NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program are 3.71 percent below the same time frame in 2004, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.
As of Nov. 30, 2005, the year-to-date total of $30,802,750.67 for Cooperative Program (CP) Missions is $1,187,504.35 under the $31,990,255.02 received at the same point in 2004. For the month, receipts of $14,916,108.16 were 1.28 percent, or $189,025.66, above the $14,727,082.50 received in November 2004.
Designated giving of $6,918,758.42 for the same year-to-date period is 10.69 percent, or $668,186.17, above gifts of $6,250,572.25 received at this point last year. The $3,366,509.95 in designated gifts received last month is $317,375.37 above the $3,049,134.58 received in November 2004, an increase of 10.41 percent.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-to-date total of $30,802,750.67 is 97.34 percent of the $31,644,209.16 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America.
On Sept. 19, the SBC Executive Committee, acting ad interim on behalf of the Southern Baptist Convention, voted unanimously to use beyond-the-budget Cooperative Program contributions for SBC national causes during the first quarter (October, November, December 2005) of the fiscal year in three areas of extraordinary need among Southern Baptists in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
One-half of the total would be earmarked for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (to aid faculty and students recover from losses and to help rebuild the campus), one-fourth will go to the three state conventions most affected by the hurricane (to keep ministers in the field and to assist churches in recovery) and one-fourth to the North American Mission Board (to support the extensive hurricane disaster relief operations).
The Executive Committee also voted to use beyond-the-budget Cooperative Program contributions received for last fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, in the same manner -– sending $12,496,728.55 to aid in recovery needs from the massive destruction in late August.
The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention.
The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2004-05 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.
Designated contributions include the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund and other special gifts.
State and regional conventions retain a portion of church contributions to the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program to support work in their respective areas and forward a percentage to Southern Baptist national and international causes. The percentage of distribution is at the discretion of each state or regional convention.
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