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Let your light shine, found in Matthew, was part of one of the first verses I learned. WMU, particularly GAs, helped me make that happen. The more I learned, the more I wanted to keep going, giving, and doing to let Jesus shine though me. More intangibles have resulted from my WMU connections, such as friendships, encouragement, leadership skills, and a love for spreading the Gospel. Fire up your light! Ramp up your missional living! Peruse this year s WMU Yearbook and the revamped WMU website, www.wmu.com. Your Tennessee WMU supplements that mountain of great items with dates, ministry opportunities, and other local information in this Yearbook Supplement. Most importantly, note the contact information of your Tennessee WMU staff and officers. Contact us any time. Together we can use all means to light the way to Christ Jesus. You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. - 2 Corinthians 3:2 2
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Contact Information Web Sites Tennessee WMU www.tnwmu.org National WMU www.wmu.com www.wmu.com/preschool www.wmu.com/children www.wmu.com/students www.wmu.com/adults www.wmu.com/cultures www.wmu.com/ministries www.wmu.com/leaders New Hope Publishers - www.newhopepublishers.com WorldCrafts www.worldcrafts.org WMU Store www.wmustore.com WMU Foundation www.wmufoundation.com Tennessee Baptist Convention www.tnbaptist.org Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions www.goldenoffering.org International Mission Board www.imb.org North American Mission Board www.namb.net Annie Armstrong Easter Offering www.anniearmstrong.com Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer www.bwawd.org Lottie Moon Offering www.imb.org/lmco Join us on Facebook Connect with WMU on Facebook! Be sure to like us on Facebook and join in the conversation there! www.facebook.com/tennesseewmu www.facebook.com/nationalwmu www.facebook.com/wmupreschool www.facebook.com/girlsinaction www.facebook.com/royalambassador www.facebook.com/tennesseeroyalambassadors www.facebook.com/nationalacteens www.facebook.com/missionsleader www.facebook.com/wmucultures www.facebook.com/worldcrafts www.facebook.com/newhopepublishers www.facebook.com/wmufoundation 4
2017-2018 Missions Discipleship & Ministry Ideas September: The Week of Prayer for State Missions is September 10-17, 2017. The theme is At All Costs, OBEY! The 2017-18 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions statewide goal is $1,925,000. Resources to encourage prayer, giving, and personal involvement are sent to churches in July and include: DVD, posters, prayer guides, and offering envelopes. Other materials are available on the DVD or at www.goldenoffering.org. October: World Hunger Day Sunday is October 8, 2017. Banks shaped like a loaf of bread are available for you to order from WMU (W094103). Stock your church s emergency food pantry or collect non-perishable food items for your local food bank. www.wmustore.com November: Pray around the world by observing Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer, November 6, 2017. Materials are available at www.bwawd.org. December: The Week of Prayer for International Missions/Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is December 3-10, 2017. Promotion materials will be sent to the church in October and will include: posters, prayer guides, and offering envelopes. Support the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. www.imb.org and Lottie@work.com January: Plan observance of Focus on WMU February 12-18, 2018. February: Children s Missions Day is February 17, 2018. Plan projects to engage children in mission action and witnessing. Children learn by doing. See the website for suggestions: www.wmu.com. March: The Week of Prayer for North American Missions/Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is March 4-11, 2018. Promotion materials will be sent to churches in January and will include prayer guides, posters, and offering envelopes. Give generously to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. www.namb.org April: April 8, 2018 is Cooperative Program (CP) Sunday. Learn how the reach of your church is extended through CP. Order CP materials from Tammy Harris, tharris@tnbaptist.org. www.tnbaptist.org May: Shine the spotlight on your association this month. Associational Missions Emphasis Week is May 20-27, 2018. Invite your Director of Missions or Associational WMU Director to speak. Support your association through prayer and giving. June: Host a WorldCrafts party using ideas from www.worldcrafts.org. The whole church will enjoy tasting international foods, shopping for fair trade items, and learning about this important WMU ministry. July: Learn about the value of clean water and how it affects families worldwide who do not have it. Lead your church to collect loose change in empty water bottles. Send your funds to Pure Water/Pure Love, WMU, P.O. Box 830010, Birmingham, AL 35283-0010. August: Christmas in August supports selected North American missionaries by providing supplies for their work. Children s missions organizations can lead the church. For a list of needs, refer to Missions Leader or children s age-level missions resources. www.wmu.com Nominate and elect church WMU leaders for the new year beginning in September. Send names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses to Tennessee WMU to receive The LINK. www.tnwmu.org Smaller membership churches and language churches are encouraged to order the Missions Plan Book 2017-2018. It is written in basic English and includes monthly Bible studies, articles about missionaries, and prayer requests. The Missions Plan Book is also available in Spanish. www.wmustore.com NOTE TO LANGUAGE CHURCH LEADERS: Missions resources for ethnic churches are available at www.wmucultures.com. Leaders will find missions education information in four languages: Spanish, French, Korean, and Vietnamese. Language leaders can also contact the WMU director in their association or the state WMU office to find out more about missions. 5
2017-18 Tennessee WMU Calendar 2 2017 September 1 New WMU year begins Theme: BY ALL MEANS 9-10 Tennessee Missionary Parents Fellowship Retreat, Immanuel Baptist Church, Lebanon 10-17 Week of Prayer for State Missions/Golden Offering Tennessee Missions - Theme: At All Costs, OBEY! 29-30 A Fall Event for Women (Formerly known as Women s Prayer Retreat); First Baptist Church, Jackson October Cooperative Program Emphasis Month 7 JAM (missions event for children grades 1-6), Victory Baptist Church, Mt. Juliet 8 Global Hunger Sunday 14 JAM (missions event for children grades 1-6), First Baptist Church, Lexington 20-22 RA Camp-O-Ree, Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center, Linden 28 JAM (missions event for children grades 1-6), First Baptist Church, Dandridge November 3-4 Tennessee WMU Executive Board Fall Retreat, Church Support Center, Franklin 6 Baptist Women s World Day of Prayer 12-15 Summit: The Gathering of Tennessee Baptists, First Baptist Church, Hendersonville December 3-10 Week of Prayer for International Missions/Lottie Moon Christmas Offering 2018 January 26 Tennessee WMU Scholarship applications must be postmarked by this day February 12-18 WMU Focus Week 17 National Children s Missions Day March 4-11 Week of Prayer for North American Missions/Annie Armstrong Easter Offering 16 Tennessee WMU Executive Board Meeting, Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg 16-18 Missions Get-Together & Connection, Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg 17 Tennessee WMU Annual Meeting, Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg April 8 Cooperative Program Sunday 13-15 RA Wilderness Challenge, Boxwell Reservation, Lebanon May 4-5 Tennessee WMU Frameworks, Training for Associational WMU Leaders; Grace Community Church, Brentwood, TN 14 State Acteens Advisory Panelist applications due 20-27 Associational Missions Emphasis June 10-11 National WMU Celebration and Annual Meeting; Dallas, Texas July 22 Love Loud Sunday/Send Relief Sunday August Christmas in August 18 Equipping Missions & Ministry Leaders, Middle TN, TBD 25 Equipping Missions & Ministry Leaders, West TN, TBD 25 Equipping Missions & Ministry Leaders, East TN, TBD Dates, locations, and times are subject to change. See pages 7-8 for event descriptions. Watch The LINK or check the website for complete information: www.tnwmu.org 6
2017-2018 Tennessee WMU Events and Involvement Opportunities Activators Acteens Activators SM and Acteens Activators Abroad SM are mission opportunities for Acteens. Girls in grades 9-12 train at least sixty (60) hours before going on an all-girls mission trip. Activators serve within the US. Activators Abroad go beyond the borders of the US to serve in another country. Teams may consist of one or more girls with one or more leaders. Applications are available from Tennessee WMU. Teams must apply by December 1, 2017 in order to receive an assignment. For more information or to receive an application, contact acteens@wmu.org. Tennessee WMU Annual Meeting Tennessee WMU is an incorporated non-profit entity and is required to conduct an Annual Meeting. Each spring it is held in conjunction with the Missions Get-Together in Gatlinburg. The Nominating Committee report is presented and officers are elected and installed. The next Annual Meeting will be March 17, 2018. For more information, call 800-558-2090 ext. 7923. Baptist Nursing Fellowship The Baptist Nursing Fellowship is a Christian organization of professional nurses and other medical professionals that encourages nursing service evolving from a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. If you are a nurse or student nurse in Tennessee, you can be a part of missions in a special way through BNF. For more information, contact national WMU toll free 800-968-7301 or BNF@wmu.org. Christian Women s Job Corps and Christian Men s Job Corps The Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions supports these ministries that have been making a difference in the lives of women and men since 1997. CWJC/CMJC are designed to provide a Christian context in which women and men in need are equipped for life and employment. Job training, GED tutoring, Bible study, mentoring, skills development, and resume preparation are elements of the program. Currently 29 sites are registered in Tennessee. For more information, contact Denise Bronaugh at dbronaugh@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 7920. Children s Missions Day TM Join thousands of children across North America in hands-on ministry in your community on Saturday, February 17, 2018. The theme is Mission: Hit the Road. More information will be available in children s missions publications and the website www.wmu.org/children. Connection Girls in grades 7 through 12 across the state are invited to attend a missions weekend of worship, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry. A variety of conferences, designed specifically for girls and others for adult leaders only, are offered over the two-night event. In 2018, Connection will be March 16-18 at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. For more information, contact Kendall Shirey at kshirey@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 2039. JAM: Journey into Adventures in Missions Girls and boys in grades 1-6 enjoy this annual fun-filled day designed just for them. Through various activities they learn about missions, meet missionaries, and participate in a ministry project. Tennessee WMU invites all children in grades 1-6 and especially Girls in Action, Children in Action, and Royal Ambassadors to attend one of the three (3) JAMs: MIDDLE, TN October 7, 2017 Victory Baptist Church, Mt. Juliet WEST TN October 14, 2017 First Baptist Church, Lexington EAST TN October 28, 2017 First Baptist Church, Dandridge For more information, contact Emily Traylor at etraylor@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 2038. Missionary Fellowships Missionary Parents Fellowship, Former Missionary Fellowships, and MK Fellowships are informal groups for the purpose of mutual support and encouragement. Tennessee WMU provides resources through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions so that missionaries with Tennessee ties and their families are nurtured and undergirded. For more information, contact Vickie Anderson at vanderson@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 7918. Missions Get-Together Women across Tennessee gather in Gatlinburg to celebrate missions through worship, fellowship, prayer, and spiritual development. Dynamic Bible study, inspiring missionaries, and informative conference leaders make this annual event popular with today s women. Missions Get-Together will be March 16-18, 2018 at the Gatlinburg 7
Convention Center. For more information, contact Denise Bronaugh at dbronaugh@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558- 2090 ext. 7920. Registration opens January 4, 2018. POINT Teams Youth on Mission (YOM) POINT Teams and YOM POINT Teams Abroad are mission opportunities for high school students. Coed team members train sixty (60) hours in preparation to go on a mission trip. POINT Teams serve within the US. POINT Teams Abroad travel outside the country. Teams may consist of one or more students with one or more leaders. All applications are due by December 1, 2017. For more information or to receive an application, contact youthonmission@wmu.org. Project HELP SM : Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder The critical social issue through 2018 is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. For more information, see WMU Yearbook, articles in Missions Leader, and other WMU resources. RA Camp-O-Ree RA Camp-O-Ree is the largest organized multi-state camping event for Royal Ambassadors and Challenger organizations with activities directed towards developing strong Christian relationships and sense of personal worth. RA Camp-O-Ree will be October 20-22, 2017. It is hosted by the Mid-South Royal Ambassadors in cooperation with Tennessee WMU. For more information, visit www.racamporee.org or contact Mike Freeman at m_freeman1@comcast.net or call 901-849-0867. RA Wilderness Challenge Wilderness Challenge is a two-night camping adventure that promotes the importance of campcraft in the lives of RAs, as well as Christ s challenge for us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Wilderness Challenge gives RAs the opportunity to put the skills they learn each week into practice while camping and then take those same skills into competition. It is also a learning time for those who do not have the time or experience to teach campcraft skills during their regular RA chapter meeting time. It will be April 13-15, 2018 at Boxwell Reservation in Lebanon. It is hosted by Nashville Baptist Association Royal Ambassadors in cooperation with Tennessee WMU. For more information, contact Brian Holt at brian@nashvilleras.com or call the NBA office at 615-259-3034. You can also learn more at www.nashvilleras.com and Nashville Royal Ambassadors on Facebook. Scholarships Tennessee WMU awards academic scholarships to undergraduate, graduate, and seminary students who are women and men with Tennessee Baptist ties. Funds are provided through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions and endowed funds completed. Scholarship applications must be postmarked by January 26, 2018. Preference is given to students who are currently involved in missions. To obtain an application or request more information, please visit our website www.tnwmu.org or contact kshirey@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 2039. Contributions to scholarship endowed funds are appreciated: Katharine C. Bryan Graduate Scholarship, Bettye Moss Powers Scholarship, and Myrtle Creasman Scholarship. State Acteens Advisory Panel A select group of outstanding young women in grades 10 through 12 serve one year on the State Acteens Advisory Panel. Panelists attend a retreat, assist with planning the Connection, write articles, and provide assistance with other Tennessee WMU events throughout their year of service. The application deadline is May 14, 2018. For an application or more information, visit www.tnwmu.org or contact kshirey@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 2039. Tennessee Baptist Missions Offering Giving Last Year Receipts Total 2015-2016 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions $ 1,713,258 (Sept. 2015 Aug. 2016) 2015-2016 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions $11,579,335 (Dec. 2015 Nov. 2016) 2016-2017 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions $ 4,603,917 (March 2016 Feb. 2017) 2016-2017 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions $ 1,790,776 (Sept. 2016 as of Aug. 11, 2017) 8
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Tennessee WMU Endowments and Funds Want to leave a missions legacy? Scholarships, missions, and ministries are funded with this additional stream of income provided by investment earnings. Tennessee WMU has several endowments and funds. For more information, call Vickie Anderson, 800-558-2090 ext. 7918 or email vanderson@tnbaptist.org. Tennessee Touch Tomorrow Today Endowment, held at WMU Foundation - Annual investment earnings are distributed equally between Tennessee WMU and National WMU. Tennessee N Touch Endowment, held at the WMU Foundation Annual investment earnings are distributed to Tennessee WMU. Tennessee WMU Missions for Life Fund, held at the Tennessee Baptist Foundation - Annual investment earnings from this fund ($145,000 corpus) roll back into the fund. At this time, withdrawals from the fund are only made in special circumstances. Missionary House Endowment, held at the WMU Foundation Earnings from this endowment ($100,000 corpus) will be used to pay annual and long term care expenses for the Tennessee WMU missionary house Mary s House. Myrtle Creasman Scholarship Fund, held at the Tennessee Baptist Foundation The invested earnings from this fund ($22,000 corpus) are used for an annual scholarship for outstanding female students who are a member of a Tennessee Baptist church. Katharine Bryan Scholarship Endowment, held at the WMU Foundation - The invested earnings from this endowment funds an annual scholarship for female graduate students who are a member of a Tennessee Baptist church or have Tennessee Baptist ties. Betty Moss Powers Scholarship Endowment, held at the WMU Foundation The invested earnings from this endowment fund an annual scholarship for full-time upper class undergraduate Tennessee Baptist students who have a definite career interest in missions. Tennessee WMU is committed to training church and associational missions leaders. Trained leaders provide the highest quality missions education in Tennessee Baptist churches. Therefore, the Tennessee WMU staff has selected a highly trained team of experienced WMU leaders to multiply our efforts to equip church mission s leaders across the state. The Tennessee WMU LEAD Team is made up of experienced leaders; outstanding missions educators, sought after advisors, and visionary developers. The LEAD Team members are available to consult, lead conferences, and speak at events in your church and/or association. The LEAD Team is available to assist your church. 2017-2018 Tennessee WMU LEAD Team Preschool: Julia Binford, Karen Whittaker Children: Yolanda Heuser, Bill Hicks, Brian Holt, Amanda Lemmings, Jenice Pearson Students: Kelley Adkins, Anna Huggins, Rhonda Poore, Andrea Young Adults: Cynthia Brown, Delores Coffey, Martha Pitts, Lynda Ryan, Tika Scoles, Stephanie Edge WMU: Dottie Babcock, Ramona Hicks, Shelby Lord, Ruth McNabb, Elaine Pearson Contact information for the LEAD Team is available from the state WMU office. Please contact Vickie Anderson at vanderson@tnbaptist.org or call 800-558-2090 ext. 7918. 10