NC Baptist

Contributed photo. Speaker Heather Holleman challenged attendees at the 2026 N.C. Baptist Women’s Evangelism and Discipleship Conference to root their identity in Christ. GREENSBORO, N.C. — About 740 women from N.C. Baptist churches gathered on Sept. 19 at Lawndale Baptist Church around the theme of “Seated and Sent” to explore what it means to be “seated” with Christ and “sent” into their communities.

Less than one month ago, South Fork Baptist Church in Todd, N.C., did not have plans to put the statewide “Fill the Tank” emphasis on its church calendar. But since signing up in early March, the church has seen several commit to be baptized on “Fill the Tank” Baptism Sunday, April 16. “The Lord is doing wonderful things,” said David Cooper, pastor of South Fork.

When N.C. Baptist leaders gathered in Raleigh on Feb. 24 to celebrate the donation of a new ultrasound machine to Hand of Hope Pregnancy Centers, Tonya Baker Nelson, executive director of Hand of Hope, announced a surprise to the gathering. During the dedication ceremony for the new ultrasound machine, Nelson told the crowd that earlier in life, she had faced a “phenomenal amount of pressure” to abort her own child, having experienced an unexpected pregnancy when she was in her early 20s.