Jenny Baxter Archives - Tasmanian Baptists

July 14, 2023August 2, 2023

Australian Baptist Women Ends

Tasmanian State Leader Jenny Baxter explains why Australian Baptist Women began, and how things have changed.

In the early days in Tasmania, there were some heroic women who led the ministry in during the depression when cars were still few, telephones a luxury item, and most communication was done by mail!

Setting the scene

Australian Baptist Women (ABW) has been an entity since the 1930s. When the national body began, it aimed to provide opportunities for Baptist women to gather and connect. ABW was formed separately to the infant Australian Baptist Ministries, which began a few years earlier in 1926.

Nationally, ABW State leaders were appointed. This handful of women oversaw the ministry in each state and territory, gathering annually until 2020. Around that time, independent of one another, the states/territories gradually ceased those positions, with the exception of Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania.

20th-Century ministry?

No thanks!

After over a decade with no Tasmanian leader, I was appointed in 2017. By then, many Tasmanian Baptist women’s ministries had wound down. I soon discovered there was little appetite for returning to 20th Century-style women’s ministry.

Nationally, things were moving. Covid disrupted plans for the ABW national meeting in 2021, and then came a series of online discussions, think-tanks and brainstorms. But nothing seemed to fly. The question was: How do we continue to support Baptist women, when state Unions are less inclined to appoint ABW state leaders?

THE QUESTION: How do we continue to support Baptist women, when state Unions are less inclined to appoint ABW state leaders?

Moving onto 2023

In May this year, the National Council Taskforce gathered in Sydney. There was intense and robust discussion about women and women’s ministry. However, good decisions were made.

Soon afterwards, National Ministries Director Mark Wison, made an official announcement.

As a result of this announcement, ABW officially ceased to exist:

The clear decision of National Council is that ABW, as a delegated body, is not the desired way forward for the State Leaders and National Council Taskforce. This decision is due to a number of factors including lack of agreement on purpose/scope, lack of buy-in from state associations [unions], changing understandings of needs and the inconsistency with how other delegated bodies operate. National Council has a desire to bring this group to an end well and recognises there might be different responses from current ABW group members. Some may feel disappointed or hurt, others relieved or even excited about the change.

Mark Wilson continued …

I want to affirm that this in no way says National Council is not committed to developing and supporting women leaders . . . National Council is creating a new delegated body, specifically focused on Women in Leadership. This is a new group and will involve representatives appointed by each state association [union].

What does this mean for us?

In God’s goodness, we Tasmanians were ahead of the curve!

Since 2021 a statewide team consisting of Wendy Marston (Newstead), Jenna Blackwell (City, Launceston), Gabe Fife (Ulverstone), and myself (Hobart) have met, mostly on Zoom (and very rarely in-person!)

EmpowHer became our new name.

EmpowHer Team Sept 2021 — The EmpowHer Team: Jenna, Jenny, Wendy, Gabe (Sept 2021)

EmpowHer Vision:

A network of women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.

EmpowHer Mission:

Providing community, training, and support for Tasmanian women to empower them to move into leadership, and to take their God-given place within the Baptist churches of Tasmania.

I look forward to this new era as we further develop EmpowHer.
Here is what’s happening next …

Day of Courage

The Day of Courage in November will be the first statewide event in this new paradigm. We are looking forward to hosting as many women as possible at Riverlnds (Longford). All women are welcome!

Women’s National Taskforce

I will also work with the National Taskforce to help develop the newly delegated body, focussing on women in leadership.

The team and I value your prayers as we lead and encourage women around Tasmania.

Jenny Baxter
State Director, EmpowHer
jenny@tasbaptists.org.au

July 22, 2022August 24, 2022

HEARTLANDS News Winter 2022

HEARTLANDS is the quarterly email for EmpowHer – a network of Tasmanian women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.

Table of Contents

Diary Dates

Check the details on these events by scrolling down.
Have you subscribed to Heartlands to find out about events in your region?

Fri/Sat 24/25 June SOUTH Shelter Retreat – read the overview!
Sunday 31st July NORTH Cosy Cuppa, Chat & Craft at Westbury Baptist
Saturday 17th September NORTHWEST Coffee and Walk, Latrobe
Late Oct/Early Nov World Women’s Day Of Prayer – events across the state

OVERVIEW: SHELTER Retreat

Southern Event

FRI/SAT 24-25 June 2022, Blackmans Bay

How the Shelter retreat weekend unfolded

OUR THEME: SHELTER …

Everyone needs it. God provides it. We sleep, eat and live in it.

But how do you live in the SHELTER of the Most High God?

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1

Overview of the SHELTER Retreat

Denise Stephenson and Jenny Baxter — Denise and Jenny

The retreat was led by Denise Stephenson (LifeWay) and Jenny Baxter (Hobart)
A rejuvenating literal Sabbath, from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday
Delicious home-cooked meals, in an intimate setting
Great connection with old and new friends
Amazing harp music – live and in-person!
Times of input, plus silence and reflection
Creative activities to keep minds focussed, and hands busy
A trip to the beach to explore and reflect
Private counselling and prayer opportunities
A real sense of God’s SHELTER in this busy world

Denise and Jenny are available to run similar women’s retreats in other parts of Tasmania.
To express interest please contact Jenny at empowher@tasbaptists.org.au

What’s Coming Up?

Pig Island Walk, Latrobe

Northwestern Event

10:30am Saturday 17th September

Pig Island Walk with EmpowHer, Sept 2022

Invite Others! Download Brochure

Join a friendly leisurely walk at Pig Island Latrobe on the Mersey River.

Continue with coffee at at Monclair of Latrobe and Madame M Cafe.

All women welcome!

RSVP or MORE INFO:
Gabrielle – 0421 434 138

International Women’s Day of Prayer

Late October/Early November 2022

This year there will be Day of Prayer events held in the north, northwest and south of Tasmnia as we pray toether and raise funds for Baptist women working on some amazing projects in developing countries.

Subscribe to HEARTLANDS to find out details of these events as they come to hand!

Cosy Cuppa, Chat & Craft

Northern Event – NOW OVER!

2:30PM, SUNday 31st JULY 2022

Invite Others! Download brochure

Come along for a cuppa and craft at Westbury Baptist for a relaxed afternoon together.

We will be joined by special guests Maria Hutchison (Newstead) and Lacey Holloway (Westbury).

RSVP or MORE INFO:
Jenna – 0488 330 390; Belinda – 0408 267 188 | Or via our Facebook group: EmpowHer (North)

Action for You

Invite someone along

Have you noticed that not everyone is back yet?

Winter walk at the beach — We all need each other!

Post-Covid hesitancy is a thing. Maybe it’s because people are reluctant to move out of their houses and safe spaces. Or maybe we got used to managing on our own.

Whatever the reason, it’s true to say we all need each other. Being part of a community is critical to good mental and emotional health.

Whether or not you are wary about getting back into circulation, why not ask a friend to come with you? That could be as simple as going for a walk together on the beach, grabbing a coffee at a local café, or heading off to the gym or church together.

Or maybe you could invite someone to one of the EmpowHer events lined up in your region.

It’s a good time to be the blessing!

God’s Whisper

It’s so easy to think up your own answer to a problem. Instead, remember to listen for God’s still, quiet voice.

By Jenny Baxter

Too many people and not enough food!
How many times have you been caught in that situation? I have to admit, I’ve been there a few times. Tiny servings of apple crumble, and thinned-down pumpkin soup have featured on my table, much to my horror.

To find out about EmpowHer events and activities for women in Tasmania, please subscribe to HEARTLANDS!

SUBSCRIBE HERE

July 22, 2022August 24, 2022

God’s Whisper

Waiting for that still, quiet voice …

God’s Whisper

It’s so easy to think up your own answer to a problem.

By Jenny Baxter

Too many people and not enough food! How many times have you been in that situation? I have to admit, I’ve been caught with that a few times. Very small servings of apple crumble, and thinned-down pumpkin soup have featured on my table, much to my horror.

Have you noticed how we usually try to solve problems using our own nicely thought up solutions? That’s what the disciples did in this story when Jesus gave them an out-of-the-box response . . .

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6:35-36 (NIV)

When faced with catering for 5,000, they suggested the crowds go find their own food. They were providing the obvious, most expedient and rational solution to quite a large problem. It was an immediate response – they didn’t stop to consider Jesus may have a far more creative solution sitting in the background. I have to admit, small servings of apple crumble was my best solution one wintry evening.

Just like the disciples, when I faced a problem, I automatically turned my mind to solving it. However, sometimes there is a way ahead which I did not expect nor plan. It is at those points of dire need, when things seem to have fallen apart, that miracles happen.

The BEST Plan?

It’s so easy to think up your own answer to a problem, and to look at it from a human perspective. To gather information and to analyse the best course of action – the most sensible path. Yep. Small serves!

To the disciples, they suggested what seemed to be the best plan. But did they come to the Master with the problem? No. It took Andrew, another of the disciples, to offer a different course of action.

… Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:7-9 (NIV)

The unexpected extra in this scenario was one young boy with some dinner!

What a thoughtful and aware mother he had. There’s no mention of her in the story, but I bet she never even dreamt that the food she sent with her son was to be used for a miracle. Just as well she let her son go off to listen to Jesus that day – with food.

I wonder what my unexpected extra might have been if I had thought to come to Jesus with my apple crumble problem?

Learnings for us

Sometimes our nicely thought-out solutions leave little room for God to work.
Creative answers will mostly come from unexpected sources. Perhaps it is wise to listen for God’s whisper before acting.
Miracles always arrive when there is hardly any hope left. While we often ask for miracles, actually, requiring a miracle is a terrible position to be in!
God’s capacity far, far exceeds our capacity.
Mothers (and women in general) are often good at thinking ahead. Maybe I could have thought ahead a bit more with those apples.
HOPE is always an option when Jesus is in the equation.

So, if you are facing a difficult problem – from scheduling issues and lack of resources; to financial hang-ups and not enough dessert – the best idea is to pray and wait for God’s still, small voice (see 1 Kings 19:12).

Rushing around and stressing about the outcome is usually a waste of time.

I wonder what would happen if you listened first, and then acted, whenever there was a difficulty? What would it mean for your family, your workplace and your friendships? Not to mention your meals?

If you listen to God’s whisper, perhaps you will find an unexpected solution, outside-the-box.

Jenny Baxter is the State Director for EmpowHer*, and the Communications Manager for Tasmanian Baptists. She is married to Stephen, and they have five children and four grandkids, spread from Hobart to Melbourne to Madrid!

* EmpowHer is an activity of Tasmanian Baptist Women

Read more about EMPOWHER – Tasmanian Baptist Women’s Ministry

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April 22, 2022June 29, 2022

HEARTLANDS News Autumn 2022

HEARTLANDS is the quarterly email for EmpowHer – a network of Tasmanian women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.

Table of Contents

Diary Dates

Watch out for more info coming from your region, directly to you.

Saturday 21st May NORTH Basin Café and Gorge Walk.
Saturday 24-25th June SOUTH Day-Retreat: “Shelter”
Late Oct/Early Nov World Women’s Day Of Prayer – events across the state

What’s Happening?

Basin Café and Gorge Walk

9:30am, Saturday 21st May 2022

EmpowHer Walk May 2022, Heartlands Autumn 2022

Invite Others! Download brochure

Join us for a cuppa at Basin Cafe (RSVP required)

A walk through the Gorge to Duck Reach will follow (weather permitting)

RSVP ESSENTIAL …

Jenna – 0488 330 390; Belinda – 0408 267 188
Or via our Facebook group: EmpowHer (North)

SHELTER Retreat

5pm to 5pm, FRI/SAT 24-25 June 2022, Blackmans Bay

SHELTER …

Everyone needs it. God provides it. We sleep, eat and live in it.

But how do you live in the SHELTER of the Most High God?

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1

Led by Denise Stephenson (LifeWay) and Jenny Baxter (Hobart)
$45/person Covers food and materials. (This is a non-residential retreat.) Contact us if you have hesitations about cost. There are other ways you can contribute. Contact us if you have any hesitations about cost. There are other ways you can contribute.
Get your Rego Form Call or SMS Jenny 0401 652 566
Invite Others! Download brochure

Action for You

Praying with intention

Do you often pray like this?

God bless Mary
Lord, please look after my son
Jesus, can you please stop all wars
Father, give me a good life

These are all good prayers, and quite legitimate, but they are so general! They are all “motherhood prayers” – prayers so broad it is impossible to know if God truly answers them.

Instead, pray with intention. Fill those prayers with meaning and talk to God about what worries you. And, when prompted, follow up your prayer with action. Relationship is critical to answered prayer.

How different are these prayers to those above?

God, how can I bless Mary today?
Lord, give me wisdom as I call my son, so I can encourage him.
Jesus, I pray about the war in Ukraine. Is there something I can do to assist?
Father, help me to love and care for others around me, even if my life is not so good.

It’s a time to be the blessing!

Undervalued or Super Loved?

Women’s ministry at Beauty Point

By Rachelle Hawkins

Since the The Point* Baptist’s inception in 2006, we have endeavoured to hold many outreach events to reach our town of Beauty Point.

The message is always about who Jesus is, and why it’s important. These events include men’s dinners, women’s dessert nights, concerts, kids’ clubs, and an annual visit by Texan missionaries who do all the above, and more.

We, as a church, long to share the hope Jesus offers.

The Science of Seeing God

Gratitude and thankfulness for the World, the Universe, and Everything!

By A.J. Spurr

Recently, I interviewed a young man who had been struggling with addiction since the age of 12. He had completed a program at a Christian rehab centre, and while he was there, he encountered Jesus.

“The first thing I noticed,” he said, “was that I could feel the breeze on my skin. I’d never experienced it before, even though it had been happening the whole time. I was finally able to feel it.”

So, what had changed?

To find out about EmpowHer events and activities for women in Tasmania, please subscribe to HEARTLANDS!

SUBSCRIBE HERE

February 23, 2022August 23, 2022

Praying for Alice

A Lifetime of Prayer

By Jenny Baxter, Tasmanian Director, EmpowHer

What do you do when the answers don’t seem to be coming?

While my life flashed before my eyes, I sat in the Spanish winter sunshine, nervously waiting for the bride, our Alice, to be given away.

Well, it wasn’t my life exactly. It was pieces of Alice’s life I’d kept close in my heart. Moments I had participated in, helped with, and cried over.

The memories flickered through my mind like precious flowers, once fresh but now pressed, faded and time-worn.

FLASH: Her traumatic assisted delivery, after an almost-C-section.

FLASH: The trip to Canada before she could even crawl.

FLASH: Sitting in piano lessons, piano lessons, piano lessons.

FLASH: Tears over a nasty gravel graze, her first week on a bike.

FLASH: Her first grown-up hairdo, Grade Six graduation night.

FLASH: Torn, watching her lag at the back of a pack of high-schoolgirls, convinced she was born to lead.

FLASH: Goodbyes on the bus, leaving home for Victoria, little knowing she was really on her way to France, via Sydney and Japan!

The memories flickered through my mind like precious flowers, once fresh but now pressed, faded and time-worn. Compressed into short minutes.

And the prayers. Especially, I remembered the prayers. So many for this very moment. This day, when she would promise: To have and to hold from this day forward.

Praying for Alice – and the switch

Prayer is a commitment I made to my children as each was born. I pray for them all, regularly.

As well, I committed to pray for each one’s life-partner as both halves were forming and founding, maturing and mellowing, living and learning. What better time to sow into their lives until the two became one? Granted, I didn’t know who those partners would be. But God did.

For well over three decades, I prayed for Alice, and her as-yet unknown husband. Where was he? What had happened to him? My hope wore out.

Only a year ago, Alice had given up. But during one Zoom call, from somewhere deep down, I found the words to encourage her to keep believing he would materialise. Tearily, she’d agreed. But only when remembering the letter her close-to-death grandfather had written 13 years ago, for opening on this very day.

It’s hard to believe it was only 10 months since I’d switched up my praying. Inspired by the story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24, I stopped asking for a husband. Instead, I audaciously asked for Alice to be the answer to someone else’s prayer.

The most unexpected answer

And here he was. My soon to be son-in-law, AJ. Arthur Jnr. Standing with the minister, patiently waiting for Alice. He was everything I had hoped for, and nothing like I expected.

I didn’t know he would be Nigerian-American. Or that he would live in Spain. Or that Alice would move to France, and now Spain, to join him for their new future. How little I knew!

But those qualities. They were everything I had prayed for. Faithful. Caring. Believing. Strong. Determined. Loving. Kind.

Her moment had come. That prayer from her birth, now answered before my very eyes. God’s magnificent answer.

And then came Alice on her Dad’s arm! Jessica’s Theme melodically bringing an undeniably Aussie flavour, and tears to my eyes. She was ready. In love. Looking gorgeous and dewy-eyed. Having waited all those years.

Alice and her dad, walking the aisle to "Jessica's Theme" from Man from Snowy River. Photo Credit: Jonas Mantay

Here was the culmination of a lifetime of prayer. Pinching myself this was all real, I was so aware it was a moment I will savour forever, that morning in the wintry Spanish sunshine. It was an ending and a beginning. The old and the new. The faded and the fresh.

My prayers for Alice and her future husband, are now complete. Thank you God!

But, you know, there is more to come. From here on, I pray for Alice and her newfound family.

Alice’s life in pictures

Alice at 2
Alice at 4
Alice at 10, our family complete
Alice at 12, in Grade 6
Alice at 14
Alice at 17
Alice at 24
Alice at 29
Alice at 32
Nigerian ceremony
It is done! Time to celebrate. Alice at 34.

This story was first published in HEARTLANDS Summer 21-22.
This is the quarterly e-mail news for EmpowHer, an activity of Tasmanian Baptist Women.

To find out about EmpowHer events and activities for women in Tasmania, please subscribe to Heartlands!

SUBSCRIBE TO HEARTLANDS

February 19, 2022April 20, 2022

HEARTLANDS News Summer 2022

HEARTLANDS is the quarterly email for EmpowHer – a network of women growing and encouraging each other in their God-given potential.

Table of Contents

Diary Dates

There’s a few things coming up in the EmpowHer Calendar!
Watch out for more info coming from your region.

Sunday 27th February Northern Walk at Tamar Island. SEE BROCHURE for details >
Monday 4th April Release week for HEARTLANDS Autumn
Saturday 9th April Proposed Southern Day-Retreat: “Shelter”
Saturday 21st May Northern event. Stay posted for details!

Recent EmpowHer Events

Ladies Event at Ulverstone Baptist

Tuesday 30th November 2021

Ladies evening with Amanda Cox 30Nov21, heartlands-news-summer-2022

The evening went off! Attending on the night were 93 women to hear speaker, Amanda Cox, talk about belief systems.

Many of the women at Ulverstone Baptist invited their friends and family members. The talk was both inspiring and challenging, and the delicious supper afterwards was a great time to share some treats and good conversation with friends.

Congratulations to Gabe Fife and her team for pulling off a wonderful pre-Christmas event.

Action for You

Thinking outside your box

It’s both an interesting and challenging time in Tasmania. COVID has caught up with us! No matter where you are in the pandemic journey, it’s always good to connect with others to encourage, and intentionally create a safe space to engage.

So . . . who can you catch up with, one-on-one? Who do you know who might need someone to talk to? You could go out for coffee. Meet at the park. Call someone up. Or, make an effort to connect more deeply after church.

These can become moments of connection, support and encouragement for both you and your friend or family member. Maybe you could even offer to pray for them, or ask them to pray for you?

There are many ways you can interact to make sure others are cared for during this time.

It’s a time to be the blessing!

Praying for Alice

By Jenny Baxter, Tasmanian Director, EmpowHer

Praying for Alice became my lifetime passion

While my life flashed before my eyes, I sat in the Spanish winter sunshine, nervously waiting for the bride, our Alice, to be given away.

Well, it wasn’t my life exactly. It was pieces of Alice’s life I’d kept close in my heart. Moments I had participated in, helped with, and cried over.

The memories flickered through my mind like precious flowers, once fresh but now pressed, faded and time-worn.

To find out about EmpowHer events and activities for women in Tasmania, please subscribe to HEARTLANDS!

SUBSCRIBE HERE

October 1, 2020October 22, 2021

FAITH WALK: Through the Puddles

Finding a Way Through COVID-19

By Jenny Baxter

This year, 2020, has held surprises for all of us.

I was a little ahead of the curve, slowing down to a stop back in January, when I suddenly burnt out. Even now in October, I am recovering from decades of overwork, and “pushing through” habits. It’s caused me to stop and reflect on so many memories growing up. I’ve begun to understand what makes me tick, and be grateful for the many coping strategies I am now either putting to rest, or affirming.

Just this week, I’ve remembered something my Dad taught my sisters and me.

On our occasional weekends away, we’d sometimes hike along wet and muddy bush tracks, and Dad would explain how to navigate the puddles we came across every so often.

“Usually, the best way to tackle a puddle is right through the middle,” he’d say. “People generally don’t tread there, and the bottom is not as soft as the mud around the edges.”

“Usually, the best way to tackle a puddle is right through the middle”

I remember trying it, disbelieving him. And to my surprise, more often than not, the ground was firm. Rocky even.

As I reflected on his practical wisdom this week, I’ve realised Dad’s words are such an allegory for the Christian life. Because so often we choose to avoid the “muddy puddles” of life, and instead, walk gingerly in the treacherous mud alongside them.

And likewise, it is so easy to choose the path that everyone else takes during this unusual year, instead of the one Jesus wants you to take – through the water. I remembered I can confidently take a step of faith into the murky water, and discover there is rock there, just beneath the surface. Jesus’ strength supports me in the middle of the mess. He is used to mess. He knows I need his loving embrace.

All he does is ask me to come to him. To take a step into the great unknown. It’s very different to what others do!

And now I live, trusting he has me safely in his care, even during this pandemic year.

Faith and Confidence

It’s like the writer to the Hebrews noted that faith is about being confident in what we DON’T see.

So, my encouragement to you today is to follow me and take the leap of faith! Step into your muddy puddle! It’s still messy. But as you step, Jesus will hold you up. And it’s so much better than falling in a heap in your own slippery wisdom and failings.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Jenny Baxter is the State Director for Tasmanian Baptist Women. She has five grown up kids (three of them in Melbourne!) and attends Hobart Baptist Church with her husband, Stephen. She walks on the beach most days, and is learning to take it slowly. At last.