WHFMS
Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Praying for the Future
Beginning
The WHFMS began in 1897 when Sarah K Taylor of Maine was asked to talk about the women’s work of the Advent Christian denomination. She had nothing to share but promised that within a year she would have a very different report. By the end of 1897, the WHFMS was formed with four active and two honorary members, and within a year to more than 300.
In fewer than five years, the organization began supporting the work in India; the group assumed care for 100 orphans in Northern India and established the First Advent Christian church in Guindy, India. The work in India was a major focus and in 1906, all the India work was placed under the WHFMS. Many missionaries went to India during the next decades. Nursing homes, orphanages, dispensaries, homes and churches were built through the work of WHFMS. What is now known as Christmas in October began.
WHFMS supported Boston Bible School, which became Berkshire Christian College, by furnishing homes and buying property. The society started the Young Women’s Auxiliary, the MiLoW Club and King’s Jewels. They published monthly newsletters that merged with the “Prophetic and Mission Record” to become Advent Christian Missions. Additionally, mission-oriented Sunday School lessons were developed for church use.
In 1976, the ACGC convention voted to implement a revision of the entire denominational organization. The WHFMS corporation was dissolved and became a part of and subject to the jurisdiction of the Advent Christian General Conference of America. The executive secretary and treasurer of the WHFMS transitioned to the Director of Women’s Ministries.
Present
While our numbers have not grown exponentially as they did in the early 1900s, the organization has remained a vital part of the mission work and of our local churches and communities.
In 2015, we partnered with International Missions in a special project to benefit the mission fields. The first project, Bicycles for Pastors, raised enough money to purchase 275 bicycles over two years. This project caught the heart of the women, and the necessary funds were raised within the first year.
The success of the Bicycles for Pastors led to the adoption of a continuing national project. So, in 2016 Bread of Life was started. The WHFMS groups responded generously as they always have. Since 2016, we have raised $83,544.63, which translates into approximately 119,300 meals! That is over 119,000 times someone heard about Jesus while being fed.
Every year a program kit is developed by the women of different regions and is free to everyone.
A very important initiative we started in 2021 is human trafficking awareness. Our groups are learning more about this atrocity of modern-day slavery and we are finding ways we can be involved in fighting this evil.
We remain a mission focused organization but are also concerned with and supportive of local church and community needs. Countless church roofs, church vans, homeless shelter items, children’s backpacks and thousands of other needs have been met due to the hard work and loving dedication of the WHFMS.
Future?
We believe God continues to lead us and that he does have plans for us. As we prayerfully seek his will for WHFMS, there are many hopes and dreams. Whatever his leading, we will keep supporting mission work, our local churches and communities.
People everywhere need the Lord; our job is to willingly follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Together we can and will, indeed, continue his good works.
Karen Harvey Hall and her husband David, are enjoying living at the Advent Christian Village and participating in the church life there. They have two children, two children-in-love, and four perfect grandchildren. She has served in many roles in WHFMS and has served as the national president since 2014.
Karen Hall, “WHFMS: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Praying for the Future,” The Advent Christian Witness, Spring 2023