Dear CBF/GA friends and family,
As the Apostle Paul planted congregations around the Eastern Mediterranean, he continually reminded them that the emerging Kingdom of God could only occur if believers used their God-given gifts together. There was no “one-size fits all” approach to ministry that would work; each follower of Jesus and each congregation had to put their gifts together, to good use, in God’s good service to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nearly 2,000 years later, congregational partners of CBF/GA must continue this approach of sharing and using our resources, together to do ministry across our state.
Each fall, we emphasize our annual CBF/GA State Mission Offering. Last year, from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, you and your congregations gave $30,272.17 to support young leadership development and neighborhood ministry efforts around Georgia.
This year, 2018/2019, CBF/GA is excited to introduce two new exciting, collaborative missions initiatives that will be supported by our State Mission Offering.
First, we are entering into a partnership with CBF Global’s Together for Hope: A Rural Poverty Coalition. CBF began Together for Hope nearly 20 years ago with the aim of having a ministry presence in the 20 poorest counties in the United States. As Together for Hope nears its twentieth anniversary, its focus is being re-imagined and expanded to become a coalition to address persistent rural poverty in the 300 poorest, by median average income, counties in the United States. The state of Georgia is home to 40 of those counties and we are committing ourselves to be a part of this new coalition. Specifically on the state level, we are concentrating our first efforts in Sumter County, home to CBF/GA partner congregations Fellowship Baptist Church in Americus and Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. Your offering will be used to fund our initial efforts to begin a larger ministry presence there.
Second, we are beginning a Congregational Ministry Grant program, whereby CBF/GA will make grant monies available to congregations which are exploring new ministry and missional endeavors. Beginning February 1, 2019, congregations can apply for a matching grant of $1,000 to $2,000 that can be used to supplement these new efforts. Our hope is that these grants will spur innovative and creative ministry for your congregations that will be transformative for your members and your neighbors. In return, CBF/GA wants to share your story of how these new initiatives are enhancing your congregation’s capacity to be the presence of Christ in your community.
This year, our CBF/GA State Missions Offering materials are available on our website, www.cbfga.org/state-mission-offering, for you to download and use as your congregation desires. If you need printed materials, please contact our office at 478-742-1191 or contact Melissa Kremer at mkremer@cbfga.org.
We look forward to a year of ministry together, for “we, who are many, are one body in Christ (Romans12:4-5).”