Over 130 years of witness

This is Baptist Women’s story. It only hints at the vision, courage and commitment of the missionaries, leaders and local church women who have faithfully obeyed Christ’s call to help others become His disciples. That is a much larger story.

1876: Overseas mission begins

A.V. Timpany, a pioneer missionary to India, meets with influential Baptist women in Montreal and Toronto. He urges them to shine the light of Christ into the dismal lives of women and children in India. In response, the women organize two women's Baptist Foreign Mission Societies, one for Eastern Ontario and Quebec, and one for Ontario West. Through these societies, women in local churches formed groups to pray, learn, send, and support women missionaries and their work, first in India and later in Bolivia and Africa. In the first 100 years they sent and supported 76 missionary doctors, nurses, teachers, and women's workers.

1884: Home mission begins

Settlers from many countries poured into northern Ontario and western Canada. Home missionary Alexander Grant challenged women to help send Baptist church-planters to these new communities. In response, the Women's Baptist Home Missionary Society (of Ontario West) was organized in Toronto in 1884. The home mission society for Eastern Ontario and Quebec began in Ottawa five years later. For years women generously supported the denomination's home mission efforts in the West and French Canada. They began volunteer ministries to immigrants. But it was not until 1918 that they appointed their first female missionary to New Canadians. To date, about 70 women have served as Canadian missionaries--including Phyllis Ortiz and her daughter, Erika Abele, who serve in Toronto today.

1953: Amalgamation

From the beginning, Baptist women's groups were affiliated with both the home and foreign mission societies for their region. They carefully divided their time and money between home and foreign missions. From time to time, beginning in about 1925, there was talk of uniting the four women's missionary societies: foreign and home, east and west, Finally, in 1953, they merged to form the Baptist Women's Missionary Society of Ontario and Quebec (BWMS).

2000: A new name

The BWMS becomes known as Baptist Women of Ontario and Quebec, with a restructured board and, more importantly, a fresh mandate to enable women in Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec churches to reach others for Christ.