| State Missions Offering Sets Record, CP Still Behind Budget |
| Release Date: 04/11/2008 |
LOUISVILLE – For the first time in its 95-year history, the Eliza Broadus Offering for state missions has reached the $1 million mark for receipts collected during the fiscal year.
As of March 31, Kentucky Baptists had given $1,053,505 to the offering. The $59,682 received in March pushed offering totals past its yearly goal of $1 million, with five months left in the fiscal year.
According to Joy Bolton, Kentucky WMU director, offering receipts for the 2007-2008 fiscal year could reach as high as $1.1 million if giving remains strong through the August 31 cut-off date.
Yet despite record offering receipts, Cooperative Program totals for the same period in the fiscal year are now 3.1 percent behind budget.
According to Lowell Ashby, Business Services Team leader for the KBC, March CP receipts totaled $1,718,980. Churches have given a total of $13,561,020 through March, which leaves total CP receipts $438,980, or 3.1 percent, behind budget, he said.
“It’s appropriate to celebrate Eliza Broadus becoming a millionaire because it demonstrates the impact of Kentucky Baptists’ generosity,” said Billy Compton, executive associate for Cooperative Program and resources. “The challenge for all of us is to express that same generosity through the Cooperative Program, as it provides 90 percent of the KBC’s budgeted funds for ministries and missions,” he said.
Ashby noted that $10,438,980 is needed throughout the remainder of the 2007-2008 fiscal year in order to meet budgeted projections. For that to be achieved, at least $2,087,796 would need to be received in each of the remaining five months.
CP totals have remained behind the $24 million budget throughout the entire 2007-2008 fiscal year, Ashby said.
While giving is behind budget for the current fiscal year, the $13,561,020 received year-to-date is $231,125, or 1.7 percent, above the $13,329,895 received over the same period in the 2006-2007 fiscal year, he said.
“We are short of the budget goal, but the 1.7 percent received above the same period last year is a positive trend,” said Compton. “The budget goal is still within reach as our churches provide their timely and generous giving to CP. Many churches are continuing to experience the enormous impact of CP giving in connecting people to Christ.”
The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of more than 2,400 autonomous Baptist churches in Kentucky. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through its administrative headquarters in Louisville, Ky. including: missions work, disaster relief, ministry training and support, church development, evangelism and more. For more information, visit www.kybaptist.org.
Release prepared by Kristie Randolph, KBC Communications |
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