2nd Quarter Giving
Thank you for faithfully giving in 2015 to the budgeted ministries of First Baptist. We have so much to be grateful for, and we have work to do to meet our budget goal. Before I share the need, I want you to know how your giving has already impacted the lives of our students this year.
In the 2015 budget, we provided transportation for our Youth Choir to go to New Orleans. Their theme of “Surrender” permeated their music, message, and ministry. On Wednesday morning, while eating breakfast at a McDonald’s, a man spotted our choir dressed in their purple tour shirts. He invited them to sing an “unplanned” concert at Crossroads, a home for disabled adults. They surrendered their plans and touched lives of “the least of these” in a powerful way. After touring the WW2 museum in New Orleans, they received complementary tickets to see the present-day edition of the
Andrews’ Sisters on the anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Once again, they were invited to perform spontaneously. They offered an impromptu performance of Psalm 47 for the audience gathered to give thanks for our country.
In these two special ways, your giving has already had a great impact on our church and our mission projects. We need your help to meet our goal for this year. After a strong first quarter, exceeding all expectations, we’ve fallen behind in the second quarter. Here’s how things compare to last year.
Giving YTD Budget Needs YTD
2014 $1,289,726 $1,347,936
2015 $1,270,949 $1,469,744
Our giving has just about caught up to last year’s receipts, but our ministries are growing faster than last year’s. I know you’ll be faithful as you always are as the Lord provides. As we surrender to the Lord, I know he’ll bless our efforts in surprising ways. Our Youth Choir has already shown us how. Please contact Chad Wilson in our finance office to get started. I’m looking forward to a great second half of 2015.