LAKELAND (FBCH)—Indulge me for two quick but purposeful trivia questions. First, what do the Campbell Soup Kids and Florida Baptist Children’s Homes have in common? Answer: They share the same birth year.

Grace Drayton, a Philadelphia artist, drew the boy and girl on the soup cans at the request of her husband who was competing to secure Campbell Soup’s streetcar advertising contract in 1904. In that same year, when the Florida Convention was a mere 50 years old, other children’s images had garnered the attention of Baptists and an orphanage was born in the beautiful Sunshine State. For these 100 years, Campbell has stuck by its children and so have Florida Baptists.

Second question: If you line up 23,000 children (a conservative estimate of the number served by the Children’s Homes)—assuming they would remain in place long enough for measurement—how long would the line extend? Answer: More than 14 miles or 64 circles around a typical football field.

The annual Mother’s Day Offering is one way Florida Baptists have stuck by their Children’s Home ministry. Early on, this benevolent group made a good decision. They committed to a well-promoted offering in their churches on or near that special day when members think of the blessing of motherhood. The Florida Baptist State Convention, through its Cooperative Program guidelines, has for years offered its blessings to this once-per-year direct appeal to Florida congregations.

It would be accurate to say that the scope, strength, and effectiveness of the Children’s Home ministries across the state are greatly impacted by the Mother’s Day Offering. Last year, 1,497 churches collected $1,087,834 toward a goal of $1.2 million.

This year, as the churches plan their offering, we pray that the same enthusiasm and commitment that spawned us in 1904 will resurface. A new miracle needs to happen in 2004 in order for your Children’s Homes to maintain a posture of serving children from a position of strength rather than a position of struggle.

Eighteen months back, when staff began planning for our 100th birthday, we quickly focused on the Centennial Mother’s Day Offering. This event offers an excellent way for churches to affirm their love for and support of their ministry, a ministry which quietly and consistently applies the healing salve of Christ’s compassion to wounded and needy children.

The following represents our thinking during that planning session: Let’s call Baptists back to that feeling of wholesome pride and excitement as they gathered furnishings for the very first cottage.

Let’s remind Florida Baptists of their “first love.” Let’s challenge pastors to boldly share this opportunity with their people. Let’s honestly share our need and believe that God’s people will come through. Let’s ask churches to do a “God-sized” thing. Let’s mobilize children in Vacation Bible Schools to adopt this project for their mission offerings. Let’s urge our congregations to push this ministry forward by gathering the largest offering ever.

The above thinking motivated the setting of the Mother’s Day Offering goal for this our centennial year at $1.5 million. Friends, there are at least 768 reasons why we need to reach this goal. Timmy, Erica, Joe, Molly, Paul and Jessica are just a few of these reasons.

Can you think of any more compelling than these?

Something new this year

            Your Mother’s Day Offering can honor or memorialize someone special in your life. After you give your offering to your church, complete and mail a form provided on a special bulletin insert that might be available from your church, providing Florida Baptist Children’s Homes with instructions of whom you wish notified. To order Mother’s Day Offering posters, bulletin inserts or offering envelopes, contact Evon Layman at (863) 687-8811.

            Alongside this appeal to make the upcoming Mother’s Day Offering the largest ever, we hope you will accept a genuine word of thanks. Thank you, Baptists, for being a benevolent people. Thank you for placing precious children near the top of your list of ministries receiving your prayers and attention. Thank you for expecting more of your Children’s Home than mediocrity. Thank you for a wonderful century-spanning partnership of bringing what the love of Jesus has to offer those little ones needing the special gifts of home and family.

Jimmy McAdams is FBCH president.