By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
WOODWORTH – Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director/treasurer of the Woman’s Missionary Union of the Southern Baptist Convention, will challenge ladies attending the upcoming Louisiana Baptist WMU Mission Celebration to embrace their God-given mandate to fulfill His purpose.
Scheduled for April 13-14 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth, the event will highlight how women are participating in what God is doing in the state, North America and around the world.
The meeting’s theme is “Embrace,” based on Esther 4:14b.
“Young Queen Esther, with human trepidation and courageous faith in God, approached the king to make a bold request that would save her Hebrew people,” said Janie Wise, women’s missions and ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “God equipped her for the moment and for the mission. That is where women are in this day – living in a world, in a state, where we are surrounded by the lost, the lonely and the hurting.
“We find ourselves making bold requests of the Father,” she continued. “But He is faithful and He has equipped us. He has “’made [us] queen for such a time as this.’”
The event kicks off Friday evening with dinner at 5 p.m. and a general session at 6:15 p.m. Four breakout conferences and a “Refugee Loss” simulation highlight Friday’s session. The simulation is an interactive awareness designed to help the women begin to understand what it means to be refugee.
Saturday morning at 7:15 a.m., the Louisiana Baptist Nursing Fellowship will hold its annual breakfast.
All nurses and other interested health care professionals are welcome to attend.
A mission brunch will conclude the weekend.
Wisdom-Martin will be joined by a family serving in central Asia, Shannon Brown, ESL coordinator for Louisiana Baptists, and Trent DeLoach, North American Mission Board Send Relief missionary and pastor of Clarkston International Bible Church in Clarkston, Ga.
RAISING UP ESTHERS
New to this year’s celebration is the acTEENS Girl Weekend, a simultaneous retreat for teen girls.
Activities on site for the girls in grades 7-12 will include a missions tasting party, adventure race, popcorn bar, assembling prayer journals, missions lunch and devotion time.
“We are committed to guiding girls, especially teen girls, to find their value in discipleship and missions,” Wise said. “Jess Archer, children’s/youth mission education strategist, has planned this weekend, for all teen girls, to do just that.”
The WMU Missions Celebration is sponsored by Louisiana Baptists’ Women’s Missions and Ministry and partially funded by the Cooperative Program.
Costs to attend the celebration vary depending on housing preferences and meal selections.
A fee of $60 to attend the acTEENS Girl Weekend includes dorm housing, three meals and program fee.
An additional $20 fee is required for Baptist Nursing Fellowship breakfast.
Registration deadline is April 4 and reservation forms for the Friday dinner and Saturday breakfast, along with program information are available at LouisianaBaptists.org/WMC. E-mail wmm@louisianabaptists.org or call 318.448.3402, for more information.
