St. Louis | Wanda Lee, who has served 16 years as executive director of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), was recognized during the Southern Baptist Convention in June for her long-standing commitment to missions.
Lee announced in January that she will retire from the Birmingham-based Southern Baptist auxiliary once her replacement is named. A search committee, including Illinois WMU President Jill McNicol, currently is reviewing resumes for the post.
“I know people are anxious to know,” McNicol told the Illinois Baptist, noting that the committee has prioritized confidentiality out of respect for the candidates. “I will say that each time the committee has met, progress has been made.”
In April, McNicol asked women gathered at IBSA’s Priority Conference to pray for the committee. The group has prayed and fasted as they’ve sought God’s will in the search process, she told the IB. They’ve also searched the Bible for examples of how leaders were found and how they expressed their leadership – both well and poorly.
“The weight of this responsibility has not been taken lightly,” McNicol said. “We understand that how we as an auxiliary operate affects the lostness of the postmodern world in which we now live. WMU has always been about missions and I don’t see that changing. I do believe some changes in the methods of delivery will be seen in the future.
“As a personal belief, I feel that the more this world moves away from God and his ways, the more important it is for Christ-followers to be salt and light in our communities, our jobs, and our families. The resources and opportunities that WMU offers are more relevant than ever.”
During the Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis, Lee’s contribution to WMU was highlighted in a presentation by SBC Executive Committee President Frank Page, who gave her a framed certificate of appreciation for her years of service to the organization. Prior to accepting the role of executive director, Lee was president of National WMU for four years.
“During Wanda’s tenure, over $3 billion has been given to missions while she was at the helm of WMU,” Page told messengers, with more than $2 billion raised for international missions and nearly $1 billion for North American missions through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, respectively, in conjunction with the SBC’s two mission boards, state conventions, and local churches.
Those totals, the resolution of appreciation noted, constitute “more than one-half of the total amount raised through these two offerings since they began being reported in 1888 and 1907 respectively.”
The resolution also noted Lee has led WMU in organizing 80 short-term mission trips and expanding ministries such as Baptist Nursing Fellowship, WorldCrafts, Christian Women’s Job Corps, and Project Help.
Also in St. Louis, the WMU Annual Meeting included a reception to honor Lee. Among the gifts she received was a “retirement survival kit,” McNicol said, including instructions on how to set up a Facebook account so Lee can share her retirement adventures.
“We had a lot of laughs and ended her presentation with a keychain of the world,” McNicol added. “It was important for her to know she means the world to many, many people.”
– With reporting from Baptist Press