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Women on ‘Unshakable Pursuit’
Dianna L. Cagle, BR Production Editor
May 13, 2019
6 MIN READ TIME

Women on ‘Unshakable Pursuit’

Women on ‘Unshakable Pursuit’
Dianna L. Cagle, BR Production Editor
May 13, 2019

“We’re on an unshakeable pursuit of God and His mission,” said Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director-treasurer of national Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) based in Birmingham, Ala., to the 479 Missions Extravaganza participants. “God’s best for us always lies just beyond our comfort zone.”

BR photo by Dianna L. Cagle

Sandy Wisdom-Martin, national WMU executive director-treasurer, leads a prayer of dedication over the newly elected officers and board members of Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina.

While the WMU leader served as the main speaker for Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina (WMU-NC) event April 26-27 at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh, Teresa Harmening, music minister at Leesville Baptist Church in Bagwell, Texas, led the music.

Based on 1 Corinthians 15:58, the theme for the 128th annual meeting was “Unshakable Pursuit: Stand Firm and Don’t Be Shaken.”

“God is drawing us to the future that He has for us,” Wisdom-Martin said. “We do what we do because we believe the world needs to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and we have a responsibility to take the gospel to the nations.”

There are three characteristics needed for believers: courage, passion and humility, she said.

“I believe, along with prayer and courage, I honestly believe that walking humbly will move us down the road,” she said.

Wisdom-Martin urged the women to pursue God “with everything we have” even when “we feel like we don’t measure up.”

While all are unworthy, Wisdom-Martin said the first step is to confess brokenness to God. Add to that, rethinking success and listening more to the voice of God than those around you.

“God is more concerned with your faithfulness and obedience than He is about your ambition and your accomplishments,” she said. “Stop comparing yourself to others.”

She thanked the women for their history and their future.

“We’re so proud of the legacy that North Carolina WMU has left at national WMU,” she said.

Fannie Heck

Rosalie Hunt spoke about her new book, Out of Exile: Fannie Heck and the Rest of the Story, on the life of Fannie Exile Scudder Heck.

Heck was instrumental in the beginning of WMU and missionary societies in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

“More than any other one woman, Fannie Heck has shaped Woman’s Missionary Union as we have it today,” Hunt said.

Heck created the idea of themes for annual meetings and the missionary prayer calendar.

“Plan not for the year but for the years,” Hunt quoted Heck, whose name is used for the Heck Jones Offering each year for WMU-NC. Sallie Bailey Jones is the other woman named in that offering.

WMU-NC business

The WMU-NC business meeting occurred during the Saturday morning session of the meeting. Participants passed the 2019 budget totaling $665,918.

The biggest difference from the $935,031 budget of 2018 is in the Camp Mundo Vista operation costs, which made up $291,798 in the 2018 budget.

With just one month of those expenses in January 2019, the cost for WMU-NC was $26,091.

BR photo by Dianna L. Cagle

Cheering for the Heck-Jones Offering got participants out of the pew during the 128th annual Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina Missions Extravaganza. The two-day event was held at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh. “We’re so proud of the legacy that North Carolina WMU has left at national WMU,” said Sandy Wisdom-Martin, national WMU executive director-treasurer.

On Feb. 1 WMU-NC entered into an agreement with Caraway Conference Center and Camp for managing the facilities and the camps, with input from WMU-NC on curriculum. WMU-NC has leased the land from the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) for 50 years. The lease agreement continues through 2091.

Caraway, also owned by BSC, will operate and maintain the camp. WMU-NC owns the buildings on the land. Camp Mundo Vista took up one-third of WMU-NC’s annual budget. The organization plans to continue to hold its board meetings at the camp as well as to support a variety of camps and retreats at the site near Sophia.

One of the major changes was to the by-laws allowing for current president Dee Dee Moody and vice president Deborah Taylor to be approved for a fifth year, a change suggested because of the expertise needed in the transition of the camp.

Moody is a member of First Baptist Church in Salisbury, and Taylor is a member of Great Marsh Baptist Church in Saint Pauls.

Other officers and board members include: Barbara Hill of Fairview Baptist Church in Statesville, vice-president of development; Beth McDonald of McDonald Baptist Church in Rockingham, recording secretary; Allison Markwood of Mercy Hill Church in Greensboro, assistant recording secretary; Corby Bunting of Pinetops Baptist Church, region 2; Faye Owens of Mill Creek Baptist Church in Roseboro and Missie Wells of First Baptist Church in Polkton, region 3; Gina Smith of Buies Creek First Baptist Church, region 4; Sandy Simpson of University Hills Baptist Church in Charlotte, region 6; Susie Black of Westwood BaptistChurch in Asheville, region 9; and Karen Burnette McCracken of Stecoah Baptist Church in Robbinsville, region 10.

In her executive director-treasurer report, Amy Pardue Boone recognized Julie Keith for her 20th anniversary April 1.

Boone also presented Keith and Margaret Harding a gift for 20 years of service. Harding’s anniversary falls on July 1.

Another special presentation was made to Bob Navey, camp manager for Camp Mundo Vista for 27 years.

Bob, along with his wife Julie and his family served the camp sacrificially, said Boone, who gave them a framed print of camp pictures and a monetary gift.

“Camp Mundo Vista wouldn’t be what it is today,” without the Naveys, said Boone.

During the meeting, the women collected $7,606.89 to go towards the ministries of WMU-NC. The women also bought 267 copies of Hunt’s recent book about Heck. With the purchases of Hunt’s books, she was able to donate $3,500 to WMU-NC. A children’s camp that was held on Saturday had 18 registrations.

The next meeting is April 24-25, 2020, at Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church in Charlotte.

Visit wmunc.org.