NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program in October were up 9.66 percent over the same month in 2003, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.
The positive report in Southern Baptists’ giving at the start of the SBC’s Oct. 1-Sept. 30 fiscal year follows an overall 3.64 percent increase during the recently concluded fiscal year, when CP giving reached a record total of $189,865,254.85.
For October 2004, receipts of $17,263,172.52 were $1,520,262.01 above the $15,742,910.51 received in October 2003.
In designated giving, the $3,201,437.67 received in October was $174,748.37 below the $3,376,186.04 received in October 2003, a decrease of 5.18 percent.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the $17,263,172.52 received in October is $1,996,364.68 more than the $15,266,807.84 budgeted, or 113.08 percent of budget to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America.
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 2003-04 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.
–30–
