By LORETTA FULTON

For the first time, the women’s auxiliary of the Texas State Missionary Baptist Convention will meet in Abilene on Jan. 15.

Host church will be Valley View Missionary Baptist Church, 3564 Clinton St. The Rev. Andrew Penns is pastor of the church. The meeting is a workshop for deaconesses and for wives or widows of deacons in churches that are members of the state convention. 

“Praising Him,” based on Psalm 145:1, is the theme of the meeting, which will be held 9:15 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 15. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served. Shirley Brown is president of the Women’s Mission Society at Valley View Missionary Baptist Church and a hostess for the meeting.

As part of the meeting, members will pack and deliver 90 care packages for residents of Northern Oaks Living & Rehabilitation Center on Old Anson Road. Each package will consist of socks, lotion, and lap blankets. 

Penns said his church is excited about hosting the meeting because it opens doors for the church to host other ministries of the state convention. Before the Abilene meeting, Penns said, most of the state convention meetings were held in East or Southeast Texas.  

“This now gives our church ministry a greater opportunity to support physically and allow the work of the Texas State Women’s Auxiliary to do ministry outreach in West Texas,” Penns said.

Linda S. Turner is president of the Texas State Missionary Baptist Convention Women’s Auxiliary. Brown, president of the Women’s Mission Society at Valley View Missionary Baptist Church, has been a member of the church since 1996.

A native of Abilene, Brown attended Woodson High School through ninth grade and graduated in 1968 from Abilene High School. She earned a licensed vocational nurse certificate from Cisco College and served 30 years in the nursing profession. 

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene