Alabama WMU Elects New Officers

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1 Seeking wisdom Caring Touching lives Findingfellowship Passing it on September 2013 globally Volume 14, Issue 2 Alabama WMU Elects New Officers Members of Alabama Woman s Missionary Union (WMU) electmade the decision to accept the call to serve in the IMB s Masters ed new officers during the 2013 Alabama WMU Biennial Meeting Missionary Program. The Masters Program is designed for those held July 20 in conjunction with Equip. 50 years old or older with no dependent children who are availlaurelle Stoudenmire of Thomasville, Ala., was elected to serve able to make a two or three year commitment to serve overseas as president. Michelle Wise of Mobile was elected vice president, utilizing the maturity, skills and experience they have gained over and Sonja Adams of Heflin, Ala., was elected recording secretary. their lifetimes (imb.org). The Stoudenmires spent more than two Each will serve a two-year term in her position and also will serve years serving among the people of Guatemala from 2006 to as members of the Alabama WMU Board of Trustees. Upon their return to the United States, Laurelle resumed her Laurelle has previously served involvement in various capacias vice president of Alabama ties in WMU. The Stoudenmires WMU and has a rich backare members of Thomasville ground in missions and missions Baptist Church. support. Through the years, she Newly-elected Vice President has provided leadership in all Michelle Wise has recently comwmu age-level organizations pleted serving one term on the within in her church, as well as Board of Trustees of Alabama having served as a church WMU WMU. Michelle lives in Mobile director. She has served as an where she is a freelance graphic associational WMU director for designer. Michelle is a member more than 20 years. of Spring Hill Baptist Church. As missionary parents to Sonja Adams was re-elected children serving in Southeast for a second two-year term to Asia, the couple played an inteher position as Alabama WMU Pictured L to R: Recording Secretary Sonja Adams, President gral role in the founding of the recording secretary. Sonja has Laurelle Stoudenmire and Executive Director Candace McIntosh Alabama Missionary Parents served on the Executive LeadNot pictured: Vice President Michelle Wise Fellowship (now the Internaership Team as an associational tional Parents Fellowship) in the year The ministry continwmu director. She is a member of Heflin Baptist Church. ues today to be a place of encouragement and support for family Please join us in praying for each of these ladies as they lead members of Alabama missionaries serving around the globe. Alabama WMU. Contact information for them can be obtained In 2005, while in her second term as a trustee of the Interfrom Alabama WMU by ing cwilson@alsbom.org or calling national Mission Board (IMB), Laurelle and her husband, Allen, ext In this issue... Part 4 of Project HELP: Human Exploitation series Special KMMO pull-out section Beautiful Feet Connections update

2 My WMU story After graduating from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with an MDiv. in Christian Thought, I joined Alabama WMU part-time as Electronic Media Specialist, where I maintain the Alabama WMU and WorldSong websites and social media. In addition, I occasionally have the privilege of leading conference sessions at Renew, Equip and Regional Training. It has been my pleasure to get to know the Alabama WMU staff and women around the state who have a heart for missions. For several years now, I have chosen a theme verse to challenge me in my walk with the Lord. One of my favorites is James 1:22 (HCSB), But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. This verse has motivated me to attempt things I would not have otherwise done. In church, my husband, Mitchel, and I are beginning to coordinate an orphan care ministry. I am excited about a Bible study we plan to lead this fall on orphan care beyond adoption. Mitchel and I have the joy of raising three teenage children. So, life is blessed and full. It is only by the verse I chose for this year that I am also pursuing a PhD in New Testament. With school, three children, work, and church, I am learning to lean on God s power, rather than my own. This year s verse is Eph. 3:20-21 (HCSB): Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us- to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Praising Him! Pat Sanders Pat serves on the staff of Alabama WMU as the Electronic Media Specialist. Project HELP: Human Exploitation Part 4 - Human Trafficking This is the fourth in a series of articles about WMU s Project HELP: Human Exploitation. This series highlights some of the issues related to human exploitation, how those issues affect us right here in Alabama, and ways you can be involved in the fight against human exploitation here and abroad. Human trafficking is the kidnapping, transferring, sale or receipt of an individual by force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation or exploitation of forced labor. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, human trafficking has become the second fastest growing criminal industry just behind drug trafficking with children accounting for roughly half of all victims. Unlike illegal drugs, the same human being can be sold again and again, multiple times every day. The U.S. Department of State estimates approximately 600 to 800 thousand victims annually are trafficked across international borders worldwide. Between 14,500 and 17,500 are trafficked into the U.S. every year. Interstates, including those in Alabama, provide easy routes for traffickers to transport victims from place to place. Does it happen in Alabama? Sadly, it does much more frequently than we would like to believe. These are just a few of the incidents reported throughout Alabama: The Polaris Project tracks calls to human trafficking hotlines. In 2012, 127 calls were made to hotlines reporting suspected human trafficking in Alabama s large cities, small towns and rural areas. A federal grand jury in Birmingham indicted a Florence man on charges of coercing a girl under the age of 18 to engage in prostitution. The escape of a girl from a Dothan motel room led to the arrest of a Tennessee man on drug and human trafficking charges. The man is accused of forcing the girl to use illegal drugs and engage in prostitution. Police became aware of the case only because the girl was able to escape the motel room. Five people were arrested on human trafficking charges in Madison for prostitution of a 15-year-old girl. Police were called after information was received at the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. After surveillance showed what appeared to be prostitution activities taking place, police moved in. The girl is in the care of the Alabama Department of Human Resources. All five men were charged with trafficking. Lauderdale County, Miss., authorities said three men including a teacher at an Alabama college have been charged with attempting to lure minors for sex using social media. What can I do? Pray. Be aware look around. If you see individuals or situations that look suspicious, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at Tell others about the problem. Spread the word. Awareness is the first step toward making a difference. Ask if your law enforcement, health department, doctor s office and community organizations have been trained in how to recognize trafficking. Do whatever God is leading you to do to address this problem! This quote, attributed to William Wilberforce, speaks volumes about the issue: You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know. For more information about Project HELP, visit

3 ... for His glory 2013 Alabama WMU Day of Prayer & Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering For in him we live and move and have our being. ACTS 17:28A NIV STATEWIDE GOAL $470,000

4 2013 Day of Prayer and KMMO Overview Theme: ilive Suggested Dates: September 10-11, 2013 Statewide Goal: $470,000 Ministry Focus: The Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering helps support the many ways Alabama WMU nurtures students for service in missions and ministry, which include: Complete (teen girls event) Acteens Acteens Activators Emerging Leaders Forum Student Missions Weekend WorldSong Summer Missions Camps, both as campers and as cabin leaders Alabama Challenge Team Budget Summary: $ 176,492 Meetings and Conferences $ 90,863 Missions Support $ 94,182 Missions Ministries $ 85,430 Day of Prayer Materials $ 139,227 Member Enrichment $ 51,697 Ministry and Special Audiences $ 72,430 WorldSong Development $ 94,930 Alabama WMU Communications $ 195,895 Base of Operations $1,001,146 Total Budget $531,146 from Cooperative Program $470,000 from Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering For a more detailed explanation of budget categories, see the Budget Summary found on the back of the Day of Prayer poster available at or by calling ext What is the Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering? The Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering, along with the Cooperative Program, funds the work of Alabama Woman s Missionary Union. Alabama WMU encourages missional living by challenging, equipping and empowering Alabama Baptists to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. With missions education as the foundation for all we do, we are passionate about helping Christfollowers answer God s call on their lives to further the gospel message here at home and around the world. Please join us in prayer during the 2013 Day of Prayer and Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering as we seek God s continued blessings on Alabama WMU and its membership. Planning Your Day of Prayer 1. Pray that the Holy Spirit will direct you about how to prepare for the Day of Prayer and Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering (KMMO) observance in your church. 2. Set a date. Meet with your pastor to set a date for your observance and discuss plans. The suggested dates are Sept , 2013, but, if that date does not work for your church, feel free to schedule another time. 3. Develop age-level plans. Determine how age-level groups will present the Day of Prayer material within their various groups. Take advantage of the Day of Prayer materials written specifically for each age group. Study materials are available for preschool, children, students and adults, as well as a planning guide for churchwide missions leaders. See #5 below for ordering details. 4. Set a financial goal. Discuss this amount with your pastor, and come to a decision. The state goal for 2013 is $470, Order/download materials. Decide from the list below what materials your group will need for your observance. Download items you will need at For items that are not available for download, if possible, submit one order for your church for all age groups. Order online using the Free Materials Order Form found under the Resources tab at or call ext Available Promotional Materials Poster* (includes resources needed for some age-level studies and detailed budget information) Day of Prayer study materials for each age level* Pew-sized envelopes Remittance envelopes Prayer guide The Life and Ministry of Kathleen Mallory PowerPoint slide* * available for download at Personal Prayer Thank God for students who are willing to be bold for Jesus, and pray for Him to call out more to proclaim His name through Alabama WMU s missions and ministry opportunities. Ask God for continued blessings on the work of Alabama WMU as we seek to further the cause of Christ through missions and missions education.

5 Message from Candace McIntosh Candace McIntosh Every year when we round the corner into August, there is a sense of excitement as we focus on training new leaders for the church year. This year the entire month of August was dedicated to helping churches begin new groups, answering questions and guiding leaders to dream big dreams. I have been especially encouraged at the number of churches that are telling their stories of engaging young women (20 s and 30 s) in missions. This is music to my ears! Alabama WMU has been committed to investing in the teenage girl, and now these young women are moving into adulthood. Young women are passionate about missions. They express this passion by being doers of His word as proclaimed in James 1:22. The new group for this age group of women called mymission has been one of the catalysts for this new excitement. If you are unfamiliar with mymission, I encourage you to visit or contact Pat Ingram at pingram@alsbom.org. I pray that as you read and study the Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering study material you will be challenged once again to invest in the teenage young women in your church, to work alongside them and guide them as they express their love for the Lord through missions. For more information on ways to invest in your teenage young women, contact Erin Bishop at ebishop@alsbom.org. Beautiful Feet Connections Passing It On On behalf of the Alabama WMU Board of Trustees, we extend our sincere congratulations and thanks to Candace McIntosh for 10 years of service as executive director of Alabama Woman s Missionary Union. Recently, we introduced you to Alabama WMU s Beautiful Feet Connections (BFC). The purpose of Beautiful Feet Connections is to create and maintain a prayer network for our Alabama missionaries in North America and around the world. Prayer is without a doubt the most powerful tool we have for personally assisting our missionaries on the field. As they connect, both the praying groups and missionaries for whom they pray benefit. The groups praying benefit from enhanced missions awareness, as well as more personalized missions information from missionaries. Missionaries benefit from the fervent prayers of God s people, as well as the encouragement that connection with home brings. Alabama missionaries are ready and waiting. We simply need groups who are willing to make the commitment to pray for our missionaries. Right now, we have more missionaries than prayer groups. Will you commit to BFC? Here s how it works: Churches/groups must contact the office of Alabama WMU via to be paired with a missionary for prayer. Churches/groups will receive guidelines and information regarding communication and security measures from Alabama WMU. When the church agrees to the guidelines they will be paired with a missionary. General information about the missionary will then be sent to the church. Once the connection has been made, the missionary will be notified and will initiate communication with the church/group. To become a Beautiful Feet Connections prayer partner, visit or cwilson@alsbom.org. Mark your calendar September 7 Hispanic Women s Conference, Albertville Alabama WMU Day of Prayer and Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering 21 Alabama International Parents Fellowship, Baptist Building, Montgomery October 4-5 Alabama International Friends Retreat, WorldSong Fall Missions Festival for Children, WorldSong Fall Missions Festival for Children, WorldSong 22 Fall Missions Festival for Adults, WorldSong 24 Fall Missions Festival for Adults, WorldSong Baptist Nursing Fellowship/ Parish Nurse Retreat, Shocco Springs Conference Center November 1-8 Royal Ambassador Week 4 Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer Alabama Baptist State Convention, Whitesburg BC, Huntsville December 3-10 International Missions Emphasis & Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

6 2001 East South Boulevard Montgomery, Alabama Panorama Editor-in-Chief: Laurelle Stoudenmire Managing Editor: Brittney Gardner Contributors: Brittney Gardner, Candace McIntosh, Pat Ingram, Erin Bishop, Cindy Wilson Panorama, issued four times per year, is published by Alabama WMU. Send address changes, editorial suggestions to: Alabama WMU Attn: Brittney Gardner P.O. Box Montgomery, AL Telephone: Visit Alabama WMU on the Web at This resource is made possible by gifts given through the Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering and the Cooperative Program Summer Missions Camp Highlights from WorldSong Missions Place It was another great summer at WorldSong Missions Place. We are thankful and amazed year after year at how God chooses to use Summer Missions Camp at WorldSong to draw children and teen girls to Him and challenge them to go deeper than ever before in their walk with Him. The summer of 2013 was no exception. With a theme verse of Mark 16:15 ( He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ), campers were challenged to not only take hold of the gospel message in their own hearts but to embrace the command given to us all to proclaim the Good News from here to the far reaches of the globe. Although we could never measure the impact of WorldSong s Summer Missions Camp by numbers alone, we rejoice in the 59 tangible decisions made this summer. Twenty-nine campers made professions of faith, 18 felt called to missions and 12 made a commitment to rededicate their lives to Jesus. What an amazing summer! We give God all the glory for the great things He has done. Non-Profit US Postage PAID Montgomery, AL Permit No. 945