History
The Carolina Region WMS: 1965 – 2020
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The history of the Carolina Region Missionary Society began in 1965, with the merger of the North and South Carolina Conferences. This decision sprang from a joint session in August 1964 of the Missionary Societies of the North and South Carolina Conferences on merger of the two Societies. The primary leaders of the merger were Bishop Henry C. Bunton, The Presiding Prelate of both Annual Conferences; Mrs. Hallimena Davis, President of the North Carolina Missionary Society; and Mrs. Myrtle Moore, President of the South Carolina Missionary Society.
​​WMC consultants who attended this 1964 historical joint session were Mrs. Phyllis H. Bedford, WMC President; Mrs. Pauline B. Grant, President of the New York/Washington Conference Missionary Society; and Mrs. Bell, widow of Bishop W.Y. Bell.
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​​When the organization of the Carolina Conference WMS was completed and officers were elected, they included: Mrs. Hallimena Davis, President; Mrs. Fay Deese, Vice President; Mrs. Sylvia Foushee, Treasurer; and Mrs. Essie I. Faucette, Treasurer Emeritus.
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​​From that beginning to the present, the following women have served as President: Mrs. Hallimena (J. A.) Davis, 1965 – 1976; Mrs. Madeline Porter, 1976 – 1981; Mrs. Vilma Williams, 1981 – 1989; Mrs. Donna M. Mayes, 1989 – 1997; Mrs. Laura Anderson Holloway, 1997-2005; and Mrs. Faye Crowder Phillips 2005 – 2013. Currently, Mrs. Adrienne C. Speas, 2013 – present is the WMS President of this Region.
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​​Regarding educational scholarship recipients, many of them have continued to advance their educational and spiritual development. For example, the first educational scholarship awarded to Sylvia Flack – now Dr. Sylvia Flack, Ph.D. For several years, Dr. Flack served as the Director of the School of Nursing at Winston Salem State University, Winston Salem, North Carolina.
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​​Other examples of scholarship recipients who achieved are Gwendolyn Patterson, now a retired public school teacher in North Carolina; Irene Clodfelter, now a retired CME minister; Beverly Gaines who became Dr. Beverly Rose, Ph.D. (deceased), retired CME minister; and the late Doretha Baldwin, a CME minister.
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​​Names of the male ministers who were recipients of the Carolina Region WMS educational scholarships, who served the church as Bishops in the CME Church, were: Bishop Charles L. Helton (deceased) – former Bishop of the 7th Episcopal District, Bishop Marshall Gilmore – retired and former Senior Bishop of the CME Church and Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr. (deceased) – former Bishop of the 4th and 7th Episcopal Districts. Other ministers awarded WMS educational scholarships include Rev. Eddie Burt, Rev. Christopher Manning, and Rev. Williams Gary, Jr.
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​​In additional to educational scholarships, persons who have modeled WMS excellence in missionary and values and exhibited extraordinary leadership skills were recognized through the Davis/Deese Award of Excellence until 2013. This award began under the presidency of Faye Crowder Phillips in honor of the Carolina Region WMS first leadership team: Mrs. J. A. Davis and Mrs. Fay Deese (grandmother of Faye Crowder Phillips). Recipients of this award were Mrs. Deborah Pickens Mrs. Gladys Pendergraph Brandon, Mrs. Adrienne Speas, Mrs. Naomi McCoy, Mrs. Louise Price, Mrs. Bennie Harp, Mrs. Laura Anderson Holloway, and Mrs. Donna M. Mayes.
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​In 1995, at the Thirteenth Quadrennial Assembly, in San Francisco, CA, Crystal Morrow, a member of Langford Chapel CME Church, Monroe, NC was awarded the Helena B. Cobb four-year scholarship. She became the first recipient from the Carolina Region to be granted this prestigious school. The status was repeated at the 16th Quadrennial Assembly, when Michael Dent, Jr., a member of Mt. Olive CME Church, became the first male to receive the Helena B. Cobb four-year educational scholarship. Also, at the 16th Quadrennial Assembly, the first Princess Ann Rogers Pegues Save our Sons scholarships were awarded and Brandon Booker, a member of St. John CME Church, Winston Salem, North Carolina, became a recipient. The Carolina Region continues to be represented in this scholarship venue and bring home resources to our students.
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​​During its fifty two year history (1965 – 2017), the Carolina Region WMS has contributed to the WMC level of the CME Church with leadership by the following persons: Mrs. Hallimena Davis, founder of Children’s Network; Rev. Emma T. Duren, Secretary of Plays and Pageants; Mrs. Sylvia Foushee, Credentials Committee; Mrs. Laura Anderson Holloway, Hostess Committee, Constitution and Bylaws, Literature and Publication and currently serving as Secretary of Fine Arts; Mrs. Georgia Mickle Smith, Finance Committee; Mrs. Donna M. Mayes, Credentials, Chairperson of Nominating Committee and currently serving as Secretary of Hunger and Meals for Million; Mrs. Cheryl Berry, Nomination Committee and Life Membership; Ms. Carolyn Stafford, Elections Committee and Hostess Committee; Mrs. Dinah Pettigrew, 7th Episcopal Institute Director; Mrs. Bettye Doyle, Nominating Committee; Mrs. Faye Crowder Phillips, Nominating Committee, 7th Episcopal Institute Director, Handbook Committee and Chairperson of Constitution and By-Laws Committee.
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The Carolina Region hosted its first College Fair in 2007 under the leadership of President Faye Crowder Phillips, as a means of encouraging our students to attend college. The next year, the region supported naming the College Fair after the second president of the region, Mrs. Madeline Porter., who was a strong supporter of higher learning. Mrs. Adrienne Speas accepted the responsibility of coordinating the fair and expanded it to include college offers, college tours, outstanding speakers and many colleges and technical programs participated in its success. The Madeline Porter College has continued to flourish under the leadership of Dr. Debra Lowe and Mrs. Theresa Muldrow and provides exposure for our students to higher education.
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The Carolina Region WMS continues to flourish even during the 2020 Pandemic of COVID19. The Society under the most capable leadership of our President Adrienne Speas soared to another great altitude with their virtual presence for the 2020 Annual Conference. All of the business sessions were held virtually and the Lena Jones One Hundred Dollar March was outstanding as the members of the region participated in the March from a distance. What an awesome fellowship of kindred spirits as they brought glory to the Master for such a time as this. COVID19 did not stop the Missionaries but strengthened them to serve the present age. 2020 will be recorded as the first time our Missionaries virtually worshipped, served and educated from a distance but still very effective.
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The first official website is being unveiled in September 2020 under the leadership of our President. Her tenacity for detail and strong leadership is evident in this task. The Carolina Region WMS now can be globally viewed from this platform.
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The current officers of the Carolina Region WMS are Mrs. Adrienne C. Speas, Region President; Ms Carolyn Stafford, Vice President; Mrs. Diane Acker, Secretary; Mrs. Elouise White, Assistant Secretary; Mrs. Emma Mills, Treasurer. The District Presidents include Mrs. Elouise White, Durham District; Mrs. Jacqueline Cox, Winston Salem/Greenville; and Mrs. Sonya King, Charleston/Columbia District. The Presiding Elders are Rev. Dr. Clifton Harris, Durham District; Rev. Faye Houston, Winston Salem/Greenville District and Rev. J. Ronzell Maness, Charleston/Columbia District. We are blessed with the strong leadership from Bishop James B. Walker as our Presiding Prelate who is also the Patron Bishop of the Women’s Missionary Council and his partner in ministry, Mrs. Delois Woody Walker.
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The original history was provided by Rev. Emma Duren, our Historian in 1995 (first Woman Presiding Elder of the Carolina Region) and was updated in April 2008 and 2017 by Faye Crowder Phillips. This is the third official updated by our current Historian, Faye Crowder Phillips in 2020.