LOUISVILLE—The urgency of helping Kentucky’s kids through adoption and foster care will be underscored by Southern Baptist women meeting in Frankfort.

At the 115th Annual Meeting of Kentucky Woman’s Missionary Union, members will also discuss the need to pray for state lawmakers, support missionaries and minister to children when they gather on April 6-7 at Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort.

“Rise Up and Shine” will be the focus of the two-day event, which begins at 9 a.m. Friday, April 6, and concludes at noon Saturday.

Ministries to children will be featured in the Friday morning session. Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director of National WMU will share her story as an adoptive parent and also provide theme interpretations in all sessions.

Paul and Michelle Chitwood will share their adoption and foster care ministry story, and Dale Suttles, president of Sunrise Children’s Services, will present the work of Sunrise on behalf of neglected and abused children.

Missionaries serving with the North American Mission Board and International Mission Board will share their work during the Friday evening session.

Travis Smalley, NAMB missionary with Send Cincinnati, and Susan Hatfield, serving in Africa with Baptist Global Response, will challenge participants to do more in missions. The program will also include testimonies from the Kentucky WMU team to Swaziland who delivered BGR hospice care buckets last summer.

Rebecca Oliver, musician from Hurstbourne Baptist Church, will lead the music in all sessions, accompanied by Pat Cole. The Kentucky Baptist Women’s Chorale will lead a special time of worship at 6:30 p.m. Friday to begin the evening session.

On Friday afternoon, there will be a brief business session to elect officers and board members for the coming year, including a new president. Susan Bryant will conclude her term as president at this annual meeting.

Following the Friday afternoon session, participants will board buses for a short ride to the Capitol. A prayer rally will start at 2:30 p.m. on the back side of the building. Baptist chaplain Steve Weaver, serving at the Capitol, will introduce participating state leaders.

Following the rally, participants will prayerwalk the building using a prayer guide provided by Kentucky WMU. The rally and prayerwalking are non-political and have been planned to fulfill the command of scripture to pray for our leaders.

Annual meeting attendees are asked to bring items for Sunrise Children’s Services and the Frankfort Women’s Shelter. For a list of items, see kywmu.org/annual-meeting-ministry-project.

The final session begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. Coy Webb, Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief director, will bring greetings from the KBC and an update on disaster relief work done this past year.

The session will also include the presentation of the Kentucky Missionary of the Year Award, and a commissioning service for new Kentucky missionaries. The session concludes with the passing of the gavel to the new president.

There will also be a special missions time for children from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, led by Stacy Nall and Jon Auten. Children will meet Susan Hatfield and participate in a missions activity. Children are invited to stay for the remainder of the morning session as well.

An offering for Kentucky WMU ministries to missionaries and Missionary Kids will be received during the meeting. Kentucky WMU provides Christmas gifts to Kentucky born international missionaries as well as a fall and spring gift to Kentucky MKs who are attending college in Kentucky.

Those unable to attend the annual meeting but who want to support Kentucky WMU ministries to missionaries are encouraged to send a gift for the offering or mail a donation to the Kentucky WMU office.

Pre-registration is required for all meals and preschool child care. Annual Meeting information and online reservations can be found on Kentucky WMU web site: www.kywmu.org/annualmeeting.

Joy Bolton, Executive Director-Treasurer of Kentucky WMU is excited about the 2018 Annual Meeting.

“The focus on ministries with children could not come at a more important time. Our time at the state capitol will be inspirational and meaningful as you walk the halls and pray for our state leaders. Come enjoy the fellowship, music and missions inspiration of the entire program. You will be inspired to do more in missions as we Rise Up and Shine!” (WMU)