A Cup of Friendship: Texas State WMA Meets at Pathway, Waxahachie

By JACKIE RICKS & GLENDA CHAMBERLAIN
WMA Recording Secretaries

The State WMA meeting convened in the Student Center of Pathway, Waxahachie Nov. 18, 2025. President Cindy Allen called the meeting to order. Then Vonda Gunn thanked God for all His blessings over the WMA. Cindy noted that we were using the language translation system purchased by the missions department and us after last year’s joint decision.
 
After recognizing first timers, missionaries and national officers, Cindy mentioned the fact that the meeting was a “birthday party.” Both the Texas BMA and WMA are celebrating 125 years in existence. In honor of that, she called all former Texas WMA presidents to come forward. Present were Sandy Jones, Carol Taylor, Jackie Ricks, Cindy Allen, Charlotte Johnson, Diana Morris, Sherry Decker and Johnnie Ross, each wearing a corsage presented by the state WMA.
 
At that time, President Allen explained that the state officers had worked on updating the Statement of Principles. A motion was made that the changes to the Statement of Principles be adopted and that all officers reelected today to a current position complete their term in that office according to the guidelines found in the former Principles, and that the terms of all officers elected today to serve in a new position (one not held during 2024-25) be determined by the new guidelines. It was seconded and will be voted on after a final reading in the afternoon session.
 
Lynn Shoemaker from the Pathway Ladies Ministry came and welcomed us to their church. Karen Isaacs led us in the WMA motto and the song “The Longer I Serve Him” with Johnnie Ross at the piano. Then we sang while a general fund offering of $408 was taken.
 
After a skit by “Lucy and Ethel” (Charlotte Johnson and Cindy Allen), Madalie Gardner, Miss Texas and Miss National GMA gave a brief devotion using the star ideals from the GMA work.
 
After the group sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” Johnnie Ross and Hayley Rasco presented a skit using the WMA scrapbooks to tell about our work through the years.
 
Following the door prize drawing, Vonda Gunn announced we currently have $25,489.68 for the project. A project fund offering of $1251.10 was taken. By the end of the meeting, the project total was $29,036.52.
 
Charlotte Johnson reminded us of our theme, “A Cup of Friendship” and the theme verse from John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” We then went to breakout sessions.
 
The business session began with the seating of the messengers and the appointment of committees:
 
Petitionary letter committee: Lindsie Burchett and Johnnie Ross
Registration committee: Paula Ferus, Belinda Caudle, Jeannie Walker
Finance Committee: Jo Strong, Vonda Grun, Ava Pool
 
With no churches petitioning to join the state, we moved on. The minutes from the 2024 meeting were approved as printed on page 10 in the program booklet with no corrections. The treasurer’s report from pages 16 and 17 were also approved as printed with no corrections.
 
Vera Koonce gave a brief report on the Sunbeam state work and encouraged each church to work with their youth teaching them about the Bible and Jesus, stating that Liberty district is the only one left with active Sunbeams. Then Hayley Rasco updated us about the GMA work in Texas, stating several girls took the GMA mission trip to Mexico or went on VSM trips this year, as well as some being national officers. Cindy Allen prayed for the youth auxiliaries at this time.
 
Ava Pool came forward to elaborate on the only project nomination: money to help buy land in Mexico so that missionaries Tommy and Sara Rose can build a building for their mission work. Motion and second passed to approve this project with 90 percent going to the Mexico mission, 5 percent to the youth fund and 5 percent to the general fund, as usual.
 
Calling attention to the officer nominations on page 19 of our booklet ad with no nominations from the floor, those ladies were elected. Cindy Allen was nominated as the newest member of the nominating committee. Brothers Ryan Burchett, Leon Ross, and Charles Johnson were nominated for the advisory council. A motion and second was approved for these.
 
At this time, the motion from the morning about the statement of principles was read again. Hearing no discussion, the president called for a vote. Motion and second to adopt the statement of principles passed.
 
Announcing that we had 35 messengers present with a total of 65 in this year’s meeting, we were encouraged to bring more next year. Also announced was the spring retreat at Lakeridge, Lubbock. With no further business, President Allen declared the 2025 business session of the Texas WMA meeting to be over.
 
Diana Morris introduced next year’s theme of “Each One Reach One.” She gave all the new officers a magnet of a woman which she had brought back from a mission trip. Using Matthew 5:13-15, she explained how we should all strive to be salt and light for others so they might see Christ through us. Cindy Allen prayed a prayer of dedication over the newly elected officers.
Cindy Allen then turned the presidency over to Johnnie Ross and we were dismissed.
 
For more information, previous minutes are archived in the library at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary, Jacksonville.

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