Apollo Heights Baptist Church

Subtitle

Missions Discipleship Through WMU

The mission of God is a thread woven throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. God makes it clear His desire is for all people to know Him and follow Him. The Bible helps us understand God’s mission and know how Christians are to be involved in His mission. God issued the mandate for us to be involved in missions through the Great Commission. Our choice is how to be involved, and WMU offers many options from easy-to-use missions education curriculum to interactive hands-on missions opportunities.WMU in the Church. The main purpose of WMU is to educate and involve preschoolers, children, youth, and adults in the cause of Christian missions. Through biblically sound, age-appropriate resources, we seek to energize, motive, and equip all ages for missions involvement. Ongoing missions education opportunities develop believers who are informed about God’s mission in the world; they become fully engaged Christians who recognize and accept personal responsibility for sharing the love of Christ with others.

Annie Armstrong

Annie Walker Armstrong was the first corresponding secretary (executive director) of Woman's Missionary Union. She was born on July 11, 1850, in Baltimore, Maryland. Her family was very active in Baptist life. Annie went with her mother to the missionary meetings of Woman's Mission to Woman. There she learned how important it is to give to and pray for missions. She developed a heart for missions. Annie worked with Indians, immigrants, Blacks, and children. In 1882, Annie helped organize the Woman's Baptist Home Mission Society of Maryland. She was the first president of the society. In other states women did missions work. On May 14, 1888, women from 12 states met in Richmond, Virginia. They formed the Executive Committee of Woman's Mission Societies, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1888, Annie Armstrong was elected corresponding secretary. Today that position is known as executive director. In 1890 the group became Woman's Missionary Union. Annie Armstrong served WMU until 1906. She did not accept a salary for her work. In 1934 the offering for the Home Mission Board was renamed the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for Home Missions. Annie Armstrong died on December 20, 1938. Woman's Missionary Union was 50 years old.


Important events that happened while Annie Armstrong was director of WMU:
  • 1888 - The motto, "Go Forward" was chosen.​
    • Foreign missions offering established to send a missionary to China to relieve Lottie Moon.
  • 1890 - The organization was officially named Woman’s Missionary Union, Auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention.
    • WMU agreed to raise enough money to support all women foreign missionaries.
  • 1892 - First week of prayer held in connection with the Christmas Offering.
  • 1894 - WMU began promoting work of the Sunday School Board. Extra offering taken to pay Foreign Mission Board debt. The offering went over its goal.
  • 1895 - First week of prayer and offering to pay off Home Mission Board Debt was established.
  • 1896 - WMU adopted Sunbeam work at the request of the Foreign Mission Board.
  • 1899 - WMU recommended that churches use a system of organizations for missionary education. Baby Bands was the first group organized.
  • 1900 - WMU set up and funded the Home Mission’s Board Church Building Loan Fund.
    • WMU opened the Margaret Home for children of missionaries who were overseas.
    • First WMU-sponsored church-wide event – a stewardship emphasis.
  • 1906 - WMU began the process of legal incorporation.
    • WMU adopted a week of prayer for state missions.
    • WMU began publishing literature for sale. Our Mission Fields is the magazine published by WMU.


Click on the pictures above to go to the WMU website.