Jean McCraney, Kayla Madison and daughter Aubrey deliver goods to the Alabama Children's Home.

Jean McCraney, who spearheaded the project within this WAC group of nine, enlisted help from other women in the church and helped deliver the gifts to the Alabama home.  Sister Inez Jones serves as coordinator of the group.

Tom's Creek president Alice Jewell Stambaugh (left), and Mary Ruth Melvin (center) present quilt to Erie Brown (right).

At their May meeting, Tom’s Creek Women Active for Christ once again recognized Sister
Erie Brown  for her years of faithful attendance. The group began meeting in May 1972, and in all that time, Erie has never missed a meeting. (That’s 39 years of perfect attendance!) In recognition of this, another group member, Mary Ruth Melvin, presented Erie with a surprise gift of a handmade quilt. The quilt contains squares on which each of the members signed their names. WNAC extends congratulations on a job well done—by both Erie Brown and Mary Ruth Melvin.

The event coincides with the National Association of Free Will Baptists and the National Youth Conference (NYC) which meet July 17-20.

WNAC’s new one-day format allows women to pick and choose session offerings and take in more of NYC competitions and activities.  The day’s events include an interactive seminar, a special missions worship service with Panama missionaries Steve and Judy Lytle, WNAC’s annual business session and two bonus opportunities for collective brainstorming. Scheduled breaks in between sessions make for easy transitions to NYC or NAFWB Convention activities. All sessions meet in Room 207 of the Charlotte Convention Center. Sessions are free but all women must register.

Tickets for the WNAC fellowship luncheon with speaker Carolyn Dwyer are $25 each and may be purchased by calling 877-767-7662. Hurry! Reservations are limited.

Plans and Ideas Brainstorming Handout

First Pryor WAC. BACK ROW L-R: Gail Ware, Leanne Ballard, Patti McCrary. MIDDLE ROW L-R: Barbara Bunnell, Joyce Smith, Rowena Darnell, Peggy Curry, Caroline Peters. FRONT ROW KNEELING: Robbie Helvie.

Women Active for Christ of First Free Will Baptist Church, Pryor, Oklahoma, recently sponsored a garage sale for missions. The two-day event, April 15-16, netted approximately $1,800. Monies will go toward upcoming offerings for District and State WAC projects such as the Hillsdale Scholarship Fund and mission churches in the state. “The women worked hard,” says Leanne Griffin of the church.

This longtime WAC group meets the third Saturday morning of each month. Leadership includes: Brenda Searles, Coordinator; Leanne Ballard, Assistant Coordinator; Patti McCrary, Secretary; Carolyn Smith, Treasurer; Barbara Bunnell, Missions Chairman; Caroline Peters, Missions Prayer; Robbie Helvie, Missions Study.

Jan Taylor (left) and Ann Kennedy(right) don cultural attire.

The Lydia Circle Women Active for Christ of First Free Will Baptist Church, Dothan, Alabama, added international food and flair to their PreEaster observances. The group sponsored and prepared a Sunday evening meal for the congregation, April 10,  as a fundraiser for International Missions.

Many happy diners gave generously to missions.

Mother and daughter Barbara and April Taylor serve Indian food.

Five stations highlighted food and decor from these cultures: Uruguayan/Brazilian, Asian, Hispanic, French/Russian and Indian/African. Attendees got a taste of Uruguay and Brazil through flan, coconut pudding, bean stew, rice, greens and fruit prepared by Judy Train and Mary Yance. Asian offerings by Mada Anderson, Mary Glazier and Ann Kennedy included oriental salad, sweet-sour chicken, Caluha pig, fried rice, Asian nut crunch and donuts. Hispanic hostesses Jan Taylor and Judy Allen served up Mexican taco bake, chips, fried rice and cookies. Russian and French cuisine, prepared by Elaine Brown and Merle Jordan, included golobsky, saurkraut and kielbasa and  chicken Cordon Bleu, chocolate mousse, and petit fours. Barbara Taylor, Geraldine Boyd and Patti Cox offered a taste of India and Africa in their curry chicken accented with fruits, nuts and sauces and African chicken, rice and beans.

“Thanks to much research, hot ovens, bright ideas and borrowing from our wonderful friends and relatives, we not only came up with great food, but colorful, authentic displays as well,” says Merle Jordan, WAC prayer chairman.

LEFT: Barbara Taylor, Geraldine Boyd and Patti Cox serve Indian and African food. RIGHT: Mada Anderson, Mary Glazier and Ann Kennedy offer Asian delights.

LEFT: Judy Train and Mary Yance offer Uruguayan/Brazilian fare. RIGHT: Elaine Brown and Merle Jordan serve Russian and French cuisine.

LEFT: Jan Taylor and Judy Allen prepared Hispanic dishes. RIGHT: Special guests included Rev. David Williford and mom.

There’s still time for your women’s group to participate in both the PreEaster Week of Prayer (April 18-22) and the World Missions Offering. Download your prayer guide. Find information about the WMO.

Harmony WAC's Sweet Shop Project (making valentine candy boxes)

One of the largest WAC groups in the nation, Harmony Free Will Baptist Women Active for Christ, Warren, Arkansas, organized in 2005. Twenty-three women attended the first meeting in the church parsonage. Today, 54 members, ranging in age from 11 to 93, comprise the group. They now meet in the church fellowship hall on the first Tuesday of each month.

Love in Any Language fellowship meal

Monthly meetings center around a special theme. This February’s meeting, “Love in Any Language” included an international meal. Ladies brought dishes from around the world—20 countries in all—for all to taste and enjoy.  Women learned a song in Spanish to share with the congregation the following Sunday night.

Leaving for WNAC National Retreat in Branson, MO

The group supports both FWB Home and International missionaries, the WNAC office, local church ministries and community-based outreaches. They pursue involvement in WNAC at every level—district, state and national. Last fall, they began an afternoon Bible study hour on the first Friday of each month. The group also publishes a monthly newletter for their church women and others interested in WAC. (Anyone wishing to receive it via email should contact sandyforman@tds.net.)

From the beginning, Harmony women have involved themselves in projects and they love them. Together women hold dinners, dessert auctions, a Christmas bazaar and an annual yard sale as a means to raise money for missionaries and other ministry needs. The group annually participates in their county festival, setting up a booth of homemade items, baked goods, and other wares.

Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child

Race for the Cure

For the past six years, women have participated in Operation Christmas Child and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The group collected 300 pairs of socks for Hannah’s Socks, an organization that provides socks for homeless shelters and abuse centers in the Midwest.

Recently the group participated in a “Crockpot Sunday Donation Dinner.”  Each woman brought a crockpot food item. Church folk enjoyed a literal crockpot feast and women raised $500 to help send six men of the church on the Master’s Men Alaskan Mission Trip this coming July.  Women are now busily planning a women’s “Fashion Show Fundraiser” in the spring.

They’ve prepared care packages for soldiers in Iraq and for workers in a restricted access region; they’ve helped with door-to-door visitation and cleaning at Gracepoint a FWB mission church in Cabot, Arkansas. They regularly sing at the nursing home.

Singing at the nursing home

They’ve collected eyeglasses for the Lion’s Club and school supplies for the church’s van ministry kids. In 2006, the group made handmade quilts for every bed at the Florence Crittendon Children’s Home in Little Rock, Arkansas.  They collected 300 packs of crayons for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital and presented them along with homemade pillows for children there. This past year, they made and distributed snack bags to every home in the community as part of a “Community-Love Thy Neighbor” project. Last Valentines Day, the group made over 300 boxes of homemade candy as part of a “Sweet Shop Project.” Members recently volunteered as servers at a benefit banquet for the Hope Center in Monticello, Arkansas, which provides prenatal care, counseling and even a Bible study for unwed teen mothers. Ladies also contributed diapers and wipes and $800 in spare change (collected in baby bottles).

Eyeglasses for Lion's Club

school supplies for van ministry kids

Preparing snack bags for Love thy Neighbor community outreach

Making quilts for the Children Hospital

Volunteering at the Hope Center

One project dear to their hearts is a “Prayer Blanket Ministry.” In a little over a year, women have donated, prayed over and distributed 60 blankets—each with the embroidered message “Praying for you—WAC”—to hospital patients, nursing home residents, cancer patients, and others in the community who needed healing and encouragement in remembering that every time they cover themselves with the blanket, they are also covered in prayer.

Harmony ladies are truly Women Active for Christ. Along with all their projects and special efforts, women also fill roles as Sunday school teachers, choir members, church committee members, special singers, district and state WAC board members, and faithful supporters of Harmony FWB Church.

What makes this group so special? Pastor’s wife and WAC president Sandy Forman concludes:

“The Harmony WAC works in unity and their main focus is on the Kingdom of Christ. Whatever they can do to bring glory to the Lord, that’s what these ladies want to do. It blesses me to see them happy about working for the Lord. They never complain, and they are always laughing and sharing as they work on projects for the Lord. They enjoy their time together, and the friendships that have been made are priceless. I am so blessed to be their pastor’s wife, WAC president, sister in Christ and friend. Pray for our group as we continue to be active for Christ.

Trinity Women Active for Christ in the Nora Mae Collinsworth Church Library

“Our group is proud to be affiliated with WNAC and what it represents,” says Darla Hunter, WAC coordinator at Trinity Free Will Baptist Church, Oklahoma City.  A relatively new group, Trinity became part of WNAC only four years ago. Although a ladies’ Bible study met prior to that time, women began using Together in the Word Bible studies with the very first issue of Together with God in January 2007,  and decided to join WNAC later that year.

Part of the First Oklahoma District, the group hosted the district meeting (annual salad supper) for the first time last fall. Darla adds, “Our association with these organizations has increased our awareness of mission work and related needs in our denomination, and we want to do what we can to contribute to the cause.”

WNAC play, "Boulevard of Lights"

Trinity’s current group of 12—ranging from young adults to great-grandmothers—meets at the church on the first Wednesday evening of each month. Occasionally women share skits from the WNAC Program and Plan Book in the church’s Sunday evening worship services. Last month, the church’s Christmas program centered around the WNAC play, Boulevard of Lights. When several adult readers became ill on the day of the program, children in the church happily took over their parts. WAC member Kay Talley directed.

2005 trip to Mexico

Kay not only directs the church’s annual Christmas program, but she also keeps missions forefront. Believing missionary work need not be just for long-term or career missionaries, she encourages others to go and get involved as health and family circumstances allow. And she puts those beliefs into practice. In 2005, Kay traveled with a team to Mexico, helping a small church build a new worship building. This past May, she accompanied sponsor Shirley Combs and six Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College students to Lar Nova Vida de Araras in Brazil.

2010 in Brazil

Prior to the trip, Trinity’s WAC collected clothing, shoes, toys and candies—enough to fill five 70-lb suitcases—for the boys’ home at LNV.  Trinity’s WAC also contributed monies to help with Hillsdale students’ trip expenses, as well as funds  for purchasing trading stamps and books for the boys at the home.

During their short history, this active WAC group has also donated a gift card for a new missionary family, prepared a Valentine box of goodies for patients at Brooks Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, collected items for Blue Star Mothers to send to our troops, and provided clothing and shoes for needy families in the church. This past Christmas, the group collected nearly $500.00 for school clothes, shoes, etc., for a family outside the church. Trinity WAC also contributed snack- pack items for Truth and Peace participants during the National Convention in July.

WAC members wear ministry hats as church clerk, church treasurer, assistant treasurer, church librarian, church pianist and assistant music director as well as  Sunday school teachers, singers, board members and volunteers who clean the church. Five ladies monthly participate (along with their pastor) in a ministry at two local assisted living centers.

Since the church’s inception, women have played an integral part in its ministries. Before they had a regular meeting place, the church met in a woman’s home. (Her family funded the church’s library in her honor.) As WAC, women will, no doubt, continue to take an active role—including planning the church’s 50th anniversary celebration in April.

Join WNAC, November 15-19, in honoring the ”Jewel Qualities” of home missionary wives during the annual PreThanksgiving Week of Prayer for National Home Missions. The week includes daily opportunities in praise and prayer for women involved in North American church planting and also presents a challenge from the Word to nurture these qualities in our own lives.

The week also builds momentum for FWBHM’s annual Mission: North America Offering the following Sunday (November 21). Women are encouraged to give cheerfully and generously to support this vital ministry.

WNAC and FWBHM jointly provide materials for both personal and local church women’s group use. A free packet is available by mail (one per church group, please) or you may download selective resources.

Jewel Qualities poster (8.5 x 11)

Jewel Qualities poster (8.5 x 14)

Jewel Qualities bookmarks

FAQ sheet for PreThanksgiving Week of Prayer