CP Giving Still Behind Budget through December 01/14/2008 LOUISVILLE – Cooperative Program giving remains behind budget through December, now with an 11.3 percent or $903,603 year-to-date deficit. According to Lowell Ashby, Business Services Team leader for the KBC, churches have given a total of $7,096,397 so far this year, which also leaves total CP receipts $6,515, or 0.1 percent, behind totals received through December of the previous fiscal year. The annual budget for CP during the 2007-2008 fiscal year is $24 million. Ashby said December receipts totaled $1,787,598, which is $26,763 below the $1,814,361 received in November. December giving was also $84,174, or .05 percent, above the $1,703,424 received during the December month of the 2006-2007 fiscal year, he said. Bill Mackey, executive director of the KBC, anticipates January receipts to help recover some of the deficit. January receipts usually reflect a percent of gifts to churches in December, and receipts in early January have been good so far, he said. Ashby said $10 million would be needed through January for CP giving to meet budgeted projections. He also noted that $16,903,603 is needed throughout the remainder of the 2007-2008 fiscal year in order to meet budgeted projections. For that to be achieved, at least $2,112,950 would need to be received in each of the remaining eight months. “We are grateful for every gift, regardless of size. We pray church members will be faithful in supporting their local churches so missions in Kentucky and around the world can continue to be vibrant and spiritually fruitful,” said Mackey. 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