Currently there are more than 5,200 North American missionaries who plant new churches, work with college students, start clothing and hunger relief ministries, serve in local Baptist associations, provide training and ministry in interfaith witness evangelism and minister in resort settings.
Since 1895, Southern Baptists have supported these missionaries through an Easter offering, which became known as the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in 1934.
This year the North American Missions Emphasis, which includes a week of prayer for North American missions, the North American Mission Study and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering will be Sunday, March 7- Sunday, March 14.
Under the theme “The World at Our Doorstep,” the North American Mission Study will focus on the international population in the United States and Canada and the commitment and work of missionaries in ministering to and winning internationals to Christ. The North American Mission Study for children, youth and adults is free this year as it is included in the promotional kit mailed to each Southern Baptist church in January.
The national goal for the 2004 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering has been set at $54 million to help missionaries reach lost people in the United States and Canada – estimated to be 228 million people. Although the 2003 offering receipts set a record, funding was still 7% short of the national goal last year. Therefore, the North American Mission Board and its state convention partners have more than 180 vacant missionary positions and are unable to fund about 200 semester and summer missionary positions.
“It is important for us to give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering because we must maintain a strong Christian base in America. Each year we continue to lose ground until today there are more unchurched Americans than churched and we need to help those who are lost come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord,” Evelyn Blount, executive director-treasurer, South Carolina Woman’s Missionary Union, said.
Materials and resources are available in English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese to assist individuals, small groups, and congregations in prayer and missions learning experiences. For more information or to order free materials, contact SC WMU at (800) 723-7242 or (803) 765-0030, extension 8500 or email wmu@scbaptist.org.
