Annuals 2016 Annual Book | Page 72

Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union 2016 Annual Report Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union encourages and equips churches and individuals to engage in missions learning and involvement that impacts spiritual lostness in Tennessee and around the world. The WMU emphasis for 2015-16 was “All For You – Surrender, Sacrifice, Serve” based on Mark 8:34. Highlights from the past year include:     The 2015-16 State Acteens Advisory Panelists were Hannah Schussler from Ebenezer Baptist Church in Greenbrier, Emily Bartlett from Caney Fork Baptist Church in Cookeville and Callie Simmons from Rocky Point Baptist Church in Morristown. The 2015 Week of Prayer for State Missions was September 13-20, 2015 and the theme was “Serve as You Have Been Served”. The goal for the 2015-16 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions was $1,750,000. The total amount given to the 2015-16 GOTM was $1,713,258. The total was a 5.3% increase over the previous year. In addition, 1,220 churches gave to the offering in 2015-16, a net increase of 44 churches over the previous year. The GOTM giving year is September 1 – August 31. A total of 194 women participated in the Women’s Prayer Retreat on September 18-19, 2015 at West Jackson Baptist Church. “No Fear” was the event theme and featured speaker, Kimberly Sowell from South Carolina, blessed us with messages on “not a spirit of fear”, “but of power”, and “of love and self-control” based on 2 Timothy 1:7. o Over 2,000 toiletries, bed-n-bath, school supplies, books, sport items and clothing were collected and given to a local ministry, Eden of Youth Town. o An offering of $1,132.61 was collected and given to Baptist Global Response to benefit the Syrian refugee crisis. October is always a busy time for children’s missions events. o Over the three weekends of JAM, there were 677 participants, from 57 different churches from across Tennessee, with an additional 135 volunteers. o At RA Camp-O-Ree, there were 634 campers and adult leaders representing 39 churches, with over 100 additional adults serving as volunteers and missionaries who led and participated in different activities. 70