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Faith Family,
For almost 30 years, my sister and her family have lived and served as missionaries with the International Mission Board (IMB) in Central Asia. When they first arrived in the former Soviet Union, there were only a handful of known believers where they lived. Today that number is slowly growing, but they are still surrounded by millions who have never heard the Gospel.
My sister and her family are just a small part of a network of over 3,600 IMB missionaries who have been sent out by Southern Baptist churches. In 2019, IMB missionaries were involved in starting over 12,000 new churches, baptizing over 47,000 believers, and sharing the Gospel with over 500,000 people! Our church has been blessed to partner with many of these missionaries in our work overseas. We have served alongside them and eaten in their homes.
One of the ways that we can continue to participate with them in God’s Global mission is through contributions to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This annual missions offering is unique because 100% of the gifts given are used to support missionaries who are actively sharing Christ, discipling believers, starting churches, training leaders, and meeting needs around the world!
If you would like to participate in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO), please feel free to designate the gift by writing LMCO in the memo or in your online giving. You can also find out more about the offering by going to: www.imb.org/lmco
As you prayerfully consider your end of the year giving, could I encourage you to consider a couple other items?
First, we are still a little behind in our annual budget giving for the year. As of Dec 6, we were about $35,000 behind our budget goal. We would love to finish the year strong and you can certainly help us with that goal.
Second, if you are giving online, would you consider set-up your giving by using your checking account rather than a credit/debit card? You can give using your debit/credit card, but the church has to pay a transaction fee of about 2.3% on gifts made with cards. The change is easy to make and is beneficial to the church. For more information, please go to our giving page: www.firsthewitt.org/giving.
Finally, don’t forget that end of the year gifts must be postmarked by December 31.
Can’t wait to worship together on Sunday!
Chris Sammons
Senior Pastor
PS - Don’t forget about the Quarterly Review and budget vote this Sunday @ 4 PM.
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