MINISTRIES

 WMU of Virginia is committed to spreading God's love. One way to do this is by meeting human needs. We have developed several on-going ministries, each addressing a particular need, in which an individual or a church can become involved. These ministries respond to needs such as teen pregnancy, poverty and homelessness, literacy, prison ministry, mentoring, training in life skills, and marketplace evangelism. Contact us for other ideas and resources.

Opportunities for ministry are also available throughVirginia Baptist Partnership Missions. This acts as a clearinghouse matching individuals with ministry needs around the world.

Project HELP is a nationwide focus on selected social issues. Restorative Justice is being addressed this year.

Community Transformation

Poverty Initiatives – The Dorcas Project helps churches to develop specific ministry approaches as an ongoing part of the solution to poverty in Virginia.
The “One Church/One Family” initiative provides a model to the local church as it seeks to provide assistance to those in need, whether through transitional housing, assistance with community services, or food programs. The Dorcas Project equips persons to conduct hunger and other assessments in their communities so that they can effectively design and implement relevant ministries for the poor. Additional opportunities include providing an intensive poverty simulation experience for women across the state to move them to transformational involvement.

Hope Builders/Christian Women’s Job Corps - Hope Builders, as it is called by WMU of Virginia, creates a safe environment in which persons can move from dependency to self-sufficiency. Job skill development, combined with Bible study and friend-to-friend relationships, is a vital part of this ministry. The WMU of Virginia provides training and assistance to the sites located in Virginia.
Christian Women’s Job Corps is the program that has been developed by National WMU, and is offered by the WMU of Virginia.

Social Justice Projects - Because of crises created by changing values and complexities in our society, we are called on to use our unique gifts in ministering to victims and becoming advocates for righting ills and eliminating injustices. These ministries are addressing inner-city violence and responding with innovative strategies. These projects address needs in the economically deprived
areas of Virginia where both community and legislative actions can facilitate restorative justice.

Women in Prison - Currently there are five correctional facilities in Virginia that house female inmates. Teams of women mobilize to conduct Bible studies; engage in mentoring through special classes and small group discussion; become equipped to be a “Lay Chaplain”; assist the Chaplains and inmates with annual projects and care packages to help the children of the incarcerated women. Special projects coordinated through the requests of prison chaplains are enabled through this ministry.

Christian Social Ministries - These funds will enable Christian Social Ministries across Virginia, giving special attention to Community Care beyond the established on-going ministries of the WMU of Virginia. This plan will utilize volunteers with a variety of expertise, and through connecting points will provide a Christian context in which persons in need may be equipped for life and employment.

Child Advocacy - The Jochebed and Hannah project believes that every child belongs to God and that we are called to care for every child as our own. It calls people of faith to commit to uplifting the needs of children and their families across Virginia and around the world through education, advocacy, and support. One hallmark of this ministry project is to plan the Mom and Me weekend where over 800 mothers and their daughters spend quality time learning about missions, and enhancing their relationships with each other.

Teenage Crisis Pregnancy – The latest statistics confirm that teenage pregnancy is on the rise across the state and country. Through a ministry project called Mary and Elizabeth, women across the state seek to partner in non-judgmental relationships with pregnant teenagers. They demonstrate that love modeled through relationships is the most powerful tool in bringing about effective societal change. The WMU of Virginia has a training manual, instructional video and list of resources to help start this ministry in the local church or association. It has also produced a teaching video, called “Cherishing God’s Gift of Sexuality,” that encourages parents to talk with their children about sexuality from a Biblical perspective. Multicultural materials are also available.

Literacy Initiatives - Globalization is ushering in massive opportunities for skilled educators to use their linguistic abilities in ministry. Through the Great Commission Teachers Project, professional educators and other willing workers are equipped to make a difference by tutoring at-risk children, helping adults prepare to take the GED exam, or teaching internationals the English language. As relationships are made with people who need assistance with learning the English language, conversational English, and literacy skills, then opportunities for sharing God’s grace can occur. In addition, the Project helps sponsor literacy assistance mission trips such as BookNet to areas with special needs, as well as train churches on how to organize BookNet projects.

Health & Wellness

 

Aging With Significance - Aging With Significance equips mature adults for spiritual, educational, and functional life fulfillment. In recognition of both the responsibility and opportunity that demographic changes present for church congregations, this ministry encourages churches to examine how they are meeting the needs of active/healthy, inactive/healthy, boomers 60+, transitionally impaired, homebound, and frail adults in the areas of spiritual formation, evangelism, meaningful service, fellowship and creativity, safety and accessibility, personal and household support, caregiver support, wellness and intergenerational opportunities. Aging With Significance also promotes mature adult ministry leadership development.

This ministry:
• values the giftedness of all maturing adults
• encourages maturing adults to volunteer their gifts
• networks and connects maturing adults to avenues by which to    maintain, re-establish, or discover purpose

 

 

Mentoring Future Leaders - The Ruth and Naomi ministry project creates one-on-one relationships between selected experienced leaders in WMU (emeritus leaders) and selected young leaders within its membership. The more experienced leaders pass on to the next generation their love and commitment to missions, and model leadership skills they have developed through the years. The young leaders have the opportunity to develop leadership abilities, commitment to missions and dedication to God needed by WMU in future years. On a second level, the local church is encouraged to promote one-to-one mentoring relationships between mature Christian members and children, youth and young adults, not only toward future leadership capabilities but also strengthened spiritual development. Materials and mentoring training are provided.

Enhancing Ethnic Relationships - Through the Bridge Builders project educational outreach materials and ministry opportunities for various cultures including Korean, Latino, and Arab speaking will be provided to promote local church awareness experiences to enhance the bridging of cultures and building of relationships. Funds will also help to support the Annual Latino Pastor/Family Retreat at CrossRoads and the Annual Latino Network Encuentro. In addition, through the Lydia Ministry Project, ethnic women are leading and facilitating outreach ministries and starting new churches across the Commonwealth. This project focuses on awakening women to listen for God’s call in their lives and to discover how they can be involved in starting new fellowships, whether through home church studies or in the marketplace. Evangelizing in innovative and multi-cultural ways, taking woman-to-woman ministry into the work world and equipping persons to do life-style witnessing are priorities.

Parish Nurse/Faith Community Nurse Project - The Parish Nurse/Faith Community Nurse Project uses the skills and expertise of registered nurses within a congregation to enhance the wholeness of the church family and community from a physical, spiritual, and mental/emotional perspective. Trained parish nurses throughout Virginia are available to assist any church in coordinating such a ministry. Financial assistance through scholarships may be available to nurses who desire to obtain training in this specialty.