Texas Baptist gifts to hunger offering make Mama proud

Texas Baptists honored their mothers by giving to help people who do not know where they will find their next meal.

Churches across the state participated in Texas Baptists’ first Mother’s Day offering, receiving funds for the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas set statewide goal to raise $1 million in one day—$300,000 more than the hunger offering 2013 budget, in order to support even more Texas ministries.

BGCT Executive Director David Hardage commended Texas Baptists for their generosity. Since most churches wait until the last Sunday of a month to send funds to the state convention, no statewide total is available yet. But no matter the final receipts, congregations have helped people in need, Hardage said.

“I continue to hear really neat reports about what happened on Mother’s Day from our churches,” Hardage told the BGCT Executive Board. “We’re probably not going to reach $1 million, but in a few years … we as Baptists are going to come together and raise $1 million.”

Troy Allen, pastor of First Baptist Church in College Station, agreed the offering has a bright future. The College Station church provides food for about 1,000 people a month through its food pantry. The Mother’s Day offering provided an opportunity to make an impact across Texas.

“We are acutely aware of the hunger needs across the state,” Allen said. “This was a great opportunity to cooperate with other Texas Baptists to meet a great need.”

In 2013, Southland Baptist Church in San Angelo will set a record for its giving to the hunger offering in a year, thanks in part to participating in the Mother’s Day offering, Pastor Taylor Sandlin said.

“I think the Mother’s Day campaign was a great idea, and I commend David Hardage for stressing the offering in this way,” Sandlin said. “I’m also very proud of the way my church responded. I can almost guarantee that we’ll have an even bigger effort next year.”

First Baptist Church in Commerce saw the hunger offering on Mother’s Day as a way to meet physical and spiritual needs.

“First Baptist Commerce gives every fifth Sunday to the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering,” said Jeff Johnson, the church’s pastor and BGCT president.

“We sensed a conviction to participate in the additional Mother’s Day offering because of how we have seen and experienced lives changed due to this offering. This offering helps provide for a basic need.”