New WMA President Reports on Yearly Activity from 2025

By JOHNNIE ROSS
WMA President

Last year our Texas WMA had a very active role in both a successful GMA retreat and a “sweet” Texas Sunbeam meeting. We sponsored the Texas Ladies’ Retreat, raised funds for TBHC, made a sizable donation to help National GMA officers (three of them from Texas) go on a mission trip to Mexico, celebrated the opening of the newly renovated Buckner Chapel at Jacksonville College (which we supported financially through our past project), and loved on pastors and wives at the annual BMAT Pastors Retreat. We were also honored to have a small part in the dedication of the Barnwell and Annabell Anderson dorm at Jacksonville College. These are our activities on the state level, but it does not even touch on the countless hours, funds, prayers, and service that were given at the local, district, and national levels. We have many reasons to be proud of our WMA work.
 
Reporting on our Texas GMA, 2025 was a wonderful year! Our state girls retreat in March was well attended as the great team of officers embraced the theme, “Taking the Plunge.” Retreat pastor, Jason Prewitt focused on the true meaning of take up your cross and follow Him on a daily basis, especially when life doesn’t go according to our plans. Madalie Gardner was named 2025 Texas Miss GMA and Samantha Dumas, 2025 Texas Alternate Miss GMA. Madalie was also named National Miss GMA at the retreat in June.
 
The new team of Texas GMA officers are already planning the 2026 Texas Girls Retreat following the theme of “Come to the Table”. All girls, third thru twelfth grade are encouraged to come and learn about what it means to be committed to serving the Lord and growing as His disciples. The Texas GMA project for 2025-2026 is to repair and restock the Texas BMA Missions trailer. They will gladly accept help from any church who’d like to support this great work. Just in case you didn’t know, the Missions trailer (purchased and furnished with the help of Texas WMA) is available to all Texas BMA churches. It can be used for hosting large outreach events, and includes items such as bounce houses, a generator, sound system, canopies, an outdoor movie screen, projector, lawn games, and more.
 
The Texas Sunbeam theme verse this year was Psalm 34:8, “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Their program highlighted the ways we can experience God’s sweetness through our senses—His words (speech), flowers (smell), light (sight), music (sound), touch (feeling), meditation (thoughts), and friendship (emotions). The theme song, “God Is So Good,” reflected these blessings beautifully with added verses for each of the senses. The program continued as the Sunbeams embarked on a “Delightful European Excursions” with a mission tour guide, Sis. Ava Pool.
 
Traveling by “train,” the children visited Portugal, France, and Czechia. Each Sunbeam received a souvenir bag and a “’Tis So Sweet” Passport stamped at each border crossing. The lessons introduced the missionaries and their mission fields, also incorporating each country’s flag, landmarks, food, and souvenirs—bringing the experience to life. The European journey resumed in the afternoon with visits to Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine. The Sunbeams were able to raise $1,100 for mission work in Ukraine.

VSM Mission trip to Mexico included GMA girls from Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana

Texas WMA 2025 Retreat was held July 25-26 at Rosewood, Gilmer. Theme for the event was a Cup of Friendship, and it was planned with great attention to detail. 108 ladies were registered for the retreat from around our great state. Ladies were inspired, challenged and reminded of our responsibility to share God’s love, through friendship, to others every day. Friday evening, the ladies enjoyed a time of singing, games, refreshments, crafts and mission work. Saturday morning the Girl’s Missionary Auxiliary took the spotlight, bringing a devotional, talking about GMA, and sharing experiences on their recent mission trip to Mexico. Shirley Hoffpauir captivated the audience with her Chalk Talk, a dynamic and visual method requiring each lady present to evaluate “What is in Your Cup?” Mrs. Hoffpauir spoke on several women in the Bible, then slowly made her chalk creation come to life with creative lighting. Attendees had a choice of three breakout sessions to attend. At the close of the event, everyone gathered in the sanctuary for a time of prayer and commitment with the Lord utilizing a special and personal ‘covenant of salt’ ceremony. The retreat was a huge success; Rosewood did a great job hosting the event. A portion of registration fees, over $1600, went to the current project—Texas Baptist Hope for Children. The ladies brought many supplies to fill BMMI Christmas Shoeboxes; over 400 shoeboxes were filled.
 
This time last year, Texas WMA set a goal of $30,000 for new signage for Texas Baptist Hope for Children. As of today, we have received $29,276.84. God has abundantly blessed our efforts, as He always does, when we are seeking to honor Him. We have adopted, as our 2025-2026 project, raising funds to help Missionary Tommy Rose and wife, Sara Johnson Rose, missionaries to Queretaro, Mexico, purchase land on which to build a church building.
 
One of our challenges this year has been updating our Statement of Principles. Several members of our officer team spent many hours updating the document so it can serve us well in the future.
 
The 2024-25 year has been one of great work for Texas WMA. As we reflect on the accomplishments of this year, and as we celebrate 125 years of history, we will also be moving forward, spreading God’s love and serving those around us. Our theme for the coming year, “Each One, Reach One,” based on Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
 
Prayer request from Jason Curry, TBHC
Pray that families will rise up in the coming year across all our BMA churches to care for children in their own neck of the woods. Praise God with us for all the WMA who made our new sign possible – a sign that tells the neighborhood TBHC is a place of hope.

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