JEFFERSON CITY – The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO) is critical to the International Mission Board (IMB) in keeping 4,000 missionaries on the field. Missouri WMU (MWMU) is ready to equip churches in this cause by helping them create an atmosphere and attitude of giving among church members.
Collectively, Missouri Baptists are being challenged to reach an offering goal this year of $4 million, which will go toward the national goal set at $185 million.
“Let us not grow weary during this season of giving, but enter it instead with a relentless faithfulness to achieve the task set before us,” Interim MWMU Executive Director Cheryl Stahlman said. “The Missouri WMU is willing to walk alongside church leaders to help them plan and prepare for a successful Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.”
MWMU recently mailed churches a packet of LMCO materials, including samples of free items such as offering envelopes, prayer guides and posters. The items are available to order at www.mobaptist.org/lottie.
“The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering was founded by WMU in 1918 in honor of a missionary to China who urged churches to give sacrificially,” Stahlman said. “It is one of the three major mission offerings that our organization helps facilitate each year.”
The week of prayer is Nov. 28 – Dec. 5. Prayer Guides are a useful tool in helping to direct church members in praying for the needs of missionaries. The IMB website also provides additional information, which church leaders may find helpful in setting their church goal.
To access LMCO information available at the IMB website, including free downloads for showing Lottie Moon videos in your church, visit www.imb.org/lottie-moon-christmas-offering/, or call 800-999-3113.
If you have additional questions about LMCO or MWMU, Stahlman can be contacted by email at lagdprov31@gmail.com.