More than 8.5 million pieces of promotional materials being received by churches in January and February signals a change of season in many Southern Baptist churches- the season of North American missions. Through the March 2-7 Week of Prayer for North American Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, Southern Baptists will undergird domestic missions efforts through prayer and financial support.
With a goal of $53 million, the offering theme for 2003 is Partners in Purpose, reflecting the cooperation of churches, associations, state conventions and the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in supporting 5,204 missionaries in the United States, Canada and U.S. territories.
The promotional effort began in late December and early January with the mailing of a promotional packet to 42,000 Southern Baptist Convention churches. Offering envelopes, promotional posters and prayer guides will be mailed by state Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) offices in February.
The promotional packet contains a videotape featuring profiles of the Week of Prayer missionaries, a CD-ROM, promotional guide and a sample “missionary trading card” useful for helping both children and adults remember to pray for missionaries.
The www.anniearmstrong.com Web site also has become one of the primary resources for information about NAMB and the offering, with nearly 100,000 visitors using the site last year. Many of the resources in the promotional packet also are available on the Web site, as well as resources and other up-to-date information useful to those promoting the offering.
A number of resources developed by missions leaders in local churches are also shared on the site. There are eight scripts for drama, as well as an original song written just for the 2003 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Among other resources available for order from the site are a prayer map showing missionary assignments and prayer requests, a mission study with materials for all age groups titled “Answer the Call” and full-color bulletin inserts.
The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering was started in 1895 by Annie Armstrong- the first director of WMU- and named for her in 1934. More than $950 million has been given to the offering since its inception, 100 percent of which goes to support NAMB missionaries. Southern Baptists last year gave a record $49.2 million through the offering. For more information about the offering, visit the www.anniearmstrong.com Web site, send e-mail to aaeo@namb.net or call 770-410-6468.
(BP)
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