The seasons of Advent and Christmas are special times for Christian churches, and at Graefenburg Baptist Church it really is the most wonderful time of the year. More than the programs and the music and the special services is the warmth of the people who express kindness in a million different ways. I love my church, and I really love her during Christmas.
Although there are many things to love about Graefenburg during the month of December, what rises to the top of the list is the determination to keep the mission of Christ at the forefront of our activities. I don’t just mean hanging banners that say, “Jesus is the reason for the season” (which is certainly true), but I mean sacrificially responding to lostness around the world because we know that Jesus was born to die.
The members of GBC work throughout the Advent season to raise money for something called the “Christ For The World” offering which is broken into four parts:
75% – Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This is an offering that is used to support international missionaries of the Southern Baptist Convention.
15% – Eliza Broadus Offering. This offering supports Kentucky Baptist mission causes.
5% – A local ministry. The church chooses a different local ministry each year and supports it with these funds. This year we chose the “Kentucky Changers” ministry that will be in Shelby County during the summer of 2017.
5% – Stays at GBC for our own mission trips and Great Commission efforts.
Every year our Christ For The World offering goal is increased, and every year we meet our goal. This year I was a bit concerned. Our Acts 1:8 Team set a goal of $25,000 for the offering and that is a pretty huge amount for a church our size. But, our mission team prayed for the church to joyfully give and for the money to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ. I was excited to see what would happen.
Our first Christmas event to raise money is called the “Lottie Moon Craft Auction.” It is the coolest event of the year. Our congregation brings crafts, candy, desserts, and all kinds of hand-made items to auction off in order to raise money to meet the Christ For The World goal. I have never seen anything like it. This year our one-night craft auction brought in over $10,000! This money was raised with all kinds of laughter and love. It really is a beautiful thing to behold (a photo of this year’s auction is below). I was watching a tin of 12 pieces of peanut butter fudge sell for $100.
I am so thrilled and thankful to say that Graefenburg Baptist Church met our 2016 goal and it is still climbing at almost $27,000. Yes, Christmas at Graefenburg is special for many reasons. The fellowship is wonderful, the spirit is sweet, and the conviction to fulfill the Great Commission is clear. I’m already looking forward to next year.
