2022 National Convention

2022 Convention Highlights

NATIONAL CONVENTION | JULY 24-27 | BIRMINGHAM, AL

Celebration Service

Over 100 people gathered for this year’s WNAC Celebration Service. After two well-known and loved hymns, Amy Johnson introduced the featured speaker, missionary to Japan, Shannon Little. Shannon shared about the life of Joseph; how he continued to do the next right thing, no matter what issues arose in his life. She told the story of how God intervened in her life plan to lead her to the mission field in Japan. She admitted that, initially, COVID-19 felt like a pesky interruption, but God used it as divine intervention to bring her home to care for her mother and friends when her nursing skills were most needed. Shannon explained that circumstances and situations might arise in our lives that feel like interruptions, but those moments might be the situations God uses to further our work for Him. “We have an ant’s-eye perspective,” she noted. “God has the Hubble telescope view of our lives, and He also has an electron microscope.” He loves us and knows us, and desire to know us. She concluded by asking listeners what they would do with interruptions that occur in life. Phyllis York shared the 2022 Director’s Report and introduced the new director, Ruth McDonald. Amy Johnson, board c¬hair, honored Pam Hackett for serving on the board of WNAC for 13 years.

Laughter and Latté

This year’s Laughter and Latté started with ice cream and, of course, lattés. After everyone enjoyed their fill of ice cream and coffee, the evening contin-

ued with laughter. WNAC board members presented a short skit that creatively and comically introduced Ruth McDonald as the new WNAC director. After the laughter died, attendees enjoyed a slideshow tracing Ruth McDonald’s life and ministry in Japan. Ruth’s daughter, Katie Speer, also serving as a missionary to Japan, created the presentation. After Ruth’s brief introduction, Tracy Payne hosted a trivia time, asking questions about the future Director. As everyone soon learned, Ruth prefers ribs to steak, sandals to sneakers, and many other fun and amusing facts. The evening ended with prayer after Ruth shared the story of her journey to the new position over recent years. “I feel well prepared because of everyone’s prayers,” she concluded. “We are going out with joy and being led forth with peace.”

Business

In her reports to the General Board and business session of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, Phyllis York, interim director of WNAC, acknowledged 2021 as a year of transition. After former director Elizabeth Hodges retired in August 2021, Phyllis began serving as interim director until Ruth McDonald returns from Japan to start her new role. The department’s income is down due to recent changes to membership structure and fees. Considering this, York encouraged individuals, groups, churches, and associations to support WNAC through The Giving Tree, a campaign of monthly organizational support. Free Will Baptist women gave $425,000 in 2021 to missions and ministry causes. Over the last year, more than $21,000 in home goods, gift cards, and finances were donated to the Provision Closet. Scholarships were awarded to Daniel Delgado (Miley Scholarship), Word of Life School, Bangladesh (Pursell Scholarship), Leslie Arrendondo (Southeastern), Heather Thomas (Welch), and Michelle Sharp (Randall University) received the Wisehart Scholarships. York celebrated the first in-person event since the pandemic when 115 attendees from ten states gathered in West Virginia for the Flourish Conference hosted by ladies from Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. She pointed listeners to new Web

and social media resources, including online Treasure Bible studies, e-blasts, and resources for young women at shinefwb. com. At the conclusion of her report, York honored Pam Hackett for many years of board service, thanked women for the opportunity to serve as interim director, and gave Ruth McDonald an opportunity to greet delegates. Ruth thanked Phyllis for her interim work, thanked the WNAC Board for the honor of serving as the new director, and expressed excitement about “changing hats” as she steps into the new position. However, she also explained that the missions of IM and WNAC overlap and complement Ad Space one another in fulfilling the Great Commission and making disciples. “This new role is not a departure from my calling,” Ruth concluded. “It is an extension of my calling.” McDonald thanked Free Will Baptist women for their faithfulness and staunch support of missions and expressed her desire to give back, coming alongside Free Will Baptist women everywhere to disciple the next generation of young women.