For the year ending Dec. 31, 2011, the offering totaled $56,040,868.
The offering directly pays for missionary salaries and provides field resources for missionaries serving in North America. Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, shared the offering total at the Feb. 8 meeting of NAMB's board of trustees in Miami.
"I want to thank Southern Baptists for their generosity and for continuing to make North America a priority," Ezell said. "I also want to promise that we place a high value on stewardship and that your offering dollars are being spent carefully and wisely."
Funds given to Annie Armstrong go directly to missionaries serving on the mission field. They are not spent on salaries for staff serving at NAMB's Alpharetta, Ga., building and they are not used for administrative costs.
"We have downsized significantly in Alpharetta and cut all of our budgets to put even more money on the field for church planting and other work our missionaries are carrying out," Ezell said. "These funds are in addition to the Annie Offering which only goes to missionaries and resources for them."
NAMB promotes Annie Armstrong in partnership with Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). Ezell thanked WMU leaders and members for their "tireless efforts on behalf of our missionaries and on behalf of this offering.
"Wanda Lee (WMU national executive director) and WMU are champions for our missionaries and they are the best partners we could ask for when it comes to encouraging Southern Baptists to support this offering," Ezell said.
Said Lee, "It is both exciting and encouraging to see the 2011 offering total up from last year as these funds are used to reach North America for Christ. We are grateful for our strong partnership with the North American Mission Board, the committed missionaries who serve all across North America to make Him known and share His love, and Southern Baptists who give sacrificially each year so that their work might not only continue but flourish."
The 2012 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering theme is "Whatever It Takes" and spotlights the work of five church planters serving throughout North America. The offering goal is $70 million. Downloadable videos, photos and other resources can be found at anniearmstrong.com.
Compiled by staff of the North American Mission Board. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter(BaptistPress), Facebook(Facebook.com/Baptist Press) and in your email(baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).
Copyright (c) 2012 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net
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