WMU leader Hillman nominated for BGCT 2nd vice president

WACO—Kathy Hillman, a former president of Woman's Missionary Union of Texas, will be nominated for second vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Kathy Hillman

Levi Price, retired professor at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary and longtime pastor of First Baptist Church in El Paso, will nominate Hillman at the BGCT annual meeting in Corpus Christi, Oct. 29-31.

Price remarked he has known her for decades and worked closely with her on the executive committee of Paisano Baptist Encampment's board of directors.

"She is a tremendous leader and an effective speaker who would represent the convention extremely well," he said.

Praising her involvement in multiple aspects of Texas Baptist life, Price pointed to her proven ability.

"If you ever want to get anything done, assign the job to Kathy. She will make sure it is accomplished, and she will do it extremely well," he said.

Hillman noted her family has deep roots in Texas Baptist life, going back three generations and extending to her children who were born in a Baptist hospital and educated in Baptist universities.

"I have strong ties to Texas Baptists, believe deeply in what Texas Baptists stand for and feel like it is my responsibility to give back to Texas Baptists in service," she said.

Hillman served as president of Texas WMU from 2000 to 2004 and has held numerous other posts as a WMU leader at the associational, state and national levels.

Through her WMU work and her other denominational service, she gained extensive experience working with churches of all sizes and diverse ethnic backgrounds.

"I believe I have a good understanding of the Baptist family and have some good ideas about how to bring together all kinds of people in the convention," she said.

Looking ahead to the 2013 BGCT annual meeting in San Antonio, scheduled in conjunction with meetings of the Hispanic Baptist Convention, the African-American Fellowship of Texas and other affinity groups, she said, "I would like to be a part of the planning process for that Texas Baptist family reunion."

Hillman grew up in First Baptist Church in Eldorado and has been a member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco since 1976, where she has held multiple leadership positions on committees, in Sunday school and Vacation Bible School, in the church's music ministry and in WMU.

She has served on the executive council and executive board of Waco Regional Baptist Association, and she was elected the association's first female vice moderator in 2008-2009 and its first female moderator in 2009-2011.

Hillman currently chairs the BGCT Committee to Nominate Executive Board Members. She has served on the BGCT Executive Board and chaired the BGCT Committee on Order of Business. She also has served on the BGCT Long Range Planning Committee and the Missions Review and Initiatives Committee.

She is a Baylor University graduate and has served in a variety of faculty and staff positions at the university since 1976, including service as associate professor and director of special collections for the central university libraries since 2008. She also is director of the library and archives for the Keston Center for Religion, Politics & Society at Baylor.

She and her husband, John, have three adult children and two grandsons.