First, Anita and I want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving, a wonderful Christmas, and a great New Year. Thank you for your prayers and support this past year and for the past ten years. Next, I want to thank all of the churches for the financial support this past year. I could give examples of how many of our churches have given sacrificially and over and above many times. Every time I mention those that do something I know there are those who will say, I wonder why he did not tell about how our church has contributed. So I hope you hear me clearly, I am telling you about two churches that are examples of many of our BBA churches.
First Baptist Palmyra is just one example of our larger churches contributions. FBC monthly gives 7% of their undesignated receipts to the support of our association ministries. Over and above this commitment, they have given $1,000.00 per year to support the on going expenses of Camp Inlow. This year they joined many of our churches in committing $1,000.00 per year for three years to help us build the new sports pavilion at Camp Inlow. Palmyra FBC is just one example of how one of our larger churches supports the on going ministry of Bethel Baptist Association.

Warren Baptist Church is an example of one of our smaller churches’ commitments to BBA. Warren Baptist Church monthly gives 5% of their undesignated receipts to support our association ministries. Over and above this commitment they have given to our Annual BBA Mission Offering. This year they received some extra funds and decided some of those unexpected funds should be used to support the new sports pavilion at Camp Inlow. They gave $16,000.00 to the sports pavilion project. I could go on and on about our churches’ support, but I must stop. So let me end with this. In addition to many of our churches giving 5% or more to support our annual ministries and giving to our annual mission offering, this year over and above all of this, many of our churches gave to help Joplin. Together we sent $6547.36 to Joplin. Finally, let me remind you that if every church gave 5% or more to the ministries of BBA and to our annual mission offering we could meet our budget needs and do even more ministries. If your church would like to contribute 5% or more, you could do as some have done, which is increase your giving by 1/2% per year until you reach this goal. I also ask that you begin praying that we will enter into a partnership with Lee County, Iowa to plant new churches. There are 3 SBC churches in Lee County with a population of almost 40,000 people. Iowa has asked MBC to partner with them to plant churches in Iowa. MBC signed this partnership at the Annual Meeting November 2, 2011. Also, pray with me as I invite BBA churches that want to stop declining and start growing to begin a new ministry of church revitalization. I will be contacting every BBA church about how we can help.