MISSION GIVING BEYOND OUR CONGREGATIONAL NEEDS

A brief description of the Outreach Fund of Annual Budget of

First Christian Church, Wilmington, Ohio

OUTREACH FUND

A.        Cane Ridge, Kentucky – Meeting House                                       

A token gift to help maintain our historic log meeting house as a shrine of one of our first churches.

B.        Church Finance Council (D.O.C.)                                                     

Known as Disciple Mission Fund, the amount given is divided up by a negotiated percentage formula to provide for the larger General Ministries of the Christian Church that all congregations give to do ministry together.  Approximately 30 to 35 percent comes back to the Regional Church in Ohio.  In addition there are thirteen other divisions of Disciples Mission Fund that  include such ministries as General Office, Overseas Ministries, Homeland Ministries, Higher Education, Pension Fund, Church Extension, Historical Society, Church Foundation along with others listed in the Year Book of the Christian Church.

C.        Clinton County Food Cupboard                                                                  

A gift of money to supplement the canned and non-perishable food items donated by the congregation throughout the year to purchase such items as milk, meat, fruits and vegetables.

D.        Clinton County Homeless Shelter                                                   

As one of the founders of the Homeless Shelter, our gifts join with many other scarce funds to keep the Homeless Shelter in operation.

E.        Emergency Relief Fund                                                                      

This fund exists to respond to local emergency situations that come to the Board’s attention that can make an immediate response, e.g. fire, flood or other catastrophe.

F.         Free Clinic of Clinton County                                                           

A token to assist with medical supplies for those who have no medical insurance and needing medical treatment.

G.        Habitat for Humanity (Clinton County)                                           

A gift to help with building materials for housing being built by volunteers of the Habitat for Humanity program.

H.        National Evangelistic Association                                                   

A token gift to the Association who works at the forefront of evangelism, church revitalization and growth through research, workshops, publications and studies.

I.          Ohio Disciples Outreach

            1.         Ohio Camp Christian Fund                                                     

            This fund is used only for maintenance and improvements of     regional church camp in order to keep camp fees as                reasonable as possible.

            2.         Cleveland Christian Home                                                     

                        Gifts supplementing the ministry to Children of special needs.

            3.         Ohio Council of Churches                                                     

                        Formerly known as Ohio Ecumenical Fund

            Because of our historical interest in Christian Unity since our     founding, Ohio Disciples have long participated with other   church denominations in the Ohio Council of Churches.

            4.         Ohio Designated                                                           

                        Formerly known as Christian Church in Ohio

            Designated for Operating budget of Regional Church for office staff, facilities, insurance and supplies in order to supplement        the negotiated percent that comes to Region from Disciples      Mission Fund.

            5.         Inner City Fund                                                                         

            Through Inner City Fund, we give financial support to       congregations in economically depressed inner city locations             to continue ministries that by themselves would not be able to          continue.

            6.         Ohio Ministerial Relief Fund                                                  

            20 percent of gifts are used for Ohio Pastor’s Fund for crisis       and emergency needs of pastors.  80 percent of gifts are used          by the Pension Fund for Supplemental Gifts for those             ministers without pensions and with emergency situations.

            7.         Ohio New Church Fund                                                          

                        Since 1954 the New Church Fund has helped to establish new

                        congregations in Ohio.

            8.         Ohio Seminary Fund                                                               

            Since 1976, gifts to Seminary Fund has helped to under gird       Lexington Theological Seminary and Christian Theological    Seminary as they prepare pastoral leadership for Ohio             Congregations.

J.         Your Father’s Kitchen                                                                          

An outreach ministry that provides soup meals, food pantry, clothing and emergency needs.

            Our gifts to these ministries listed in the Outreach Fund are joined with similar gifts from other Christians and Congregations to do significant MINISTRIES TOGETHER that would be impossible on our own.

            The church is in the business of doing ministry.  Our giving makes ministry possible with a growth in giving creating a growth in ministry.