June Update

Speaking from her personal experiences as an International Mission Board missionary working in the Muslim world, Women on Mission Director Nancy Brock shared insights into the annual Muslim pilgrimage known as the Hajj when WOM met June 9 at First Baptist.  In 2025, the Hajj began on June 4 and ended on June 9.
The Hajj is a one-time requirement for the 2.2 billion Muslims throughout the world who are physically and financially able to make the journey.  Nancy noted that even though Muslims believe the Hajj journey takes away their sins and gives them a greater possibility of being admitted into heaven, their lives are still built on the premise that they must pile up more good deeds than bad.
Nancy listed five pillars of Islam:  confession that “there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet,” which are the first words a Muslim baby hears; ritual prayer five times a day; mandatory giving to the poor; the 30-day fast of Ramazaan (or Ramadan) during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, daily from dawn until sunset; and the Hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in a lifetime.
At Mecca, millions of pilgrims, dressed in white garments, circle the kaabah, or house of Allah, seven times, followed by a ritual stoning of the devil, followed by another seven circuits around the kaabah.  Nancy noted that between 2000 and 2019, the average attendance at the Hajj was 2,679,000 people per year.  During the worldwide COVID pandemic, attendance was limited to only those living in Saudi Arabia.
Nancy related that the Koran, the Muslim holy book, traces the Hajj back to Abraham when his concubine Hagar and her son Ishamel survived their banishment to the desert by drinking water drawn from two wells, running between them seven times.  According to the Koran, Abraham built a kaabah with Ishmael’s help and the angel Garbriel helped him move the stone marking the site of the kaabah.  The Koran states that Muhammad in the year 632 performed a pilgrimage to Mecca after he had cleansed the kaabah of all the idols that surrounded it.
The Festival of Sacrifice occurs in conjunction with the Hajj, where pilgrims sacrifice a live sheep, cow, or goat.  Nancy noted that sacrifices no longer occur on the streets of Istanbul, Türkiye, as they did when Nancy served there as an IMB missionary.  The festival is a three-day event also involving visits with family and friends and gift-giving.

Coming in July

Next month Lance Dockrey will share with Women on Mission his ministry of chaplain to the students of Black Forest Academy in Germany.  The meeting will be held on July 14.
Lance and wife Carol, who are self-supported, have been serving for the past six years at the international Christian boarding school in Germany that primarily supports the children of missionaries.  Many of these families are serving in parts of the world where a strong, stable education isn’t available, and Black Forest Academy helps meet that vital need.  The mission of the school is to provide a Christ-centered, quality education to missionary children so their parents can continue their work with peace of mind.
Lance serves as a chaplain on campus where his role is much like a youth pastor, walking alongside students spiritually through chapel, discipleship, and pastoral care.  Carol serves as the leader of the student council, mentoring students in leadership and helping them shape the culture of the school.  They both also coach sports teams, giving them another avenue to invest in students’ lives outside the classroom.
The July 14 meeting will be held in the Buchanan Hall at First Baptist.  A covered-dish luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. will be followed by the speaker’s presentation at noon.

Ongoing Activities

WOM also supports Hope House of Union County by collecting personal hygiene items such as shampoo, body wash, deodorant, etc., which are distributed free of charge to Hope House clients. Through offerings collected monthly and budget funding from First Baptist, WOM are supporting the following ministries:

  • Cowboy Church of Jerusalem to purchase food and new boots.
  • Pure Love Pure Water for more filters to be sent to missionaries.
  • The Clarkston After-School Ministry, which provides a meal for the children and to purchase supplies for the children.