Envisioning healthy congregations
engaged in effective
Christian Ministry
locally AND globally.
Envisioning healthy congregations
engaged in effective
Christian Ministry
locally AND globally.
Seated in Front is Jennie Hagan.
Second row Left to Right.: Cheryl Arnold, Lois Bartley, Mary Biggs, Stephanie, Johanpeter.
Left to Right, back row:Onita Levitt, Bernadine Rankin, Virginia Wigall, Shirley Rogers, Jean Bode.
President, Jean Bode, katz50@verzion.net
Secretary, Mary Biggs, morbiggs@att.net
Treasurer, Cheryl Arnold, nbchurch@isp.com (church email)
Associate for Love Gift & Special Projects, Virginia Wigall, ginnywigall@consolidated.net
Coordinator of Personal Development Ministies, Lois Bartley, baptisthouse@yahoo.com
Associate for AB Girls, Jenny Hagan, jenbek20@hotmail.com
Associate for Student Aid, Bernadine Rankin. fboffice@wabash.net(church email)
Coordinator of Missions & Service,Ardys Carpenter, firstbc1@consolidated.net (church email)
Coordinator of Church and Community,Onita Levitt, fboffice@wabash.net (church email)
Associate for White Cross,Stephanie Johanpeter, johan2003@gmail.com
Member at Large, Shirley Rogers, dsrogers61951@mchsi.com
Area 4 Minister’s wife: Pat McNeely, FBC Mt. Vernon
AREA 4 ABW MINISTRIES CALENDAR
2009
September 12 - Area 4 ABW Ministries East Fall Gathering
at FBC Newton, IL, 201 S. Church St. 618-783-2226
October 17 - Area 4 ABW Ministries West Fall Gathering
at FBC Highland, IL, 2709 N. Popular 618-654-4145
2010
Area 4 ABW Ministries Spring Rally at Olney, IL
400 E. Chestnut, 618-392-7411
Many of you know that I recently attended the Great Rivers Region annual conference/retreat of the American Baptist Women at Lake Carlinville. There were 125 ladies of all ages that enjoyed a weekend of inspiration and renewal. Blessings were abundant as we met new and old friends, learned, enjoyed the beautiful grounds, shopped, and dined with more enthusiasm than we probably should have. Some enjoyed swimming and the lake while others just took in the scenery.
Missionary, Debbie Miller, shared from her experiences in the Philippines. She and her family now live and serve on the home mission field in Moline. Moline is one of the areas that is welcoming the Karen (Burmese) refugees into its community and churches.
Henrietta Brown, founder of New Life Christian Community Church of St. Louis, led the Bible study. She challenged us as American Baptist Women to stay focused, not get distracted, and not get in our own way as we partner and pursue the mission of God.
There were several workshops offered through which to learn, grow and experience what God is doing in the Great Rivers Region. They ranged from: The Karen story and an update on their work in our GRR churches; to a presentation by Claudia McCain on leading small groups; to how to construct and assemble Welcome Packets for any newly arriving refugees, just to name a few.
A Praise Team provided a wide selection of praise and worship music that was enjoyed by all.
Mug and Muffin, small interactive groups, were held throughout the weekend. They presented a format for ABW to connect with each other in an open forum in which questions could be asked, opinions expressed, and scripture related to our lives in practical ways. M & M offered a way for us to learn, understand, value and care for one another as we explored the realms of Christian grace and some of the ways this grace impacts the different aspects of our lives.
Area 5 had the highest number of attendees with 34. Areas 1, 2 and 3 had 27, 25 and 29 in attendance respectively. Area 4 has some work to do next year to increase our attendance as there were ten. On the promising side, there were nearly 20 girls who attended the retreat.
The jewelry from the Second Hand Rose Shop brought in $580. The Gently-Used-But-Greatly-Loved book store netted $74. Proceeds from both of these mission-stores went toward the Break-the-Chains project. There were five offerings taken at the retreat. They included: Operational Funding, National Support, Student Aid, Break-the-Chains and Love Gift. The sub-total report was $3,547, with some funds yet to be received. The region total given to date is reported as $32,000. Some of the remaining jewelry will be taken to a shelter for use by the women for job interviews and the rest will be sent to a mission project in Alaska. The unsold books will be distributed to Goodwill, Salvation Army, and the Women’s Crisis Center in Area 1.
The conference was closed with Communion and Interpretive Dance. Personally, I found this to be a special blessing and feel privileged to be a part of American Baptist Women.
Jean Bode
President, Area IV American Baptist Women
Report of Fall Meetings
The first of two fall gatherings met at Northern Baptist Church in West Frankfort on September 20, 2008. Refreshments of fruit, bagels, rolls and coffee were served by the ladies of the church. This was greatly enjoyed by all.
We began our time together with an opening and song. Lois Bartley gave a devotion on "Hospitality" with scripture from Luke 10:38-42. Hospitality is what the guest needs. It is also receiving guests into our homes. We truly need to serve our guests. We gathered to make white cross bandages. Everyone enjoyed the fellowship while we tore, measured, sewed and rolled the bandages. Georgianna Shultz had been busy preparing for this workshop.
Thirteen churches were represented with 30 women attending the gathering. Cheryl Arnold led our group in a bible study from our theme prepared by Mylinda Baits. This was session 1 from Break the Chains Bible Study Series. The test was from Judges 19 which is descriptive of the good, the bad, and the ugly, in order to shock us into seeing what happens when people do whatever they feel like doing--not what God desires.
Virginia Wiggell gave a report on our Special Project. This is a two year goal of $30,000 for our region. This goal has been met in one year partly as a result of $68,000 given from the sale of a church.
Area IV next board meeting is March 21, 2009 at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon. Our Spring meeting is on April 18, 2009 at the First Baptist Church in Centralia. Our speaker will be Ruth Mooney our International Missionary serving in Costa Rica.
October 18, 2009 was the meeting for the northern part of our area at Flora, First Baptist Church. The meeting was opened by a welcome and devotions by Onita Levitt. After some announcements by president Shirley Rogers, we adjourned to the fellowship hall for the white cross workshop. The white cross coordinator Stephanie Johanpeter and Georgianna Shultz had everything set up to do bandages from tearing, measuring, sewing and rolling. Everyone enjoyed the fellowship while working. We ended up with about 52 bandages which we blessed before we had lunch.
The tables and the entire room were decorated in a garden theme. The speaker, Jan Phillips, using the theme spoke on the need to cultivate our lives for God comparing it to how we would cultivate our gardens. Prizes were given and then we all enjoyed a salad luncheon provided by the Flora ladies. There were a total of 22 ladies and 2 girls in atttendance representing 7 different churches.
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