Monthly Archives: January 2017

Mats for the Homeless

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Homelessness is a problem across our state and around the world. While there are many reasons for this problem and many attempts to help people in need, homelessness persists. A project involving discarded grocery bags is one way to help.

Bill Barker, missionary with the North American Mission Board, serves as National Director for Appalachian Regional Ministry and Mississippi River Ministry. Bill will be with us for the 2017 Kentucky WMU Annual Meeting at Central Baptist in Corbin. While his primary task will be to introduce the Christmas Backpact Project, we’ve also asked Bill to share about NAMB’s work through Send Relief.

Bill is in contact with many of our Kentucky missionaries as he partners with KBC Missions Mobilization Coordinator, Teresa Parrett. He frequently is given items to donate to ministries as he travels across ARM / MRM areas. Bill suggested that WMU groups might like to bring mats for the homeless as part of our collection of items for Eastern Kentucky Ministries at Annual Meeting.

Printed instructions for making the mats are found on both the National WMU and Kentucky WMU web site. There is also an instructional video available on YouTube.

Bill says that these mats are a welcome item for many who are homeless. While we all want to do even more, this is a start.

If you can’t make mats, there are plenty of items you can bring to Annual Meeting to help with ministry in Eastern Kentucky.  Learn more: kywmu.org/annualmeeting/ministryproject.

Celebrate Missions at the Kentucky WMU Annual Meeting

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Annual Mtg promo image lo resCome celebrate missions with us at the 2017 Kentucky WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting. It promises to be a special time of celebrating missions involvement and what God is doing around the world. “By All Means” will be the focus of the two-day event at Central Baptist Church in Corbin. The program begins on Friday morning, March 31, 9:00 a.m. and concludes on Saturday, April 1 at noon.

Katie-Orr coppedKatie Orr, author of the Everyday Faith, Hope, Love, and Peace series from WMU’s New Hope Press, will provide Bible study theme interpretations in all sessions.

Bill BarkerEastern Kentucky missionaries will be featured in the Friday morning session. In addition, Bill Barker, National Director of Appalachian Regional Ministry and Mississippi River Ministry, North American Mission Board will introduce the NAMB Christmas Backpack project, a new project for Kentucky WMU and the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

The morning session will be followed by an Eastern Kentucky Missions Extravaganza which will include variety of interactive missions experiences and conferences on Friday from 11:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Participants can also eat a boxed lunch, visit displays, and go to the book store during this time.

Annual meeting attendees are asked to bring items for Eastern Kentucky ministries such as baby wipes, diapers, and clothes; new underwear and socks for children and adults; new tennis shoes and children’s coats; small toys; school supplies, backpacks; and full size hygiene items. Large print King James Bibles have also been specifically requested. Donated items will be sorted at the meeting and divided among ministries represented at the event.

Kentucky missionaries serving with the International Mission Board will share their work in the Friday evening session. Stan and Wendy Meador, serving with American Peoples, and AE, serving with Central Asian Peoples, will be featured. The program will also include reports from volunteers who have served this past year with Baptist Global Response in food and seed distribution in Lesotho.

Roxanne Nanney, Minister of Music at Brandenburg First Baptist Church will lead the music in all sessions, accompanied by Libby Thomas. The Central Baptist Church choir will present a short concert at 6:30 p.m. Friday to begin the evening session.

Oneida 2014_choirThe final session begins Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Ron Shaw, foster parent with Sunrise Children’s Services, will share his testimony followed by a presentation of the Kentucky Missionary of the Year Award, and a Commissioning Service for new Kentucky missionaries. Bill Barker will speak about NAMB’s Send Relief ministry followed by a concert by the Oneida Baptist Institute Choir.

There will also be a special missions time for children on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. led by Stacy Nall and Jon Auten. Children will meet Bill Barker and participate in a missions activity.

An offering for Kentucky WMU ministries to missionaries and Missionary Kids (MKs) will be received during the meeting. Kentucky WMU provides Christmas gifts to Kentucky born international missionaries as well as a fall and spring gift to Kentucky MKs who are attending college in Kentucky. Those unable to attend the annual meeting but who want to support Kentucky WMU ministries to missionaries are encouraged to send a gift for the offering or mail a donation to the Kentucky WMU office.

A boxed lunch will be available on Friday at noon at a cost of $9.00 which must be ordered in advance. The Baptist Nursing Fellowship and Executive Board Reunion dinners will be at the church on Friday at 5:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required for all meals and preschool child care. Annual Meeting information and online reservations can be found on Kentucky WMU web site: kywmu.org/annualmeeting.

I am excited about this year’s annual meeting. The focus on Eastern Kentucky ministries will not only be informative, but through the hands-on activities, you will gain a deeper understanding of the needs. We are family in WMU and you will want to be part of our annual “family reunion.” Come enjoy the fellowship, music, and missions inspiration of the entire program. Learn how Kentucky WMU facilitates missions involvement!