By Baptist Message staff
NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist women will be challenged to embrace joy as they celebrate, April 19-20, during a special anniversary conference hosted by the First Baptist Church, New Orleans.
“At this year’s Embrace conference, we will highlight 125 years of WMU in our state and reflect upon the Kingdom impact Louisiana Baptist women have had through their service and support of missions,”
Louisiana Baptist Women’s Mission & Ministry Strategist Christine Gill told the Baptist Message. “The location of this anniversary celebration was intentional. The pastor of First Baptist New Orleans called Georgia Barnette in 1901 to serve as a missionary to New Orleans. We wanted to commemorate the calling of Georgia Barnette, who held the first full time position with Louisiana WMU, to Louisiana.”
Embrace kicks off with check-in on Friday, April 19, at 4 p.m., and the first session will begin at 6 p.m. Messages will be presented by keynote speaker, Julie Busler, Oklahoma WMU president, author of “Joyful Sorrow: Breaking Through the Darkness of Mental Illness.”
Special guests at Embrace will be Sandy Wisdom-Martin, National WMU executive director/treasurer, and Faith Grosshans, Lifeway women’s trainer as well as the girls’ minister with Woodridge Baptist Church in Kingwood, Texas.
Breakout sessions will train women in the areas of missions, personal evangelism, spiritual development, and discipleship. The weekend will also feature statewide WMM initiatives and election of officers, Bible study, worship, prayer for missionaries, and a beignet fellowship.
Early bird registration by March 22. Regular registration by April 15.
Learn more: louisianabaptists.org/embrace , email wmm@louisianabaptists.org, or (318) 449-4268.
