As August comes to a close, we will close the books on the 2016 Eliza Broadus Offering. As of this writing (8/24/17), the offering stands at $1,212,880.36. Gifts will be received through August 31 for the 2016 offering. Thank you, Kentucky Baptists, for faithful giving.

The 2017 Rise Up and Shine materials were mailed in July and every church should now have their standing order of posters, prayer guides, and envelopes. Take note of the new envelope design which has the words State Missions Offering in a number of different languages used in Kentucky Baptist churches.

You may have noticed the copyright symbol ® used in connection with the words Eliza Broadus Offering and Eliza Broadus Offering for State Missions. Kentucky WMU began the annual Kentucky state missions Offering in 1913, named the offering for Eliza Broadus in 1976, and are the stewards of the offering to this day. We registered a trademark on the offering name because we understand the importance of this stewardship. In a day when materials can be easily copied and misappropriated, Kentucky WMU took this step as a protection for the name and use of the offering. Kentucky WMU will continue, as we have for many years, in a cooperative spirit to allocate the offering in consultation with the Kentucky Baptist Convention in order to enhance missions in Kentucky through the KBC, associations, affiliated ministries, and Kentucky WMU.

Missions Mobilization through the KBC is a prime area of ministry supported by EBO. Teresa Parrett is often the connector between needs and volunteers, between missionaries and resources. Teresa also works with persons that God is calling into missions to find their place of service. Just recently, Teresa joined us at Familyfest in Lebanon and was introduced to a lady with a heart for missions. When Teresa explained about Kentucky MSC and that she qualified to serve as a Kentucky missionary, tears came into her eyes. She told Teresa that she had wanted to serve in Africa as a missionary since she was a child, but life had taken a different turn. She told Teresa that her current ministry is now her Africa.

Teresa said “We hear this same story over and over, of how God calls people to serve many years earlier, and they are now finding their place in ministry. Many of them thought it would be international missions, but are finding out it is right here in Kentucky.”

Thanks to support from the Eliza Broadus Offering and the Cooperative Program, Teresa is helping to connect many volunteers with missions needs, helping Kentucky Baptists to Rise Up and Shine as we reach Kentucky and the world for Christ.