GREENSBORO — Baptist Women in Ministry of North Carolina (BWIMNC) celebrated its 31st convocation March 28 at College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro, focusing on the theme “God is Creating Still.”
The group’s annual Anne Thomas Neil Award was awarded to Alicia Davis Porterfield of Winter Park Baptist Church in Wilmington, who was also named convener for the coming year. Self-described as “a writer, coach, and itinerant preacher,” Porterfield recently contributed to and edited a collection of essays entitled A Divine Duet: Ministry and Motherhood. She has been an avid supporter of BWIMNC throughout her ministry career, including a previous stint as convener.
Alicia Porterfield (left) receives the Anne Thomas Neil Award from outgoing convener Virgina Taylor.
During a worship service following the business session, Porterfield reflected on ways God remains active and creative in the lives of Christ-followers. She challenged participants to take the suffix “…ing” and fill in the blank, thinking of ways that God is working in their lives.Â
The BWIMNC Church Award was presented to Ahoskie Baptist Church in Ahoskie, which has elected women deacons since the 1920s, had a number of women serving in staff positions, and has ordained women as ministers. Pastor Daniel Glaze, Associate Pastor for Music and Worship Anita Thompson, and Minister of Youth Leah Anderson Reed accepted the award in the church’s behalf.
Cindy Bolden (right) presents the BWIMNC Church Award to Anita Thompson, Leah Reed, and Daniel Glaze of Ahoskie Baptist Church
BWIMNC also unveiled a new logo, elected new board members, and adopted a budget for the coming year. New board members for the “Class of 2017” are Molly Brummett, Minister of Youth and Community at Knollwood Baptist in Winston-Salem; Lin Bunce, Associate Minister at College Park Baptist in Greensboro; Elizabeth Edwards, Associate Minister at Lakeside Baptist in Rocky Mount; Lynn Lingafelt, Minister of Children at First Baptist in Raleigh; and Amy McClure, a recent graduate of Campbell University Divinity School.
The worship service closed with a hymn, “God Is Creating Still,” written by Elizabeth Edwards.
Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina, and the Contributing Editor and Curriculum Writer at Good Faith Media.
