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SBC DIGEST: Send Relief offers free ministry courses for churches; Peggy Darby to be WMU Foundation president


Send Relief launches online courses to support local compassion ministry efforts

By Send Relief Staff

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – In an effort to come alongside churches and help enhance their compassion ministry efforts, Send Relief has launched a new set of online courses designed to provide instruction and encouragement in engaging communities with Gospel-focused efforts.

The courses are free, and churches can select the ministry focus that best fits their ministry context.

Whether it is responding to sudden emergencies and disasters, embracing newly arrived people groups, fighting human trafficking, helping to restore broken communities or protecting children and families through foster care and adoption, Send Relief’s new Church Guide to Ministry courses offer instruction from practitioners who have been conducting compassion ministry for years.

To learn more about these courses, visit the page at SendRelief.org.


Peggy Darby named WMU Foundation president-elect

By Jennifer Davis Rash/The Alabama Baptist

Longtime Alabama Baptist Peggy Darby, who has spent nearly 25 years in fundraising and development, was unanimously elected as president-elect of the national WMU Foundation April 17 during the board of trustees spring meeting in Birmingham.

Current president David George announced his plans to retire June 30, 2023, last summer and a national search began with the goal of having a transition period between the two. That goal was realized with Monday’s vote and Darby settled into the seat to the right of board chair Bob Cardinal of South Carolina while George sat to Cardinal’s left.

WMU Foundation’s president-elect Peggy Darby expresses her gratitude to the board of trustees during the April 17 meeting in Birmingham. Photo by Jennifer Davis Rash/The Alabama Baptist

“It has been a wonderful run for David and it’s so exciting to see a smooth transition with both of them as one is parting and one is coming on board,” Cardinal said. “We are asking all our Baptist friends to pray for them daily during this transition.”

The work will be a team effort as George works to mentor and hand off the role over the next 10 weeks. Darby officially becomes president July 1.

‘Honor to use my skillset’

“It is my honor to use my professional skillset … to continue the work that David George began and has fostered during his tenure as WMU Foundation president,” Darby said. “David’s personal and professional investment of his God-given talents has created a legacy here at the WMU Foundation that I hope and pray I will be able to continue and enhance for future generations.”

In greeting the board following the announcement of her selection to the role, Darby thanked the search team, which was led by board member John Bergquist of Alabama, for their confidence in her.

She also shared a word of appreciation for “the WMU women who have invested in me throughout my whole life. … From my days as a G.A. to my time in Acteens working my way through StudiAct to eventually earn Service Aide, to my Judson College sisters who were WMU leaders in their own states. From my Alabama WMU camp days to the women I know as an adult, I am grateful to each of you for sharing your love of WMU work and missions with me. You may never know the impact you made on my life, but I do, and I want you to know that I stand here today because of you.

“Today, as I begin my service to the WMU Foundation I would like to ask each of you to keep the WMU Foundation team in your prayers,” she shared. “I also would like you to specifically pray that God will guide me as I seek to lead our team to further the work of the WMU Foundation in support of the WMU.”

Read the full story here.

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