State 2009 CP giving misses mark

While Alabama Baptists topped Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program (CP) giving nationwide for the 2008–09 fiscal year, they couldn’t quite keep the momentum for the 2009 state budget year. State CP receipts came in 5.4 percent, or $2,359,421, under the $46 million budget and 2.55 percent, or $1,141,740, less than 2008.

“The economic downturn definitely affected Cooperative Program giving in 2009,” said Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). And the current pace of giving “complicates the process for planning the 2011 budget,” he noted.

Bobby DuBois, SBOM associate executive director, said the budget advisory/audit subcommittee was scheduled to meet Jan. 21 to begin discussions on 2010 and 2011 projections.

“We normally would present our projected budget receipts and a recommended budget amount for the following year in our January subcommittee and executive committee meetings,” he said. “That recommendation will be delayed this year until later due to uncertainties that impact our budgeting process.”

Because early projections indicate giving will not meet the 2010 budget of $46 million, the SBOM offices are limiting spending to 85 percent of the budget, DuBois noted. 

As far as the 2009 giving, “the shortfall was evenly spread among the entities of the Alabama Baptist State Convention and Southern Baptist Convention,” he said. “Each entity gets its percentage distribution whether we are below or above the approved budget. We received 95.6 percent of our 2009 budget goal, and each entity received 95.6 percent of its 2009 CP budget amount.”

DuBois noted that SBOM offices worked on 90 percent of budgeted expenses in 2009. “Because of that, we have not eliminated ministries at this point,” he said.

Lance added, “We are hopeful that the economy in Alabama and the U.S. will be better in 2010.

“Alabama Baptists are a dedicated and resilient people. We have weathered many storms in the past, and we are confident that Alabama Baptists will stand in the gap in this time of need.” (TAB)