WOMAN’S MISSIONARY UNION
AUXILIARY
TO MID-TIDEWATER BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
OF VIRGINIA
BY-LAWS
2026
WMU
WOMAN’S MISSIONARY UNION AUXILIARY
TO MID-TIDEWATER BAPTIST ASSOCIATION OF VIRGINIA
BY-LAWS
PREAMBLE
We, the women of the churches of the Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association of Virginia, desire to stimulate the missionary spirit and the grace of giving among the women and the young people of the churches of the Association, adopt the following by-laws:
ARTICLE ONE – NAME
1.1 The name of the organization shall be Women’s Missionary Union Auxiliary to the Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association of Virginia.
ARTICLE TWO – PURPOSE
2.1 The purpose of the organization of the organization is to promote the teaching and participation in Christian missions.
ARTICLE THREE – MEMBERSHIP
3.1 The membership shall be members of the Woman’s Missionary Union organizations and other supporting women’s mission ministries of the churches in the Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association of Virginia.
ARTICLE FOUR – OFFICERS AND CONSULTANTS
4.1 The Officers shall be: Director, Associate Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Associate Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. The Consultants shall be: Mission Friends; Children’s (Girls/Children in Action & Royal Ambassadors); Student’s (Acteens, Challengers, & Youth on Mission); Women on Mission; Health and Wellness, Music, Mission (Prayer) Support; and Mission Involvement (Projects).
4.2 The Officers and the Consultants shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall hold their office for one year. The term of office shall begin at the final adjournment of the annual spring meeting and be limited to three consecutive years in the same office.
4.3 There shall be an annual nominating committee of three members appointed by the Director.
4.4 The Executive Committee shall have the authority to fill all vacancies of offices that may occur during the year.
4.5 The duties of the Officers shall be:
4.5.a. Director: Arrange a program for the annual meeting; preside over meetings of the union, Executive Council, and Executive Committee; call special meetings; send out reports to MTBA; and oversee the Scholarship Award.
4.5.b. Associate Director: Assume duties of the Director in her absence.
4.5.c. Secretary: Record the minutes of the annual meetings, meetings of the Executive Council and the Executive Committee. Assist the Director with correspondence and give copies of the minutes of all meetings to the Director. If the Director and the Associate Director are unable to serve, she shall temporarily assume their duties until a new Director is chosen.
4.5.d. Treasurer: Receive all monies and pay all bills, make an annual report to the Union, and chair the budget committee. The Assistant Treasurer shall assume all duties of the Treasurer in her absence.
4.5.e. Parliamentarian: Be responsible for parliamentary procedure at all proceedings using Robert’s Rules of Order.
4.5.f. Children’s, Students, Women on Mission, Health and Wellness Consultants: Have general oversight of their work, stimulate interest therein, and plan Association-wide events.
4.5.g. Children’s, Students, Women on Mission, Health and Wellness Consultants: Have general oversight of their work, stimulate interest therein, and plan Association-wide events.
4.5.h. Music Consultant: Work with the Director in planning and directing music for WMU Associational meetings.
ARTICLE FIVE – MEETINGS
5.1 The annual meeting of the union shall be in April at a date announced by the Executive Council. If deemed necessary by the Director, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may call special sessions of the organization.
5.2 Every session of the annual meeting shall be opened and closed with devotional services by the Director.
5.3 An officer’s workshop shall be held, when deemed necessary, at a time decided by the Director.
ARTICLE SIX – EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
6.1 The Executive Council shall be composed of all officers and consultants named in Article 4.1., the WMU Directors in each church in the Association and former Association WMU Directors.
6.2 The Executive Council shall meet semi-annually at a date chosen by the Director and at other times as the Director deems necessary. The Executive Council shall recommend the policy and plans for the Union. Four members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE SEVEN – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
7.1 The Executive Committee shall be composed of all officers and consultants named in Article 4.1
7.2 The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act between the sessions of the Executive Council. The Committee shall be subject to the By-Laws of the WMU of the Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association of Virginia.
7.3 The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the Director.
ARTICLE EIGHT –FINANCE
8.1 The annual dues of each Union shall be two dollars ($2.00) per member of Women in Mission in each church of the Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association. The WMU budget runs from January 1 to December 31 of each year.
8.2 Dues are payable no later than the annual meeting in April. Checks should be made to Mid-Tidewater WMU Treasurer.
8.3 The Finance Committee shall be composed of the Association WMU Treasurer, Associate Treasurer, and one at-large member appointed by the Director. This committee shall present a budget for the coming year at the annual meeting.
ARTICLE NINE –SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
9.1 A special scholarship committee can be appointed by the Association WMU Director to manage the Jean Gwathmey Scholarship Fund.
ARTICLE TEN –AMENDMENTS
10.1 These By-Laws may be amended at any annual or special called meeting by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present, provided the proposed changes have been approved by the Executive Council and communicated to the membership one month prior to the meeting.
Respectfully submitted by the By-Laws Committee:
Dana Brown, Spring Hill Baptist Church
Jeraldine Young, Newington Baptist Church
Juli Semanski, Newington Baptist Church
Revised 2/5/2026
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