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ALABASTER OFFERING
What is the Alabaster Offering? The alabaster offering provides funds for property and buildings around the world. While we understand the church consists of the people of God and not a building, buildings erected for the purpose of ministry help provide a sense of permanence, functionally enhance ministry efforts, and convey an attitude that the Church of the Nazarene intends to “put down roots”. Alabaster funds help provide land for many Work and Witness projects, and the entire Alabaster Offering goes toward the purchase of land and construction of churches, schools, medical facilities, and homes for missionaries and national workers.
How are Alabaster Offerings received? The alabaster offering gets to the mission area via several avenues. The most widely used avenue is the Alabaster Box. Individuals are challenged to regularly place in the Alabaster Box the cost of items they desire but do not need, as gifts of love. The boxes also serve as reminders to pray for those people who will benefit from Alabaster buildings. In September and February, the money is collected in Nazarene churches around the world. In addition, money can be donated at any time and marked as Alabaster Offering funds.
How did the concept of Alabaster Offerings come into being? In 1948, Rev Elizabeth Vennum said that God gave her this plan of giving “love” gifts for missions. The plan was modeled after the sacrifice of the woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfume poured from an alabaster jar (Matthew 26:6-13). The first Alabaster Offering was received in 1949 and the funds were designated to be used exclusively for building and properties in cross-cultural ministries. Now, more than 60 years later, Nazarenes have given more than $92 million dollars providing more than 8,300 projects since 1949.
How can you participate? Pick up an Alabaster Box from the NMI table in the church foyer and fill it with your cash “love” gifts. Bring it to church the last Sunday in February and empty its contents into the offering container at the front of the church. Take the empty box back home and refill it before the last Sunday in September so that you can once again bring your cash “love” gifts to church. Remember, every person in the home should have their very own Alabaster Box. (There are boxes especially designed for children as well as for teens and adults).
*Information was adapted from Nazarene Missions International at http://www.nazarenemissions.org |
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