NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Giving to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program in March was 4.01 percent below the total for March 2000, according to Morris H. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee.
A total of $14,303,295.06 was received in March to support Southern Baptist CP missions and ministries globally and across North America, $597,062.88 below the $14,900,357.94 received in March 2000.
For the fiscal year to date, October 2000 through March 2001, CP giving is 1.30 percent ahead of the same period a year ago, $89,228,523.62 compared to $88,079,806.20.
In designated giving during March, the total of $25,451,336.81 was nearly $4 million, or 18.59 percent, above March 2000’s $21,461,422.89. For the fiscal year to date, designated giving is 2.75 percent above last year’s pace, $104,287,690.68 as compared to $101,494,421.38.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-to-date receipts are $5,230,331.12 above the budgeted $83,998,192.50, or 106.23 percent of budget. The monthly receipts showed the $14,303,295.06 received as 102.17 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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