Welcome Gary Yochum as Southeastern Association’s new Ministry Coordinator. Coming out of the pastorate in Evansville, Gary and his wife, Debbie, will begin their new ministry with us September 1. Gary brings a passion for missions and pastors to his new position. You’ll want to meet him and talk about how you can support him and the work we as Southern Baptists have in this area!

If you do, Woman’s Missionary Union is the place to go! WMU has long been the main provider of current materials about Southern Baptist mission work. A national staff stands ready to help you subscribe to mission magazines and teach all ages about missionaries and how God is working around the world. Customer Service waits for your call! 1.800.968.7032

Go online to www.wmu.com and you’ll find a world of innovative materials for leading your church to pray for missions, to give to mission efforts, and to become involved in doing missions where you live and around the world. Through its WorldCrafts, Pure Water, Pure Love, Christian Women’s Job Corps, and mission trips, WMU is deeply committed to providing you and your church with quality publications that will help you implement your plans to impact your world for Christ.

Look up the following to learn more about some special mission projects:

• Host a WorldCrafts Christmas party to introduce this Fair Trade ministry helping women around the world market artisan products and support their families
• Donate funds to Pure Water, Pure Love to help our missionaries have pure drinking water on the field.
• How to increase your giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions
• Christian Women’s Job Corps (a ministry to help break the cycle of poverty) always needs volunteers to teach and churches’ support.

Woman’s Missionary Union is for all ages with organizations for Mission Friends (birth-K); Girls in Action and Royal Ambassadors (grades 1-6); Acteens (teens in 7th-12th grades); Challengers (teen boys); myMISSION (collegiate & professional young women); and Women on Mission (adult women); Adults on Mission (co-ed adults).

Fall is a great time to start new mission activities and groups. If your church doesn’t have age level groups, Womans’ Missionary Union will provide free curriculum for 6 months through our Indiana state WMU office. Contact Allison Kinion at akinion@scbi.org for information about how to get your free materials!

WMU publishes missions materials for preschoolers, children, students, and adults. A co-ed children’s organization, Children in Action, is a great way to introduce missions through games, activities, and projects for kids in grades 1-6.

“Send His Light” is the theme for the 2016 missions offering to support Indiana Southern Baptist ministries. The state goal is $80,000, and gifts to the offering will help church planting, church revitalization and associational initiatives.

Did you know this about Indiana?

• Only 1 in 8 Indiana households attends an evangelical church every week.
• There are more than 4.3 mission unreached people in Indiana.
• Two thirds of Indiana households do not have even one believer.

2016 resource materials are available online at: www.scbi.org. Posters, PowerPoint, bulletin inserts, and logos are downloadable for use as you promote this important offering.

Joining resources through the State Missions Offering and prayer is one way we work together!

The annual meeting for Indiana Woman’s Missionary Union will be held at First Baptist Church of Gasburg on Friday and Saturday, August 5-6. The event will feature missions-related workshops and special guest speaker, national WMU President, Linda Cooper.

This event is a great opportunity to learn about new resources available to help you promote missions in your church and training that will equip you to lead others to learn about missions in North America and overseas.

For more information, go to www.scbi.org/missionslifeline

August has been designated as the month to provide special support to North American missionaries and their work through gifts of materials and supplies that will help them as they minister to inner city residents, homeless, in resort work, outreach projects, and children’s events.

A list of needed supplies and missionaries can be found at: wmu.com/ChristmasinAugust

This is a great project for the whole church! Set up a decorated box to receive the gifts and encourage members to participate!

Two great opportunities for missions involvement are coming right to Indiana soon!

Missions Lifeline – August 4-6, Gasburg Baptist Church, Mooresville, IN

   Missional church leaders will gather to attend missions-specific seminars, hear from international and North American missionaries, and hold the annual Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) annual meeting. Leaders will be equipped for the upcoming church year to lead men, women, boys, and girls to be mission disciples.

   This event is for everyone! Some conferences are: Our Missions Future, Reaching Indiana Communities for Christ, Adults Involved in Missions, Children and Missions, Churchwide Missions, and others.

   Linda Cooper, National WMU President, will be the event keynote speaker. Linda’s warm personality motivates others to become personally invested in missions. And, she’s a great storyteller!

   For more information on this event and to register at no cost, scan QR or go online to www.scbi.org/missionslifeline

Did You Know…

There are some great short videos you can use in worship services to tell your church about missions!

On Vimeo, go to “wmu missions for life” for an invitation to participate in missions education. It’s a great way to introduce church members or women to the ministries of WMU.

Other vimeos on the history of WMU, WorldCrafts, and how WMU can help your church promote missions involvement. Free and full of great information!

Walnut Ridge Baptist Church emphasized international missions in December by participating in giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. They set a goal of $300.00 and members gave $352.86. Pastor Don Hinton and Alene Fisher spearheaded the Christmas emphasis, and Linda Clark brought a missions presentation. Information can touch our hearts, and when hearts are touched, we are motivated to become part of a worthwhile annual emphasis on the work over 5,000 international missionaries do around the world. Congratulations Walnut Ridge for reaching your goal!

The special missions offering for mission work in North America is just around the corner! The week of March 6-13 has been set aside to pray for North American missionaries and their work. Printed resources to promote this emphasis can be ordered through Indiana State WMU (go to Indiana state convention website scbi.org to order materials). Materials include prayer guides as well as resources to help you promote giving to the missions offering. Other printed and online resources are available at: www.namb.net

This year’s theme is “Here I am, Send me.” Join a gospel movement by praying for Southern Baptists’ North American missionaries. Your sacrificial gifts will help to transform lives by spreading the good news across North America.

For additional information on this important missions offering, contact Indiana State WMU office or SE Association’s Missions Education Consultant, Linda Clark at lclark1213@hotmail.com