CP paces 5.1% ahead of last year

by Staff                                                                                                                                                      Vol. XVII, No. 8, Sep/Oct 2004

Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are up 5.10% compared to the same time frame in 2003, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman. As of July 30, 2004, the year-to-date total of $160,092,022.63 for Cooperative Program (CP) Missions is $7,770,920.36 ahead of the $152,321,102.27 received at this same point in 2003. For the month, receipts of $17,272,883.97 were 29.90%, or $3,976,106.29, above the $13,296,777.68 received in July 2003.

The SBC operates on an Oct. 1-Sept. 30 fiscal year. The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists' method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2003-04 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.

State and regional conventions retain a portion of church contributions to the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program to support work in their respective areas and forward a percentage to Southern Baptist national and international causes. The percentage of distribution is at the discretion of each state or regional convention. [BP]