Mississippi Woman S Missionary Union History Time Line

Mississippi Woman’s Missionary Union History Time Line

1878 – May, Nashville TN, SBC Convention, / Foreign Mission Board secretary, D.H. Tupper appointed a Central Committee of Baptist Women to “interest ladies in the work of giving the gospel to the heathen”, led in Mississippi by Mrs. John L. Johnson, Sr president and Mrs. A.J. Quinche, secretary, both of Oxford (plus 7 others, “Covered Foundations,” p. 8)
1879 / First Woman’s Meeting held at Grenada FBC, November 27 (15 societies reported 100 members and gifts of $116.90)
1880 / The Baptist Record printed reports of the Mississippi Central Committee
1881 / Mrs. Janie Lowrey Sanford sent as missionary to the Chinese in San Francisco CA
Mrs. Mattie J. Nelson sent as missionary to New Orleans LA
1883 / The plan of appointing associational vice-presidents inaugurated.
Mrs. Ratliff introduced idea of building ministerial cottages at Mississippi College
1885 / Central Committee (now enlarged to 15 members) became a standing committee of the Mississippi Baptist Convention
1886 / First Sunbeam Band in Mississippi organized in Clinton by Mrs B.D. Gray.
Julia Toy Johnson (Mrs. J.L., Sr) and Mrs A.J. Quinche resigned, convinced that the Central Committee should reside in the same town as the Convention Board which was moving from Oxford to Jackson.
Mrs. A.H. Longino became president and Mrs Minnie C. Dameron the secretary.
1887 / The Central Committee elected its officers for the first time.
Mrs Adelia M. Hillman elected president in July meeting at Oxford
1888 / Mrs Adelia Hillman (Dr. Walter Hillman) and Mrs. S.A.E. Baley represented Mississippi’s
women at the Southern Baptist Convention in Richmond VA in May, to vote on general
organization of Woman’s Mission Societies, Auxiliary to the SBC.
Mississippi Woman’s Missionary Union joined the Southwide WMU, July 18th
Mrs. Mattie J. Nelson became the first Field Secretary in Mississippi
1890 / National organization name change to Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), Auxiliary to SBC. (previously, ‘Societies’ where ‘Union’)
1894 / Mrs. A.J. Aven (Mary) having urged work among young women, was elected president at the August meeting in Winona, with Mrs Rebecca P. Sproles, the secretary.
1896 / Sunbeams adopted by Woman’s Missionary Union
Superintendent of “Band Work” elected in Mississippi: Lulie Baley, granddaughter of Mrs S.A.E. Baley (one of two delegates to WMU organizational meeting in VA in 1888)
1897 / Mrs. J.K. Pace elected president in July at Grenada meeting, with Mrs A.J. Aven, secretary
1899 / Central Committee headquarters moved from Jackson to Meridian.
Mrs. J.W. Bozeman elected president in July at Aberdeen meeting, with Mrs. W.R. Woods, secretary (serving until the vote to employ M.M. Lackey in 1912)
1901 / Mrs. J.A. Hackett elected president in July at McComb meeting
1903 / State Mission Day of Prayer inaugurated, yielding a $294.38 offering.
WMU Convention elected officers for the Annual Meeting
1903 / National Week of Self-Denial for Home Missions (begun in 1895) becomes Week of Prayer and Self-Denial (later, Week of Prayer)
1904 / Constitution adopted and printed in Minutes
1907 / Young Woman’s Auxiliary (YWA) is formed.
1907 / First Young Woman’s Auxiliary launched with Mrs Martin Ball of Winona elected first State Superintendent for Mississippi (Hearts the Lord Opened, p.105)
1909 / The name “Personal Service” applied to local mission work
The Order of Royal Ambassadors (RA) began under direction and leadership of WMU
1910 / Institutes of instruction held
1911 / Central Committee headquarters moved from Meridian to Jackson and the Standard of Excellence, a plan of work for church WMU, was adopted.
College Correspondent elected
1912 / Constitution revised under presidency of Mrs W.A. McComb
Margaret McRae Lackey became first employed Corresponding Secretary of MS, with Mrs. George W. Riley serving as president
1913 / Southwide WMU Jubilate celebration
1913-14 / National organization, Girls Auxiliary (GA) is formed, and name given in 1914.
1914 / State divided into four districts with four vice presidents, under presidency of Mrs George W. Riley
1915 / Frances Traylor elected as the first employed young people’s leader, responsible for Sunbeams, GAs, RAs, and YWAs.
Report on “Woman’s Work” presented by Miss Lackey to Mississippi Baptist Convention on June 18-20 at New Albany
1916 / “Auxiliary Programs” printed for young people
Mrs A.J. Aven re-elected president, beginning a service of 18 years.
1917 / State Mission “Week of Prayer” observed for the first time
1918 / WMU Convention met separate from the Mississippi Baptist Convention on June 18-20 at New Albany
1919 / Constitution revised and state divided into six districts, under presidency of Mrs A.J. Aven
1919 / “Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for China” first designated; renamed in 1926, when “for China” was removed
1920 / White Cross work in Mississippi mentioned the first time & supplies sent to the Kathleen Mallory Hospital in China
1924 / First full-time Field Worker employed
1928 / Ruby Anniversary of the Southwide Union celebrated
1929 / First Girls Auxiliary (GA) House Party at Clarke College (district)
1930 / First statewide GA House Party held at Woman’s College
Constitution revised, state divided into eight districts
1931 / Frances Traylor became Executive Secretary of Mississippi WMU.
1932 / Institutes begun for the study of the Year Book
1934 / Offering for Home Missions renamed, “Annie W. Armstrong Offering”
1934 / Officers Guide printed
Clinics for Associational and District Officers held, one in each district
Mrs. Ned Rice elected president, serving until 1943
1935 / 5,000 Club organized (payment of Mississippi Baptist debts)
Young People’s leader changed Young People’s Secretary
Young People’s Camp program begun
1936 / In celebration of the Sunbeam Band Golden Jubilee, a goal of 50 new organizations was set and reached in Mississippi
1937 / Definite objectives set in the State Mission Week of Prayer offering
1938 / State Mission Week of Prayer offering named Margaret Lackey State Offering (MLSMO)
Title Corresponding Secretary changed to Executive Secretary
1940 / Camp Advisory Committee appointed
RA Secretary elected in cooperation with Alabama and South Carolina
1941 / Camp Committee appointed to study plans for future camp program resulting in recommendation for a permanent location and designation of funds toward a program be made each year, through MLSMO
1942 / WMU Convention voted to hold subsequent conventions in Jackson
1943 / Personal Service changed to Community Missions
Mrs. J.H. Street elected president at the April meeting in Jackson.
1944, December / Edwina Robinson selected as Executive Secretary of Mississippi WMU, with Mrs. Webb Brame as president one year, then Mrs Wilma B. Sledge serving 1946-1952
1945 / WMU Convention not held due to travel restrictions imposed by WWII
Lillian Rose employed to work among women and young people of her own Negro race
WMU Camp Building Committee appointed
1946 / Nell Taylor became Young People’s Secretary (a title changed to Youth Secretary, 1956), serving until summer of 1957 (becoming dean of Women at Louisiana College)
1947, April / Camp Garaywa opened, as the dedication was held during the WMU Convention
1948 / State Federation of Business Woman’s Circles organized and Almarine Brown was elected as the first chairman
1950 / Minutes of 1950 MS WMU Convention state $9000 given to assist in purchase of a national headquarters building in Birmingham.
1951 / WMU Special Day inaugurated on May 7 with a goal of $10,000, with half designated to the national headquarters purchase.
1952 / Almarine Brown succeeds Mrs Wilma Sledge as state president.
Intensive program of Leadership Training promoted
1953 / Diamond Jubilee (75th Anniversary)
State YWA Council organized
First state RA Congress held
1954 / MS Executive Committee voted (July 1st) to transfer RA promotion and operation to Brotherhood Department (effective November 1)
1957 / Willa Dean Freeman of North Carolina was hired as the first GA Director of MS WMU.
Royal Ambassadors program transferred to the Brotherhood
June: Marjean Patterson (Georgia) was secured as MS WMU’s first solely YWA Director
October: Frances Smira (Mrs. Robert) of Jackson MS was chosen as part-time Sunbeam Band Director of the MS WMU.
1958 / Jimmie Lou Lyons (Mrs. J.T.) was elected MS WMU president.
1959 / Mississippian Waudine Storey, having served as educational director in MS and SC churches, joined the MS WMU staff as full-time Director of Sunbeam Band work.
MS WMU district representatives, forming the WMU Executive Board increased from eight to eleven districts, totaling 22 presidents and vice-presidents.
1961 / Sarah Holmes, a Texan served as interim GA Director upon Ms. Freeman’s return to home state, North Carolina; Alabamian, Ruth Womack was elected as GA Director of MS WMU in August, leaving a staff position at Poplar Springs BC, Meridian MS
1963 / Following the Southern Baptist Convention in Kansas City, 8 MS WMU staff and board members with one missionary, Mary Frank Kirkpatrick, conducted four area-wide mission leadership training meetings in ‘Big Sky Country’ Montana, through Special Day funding.
Mississippi WMU organizations enrollment reached an all-time record of 64,497 members in the same year Elizabeth King Hannah (Mrs. W.E.) became president.
1964 / Ruth Little of Union County MS elected as MS WMU GA Director as Ms. Womack was hired to teach at Mississippi College
Nettie Ree Traylor, Executive Assistant to Miss Ed, retired from 36 years of serving with her aunt, Frances Traylor, and both Margaret Lackey, and Edwina Robinson.
1965 / Addition of WMS Director position, resulted in Marjean Patterson taking it and Virginia Johnson, daughter of M/M Elton Johnson (SBC missionaries to Brazil), was elected to YWA Director position
1968 / National WMU restructuring from ‘circles’ to groups led to 8% drop in membership, yet 3702 Mississippi women from 580 churches received Church Study Course Credit for the study of new manuals.
Ruth Little resigned in the fall to become the bride of Dr. Paul Aiken & serve in Atlanta GA
1969 / Virginia Johnson resigned to wed Rev Ovis Fairley & serve in Montana.
Mae Lee May (Mrs Vernon) was elected MS WMU president.
1970 / Frances Shaw of Texas became Director of Baptist Young Women on the MS staff
Kaye Johnson, also of Texas, filled the position of WMU Associate (Youth), a title soon changed to Director of Acteens
MBCB approved recommendation of the nomination of Miss Marjean Patterson as Miss Ed’s successor upon her approaching retirement.
The Dining Hall at Garaywa was destroyed by fire.
1970 / Names of organizations and their magazines changed…
Sunbeam Band became Mission Friends, with START and SHARE publications; Girls’ Auxiliary became Girls in Action, and Tell (1953) was replaced with GA AWARE and GA Discovery; YWA became Acteens, and ACCENT replaced The Window (1929); and Baptist Young Women with magazine, Contempo, then created for women ages 18-29; Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS) changed to Baptist Women with Royal Service remaining the official magazine and Demension was created for WMU officers.
1971 / Miss Edwina Robinson officially retired as MS WMU Executive Secretary-Treasurer and a celebration was held at the 92nd WMU Annual Meeting at Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson where announcement was made for the new Garaywa Dining Hall to be named for her mother, Prudie Robinson
Marjean Patterson became the fourth Executive Secretary-Treasurer of MS WMU
Fran Pickett was hired as Garaywa’s first Camp Manager/Financial Secretary.
1972, January / WMU Executive Board honored “Miss Ed” by naming the WMU offering, the Edwina Robinson Special Day Offering
1973 / Ethel McKeithen, pres. MBREA, was elected Baptist Women Director on MS WMU staff
June: Marilyn Hopkins of Albuquerque NM, was secured as Acteens Director, MS WMU
5737, a record number of guests at Garaywa was recorded, including large groups that might have gone to Gulfshore Baptist Assembly had it been restored from the destruction of hurricane Camille (August, 1969)
1974, March / Frances Turner Smira (Mrs Robert V.), employed as WMU director of Jackson FBC, became MS WMU president, and tenure changed from a six-year limit, to five.
1975, November / Mrs Charles Tyler of Collins, and Mrs Vernon May of Louisville became the first two female board members to Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, under Dr. Earl Kelly’s initiative to include WMU under MBCB Program Director jurisdiction, evaluating its nine staff members in the same manner as all others funded by Cooperative Progam.
1977, December / Major renovation project began at Camp Garaywa to give a facelift, supply central heat and air to the main buildings, and overhaul the bathhouses at a cost of $156,000 (while the average camper cost was $40)
1979 / Pattie Tate Dent (Mrs Robert) became MS WMU president, serving until 1984.
1980 / Dr. Earl Kelly, MBCB executive director-treasurer, petitioned WMU to create a history of MS Baptists in a needlepoint tapestry to hang in the MBCB lobby until 1995, when the building was redecorated on all floors. (The tapestry was moved to the MBCB Chapel until 2007, then to Garaywa Activities Building.)
1983 / Baptist Nursing FellowshipSM begun by WMU
1984 / January: MS Executive Board recommended the building of a multi-purpose building at Garaywa. Ground-breaking held in August as Miss Ed led in a prayer of dedication.
Ewilda Trenor Fancher (Mrs James) elected to MS WMU president, serving until 1989.
May: WMU, SBC moved into their new building at 100 Missionary Ridge in Birmingham AL, which featured an atrium lobby off the Board Room (auditorium) provided by MS WMU donations totaling $47,000, and was named Patterson Porch, honoring Marjean.