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From Ron Thomas October 8, 2008 |
  ACGC is facing a very critical time. The fallout from the economic crisis is hitting us on all fronts. As I write this message, we are trying to find the funds simply to be able to pay our missionaries this month and make payroll this week for our staff here in Charlotte. We have done our best to work within the limits of shrinking income and current reports show that we are $30,000 below budgeted expenses; that’s good! However, Penny Crusade is $58,000 behind where we were this time last year; that’s not so good. And at the same time, our revenue is nearly $150,000 below budget; that’s bad. This is primarily due to the decline we have experienced in United Ministries support from our churches.
You need to know that we have no reserve funds from which we can draw to carry us through this difficult time. Because of this restricted cash flow, we have had to say “no” to some pressing needs on our mission fields. You also need to know that we are committed to being as careful and responsible as possible in using the funds entrusted to us. However, the challenge becomes overwhelming at times when expected income — based on historical performance — is nearly 10 percent below budget.
As bleak as our situation may appear, we do have reason to believe that we can experience some sense of normality as we work through this last quarter of the year. We have three regularly scheduled appeals that go to churches and individuals. The first is before our congregations right now in the form of “Christmas in October.” We normally receive about $60,000 through this appeal. Please, if your church is able to contribute to this event, you are not only providing funds that are given to our missionaries for Christmas, you are also supporting their work that continues even beyond the Christmas season.
Also, every church will soon receive the request to observe “World Hunger Sunday.” This is a time when we ask each church to take an offering that is used to replenish our World Hunger/Emergency Relief Fund. This fund provides the means by which we can immediately respond to emergency needs caused by natural catastrophes like the famine in Malawi or the cyclone in Myanmar or the floods in India. If you have been watching the news, you know that this global financial crisis is the cause behind a food shortage and escalating prices for basic needs. This only compounds the suffering of the poor in and around our churches, both home and abroad.
Last but not least, as we come to the end of this year, we will send an appeal to everyone on our mailing list to help us complete the year “in the black” and, hopefully, provide a little reserve to carry us into 2009.
You need to know that we need your help now. We also need individuals, churches and fellowship groups to consider how they can respond to the forthcoming appeals for support. May you be blessed as your giving now, or in the near future, will certainly be a blessing to the people served by the ministries of your denomination. Thank you! |
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IF Update October 8, 2008 |
Sam’s Updates
Grace Bearer's 2008 is going strong. This past week it was our pleasure to conduct the third of six conferences. This time we were in Iberia, Missouri, at the Missouri Valley Conference campground, Camp Wilderness.
I was able to enjoy the conference with Matt Larkin and Terry Sullivan, and we felt the presence of God throughout the conference. Testimonies declare that God is using the conferences to encourage pastors and the men of their church to take more seriously the work of making disciples, especially the role of mentoring. |
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World Outreach Update October 8, 2008 |
 FROM THE AFRICA / EUROPE AREA DIRECTOR
The Lord has given me the honor to know many wonderful servants of Christ. This month Moses Angbongy of South Africa (pictured with Russell Carle) was going to be at our Eastern Regional Convention as our keynote speaker. We have just received word that Moses is going to be unable to come because of an illness that has become worse. Please pray for Moses, his wife, Zizina, and their children.
I have traveled with him in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where I met some of his extended family. He has served long and hard for our Lord Jesus and the Advent Christian family. Even in times of sickness and privation he has faithfully “talked the talk,” and “walked the walk.”
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News From Our Churches October 8, 2008 |
 CROATIAGreetings in the name of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Kindly find the report of the activities we have carried on this field during September 2008. These things have happened by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to him alone we give all honor and glory:
1. We are very grateful for God’s leadership during the month of September.
2. We had four decisions for Christ in September.
3. We have had a record of 13 births in September this year. Please pray for God to bless these parents with wisdom and knowledge to bring up their children in his way.
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Announcements October 8, 2008 |
 SAVING WHILE SURFING
Back in September of 2007, we introduced GoodSearch.com through our weekly e-news letter. GoodSearch.com is a proven search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. ACGC has benefited from this service with an average of about $25 being generated per month. We want to encourage more to use this search engine, as the benefits could only increase for our denomination. It costs you nothing and it costs us nothing. But it pays all of us to use this service. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results. Just go to www.goodsearch. com and be sure to enter Advent Christian General Conference as the charity you want to support. You can add GoodSearch.com as a toolbar on your computer or you can attach it as a foot note on your e-mails. Please help us share with others the benefits of this resource. |
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