Maguire offering strong in spite of storms

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—For the third time in history Maguire State Mission Offering receipts in 2004 surpassed the million dollar mark as Florida Baptists gave $1,002,196.29 to the annual mission offering.

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“Given the financial impact of the hurricane season upon Florida churches, particularly during the August-September offering promotion, we are extremely pleased with receipts in excess of $1 million,” said Don Hepburn, director of the Convention’s Public Relations Division, which develops the offering’s marketing strategy. “Especially considering that at the height of the hurricane season in Florida more than 230 churches were damaged.

Three of the churches in the midst of the damage were among the 15 top offering givers in the state—Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, First Baptist Church of Pensacola and First Baptist Church of Melbourne.

After being hit by two storms—Frances and Jeanne—First Baptist Church of Melbourne and volunteers cleaned up and placed temporary roofs on 1,600 homes. The church gave $9,096. to the Maguire State Mission Offering, making it 11th in the state in giving. Only ten churches gave more.

“One thing I used to encourage our people was to explain that a lot of the money would be used for disaster relief needs,” said Pastor Larry Bazer. “And that the money was being used to replace funds depleted through the response effort. Even in the midst of what they were going through, they knew people were hurting throughout the state.”

The 2004 offering receipts represent 72 percent of the $1,389,000 goal.

The mission offering gifts first surpassed $1 million in 2001 when $1,022,826 was received. Gifts to the 2003 offering, totaling $1,025,828, continues to be the record amount received.

A total of 1,070 churches participated in the 2004 offering, which were 75 fewer churches than the 1,145 contributing churches in 2003.

“Fortunately the per capita gifts by the contributing churches has continued to increase to $936 received in 2004, compared to the per capita amounts of $896 and $822 received in 2003 and 2002, respectively,” Hepburn added.

More than 22 missions and ministry projects provided by Florida Baptist churches will share in the offerings proceeds. These include new churches, mission outreach ministries, disaster relief, partnership assistance for Haiti, Cuba and Brazil, mission camps, evangelism emphases and new churches.

A priority item of the offerings is a provision for shared receipts for participating associations. This provides for associations, which meet their pre-determined goals to receive a prorated shared of the offering proceeds. To participate in the effort, associations must earmark money received to an associational sponsored mission project.

In 2004, 44 associations set goals with 17 achieving or exceeding their goals. Two other associations did not meet their goals but did contribute more money than the prior year and as a result will receive a prorated shared of their contributions.

Several of the associations to receive a prorated share for their contributions were hit hard by one of the four hurricanes last summer, including Greater Orlando, Halifax and Pensacola Bay. “It’s amazing that in their own hour of need, those most affected were thinking of others in the state,” said Hepburn.

Listed below are the 19 associations that collectively earned $52,998 in shared receipts and the amount each received.