Why are we raising money for the Janie Chapman State Mission Offering? I think that is a good question that deserves a little investigation and an answer. Here is my attempt to provide information and challenge all of us to sacrifice for this cause.

The first South Carolina State missions offering was established on November 30, 1899 by the Women’s Missionary Union of South Carolina. The first official offering taken was in September 1900 and raised $235. South Carolina women birthed the offering out of a burden for the advancement of the gospel in the state of South Carolina. The first president of the South Carolina WMU was Janie Weston Chapman, a pastor’s wife. Due to her fervent support of and involvement in missions the state offering was named after her in 1937.

The Janie Chapman offering is a state offering, meaning that the monies given will be used in the sate of South Carolina. The uses of the offering are too many to list but include causes such as disaster relief training, assisting struggling churches, helping pastors who want further training, college outreach ministries, summer internships and missionaries, Christmas gifts to South Carolina missionaries wherever they are serving, gifts to missionary kids attending college, and supporting missions to the department of juvenile justice. For a more complete list and information go to http://www.scwmu.org and click on “Janie Chapman Offering.”

I’ve personally known churches and individuals who’ve benefited from the generosity of this sacrifice. It is an offering that keeps the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ burning when it seems darkest. It is a light we desperately need in South Carolina. Through these monies volunteers are helped and mobilized to serve when they couldn’t have done it on their own. The impact of this offering is felt beyond the borders of our state line. For example, when a volunteer is trained through the help of the Janie Chapman offering in disaster relief, when a hurricane devastates the Gulf States they are sent there with our assistance. While there the volunteer is able to begin building bridges that will lead to gospel conversations.

Our part is $1,200. Just imagine what God could do with that money to advance His kingdom. Let’s all sacrificially give above and beyond our regular giving to meet our goal. I can’t help but believe that the money we give will be used to bring someone to Christ.

Grace & Peace,