Summer Sonshine: A Beautiful Afternoon of Fellowship, Worship and Missions

Arbor women gathered Saturday for an afternoon of fellowship, prayer, worship and a renewed vision for sharing the love of Christ — from our own neighborhoods to the nations.

Despite the August heat, the room at Arbor Christian Fellowship was filled with warmth of another kind Saturday, Aug. 8, as women gathered for the Summer Sonshine Women’s Ministries Lunch & Comfort Cup Ministry.

It was a beautiful afternoon of fellowship, worship, prayer, missions and encouragement — a reminder of the joy that comes when God’s people gather with hearts turned toward Him and toward others.

The afternoon began with worship led by Arbor’s own Christine Dickinson, who returned to Southern California just in time to pick up her acoustic guitar and lead the women in song.

Christine had literally stepped off a plane one day and was leading worship the next.

Even more special, the Holy Spirit had already placed the songs on her heart before Women’s Ministry Leader Linda Baldwin had asked her to lead.

What a gift to have Christine back in Southern California after her travels in Vermont — and what a beautiful picture of dedication and a willingness to serve wherever God calls.

Lunch was every bit as lovely as the fellowship. Women enjoyed a fresh spread of savory meats, picnic-style salads, fresh sourdough bread and a beautiful “dream salad” station overflowing with fresh greens and seemingly every vegetable and salad topping imaginable.

And then came a special musical treat.

The Cousins — affectionately known as “The Arbor Angels” — sang for the women. Seven little ladies, including one of the group’s newest members at just 5 months old, filled the room with joy as they sang, “Jesus put the song in my heart. He turned my life around. He gave me a treasure, the heart of a servant.”

It was sweet, joyful and unmistakably the kind of moment that makes a church family feel like family.

Joy in the Midst of Service

Linda Baldwin, who hosted and emceed the afternoon, guided the gathering with grace, joy, compassion and poise.

Her dedication was particularly touching because her own husband had been hospitalized the evening before.

Yet Linda continued to serve the women of Arbor with the same kindness and sweet spirit that have become hallmarks of her ministry.

Her faithful leadership of Arbor’s Women’s Ministry and our Woman’s Missionary Union events, is deeply appreciated, as is the joy she so naturally exudes.

“This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength,” Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us.

That joy was evident throughout the afternoon.

Praying for Missionaries

Arbor member Tina Johnson led the women in a creative and memorable way to pray for International Mission Board (IMB) and North American Mission Board (NAMB) missionaries whose birthdays fell that day — continuing a special tradition of intentionally praying for missionaries, retired missionaries and chaplains.

Tina prepared bags filled with candies and mementos, each pointing to an accompanying Scripture. What could have been a simple activity became a fun and meaningful way to connect Scripture, prayer and the missionaries who have devoted their lives to taking the gospel to others.

It was a reminder that missions begins with scripture and prayer.

A History of Faithful Giving

One of Arbor’s WMU moms then took the women on an engaging walk through history, sharing the remarkable story of God’s faithfulness through the Cooperative Program.

The Cooperative Program celebrated its centennial in 2025, but its story is about far more than a funding mechanism. It represents generations of Southern Baptists working together to fulfill the Great Commission — reaching people with the gospel around the world through the International Mission Board, throughout North America through the North American Mission Board, across states through state conventions and right here in our own neighborhoods and communities.

Women have played an especially important role in that story, faithfully building prayer support, increasing missions awareness and education and raising funds to help missionaries serve wherever people need to hear about Christ.

If anyone in the room did not know who Lottie Moon or Annie Armstrong were before Saturday, they certainly did afterward.

The presentation included excerpts from missionary biographies and highlighted the North American Mission Board’s new children’s book, Annie Armstrong: A Girl Who Helped the Gospel Go Forward.

An Annie Armstrong doll — one of WMU’s favorite handmade teaching tools — also made an appearance. The doll depicts Annie Armstrong (1850-1938), who worked tirelessly to encourage believers to give more, pray more and do more for the cause of Christ at home and abroad. Armstrong was a leading organizer in the formation of WMU.

The doll is made by women in Thailand through Thai Country Trim, WorldCrafts’ first artisan group, established in 1996.

Many of these missions resources were generously donated for use during Arbor’s 2026 Vacation Bible School, providing children with tangible connections to the people and stories behind missions.

Celebrating VBS and the Value of Every Life

Our wonderful Pastor’s Wife Ruth Dignadice also shared an insightful recap and personal perspective on this year’s Vacation Bible School.

Seeing children come to Christ each summer is always a tremendous blessing, and we pray that the decisions made and truths learned during VBS would affect these children for the rest of their lives.

This year’s theme, Zoomerang: Returning to the Value of Life, gave children the opportunity to explore what God’s Word says about the beginning and value of human life and the extraordinary design of the human body.

The more we learn about the human body, the more astonishing its design becomes. Even the endless stacks of library books on anatomy and biology — books that are not necessarily faith-based — testify to the incredible complexity of the human body and its many systems working together in harmony.

Every person is remarkably designed. We share the same basic features — two eyes, one nose, a forehead, one mouth — and yet no two people are exactly alike. There will never be another person precisely like you.

That truth points us back to Scripture.

“You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb,” David writes in Psalm 139:13. And in the following verse: “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Ruth shared that our prayer as a church is that this powerful message of hope, purpose and human dignity would sink deeply into the hearts of the children who attended VBS — and remain there throughout their lives.

The prayer is that these children will grow up knowing that every person has immeasurable value, not because of age, skin color, geographic location, wealth, strength or circumstances, but because every human being is made in the image of God.

And every person is loved by Him.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand for us to do.

What a powerful truth to place in the hearts of children.

As a church family, we pray that the seeds planted during VBS would take deep root — that God’s truth would last and endure in these children’s hearts, shaping how they see themselves and others as they grow. And, Lord willing, that these truths would one day help save lives as they face decisions about the value and dignity of every human life.

From Cameroon to Operation Christmas Child

Linda also provided an update on Christ the Messiah School in Cameroon, a ministry partnership that is deeply meaningful to the Arbor family.

The school exists in loving memory of beloved Arbor member Charles Jones, whose heart for missions and joy in helping others continue to inspire this work. His family’s legacy of generosity, compassion and service lives on through every child who benefits from the education and support provided by the school.

The women also heard from Arbor Women’s Ministry Leader Lou Cobb, who continued the “Christmas in August” missions emphasis Ruth had introduced during VBS, getting everyone excited and ready to participate in Operation Christmas Child.

Lou offered practical, fresh ideas for families to make packing shoeboxes simple and meaningful, encouraging women to involve their children and grandchildren in the experience.

Pastor’s wife Rose Yu then shared a heartfelt story from the recent Cainta, Rizal, mission trip to the Philippines, where Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes were distributed to children.

Rose described the moment as so moving that her son, who was there taking it all in, could hardly speak.

He said it was impossible to put into words what those boxes meant to the children — many of whom did not have shoes, and some of whom were wearing the only clothing they owned.

The story was a beautiful reminder that a simple box filled with thoughtfully chosen toys, necessities and small treasures can become an open door for the gospel.

What may seem small to us can communicate enormous love to a child — and provide an opportunity to introduce that child to Jesus.

Comfort Cups: Love in a Mug

The afternoon concluded with a hands-on ministry project led by Arbor member Brenda Troxel, founder of Arbor’s Comfort Cup ministry.

Together, the women assembled Comfort Cups for members of the Arbor church family who are walking through difficult seasons.

Each cup is designed to be both practical and personal: a mug filled with comforting treats, thoughtful gifts, Christian resources, Scripture and a handwritten note reminding the recipient that they are loved, prayed for and never alone.

The cups can include everything from herbal tea, honey and hot chocolate to popcorn, snacks, granola bars, lip balm, tissues, facial masks, nail files, novelty pens, notepads, playing cards, air fresheners, hard candy and breath mints. Small Christian gifts such as bookmarks, keychains, magnets and Scripture cards add another layer of encouragement.

It was a fitting way to end an afternoon centered on caring for others.

From global missions to North American missions, from Cameroon and the Philippines to our own neighborhoods, from missionary prayer to Vacation Bible School, from Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon to a simple Comfort Cup placed into the hands of someone walking through a difficult season, the message of the afternoon was beautifully consistent:

God has called His people to go, to give, to pray, to serve and to love.

And He invites us to participate in His work of reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ.

What a beautiful Summer Sonshine it was — a day of laughter and worship, fellowship and prayer, missions and ministry, food and friendship.

A day to remember that the gospel is for every person.

And a day to celebrate the privilege of being part of what God is doing to reach them.