ARP Women’s Ministry
105th Annual Meeting
Bonclarken
October 12, 2019
Elaine DeVusser, ARPWM President called the 105th Annual Meeting to order. Rev. Donnie Bowker from Edgemont ARP Church in Covington, VA opened meeting in prayer.
Pianist for today’s Annual Meeting was Eleanor Richardson. Opening song was God Shall Guard From Every Ill.
Announcements:
Next Annual Meeting will be held July 27, 2020 on Monday prior to opening of Family Bible Conference.
Julia Hardeman Rhodes Award is still active. The Selection of the award still remains with CEM. CEM has all the committees for the selection process in which they wish to continue and try and do it every other year even with the fall of the major financial support. The WM Board provided some financial support every other year for the award. Women Ministry’s throughout the denomination should send their recommendations for the award to Dr. E. Brent Turner, Executive Director at CEM, 918 S. Pleasantburg Drive Suite 106, Greenville, SC 29607 () [email protected]. Next award will be in 2020.
Cookbooks published in 1991 will be on sale today for a cost of $5.00. Money will go to Synodical Hall.
Church plates will be available for a donation. This money will go to help on Synodical Hall projects to redo flooring.
Secretary, Bonnie Tucker held the roll call for attendance of delegates.
Delegates & Other:
Catawba – 6
First – 6
Florida – 0
Mississippi Valley -0
Second – 2
TN/Alabama – 4
Virginia – 5
Past Presidents 4
Other Guests – 23
Pastors – 1
For a total of 51 Quorum for delegates was present.
Offering collected today will be for Elinor Griffin for her support to go to mission field.
Nancy Bradley, Sheila Bowker, Sylvia Richmond, and Katie Powell took up the offering. Dawn Lewis, VPARPWM gave the offertory prayer.
Dawn Lewis, VPARPWM introduced the speaker. Delaine Blackwell. (Bio is on the back of the program).
Delaine opened with prayer. Do not harden your heart if God speaks today to you open your heart to his words. She spoke from Psalm 23. Delaine talked about how hungry young adults are for the word and we all have something to offer for all to come to join his flock. We need to stay in a love relation with our Lord. Feed my sheep, tend to my sheep, feed my lamb, care for them life giving food.
We all get off task so we need to keep our focus on God. When we come in contact with sheep in this world daily we don’t get to choose our sheep. Sometimes Gods tells us whom we need to feed. I shall not lack anything my shepherd will supply my needs. When we all start living like a good shepherd our churches will change and grow. We all know in a field sheep get dirty. As you get involved in Bible Study your lives will start getting cleaned up and washed clean. We are Christ’s Sheep and he dearly loves us. Delaine closed her talk in prayer and asked everyone to come to front when they leave to get a white glove. Please take a white glove and go touch a life.
Recommendations for 2019 Meeting:
The Spiritual Life Committee would also like to recommend that Acts 4:12 be the theme Bible verse for 2021. And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12, ESV.
Proposed Budget for 2020. A copy is in attached files.
The two items from recommendations were approved by the delegates.
Dawn Lewis, VPARPWM held a Time of Remembrance. Scripture Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they who mourn, they shall be comforted. A moment of silence was held to remember those who have passed. Dawn asked everyone to take a packet of bird seeds with the verse she read on the packet. Scatter this birdseed packet in loving memory of those who have left us this past year.
Susan Tanner from the ARP Magazine was in attendance and talked about the magazine and things to expect in the magazine in the near future. Susan talked about building a Foundation for the next generation with new women in the church. She stressed for people to use the magazine to share information with others. In January Katey Powell will have “Kateys’ Corner” with healthy recipes. She also asked churches to share and send their church bulletins to Jane Shelton. Stay connected with your denomination.
Bret Turner from office Christian Education Ministry spoke and had the Daniel Book and the new Daniel Study Guide on sale today with him. Most women will be starting this study in January of 2020.
Sheila Osborne gave a report from World Witness. She talked about Elinor Griffin will be going in the mission field in January. They hope to send some interns to the same field to help her. She also talked about John Brunson now has a book “Held Hostage” will be for sale on Amazon next week. He is doing well and was at the leadership conference in Florida Recently.
Installation of Officer’s 2020:
Past President – Elaine DeVusser
President – Dawn Lewis
Vice President – Brandy Glasser
Treasurer – Libby Elder
Secretary – Bonnie Tucker
Spiritual Life – Emily Woodard
Missions and Outreach – Katey Powell
Historian – Sue Brogi
Rev. Donnie Bowker from Edgemont ARP Church in Covington, Virginia did the installation service.
Presidents Address – Elaine DeVusser, President gave her Presidents Address. (Speech is included in packet of attached items). Elaine passed the gavel on to Dawn Lewis as President for 2020.
Bonnie Tucker, Secretary gave the attendance count of 51 for today and reported that the offering collected was $932.00 which will go to Elinor Griffin for her trip to mission field.
Closing song was Bible Song Universal Praise.
Elaine DeVusser closed the meeting with prayer.