State Mission Offering

During the fall of each year, we emphasize the CBF/GA State Mission Offering.

When your congregation takes up an annual state mission offering, or when individual members want to give to something extra, we hope you will consider supporting the CBF/GA State Mission Offering.

Together for Hope: A Rural Poverty Coalition

Congregational Ministry Grant Information

Apply for Congregational Ministry Grant

Each fall, we emphasize our annual CBF/GA State Mission Offering. Last year, from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, you and your congregations gave $30,272.17 to support young leadership development and neighborhood ministry efforts around Georgia.

 

This year, 2018/2019, CBF/GA is excited to introduce two new exciting, collaborative missions initiatives that will be supported by our State Mission Offering.

 

  • First, we are entering into a partnership with CBF Global’s Together for Hope: A Rural Poverty Coalition. CBF began Together for Hope nearly 20 years ago with the aim of having a ministry presence in the 20 poorest counties in the United States. As Together for Hope nears its twentieth anniversary, its focus is being re-imagined and expanded to become a coalition to address persistent rural poverty in the 300 poorest, by median average income, counties in the United States. The state of Georgia is home to 40 of those counties and we are committing ourselves to be a part of this new coalition. Specifically on the state level, we are concentrating our first efforts in Sumter County, home to CBF/GA partner congregations Fellowship Baptist Church in Americus and Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. Your offering will be used to fund our initial efforts to begin a larger ministry presence there.
  • Second, CBF/GA is seeking to further invest in our vision “to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission” through the State Mission Offering. Congregational ministry grants will provide an opportunity for CBF/GA to serve our churches who are seeking new ways to fulfill their mission within their local community.Churches may apply for a matching grant from $1,000-$2,000 to support a new ministry or missional endeavor. Each church which is awarded a grant must provide funds equal to or greater than the amount awarded by CBF/GA towards the cost of the proposed project. These congregational ministry grants will be awarded to our partner congregations from money collected through our annual State Missions Offering.

Congregational Ministry Grant Application

Applications may be submitted by a minister on staff, or a committee or group within the church. Churches are encouraged to partner with other CBF/GA churches in their neighborhood when possible. While CBF/GA does not have specific projects in mind, we do hope that these projects will further support the mission and values of CBF/GA. As such, projects should fall into one of the following categories…

  • Community Partnerships – Perhaps you would like to begin a new relationship with a community organization or begin a new program with an existing partner.
  • Interfaith Initiatives – Take this opportunity to host an interfaith gathering within your own church or begin a partnership with another faith group in your area.
  • Local Mission Engagement – Identify an area of need that could be met by members of your church. This may also involve a community partner, or it may mean creating a new idea all together.
  • Young Leadership Development – Identify young leadership within your congregation and specific ways you can help to encourage and support them. Perhaps your church would consider offering an internship for the first time.

These grants will be awarded to churches who are seeking to be the hands and feet of Christ in new ways in their local communities. Determination of amounts and recipients will be made by a subcommittee of the Coordinating Council’s Congregational Life Committee. Our hope is that these grants will spur innovative and creative ministry for your congregations that will be transformative for your members and your neighbors. In return, CBF/GA wants to share your story of how these new initiatives are enhancing your congregation’s capacity to be the presence of Christ in your community.

Thank you for your generosity and partnership in being the presence of Christ to our state and to our world.

Jody Long – Coordinator           

Martha Kate Hall –  Associate Coordinator

The following materials are available for download from CBF/GA. They may be used to promote the 2018/19 “Together” State Mission Offering at your church.