Ministers’ wives reflect on 'adventures' in ministry

LITTLE ROCK - Life in ministry can be, well, “an adventure.” At least that’s how Susie Thompson, wife of Concord Baptist Association Missionary Jeff Thompson, sees it.

From her own childhood as a minister’s daughter to her life now as a mother and minister’s wife, she has seen her share of adventures, and she took time to share her humorous stories with fellow ministers’ wives at the 2011 Ministers Wives Conference, held Oct. 31 at First Baptist Church, Little Rock.

Julie Beavers, Ministers Wives Network leadership team member and member of First Baptist Church, Star City, explained that in the past, the annual conference has focused on the trials of life in ministry, but this year was different. With the theme Ministry Life ... Unscripted, it focused on the upbeat.

The room was transformed with fall decor by Shiela Stadler, Ministers Wives Network leadership team member and member at Fianna Hills Baptist Church, Fort Smith.

The day included an introduction by Arkansas Baptist State Convention Executive Director Emil Turner; testimonies from Thompson; Nita Moore, wife of former ABSC executive director Don Moore; and other ministers’ wives; games; worship led by Jill Pucik and Natalie Culver, both seniors at Williams Baptist College; and skits performed by Jana McKnight of Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, and Vickey Lloyd of University Baptist Church, Fayetteville. McKnight and Lloyd kept the audience in stitches as they assumed the roles of Miss Bertha Louise Cooper and Berniece the Cleaning Lady for their skits.

“We just wanted it to be encouraging and uplifting, a time for them to be able to laugh and rejoice. We’re to ‘rejoice in the Lord always,’” said Beavers, quoting Philippians 4:4.