Each year, we honor the life and advocacy of Annie Walker Armstrong (1850-1938) when we give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering® for North American missions. As a tireless servant of God and a contagious advocate and supporter of missions efforts throughout the world, Annie Armstrong led women to unite in missions endeavors that ultimately led to the formation of Woman’s Missionary Union, for which she served as the first corresponding secretary.
Annie believed in and followed Christ with all her heart, but it was her hands that expressed that belief in tangible ways. She spent a great amount of time typing and handwriting letters in support of missions. Many of these letters were quite lengthy and all were filled with conviction that more could and should be done in our missions efforts. Annie also never hesitated to use her hands to reach out to hug a child or distribute food, clothing and the Word of God to those in need. Her hands held her own Bible as she studied to know how best to share Gods love with others. And, most important, Annie was a woman of prayer, folding her hands in prayer to intercede for the missionaries and for those they were helping discover Christ.
Annie rallied churches to give more, pray more and do more for reaching people for Christ. As modern-day missions advocates unite to continue that work today, we can be confident that her legacy will also be ours.
Southern Baptists are all part of a family tree. We are able to do missions today because of the generations who came before us, like Annie Armstrong.