As a part of our 2012 church budget, we are contributing 10% of all our tithes and offerings to missions causes. This includes support of Cleveland Hope, a network of new churches in Cleveland, Ohio, led by Kevin Litchfield of Moncks Corner.

There is an article in the Baptist Courier this week that highlights one of the church planters that Cleveland Hope is supporting. If you're interested in knowing more about Zach Weihrauch and Gateway Church Heights, click here.

In addition to this and other similar ministries, we also support the Cooperative Program, International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, Screven Association, and St. John’s Christian Academy. When you contribute a tithe or offering to FBC, these ministries are supported financially. We anticipate these contributions to exceed $68,000 this year.  Also note that if you designate your offering to another cause or ministry at FBC, then that money is not shard in these mission endeavors. In the weeks ahead, we will be highlighting these mission and ministry areas.

Thanks so much for your giving to our church and supporting these needs in our church, community, state, country, and world!

We received this email update from Kelly Creech who is living and working in China. Thought you would be interested in hearing how our missions giving was being put to use around the world.


Hey Mr. Doug,
I wanted to let you know how grateful I am for the gift from my "family" in Moncks Corner. I will send you all another update when I can, but for now I wanted to give you a brief update. (also, there's a video I tried to share with you and the family, but maybe failed. Hopefully my dad will be in touch to help you guys out with that).

I have been lifting up a student for a while now in particular, her name is Yang Juan (sorry no English name). She's a student from last year as well. I remember at our Christmas party last year, she won a game, and received the door prize or a 10 cent equivalent notebook. She was SOOOO THRILLED. We've been meeting weekly now, and she's been incredibly open to His story of good news, and remains full of questions and curiosity. Her village is about 3 hours by bus outside of town, followed by a 2 1/2 hour walk home. Her parents currently work in a factory. They used to be farmers, but couldn't afford her tuition by farming, so are now working in a factory. They are doing all they can send her to school, but struggling. She is also worried about their health. They're older, and working extremely long and hard hours for someone their age in not great conditions. When I went to a restaurant with her (I was paying of course) that cost a mere 6 RMB for a dish (not quite 1dollar), she started panicking about how expensive it was. Her parents won't be home for their winter holiday in January either, because it's too expensive for them to come home, and they can't afford to take a day off of work if they want her to go to school.

So when I heard that FBC donated $1000 for Christmas, I was overjoyed. What a better way to show her the way that He loves her, than by helping her tuition. I have been pr@ying heavily for a way to help her financially, and this is what I believe to be the answer to that request. I just left her, after telling her this news, and explaining that it's a Christmas present from you all because of the gift of our Father. I WISH I could make all of you present for that moment. For the most sincere tear-filled hug I've ever received in my life. For the moment when I could once again tell her He believes she is special. He has a plan for her. He desires a relationship with her. AND HE gave a gift much bigger than this one, to cover a fee much larger than this school fee.

My request from Yang Juan upon giving this gift, was that she would 1. remember that this is not a gift from me, but a gift from Him because He loves her 2. that she would study hard and try her best in school 3. that she would tell her parents the reason for the gift, and not that "you have a foreign teacher that is from a rich country" or "foreign teacher that is a good person" because that would simply not be true, and 4th, that she would take the time to thank you all. So expect a thank you from her soon.

Please thank the family back home on my behalf. The Father will remember their generous giving. "When you give to the least of these, you give to me." I strongly believe He is at work in Yang Juan's life, as well as other's here. Thank you for your support and lifting me up. Please continue to lift up Yang Juan. Lift up her family as well. I want them to become a part of her "forever family" so badly! 


- Kelly

First Baptist has a long history of supporting World Missions and starting new churches. The Missions Team and Stewardship Committee have worked together in planning and presenting a missions-oriented World Missions Offering goal of $80,000 and a 2011 church budget that will continue this heritage - and even advance it - in 2011.

Included in our missions and budget giving is support for two new church starts. One new church start is the Church at Cane Bay. Their primary sponsor is Journey Church. That makes the Church at Cane Bay our granddaughter church. That’s exciting!

The other church start is associated with Cleveland Hope, where Kevin Litchfield is Director of Missions. It will be the only evangelical church in that area. Our church can be a small help to a big vision for reaching a city for Christ.

Also, some of our missions allocation will help fund community missions and outreach right here in Moncks Corner in the coming year. Just a reminder--we’re all missionaries, mandated by our Lord in the Great Commission. Let’s all pray, give, and go in 2011.

 

Week one of our Thanksgiving Offering totaled $24,601 of tithes and offerings!  Our goal for the month is $100,000.  This represents about 25% of the goal.  Great Start - thanks for your support!

We have special envelopes for this offering, but understand that you do not have to use these envelopes.  The regular offering envelopes mailed each quarter to our people can also be used.  As in the past, this Thanksgiving offering is used as part of our ongoing church ministries.

Today, I would like to highlight our Missions Giving.  This is the part of our budget and World Mission Offering that we use to fulfill the Great Commission:  "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

As a part of our General Budget, we allocate 12% of all our tithes to the Cooperative Program and to the Screven Baptist Association.  This amounts to $116,400 yearly.  We also have a local Benevolence Ministry led by our deacons.  This yearly amount is $15,000 and is projected to rise to $18,000 next year.  This helps local people with food and other assistance.  In our Local Missions Budget of $10,000 yearly, we fund the services at St. John's church in Pinopolis, Habitat for Humanity, Journey Church (a new church start in Summerville) and fund mission projects for our members.  In addition to this, we also contribute to the Gideons Ministry the sum of $8,000 annually. In addition to the budget amounts, many in our congregation give additional funds for these ministries.  And then there is our World Mission Offering!  More on that next time!

I am proud of what First Baptist Church does to promote the gospel to the world.  All of this is made possible by your financial support of First Baptist Church.