Texas WMU elects new president, challenged to ‘walk victoriously’ through rubble

DALLAS—For the first time in Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas history, the organization elected a president who was nominated from the floor.

Continuing the change that has characterized the organization in recent months, Texas WMU at it annual meeting in Dallas elected as president Texas WMU Executive Director Emeritus Joy Fenner of Gaston Oaks Baptist Church in Dallas.

Fenner, a veteran missionary to Japan and past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, defeated incumbent Paula Jesser of El Paso.

Carol Causey of national Woman’s Missionary Union leads a prayer of dedication for new officers elected at the Woman’s Missionary of Texas annual meeting— (left to right) President Joy Fenner from Gaston Oaks Baptist Church in Dallas; Third Vice President Suzie Plunk from Fellowship Baptist Church in Morgan’s Point; Second Vice President Margery Flowers from Fellowship Baptist Church in Marble Falls; First Vice President Gloria Mills from First Baptist Church in Henderson; and Recording Secretary Kay Kolb from First Baptist Church in Midland. (BGCT PHOTO)

Another former missionary, Betty Law from Gambrell Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth, nominated Fenner, who served Texas WMU as executive director-treasurer from 1981 to 2001.

In the past two years, Texas WMU has seen an executive director resign, an interim executive director fired by the WMU board’s executive committee and the entire program staff leave.

The board hired Nelda Seal, former executive-director of Louisiana WMU, as interim executive director last June.

During the annual meeting, Seal called Texas WMU leaders to move past the division and hard feelings that have hurt the organization’s cause. If the organization is going to be a successful group in the future, these types of actions must cease, she stressed.

WMU of Texas “has been blighted by hurts, disappointments, wrongs and resentments,” she said. “But do we want to dwell amid this rubble of our lifetime and allow these emotions to shape our future? I think not. If there is rubble, through rubble we must walk, but we must walk victoriously.”

For Texas WMU leaders, that process begins with forgiving each other, Seal said.  That can be a hard road to travel, but the women must go through it.

“Forgiveness must be asked for the wrongs that have been done, whether intentional or not intentional. Forgiveness must be granted, even when it’s not asked for.”

Unity is crucial for Texas WMU to carry out its task, Seal said. Sixty-five percent of churches and missions in Texas do not have a missions organization. People in these congregations need to understand God calls them to share the gospel to their neighbors around the globe and across the street.

“Our task it too big and too important for us to dwell in the past of hurts and disappointments and wrongs and failures,” she said.

Texas WMU must work together to help the hurting, be a friend for the lonely and serve people in need, Seal said. If members cooperate and follow God’s call, they will help expand God’s kingdom across the state and around the world.

“We have a huge job as WMU of Texas,” she said. “We do it one-by-one, day-by-day.”

In the other elections, the slate of candidates put forth by the Texas WMU nominating committee were elected without opposition—First Vice President Gloria Mills from First Baptist Church in Henderson; Second Vice President Margery Flowers from Fellowship Baptist Church in Marble Falls; Third Vice President Suzie Plunk from Fellowship Baptist Church in Morgan’s Point; and Recording Secretary Kay Kolb from First Baptist Church in Midland.