The Missions of FBC

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering enables missionaries to be sent to multiply churches among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God. The offering is named after Lottie Moon who labored tirelessly so her people group could know Jesus. She served 39 years as a missionary.  For more information, visit www.img.org.
On Sanctity of Life Sunday across the United States on the third Sunday in January, First Baptist Church collects a love offering for our local organization, Blount County Sav-a-Life.  This organization is a comprehensive pregnancy care ministry that is dedicated to offering free and confidential services in a loving environment to women, men, and families facing an unplanned pregnancy.  BCSAL offers hope by providing help and emotional support.  Learn more at www.bcsavalife.com
The purpose of the Alabama Baptist Children's Homes and Family Ministries is to protect, nurture, and restore children and families through Christ-centered services.  In additional to homes for children, they also provide professional counseling, educational services, family assistance, and administration that maximizes resources. For more details, visit www.alabamachild.org
The Myers-Mallory Mission Offering funds the work and ministries of Alabama's Women's Missionary Union (WMU). The Alabama WMU Day of Prayer is held each September in conjunction with the Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering.  For more information, visit www.alawoman.com/kmmo.
On the second Sunday of October, Southern Baptists focus on the ongoing worldwide crisis of starvation and hunger.  The Offering received through the Alabama Baptist World Hunger Offering is distributed through the Southern Baptist Convention's Global Hunger Fund through the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board to fund hunger ministries throughout the world.  World hunger funds are available to Southern Baptist missionaries to meet food-related needs such as assisting people with receiving food, buying food, growing food, and/or using food properly.
This is a great ministry and we always have an awesome response! Once again, during select months throughout the school year, you will be able to donate items to be packed.  A list of needed items is available outside the church office. Blessings in a Backpack mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. This ministry began with just two schools in 2005 and now serves over 78,000 students in over 800 schools throughout the United States.
Named in honor of the life and advocacy of Annie Walker Armstrong, this offering goes to North American missions. Every dollar of the offering goes to missionaries and their work of sharing the life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the United States, Canada, and their territories.  Visit www.anniearmstrong.com for more information.
Established in January 2000, the Hope House provides food, clothing, shelter, and substance abuse rehabilitation programs to this area.  Founded by long-time pastor and community leader, L.G. "Bud" Jones, Hope House opened the very first homeless shelter in this area of Alabama. The agency has since extended its services and programs and is now located in the former Blount Memorial Hospital building where they also have a thrift store.  In addition to other donations, FBC collects a love offering each year at its Christmas Eve service for Hope House. Visit their website at www.myhopehouse.org.
An association of Christian business and professional men and their wives, Gideons International works to win the lost for Christ and their unique method is the distribution of Bibles and New Testaments in selected streams of life including hospitals, motels, hotels, schools, colleges, prisons, jails, and medical offices. Once a year, FBC collects a love offering to assist in these efforts. To learn more, visit www.gideons.org.
FBC participates in Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a ministry of Samaritan's Purse.  It is the world's largest Christmas outreach of its kind.  Since 1993, OCC has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 124 million children affected by war, poverty, natural disasters, and other crises in more than 150 countries and territories.  They partner with local churches to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who receive the shoebox gifts and offer a 12-lesson discipleship program called "The Greatest Journey," that helps boys and girls learn what it means to follow the Lord and share their faith with others.  At FBC, specific items are collected each month so that all supplies will be available once the boxes are prepared and shipped.  

Simply bring these NEW items to the collection center located in the stairwell to the left of the church office and the GAs will collect and store them until November when we have our church-wide packing party.  Please help us as we try to increase our shoebox donations!  Also, even though we have featured items, we will accept any items at any time.

Here is the schedule:
  • January - Toys, plastic shoeboxes, candy (nothing that will melt).
  • February - Mittens, gloves, toboggans, stocking caps, scarves, etc.
  • March - Hair accessories including pony tail holders, barrettes, headbands, etc.
  • April - Toothbrushes, bar soap, washcloths, Kleenex, dental floss, anything hygiene-related, EXCLUDING liquids like shampoo, conditioner, etc.
  • May - Umbrellas, toys, games, etc.
  • June - Summer toys, flashlights, batteries, water bottles, sidewalk chalk, etc.
  • July - Shorts, t-shirts, flip flops, sunglasses, sun hats, etc.
  • August - School supplies, candy, sweing kits, fishing kit supplies, etc.
  • September - Undergarments and socks.
  • October - Toothbrushes, bar soap, washcloths, Kleenex, floss, etc. (hygiene-related but NOT liquids like shampoo and conditioner.
  • November - Hard candy.  Packing Party held, too.
  • December - Off

For more information, visit Operation Christmas Child.