Juliana Rhea has been a familiar part of the First Baptist Church family for a long time, the last 14 years as secretary, though she’s worn a lot of hats. Now, however, she has stepped away to serve as Missouri Women’s Missionary Union’s (WMU) state board secretary. Founded in 1923, WMU is a national organization that partners with the Southern Baptist Convention to support missionaries around the world.
“I loved working as secretary,” said Rhea. “With so many things to do, I prayed about what I needed to give up and felt that it was time to step away from the secretary job. I wanted to be able to spend a bit more time at home, as we have a 15-year-old son and time goes by so quickly, and soon he will be in college. We also have two daughters who are grown and I wanted to be able to do things with them.”
Rhea served as the church secretary when she was a senior in high school when she prepared the bulletin and newsletter on a typewriter. Aside from seven years spent in Colorado with her husband and time away at college, Rhea has called First Baptist Church her home.
As secretary, Rhea prepared the church newsletter each month, put up the saying on the sign, created the announcement slideshow, typed the bulletin, and put the songs into the computer for the worship service, along with typical duties such as sending out letters.
“I loved being able to create the slides and newsletter,” said Rhea “It was fun to find things to put in the newsletter and I enjoyed finding clipart and doing the layouts.”
Over the years, she has done many things at church. Currently, she is the nursery Sunday School teacher, nursery coordinator, and librarian, and she teaches women’s Bible study on Tuesday evenings. She also has served as the Sunday School director, helped her husband with youth, and taught Sunday School for children, the Wednesday evening children’s group, and a junior high girls’ group. Her husband, Alan, is a deacon there and he also teaches an adult Sunday School Class.
Rhea said she will continue to attend First Baptist Church in Linn as it is her home.
“The church members are my extended family and Rev. (Dave) Krueger always challenges me as he teaches the Bible.,” she said. “My extended family attends there also including my mother, Nancy Ashby.”
Taking over as secretary is Kristen (Anderson) Hartmann, whom Rhea believes will do a great job.
“It was very hard to step away from my role as secretary but God has given me a peace about it and I am extremely happy that Kristen is taking the position,” said Rhea. “She was the flower girl in my wedding so we are family.”
Rhea’s daughter, Cassandra, is a nurse and has worked with Hartmann’s daughter, Kennedy, as her respite nurse and weekend overnight nurse. “As I said our church is extended family,” said Rhea.
Rhea earned her master’s degree in early childhood/early childhood special education at Grand Canyon University and teaches early childhood special education at Fatima.