[1]NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–February receipts and budget year-to-date gifts to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program were up compared to the same periods a year ago, according to Morris H. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee.
For February 2000, the SBC CP gifts totaled $14,134,992 compared to February 1999 of $13,967,070, an increase of $167,922 or 1.2 percent.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget for 1999-2000, the year-to-date receipts total $73,179,448 for the first five months of the SBC budget year, Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. That total compares to $70,200,855 for the same period a year ago, a $2,978,593 increase or 4.24 percent.
In designated gifts for February, $45,957,182 was received compared to February 1999 of $43,951,225, an increase of $2,005,957 or 4.56 percent. For the five months of the fiscal year, designated gifts total $80,032,998 compared to the same period a year ago of $73,024,773, an increase of $7,008,225 or 9.6 percent.
The required monthly budget figure of the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget — $13,298,645 — was surpassed by $836,347 or 6.29 percent. For the five months of the fiscal year, the required amount — $66,493,226 — was surpassed by $6,686,222 or 10.06 percent.
The SBC Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 1999-2000 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.
[2]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.