Texas WMU reschedules annual meeting

Posted: 11/17/06

Texas WMU reschedules annual meeting

By Barbara Bedrick

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS—Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas’ board of directors voted to move the organization’s 2008 annual meeting to April instead of its traditional date scheduled in conjunction with the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting.

Board members said the move will enable WMU of Texas to better emphasize its role in missions. The organization has had a one-day meeting before the BGCT annual meeting. In 2008, a two-day meeting will enable WMU of Texas to communicate more effectively what it is doing, proponents argue.

The 2008 annual meeting will be at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, April 18-19.

“This move allows us more time and opportunity to do our annual meeting and to focus on our work,” Texas WMU Executive Director Carolyn Porterfield said. “We plan to combine our annual meeting with training opportunities, fellowship and inspiration in a two-day event instead of two hours so we can be better stewards of our financial resources.”

Porterfield noted the change in schedule likely would increase attendance. Leaders want to bring women together to celebrate what is happening in the church, in the associations and in missions, she said.

The BGCT investigation into misuse of convention church-starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley and its impact on the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions surfaced when BGCT Executive Board Executive Director Charles Wade held a dialogue with WMU of Texas board directors.

“I know that many of you have been shocked and saddened by what the investigation has revealed,” Wade said. He explained he “feels so personally betrayed” by those he trusted. Wade also addressed questions about their concerns over the distribution of funds from the Mary Hill Davis Offering.

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WMU directors expressed concern about what safeguards will be implemented. Wade explained the BGCT is developing a new policy on how checks are released.

A called meeting of the BGCT Executive Board addressed issues stemming from the independent BGCT Valley investigation, and Wade said further recommendations will be made at the board’s February meeting.

“They’re my boss, and I’m accountable to them,” Wade said.

“The devil was against us in the Valley, but we will not let him have victory.”

Porterfield reported that Texas WMU may, as it plans its next budget, allocate more of the Mary Hill Davis Offering to its own budget.

In other business, Texas WMU Endowment Team Chair Joy Fenner discussed the 2007 endowment campaign.

“When 1,000 people give $1,000 to WMU of Texas, we will increase our endowments by $1 million,” said Fenner, who was elected first vice president of the BGCT. The campaign began Nov. 1 and will run through 2007.

During the board’s dinner, Porterfield honored Mary Lou Serratt of Amarillo with a special tribute for her decades-long role in multicultural missionary work.