Purpose

BWIM of GA is getting a new purpose! We recognize that there are many more opportunities for Baptist Women ministering in the state of Georgia than there were when we were founded in 1985. Many of our members, both clergy and volunteer, are involved in other organizations who are providing them with the support that BWIM of GA provided for many years. With that in mind, we want to create a stronger support system for women who are becoming ministers. BWIM of GA has provided a scholarship since 1994. That scholarship, named for Sarah Owen Etheridge in 1997, has long been a way for us to impact the future generation of female ministers in Georgia. Our new purpose for BWIM of GA will be focused on making this scholarship more impactful. Beginning in January 2021, your BWIM of GA steering committee would like for the purpose of BWIM of GA to be:

BWIM of GA exists to provide funds to help future generations of female clergy attend seminary and gain experience in churches as they begin their journey in ministry. These funds will be allocated to women who are from the state of Georgia, or who attend seminary in the state of Georgia.

With all of our energy focused around the scholarship, we hope to be able to grow the scholarship and be able to give two scholarships: one for seminary education and an internship scholarship to help women gain experience working in the church.

The Details

Our steering committee will become a board of directors, who will serve terms that will be determined by the By-Laws. There will be four or five members who serve on the board of directors, depending on the needs of the board. This board will be in charge of managing the funds for the scholarships, fundraising for the scholarships, and getting the word out about the scholarships.

One member of this board will serve as BWIM of GA’s liaison to CBF of GA. She will be in charge of advocating for women in ministry at CBF of GA, and will work to make sure women are represented and given leadership roles in CBF of GA events.

BWIM of GA will no longer host its own worship service, but the liaison to CBF of GA will be part of worship planning for CBF of GA’s Annual Gathering.

BWIM of GA will no longer collect dues, but will instead focus on fundraising to grow the Sarah Owen Etheridge Scholarship and create a new scholarship for an internship at a church. 

We believe these changes will allow us to focus our time, effort, and monies are equipping women to serve as ministers. We celebrate all that has come before us and the many ways in which BWIM of GA has been a safe place for women over the last 35 years. We look forward to the future as we work harder to give more women opportunities to attend seminary.