Thankful, Grateful, and Blessed

February 2nd, 2024
by Carrie Morrell

"Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Here are some of the ways that your tithes and offerings to God via First Baptist Joplin has resulted in amazing things!

WORSHIP

Average weekly attendance for the year was 421.
Budget offerings totaled: $1,061,691.53
PAID OFF REMAINING BUILDING LOAN of $316,476.87!
New members who transferred in: 18
New members by statement of faith: 8
Baptized 17 new believers.
Gave out approximately 125 gift bags to first time visitors.
Held 4 First Look Lunches for those interested in info about the church, serving over 25 family units.
Mailed 2,500 Easter invitation postcards.
Easter attendance was over 753 people in 2 services.
We played 93 different songs in worship.
Over 7,000 people visited our website.

EQUIP

Wednesday night bible study held regularly for women and men.
Storehouse Midweek averaged 50-60 students and SlimeTime averaged 40-50 kids.
Sent over 121 students to Falls Creek youth camp.
Held a Baby Dedication breakfast, serving over 65 people.
10 kids came to 1st-2nd grade day camp and sent 47 kids to 3rd-5th grade kid’s camp.
Bussed in 15-20 kids from Michigan Place for SlimeTime.
Hosted the annual True. Conference for Young Ladies.
First Women held a Women's Tea.
Held MEGA Hobbies Camp in conjunction with Preschool Vacation Bible School with over 200 registered.
Had three men go through a 12-month Pastoral Residency program.
Hosted a Night of Encouragement for Pastors with around 75 in attendance.
Hosted area-wide Impact Weekend for youth.
Continued to have people register with our online community database, to better connect the church with other members, present volunteer opportunities, and provide better communication.
Paid off school lunch balances for the entire Joplin school district.
Preached 6 different sermon series.
Posted 54 sermon videos online.
Our app was downloaded 313 times.

ENGAGE

Beautiful Feet Mission Trip – 47 participants ministered to the homeless in Fort Worth, TX.
Gave $8,220 to the Annie Armstrong American Missions Offering.
Collected $2,186.88 in change for LifeChoices Change for Life Campaign!
Donated $555 to Life Choices in Mother’s Day gifts, honoring 111 women.
Hosted an Easter Scramble with over 250 in attendance.
Donated $475 to Watered Gardens in Father’s Day gifts, honoring 95 men.
Held 4 Midweek Blast events, with more in attendance than any previous years.
Storehouse Students did two Michigan Place service project events.
Gave away 75+ pairs of shoes at Shoe Carnival before school started.
Served lunch 7 times to teachers at McKinley Elementary.
Hosted a Trunk or Treat for the public (inside due to rain)!
Collected and passed out over 50 Blessing Boxes filled with groceries and necessities.
Gave $8,517.00 to the Lottie Moon International Mission Offering.
Helped several individuals with various monetary needs including utility assistance, counseling, & travel.
Collected over 40 Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes.
First Fitness for Senior Adults averaged 15 regular people each Tuesday and Thursday.
Connected with 190 new people on Facebook and 53 new on Instagram.
Served lunch to BSU students four times, averaging 50 kids each time.
Senior Adults, approximately 30-45 met once per month for lunch and fellowship.
Storehouse Students served on 3 mission trips in 2023. They were volunteer staff at Green Country Camp for a week. They hosted a backyard VBS in inner city Tulsa area, and went to New York City to help a church in the inner city.
Gave monthly support to our local mission’s partners including LifeChoices, Watered Gardens, Crosslines, MSSU Student Union, and Baptist Hill Camp.
Our giving to the Missouri Baptist Convention ranks us in the top 10% in our region.