Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

WMU EVENT LASTS BEYOND CONFERENCE

Attendees encouraged to stay engaged all year

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

GATLINBURG — From Vickie Anderson’s perspective, the most important piece of WMU’s annual Missions Get-Together and Connection conference doesn’t occur during the weekend of the event.

Rather, it is the days, weeks and months after the conference that are the most significant, and the most satisfying, to Anderson, the executive director of Tennessee WMU.

“For me, the most exciting part is to see how individuals and churches respond to the way the Lord nudged them during the conference,” Anderson said. “To see churches getting involved with a ministry or getting deeper in Bible study or mentoring and ministering to someone — those are the stories that excite us.” [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

REFUGEE EXHIBIT CREATES PERSPECTIVE

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

Upon entering the refugee simulation, the women were given a number and instructed to put all personal belongings in a trash bag.

GATLINBURG — According to recent data released by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, there are 65.6 million displaced individuals, or refugees, in the world today. It is the highest number in recorded history and is growing by hundreds of thousands each year.

Sadly, when hearing numbers like that, there is a tendency to forget that there are faces behind the figures. It almost becomes lost that these are real people, with real emotions and real families. And many of them are hurting.

In hopes of shining a light on these dark developments, national WMU has worked with several other organizations to create the “Refugee Simulation Experience” — an interactive, walk-through exhibit that enables participants to better grasp the hardships that many refugees are facing.  [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

REMEMBERING CANDY PHILLIPS

By Martha Pitts
Germantown Baptist Church, Germantown

Candy Phillips

A sudden loss of a friend right before Christmas brought on a very somber mood and reflection on her life. Amazing, though, how God can help you recall what you can find amid the loss.

We lost Candy Phillips this year.  Sharing grandkids tales and how we were adjusting to a new season of life, our usual work dominated conversations had shifted to enjoying our friendship.  Yet one month later I get a heart-breaking call that cancer had abruptly shortened her life. Note: take those extra moments to share life.

Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) was the conduit that brought Candy into my life.  [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

RETIRED WMU LEADER DIES

Baptist and Reflector

Candy Phillips

FRANKLIN — Candy Phillips, retired executive director of Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union, died Dec. 22 after a battle with cancer and liver disease. She was 70.

Phillips retired Dec. 31, 2014 after serving as executive director for 11 years. Prior to her election as executive director, Phillips served as president of Tennessee WMU for four years. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

GRATITUDE FELT BY MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

‘Christmas checks’ a testament of WMU’s lifetime missions commitment

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN  — The big, yellow folder that Tennessee WMU executive director Vickie Anderson keeps in her drawer is just about to burst.

The folder is filled with thank you cards and letters that Anderson has received from retired IMB missionaries and their children.  [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

MISSIONARY REFLECTS ON CAREER, CP, LMCO

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector

KNOXVILLE — As he nears his retirement after spending much of his adult life serving God in Africa, John McPherson has an interesting take on his career as a missionary.

“I don’t think what I have done should be seen as a sacrifice,” said McPherson. “Doing what you love to do is not a sacrifice. The sacrifice was really made by my parents. It’s a sacrifice for those who love the person (who has been called).”  [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

GOTM — SUPPORTING MISSIONS IN TENNESSEE

By Vickie Anderson
Executive Dir., TN WMU

Vickie Anderson

It is almost here, one of my favorite times of the year — September. I love getting to spend time with family and friends over Labor Day weekend and that fall weather and cooler temperatures begin to arrive. But the thing I love the most about September is that it is state missions emphasis month. For Tennessee Baptists, September brings the opportunity to observe and participate in the season of prayer for state missions and the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions. And while the offering is taken year-round and the ministries happen through the year, we spotlight in September how together we support missions and ministries in Tennessee. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

LMCO REACHES FOURTH LARGEST TOTAL EVER

Compiled by B&R Staff

RICHMOND — The 2016 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions contained a “good news, bad news” scenario.

The good news is that the offering reached its fourth highest total ever, closing at approximately $153 million, according to data released June 7 by the IMB.

The bad news is that the amount was down by more than $12.8 million or 7.7 percent from last year’s record total of $165,815,541 that was collected amid news that the IMB was reducing its missionary and stateside personnel due to financial challenges. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

TENNESSEE’S BECKY SUMRALL HONORED BY WMU

By Grace Thornton
WMU Writer

Becky Sumrall, right, a Tennessee Baptist who has spent the past 40 years mentoring women from all walks of life, receives this year’s Dellanna West O’Brien Award for Women’s Leadership Development from Vickie Anderson, executive director of the Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union, at the morning session of the national Woman’s Missionary Union annual meeting in Phoenix June 12. — Photo by Van Payne

PHOENIX — Becky Sumrall, a Tennessee Baptist who has spent the past 40 years mentoring women from all walks of life, is the recipient of this year’s Dellanna West O’Brien Award for Women’s Leadership Development.

The award, presented annually by Woman’s Missionary Union since 1998, comes with a $2,500 grant from WMU Foundation that will go to further Sumrall’s ministry at Begin Anew, Middle Tennessee’s branch of Christian Women’s Job Corps and Christian Men’s Job Corps. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

WMU GIVES SECOND GRANT TO FIRE RELIEF

Baptist Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As the Smoky Mountain resort towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge continue to recover from last year’s devastating wildfires, a second $5,000 HEART (Humanitarian Emergency Aid for Rebuilding Tomorrow) Fund grant from the national Woman’s Missionary Union and the WMU Foundation will assist workers struggling due to the decline in tourism. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

Recent Posts

Tags

abortion baptisms Baptist Collegiate Ministries Bible: Acts Bible: Matthew Bible: Psalms Carson-Newman University childhood Christmas church revitalization collegiate Cooperative Program coronavirus COVID-19 Disaster Relief education election evangelism family Five Objectives Golden Offering homosexuality IMB international LifeWay Lonnie Wilkey Lottie Moon missions money NAMB pastors prayer racial reconciliation Radio B&R Randy C. Davis SBC SBC annual meeting sports Summit TenneScene Union University volunteers WMU Woman's Missionary Union youth

Categories

Bible Studies for Life Culture Explore the Bible Featured News Opinion Column Radio B&R SBC Sunday School Lessons Tennessee