UPDATE:  Thanks to the generosity of our Waterbrook family and friends, we received over $18,000 in our “GIVING IT AWAY” offering! We’re giving it all away as listed below! Thanks to everyone who gave!

GIVE IT AWAY SUNDAY: Please help us give away our offering at Waterbrook at our Christmas Services on Sunday, December 23^rd.

The Sunday before Christmas is typically a week most churches and ministries depend on to end the year in good financial shape. Due to God’s provision and a generous church family, we have met our budget needs for this year. We’re encouraging all attenders to bring their offering that morning, but not for our own collection. Instead, we’ll have several boxes available in the lobby for giving. All money collected will be distributed to those designated ministries, orgnizations or individuals. As generous as you’ve been to our church this year, we ask you to be just as generous in blessing others this Christmas!

Gifts and checks will still be given to Waterbrook and forwarded, thus it’ll still show up on your end-of-year giving statement for tax purposes. Help us GIVE IT AWAY for Christmas.

Our leadership team has compiled the following “Offering Box” possibilities for this GIVE IT AWAY Sunday. Options include a blend of local and global options. You may give to one or many as your heart is led to these options. (We recognize there could are many other great and worthy organizations and ministries. We have limited it to these options to allow the maximum impact on a few ministries. We believe in doing for some what we wish we could do for all.)

• Christian Care Center in Wylie
  • This benevolent agency is supported by our church. The Care Center has provided food for more than 2,600 families this year. They’ve given out around 200,000 food items and 25,000 pounds of dry commodities. The Care Center distributes 100% of all funds collected to needy individuals and families.
• Local Church Plants
  • We have identified a couple local church plants in a situation similar to where we were less than two years ago.
• WBF Benevolent Fund
  • Will not accept gifts on the 23rd to our general fund or building fund. However, our church benevolent fund is used exclusively for needs identified within our church family. Funds collected will be used to assist some families this holiday season.
• Urgent Bible Need In Congo (Crossworld)  
  • Crossworld Ministry has identified a special need this year. Carnage and death has visited our fellow believers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The situation is beyond the comprehension of most of us. After pillaging by the marauding bands of fighters, after brutal treatment at the hands of attackers, after losing so many loved ones, there are deep emotional scars. Yet most are facing this without a copy of God’s Word. The reports are that only 5 church members out of every 100 have a Bible. It has been this way since the active warfare ceased in 2003. Literate people who have walked with Christ for decades haven’t had a Bible for years. Newer Christians, some of whom came to Christ during the conflict, have never had a Bible of their own to read and study. As you can imagine, this lack of the Scriptures hurts individual Christians, Christian families, and the Church as a whole. Every $8 provides a Bible for someone in the Congo through Crossworld.
• Word of Life Hungary
  • Pastor Stephen Bramer has taught at Word of Life in Hungary in recent years. Money will be used to aid in student scholarships at the institute. Annual cost for one student is $2,571.
• Jordan Evangelical Theological School (JETS)
  • Pastor Stephen Bramer has also taught at JETS and witnessed the needs first hand. Money will be used to aid in student needs.

We will still be collecting one more regular offering on Sunday, December 30^th. This offering, December 30^th, will be designated regular WBF offering as usual. Any additional gifts to Waterbrook general fund, missions or building funds must be received by the church no later than December 31, 2012, to be included on 2012 giving statements for tax purposes. (Or postmarked by December 31, 2012, if arriving after the 31st to be included in 2012 receipts per U.S. tax law.)

UPDATE:  A Special Link for ONLINE GIVING has been set up for our GIVE AWAY offering. If you prefer to give through our secure online portal, click this link. http://www.easytithe.com/f/?k=MPTB4UEK7QRZK8BT