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SBC Cooperative Program gifts for May & year down


NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program receipts for May declined more than 9 percent compared to the previous year’s May, according to Morris H. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee.
For the fiscal year, Oct. 1 1997 through May 31, 1998, SBC CP receipts dropped just under the same period in the previous fiscal year: $104,076,805 compared to $104,834,013 or a difference of $757,208 or .72 percent.
For the month of May, the SBC received $12,835,511 in gifts compared to May 1997 of $14,014,953, a drop of $1,179,441 or 8.42 percent.
Designated gifts for May also were down compared to last year’s May: $18,294,230 compared to $21,817,238, a drop of 16.15 percent or $3,523,008. For the fiscal year, however, designated gifts for 1997-98 are up $3,012,270 or 2.52 percent above the previous year-to-date figure: $122,773,822 compared to $119,761,552.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the May receipts were 3.94 percent above the required monthly budget figure of $12,238,756, or $486,755. For the year to date, the budget requirement of $98,790,051 compares to receipts of $104,076,805, an increase of $5,286,753 or 5.35 percent.
The SBC Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 1997-98 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, world hunger 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