Wanda S. Lee, executive director of national Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), thanked Southern Baptists for partnering through missions education to equip the next generation of missionaries, an endeavor she described as more critical than ever before in an increasingly postmodern world.
Retiring Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) Executive Director Wanda Lee gives the WMU report with Linda Cooper, president of the national WMU, during the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention Wednesday, June 15 in St. Louis.
National WMU President Linda Cooper thanked Southern Baptists for the largest Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in the history of the offering.
Lee reported that Cooper of Bowling Green, Ky., was re-elected to a second term as president of national WMU and Tana Hartsell of Concord, N.C., was re-elected to a second term as recording secretary during the WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting on June 13 in St. Louis.
Earlier in the convention, Lee was honored for her 16-plus years as WMU executive director, having announced her intention to retire upon the election of a successor.
Messengers approved a resolution of appreciation for Lee, who was elected as WMU’s seventh executive director in January 2000, expressing “sincere and profound gratitude to God for the extraordinary life, ministry, and contributions” of Lee and her husband Larry.
Lee is the only woman in WMU’s history who also served as national president, an office she held 1996-2000. Lee served as president of Georgia WMU from 1993-1996. In addition, Lee, a nurse by training, and her husband served as missionaries with International Mission Board from 1979-1981 in St. Vincent, Windward Islands.