your church. Spanish translation is on the back. All for You Card Set (H $12.99) Consider using these cards handcrafted by women artisans in Jaipur, India, to write thank-you notes for volunteers and missions leaders in the churches of your association. Find both priced and free emphasis resources at wmu.com/emphasis. The churches in your association are gearing up for a fall filled with lots of missions endeavors. This is a great time to communicate with the church WMU leaders and be available to assist and equip them for missions discipleship throughout the year. As we launch into our second year of All for You: Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve, there is still so much to learn from our current watchword, Mark 8:34. Churchwide WMU leaders are encouraged to have a leadership retreat following the retreat plan in the WMU Year Book on pages As an associational leader, you are to provide and participate in associational activities and projects; equip churches to provide missions awareness and involvement; develop and strengthen WMU in all congregations; nurture a missions environment in the churches and association. Equip yourself with this year s emphasis resources and become familiar with each resource so you can effectively communicate the emphasis to the churches: WMU Associational Leader Tool (W $14.99) This CD outlines the emphasis for the association and offers ideas and promotional resources for every age level. WMU Year Book (W $8.99) All leaders need their own copy of the WMU Year Book to use throughout the year. WMU Emphasis Kit (W $12.99) This kit contains the WMU Emphasis and Watchword posters, along with a set of eight 11-by-17 miniposters, to use throughout the year in various parts If you have new leaders in your churches leading the missions organizations, then let them know about the WMU missions guide for their age level. This will assist them in effectively leading their age group. Discover online training available through Develop: WMU Leadership Training Program. Watch for the Leading Associational Missions course this fall. This course introduces and provides step-by-step guidance for associational WMU leadership. Visit wmu.com /develop for more information or to register. And don t forget to let church WMU leaders know about the courses designed just for them. Planning for Fall and Winter/Spring State Missions Emphasis Global Hunger Sunday, October 11 Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer, November 2 International Missions Emphasis Focus on WMU, February 8 14 Children s Ministry Day tm, February 13 North American Missions Emphasis Cooperative Program Sunday, April 17 Kristy Carr serves as the ministry consultant for churchwide and associational leadership, national WMU. 38 wmu.com/leaders