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December is the month Southern Baptists observe a Week of Prayer for international missions and participate in giving to a seasonal missions offering. The International Mission Board (IMB) relies on gifts to this offering to fund 50% of its mission budget for efforts around the world. Gifts are allocated for missionary salaries, special projects such as water wells for villages, radio broadcasts, language materials, pastoral training, and work with children and students.

Free materials are available to help your church promote the offering. Go online to www.imbconnecting.com  for testimonies, videos, and ideas for presenting mission information.  Bulletin inserts, posters, and offering envelopes are available through the Indiana State WMU office.

Lottie’s Latte Shop

The youth of a nearby church sponsor an annual Lottie’s Latte Shop to raise funds for the Lottie Moon Offering. Sugar cookies (a favorite of Lottie, missionary to China in the 1880s) and lattes are given to church members for offering donations. What a great idea!

Other churches sponsor a Post Office for members giving each other Christmas cards. Youth work the project and the money that would be spent on postage goes to the mission offering. Another great idea!

Some churches provide a Christmas tree and add ornaments as a gifts are given to reach their goal. Wreaths can be displayed and ribbon bows attached to show how much money has been given. Some churches display a world map and mount fabric or color in continents as portions of the goal are given.

Local Women’s Event Coming Soon

A fellowship event for all women in Southeast Association will be held in February. Still in the planning stages, a ministry opportunity will be provided and a “get-to-know-you” time will focus on what women are doing in our churches in missions and ministry. Watch for the event date coming soon!

Wives in Ministry

If you are a pastor’s wife looking for ministry training, this weekend is for you! The event is designed to train and equip you to minister alongside your pastor/husband. Topics included will be: finding contentment as a ministry wife, leadership development, building friendships, cultivating relationships, handling healthy conflict, fighting depression, and supporting your husband. The event will be held at Highland Lakes Camp and registration is $25 (housing not included). For more information and to register go to www.scbi.org/wivesinministry.

Statewide “Transformed” Events Planned

Transformed women’s retreat is a rewarding weekend that challenges women 18 and over to grow in their relationship with Christ and to answer His radical call to reach the nations with His good news. You have a choice of two events:

• March 3-4, 2017 at Graceland Baptist Church, New Albany
• April 7-8 2017 at Sunnycrest Baptist Church, Marion

Registration is only $55 if paid by Feb. 3 for the southern event or by March 7 for the Marion location. Hotel options can be found online at www.scbi.org/transformed.

Don’t miss this exciting time for Indiana women!

Southeast Association has many ministry opportunities that can bless your women and church members. Contact one of the seven church planters in our area and ask how you can provide support for their work. Volunteer to help with children, outreach activities, or special emphases. Our support is very important to our church planters and their families! The associational office has contact information.

Plan a project for the 4 quarters of the coming new year. Include all ages and families as you make your plans. Go to www.wmu.com/ministries for a list of ideas that will help you choose activities to create an interest in missions.

It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is just around the corner! In the midst of plans for Christmas musical presentations and dramas and holiday parties, Southern Baptists turn their thoughts to the rich history of giving to the special missions offering named for Lottie Moon, an early missionary to China.

This year’s goal is $155,000,000!

Here are some facts about supporting international mission efforts you might be able to use to help your church reach its offering goal:

• It takes $58, 200 a year to support a missionary.
• That means it costs $4,850 per month.
• Which translates into $1,119 a week.
• It costs $159 per day to sustain a missionary on the field.

There are several ways you can ignite your church members’ excitement about giving this year:

1. Share from the pulpit or enlist someone to make presentations during worship services.

2. Use the free resources available from the International Mission Board (IMB). Go to: www.imbcomecting.org  for resources (videos, mission sermon, missionary testimonies).

3. Order bulletin inserts, prayer guides, and posters through the Indiana State WMU Office.

4. Set aside time to study about Norway, the country emphasis for 2016. Order materials for preschoolers, children, students, and adults at www.wmu.com  Use the age level or church wide studies as a kick-off for the Christmas giving season.

5. After you set your church goal, make plans for encouraging members to reach it! Take a percentage of the national $155,000,000 goal and create a visual to show the progress toward the goal. Ornaments for a specific amount of your goal can be added to a tree or bows on a Christmas wreath will keep the offering before the church. Encourage children to give by asking them to donate pennies in separate jars for the boys and the girls in a contest-like friendly competition.

As cold weather approaches, sponsor a Cold Weather Box for the homeless. Encourage families to take children shopping for gloves, mufflers, and knitted hats that homeless individuals will appreciate. (Note: Dollar Tree has some great ones!). Make arrangements to deliver the winter items to the Rescue Mission in Jeffersonville or Louisville. Contact the associational office for complete information.

Have a paper drive – no, not newspapers! – paper goods that Pearl Street Baptist Church can use in its hunger ministry. Contact Bruce Farnsley at pearlbapt@att.net  for a list of supplies needed.

Colder weather brings falling leaves! Enlist students to rake leaves for homebound persons in the church’s neighborhood. Encourage them to share why they are doing it: God loves them and they want to demonstrate His love.

Collect non-perishable food items and take them to a local agency that distributes food and/or provides hot meals for the homeless. SEIBA’s office may have current information on area needs.

Let’s start 2017 with a bang! If you and the women of your church would like to get together for a time of fellowship, missions information, and refreshments, please contact Linda Clark at lclark1213@hotmail.com  We will include a missions project in the event and have a great time getting to know each other and talk about how we can encourage church planters in our association, minister to college students, and provide help for various existing ministries.

More information will follow next month as we choose a date and time for the “Women’s Get-Together.”

Just released is “33 Easy Ways to Do Missions in Indiana,” a brochure full of easy-to-do ideas for small groups, the entire church, and/or women to engage in activities that reach out into your community. The new piece is designed with simplicity and low costs in mind so it’ll be a valuable resource when you need a fresh idea for children, students, or adults. You can receive the brochure as a downloadable piece or through the mail. Contact Linda Clark at lclark1213@hotmail.com to request a copy.

Missional living is developing a missions lifestyle that permeates every area of a person’s life. Resources, ministries, and activities through Woman’s Missionary Union support 6 purposes: Pray for missions. Engage in mission action and witnessing. Learn about missions. Support missions. Develop spiritually toward a missions lifestyle. Participate in the work of the church and denomination.

Go to www.wmu.com for more information about how you can begin missions education for your preschoolers, children, students, and adults. Email Linda Clark at lclark1213@hotmail.com for a consultation to customize missions education in your church. Be informed about how Southern Baptists are working to share Christ with a needy world!

The Christian Women’s Leadership Center exists to engage Christian women in discovering and developing their leadership gifts and skills through holistic learning experiences so they may serve effectively as God calls them in life, the marketplace, and the church.

An online, on-demand leadership certificate program launched in September 2016 and is designed for women leaders who desire to root their leadership in their relationship with Christ. Based on biblical principles, the program offers flexible learning opportunities for women with busy lifestyles and responsibilities.

Courses include foundations of leadership, leadership formation, and skills. For more information and to register, please visit the online education portal – www.ChristianLeaderLearning.com