NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–The Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program remained .73 percent ahead of last year’s year-to-date total, although gifts for April fell 2.42 percent below the total for April 2000, according to a news release from the treasurer of the SBC, Morris H. Chapman.
A total of $15,701,065.71 was received in April to support Southern Baptist CP missions and ministries globally and across North America, $389,642.90 below the $16,090,708.61 received in April 2000.
For the fiscal year to date, October 2000 through April 2001, CP giving is .73 percent ahead of the same period a year ago, $104,929,589.33 compared to $104,170,514.81.
In designated giving during April, the total of $12,481,976.26 was 12.76 percent, or more than $1.4 million, above April 2000’s $11,069,293.31. For the fiscal year to date, designated giving is 3.74 percent or $4.2 million above last year’s pace, $116,769,666.94 as compared to $112,563,714.69.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-to-date receipts are $6,931,698.08 above the budgeted $97,997,891.25, or 107.07 percent of budget. The monthly receipts showed the $15,701,065.71 received as 112.15 percent of the budgeted amount of $13,999,698.75.
The SBC Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2000-2001 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.
The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. 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 percentage of Cooperative Program contributions they receive from the churches to support work in their areas and send the remaining funds to the Executive Committee for national and international ministries. The percentage of distribution is at the discretion of each state or regional convention.
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