The All Is Bright Christmas Offering is a call to sacrificial giving with a goal of $50,000 for a few extraordinary ministry initiatives:
The 2023 Christmas Offering will be received through January 31, 2024.
When you give toward this Christmas Offering, please use the special giving envelope (or) mark your checks with “Christmas Offering.” You may also give online at southbaychurchli.org.
All is Bright reminds us that Jesus shines his light on us, in us, and through us. Jesus is inviting and calling us to shine light in a dark world. This is for the church, but more than that, this is for YOU! This bold initiative requires the investment of your time, talent, and treasure. We want to see every dark space lit up with the life and light of Christ, and to see his love, joy, peace, and goodness throughout the greater Moriches community.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 5:14, 16
Keeping in mind the power of God to change the world, remembering the awesome work of the Holy Spirit in reaching thousands at the start of the church, and knowing our calling to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, we can, through Him, accomplish this vision.
Every year around Christmas time, we launch a special offering to fund specific ministries from within our church. The ministry initiatives that are funded through this offering are completely outreach focused. In other words, they are oriented around spreading the love of Jesus and sharing His good news in our local community.
To be clear, this is over and above your regular giving. Your regular giving is stewarded through church-centered ministries and the operations of the church. This annual offering is unique because it is strictly used for outreach and evangelistic efforts.
How do we intend to steward these funds this year? In the past, the highlights of this offering have been about one or two very specific, highly anticipated events. This year, our giving will be dispersed amongst various events and ministries which provide opportunities for us to make intentional and purposeful connections with our neighbors.
See below for a general understanding of what your giving to this offering will be going toward.
There are certain outreach initiatives that are consistently funded through this annual offering. We don’t typically make a big deal of them for that reason, however; they are well-worth the mention this year.
In 2024, there will be four large, Sunday morning outreach events hosted at South Bay Bible Church. They are as follows: Easter, Friend Sunday, Back-to-Church Sunday, and Christmas. These are unique weekend gatherings, including messages that are especially tailored toward reaching people who may not normally find themselves in a church setting and offering them the hope of Jesus.
These events were major successes this past year. On Easter Sunday in 2023, we had seven people who gave their lives to Jesus. We had a few people who came to the Christmas services in 2022 who have become fully engaged members of our congregation and who are serving in the ministries of our church. On Back-to-Church Sunday this year, there were twenty-two first time guests who were able to hear the good news of Jesus Christ!
Needless to say, these special events provide a great opportunity for your family, friends, and neighbors to experience life-change through the preaching of the gospel and the gathering of God’s people. They are only possible through your generosity toward this offering.
There were several opportunities in 2023 where different members of our congregation were able to meet at locations all over our local community and pray with people, care for them, share the gospel, and invite them to church. We were able, by the grace of God, to lead people to Jesus and even see them get plugged into church life.
In 2024, there will be several opportunities to go serve the community and share about the hope of Christ. The purpose of these ministry projects is two-fold, meeting the practical needs and spiritual needs of people in our community. However, the events this year will be extremely meaningful as we aim to make a greater impact and deeper connection with those we are serving.
You have the opportunity to give toward ministry to the homeless population in Mastic-Shirley, a backpack drive for families in the Summer, and a food drive as we approach Thanksgiving, just to name a few events for next year. These ministries are possible because of your giving to this unique offering.
South Bay Bible Church has served hundreds of people at their time of greatest need. This is because of your faithful generosity in the past.
The Benevolence Ministry has allowed us to come alongside people in distress due to financial difficulties, a death in the family, or the need for Biblical Counseling.
We want to continue offering the best opportunities possible for the people of the greater Moriches area and beyond in growing their relationships with Jesus Christ! To do this, we want to use the best resources, offer the greatest opportunities to grow spiritually, and continue to create unique, welcoming environments (online and in-person) to facilitate and maximize the most important relationship lost people will ever know – reconciliation with God through His Son, Jesus.
We must be prepared to respond to any new ministry opportunity God presents to us in the coming year, so please give and give generously to this year’s All is Bright Christmas Offering.
As part of God’s plan to grow the faith of the people in His church, God calls us to sacrificial giving from time to time. This special Christmas Offering is an opportunity for us to grow our faith and prepare us for what God wants to do through South Bay Bible Church in 2024. This offering is not because we are behind in our budget; instead, it is to position us to make an even greater impact in our community and church in the coming year.
The regular South Bay Bible Church offering is the proportional amount we set apart on a systematic basis and give throughout the year. From time to time, there are opportunities to give sacrificially. This Christmas Offering is one of those sacrificial occasions that stretches us and grows our faith. This special offering should be over and above what you regularly give, or it really does not accomplish what God is doing in the church or your life.
Since the goal is $50,000, this Christmas Offering must involve everyone. Please prayerfully consider a sacrificial gift that will stretch your faith. The precise amount you give is between you and God. Many in our church can give substantial gifts. Others will be able to give small amounts. This issue is not equal giving but equal sacrifice. What amount can you give that will stretch your faith? Several people are praying about giving the largest gift they have ever given to South Bay. Will you join us in praying that prayer?
To whom much is given, much is expected. God has done many wonderful things through South Bay, and He has given us big dreams and plans for the coming year. The ministries supported by this offering are BIG – outreach events, meaningful servant evangelism opportunities, family-friendly movie nights, and financial and emotional assistance. Big dreams require big faith and big funding. The accomplishment of this God-sized vision will be determined by your faith and gifts to this special All is Bright Christmas Offering.
The best time to give will be the first Sunday after you receive this packet. Please pray about making your best gift on that day. However, you can continue to give until January 31, 2024.
Please use the “Christmas Offering” area on the giving envelopes or include a note designating your gift for this special offering. Remember, consistent gifts over time add up – a person giving $100 per week over a ten-week period will give $1,000 to this special offering.
Yes. When you give at www.southbaychurchli.org/give via online giving, simply select “Christmas Offering” under the “Fund” drop-down menu.
Likewise, you can use your bank online payment option to send a check directly to the church office. Again, simply mark in the memo area “Christmas Offering” to designate the funds.
If you would like to make a special, one-time auto-debit over and above your regular giving, simply call (631) 909-8241. Ask to speak with Gerry or email admin@sbbcli.org – it’s that easy.
All gifts to South Bay Bible Church are completely tax-deductible. Your gift will be deductible in the tax year given (i.e. gifts given in 2023 will be deductible on your 2023 taxes). Please be sure to include your name and address when you give, so a receipt can be sent to you for tax purposes. You are not required to utilize a tax-deduction for your gift, but it is available for all gifts.
The $50,000 goal was prayerfully set. It is a God-sized goal to accomplish big things in local missions and outreach; community events; benevolence, Biblical counseling, and other ministry initiatives. This goal can only be accomplished through 100% participation and sacrificial giving by South Bay Bible Church attendees and members. Since we are expecting God to bless this special Christmas Offering, it has been determined that any amount over and above our goal will be divided equally between missions and ministry advancement.
Please pray for God’s guidance as we all give sacrificially. You will be updated on our giving progress during the Sunday services. Reaching this goal will be a celebration of what we can do together as we stretch our faith under God’s leadership.
Please contact Pastor Matt at pastormatt@sbbcli.org or call (631) 909-8241.
If you have questions that we didn’t think of, we’d love to help. Please call (631) 909-8241 or email us at info@sbbcli.org. We will do our best to answer right away. You may also click the button below:
