Combined Missions Offering 2011

Last month we kicked off our two month emphasis for our UBC Combined Missions Offering. At Urbancrest, we have two major missions offerings that we use to support missionaries. The first is the Faith Promise Offering. Urbancrest emphasizes this offering at our Global Impact Celebration each spring. With it we support over 50 missionaries directly, sending teams and supporting many projects. You will hear much more about the Faith Promise Offering as March approaches.

The Combined Missions Offering is the way Urbancrest supports the missions of the Southern Baptist Convention. Ten percent of this offering is designated for World Hunger, which is a huge need globally during these tough economic times. Much of this food aid is administered by Baptist Global Response. Another ten percent is designated to missions ministry in Ohio. This includes Disaster Relief and the ministries at the Seneca Lake Assembly.

Forty percent of the Combined Missions Offering is designated to the North American Mission Board, which is assigned the task of reaching North America, our home. There are over 5,500 missionaries serving throughout the 50 states, Canada, and the U.S. territories that benefit from this part of our offering. These funds support church planting efforts like those sponsored by Urbancrest: Living Word Bible Church, Grace Community in Hawaii, Urban Hills in Cincinnati, and even the Hispanic ministry we will begin in early 2012.

George & Geraldine Smith,
IMB Missionaries

The final forty percent is designated to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions. This offering will go to support over 5,000 international missionaries serving all over the world. Right now there are over 130 missionaries who are waiting for the International Mission Board to have sufficient funds to send them where the Lord has called them to serve. The funds, with the downturn in the value of the dollar, have just not been available. People are ready to go into all the world, and it is our calling to be faithful to send them.

Our goal this year is $52,000. To reach this will require all of us to give sacrificially to this enterprise that the Lord Jesus has assigned us to. During this holiday season that leads up to the celebration of the birthday of our Savior, I hope you will join Linda and me as we give our best gift to Lord. After all, we are celebrating His birthday, and the salvation of souls was the reason He was born! Join me, as we pray and give to reach this $52,000.00 goal.