Arizona Southern Baptist Convention

Spanish Portraits, Nov.-Dec. 2009.

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Despite being forced to cut the Arizona Cooperative Program budget by $600,000 in early 2009, Arizona Southern Baptists ended the year on a bright note with giving exceeding the adjusted budget by more than $260,000.

"While we had to cut our annual CP budget from $3.5 million to $2.9 million, the rest of the year was spent in amazement at the sacrificial giving of our people," said Steve Bass, Arizona Southern Baptist Convention state missionary. "With our new $2.9 million budget in place, our people gave over $3.1 million to end the year in 2009!"

Arizona Southern Baptists gave $3,173,014 through the Cooperative Program in 2009, plus an additional $118,800 designated for Cooperative Program ministries within the state. The total of $3,291,814 exceeded the adjusted budget by $264,014 but was below giving in 2008 by $266,329, for a decrease of 7.74 percent.

"We are pleased that our Arizona Southern Baptist Convention churches rose to the challenge of sacrificial giving," Bass said. "We know that 2009 was tough on an overwhelming number of our families and our churches as well."

The Arizona Cooperative Program budget goal for 2010 is $3,150,000, plus an additional $118,800 designated for Arizona Cooperative Program ministries only, for a total of $ 3,268,800.

A total of 26.12 percent of the undesignated Cooperative Program receipts in 2010, up from 25.88 percent in 2009, will be forwarded to the Southern Baptist Executive Committee for distribution to national and international ministries.

"On behalf of the 83 missionaries in Arizona, the 5,200 missionaries in North America, and the 5,500 missionaries around the world, I thank God for Arizona Southern Baptists who kept them on the field in 2009," Bass said. "My prayer for our churches in 2010 is this would be our best year ever in evangelism and stewardship. Let the giving begin!"

Other giving totals for 2009 were:

-- Willis J. Ray State Mission Offering, $123,202, up $5,344 (4.5 percent) from 2008;
-- Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, $794,709, up $52,789 (7.1 percent) over 2008; and
-- Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, $351,082, up $12,829 (3.8 percent) from 2008.

Information about the Cooperative Program is available at www.cpmissions.net. Resources may be downloaded or purchased.

Brochures explaining Arizona's 2010 Cooperative Program budget may be ordered from the ASBC, 480-945-0880 or 800-687-2431. Information may also be viewed online Back to Portraits