Question: What are the Special Offerings?
Special offerings are offerings that are approved by the GC Executive Committee. These special offerings are collected every year worldwide during the worship service in support of programs, projects, institutions, or agencies of the church. The offerings are "special" because they are collected separately from the mission offerings received through Sabbath School and each has a specific purpose.
Question: What is the purpose of each offering?
Answer: Each special offering’s purpose is defined below:
ADRA
This Disaster and Famine Relief Offering goes to two destinations—nationally and internationally as needed. It has been used for temporary and emergency relief needs, including medical care, food, clothing and housing. It is not available to church entities.
ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO
This is a worldwide annual offering that goes to the General Conference (GC) to support AWR in its work to proclaim the gospel to the entire world. This offering is used for AWR broadcasts, operations and projects around the world.
ANNUAL SACRIFICE
This is a GC offering that is received locally at the conclusion of the Annual Week of Prayer. It is divided equally between Global Mission and World Mission, targeting unreached territories of the world.
WORLD MISSION BUDGET
These are regular mission funds in all the world which include such general offerings as: Sabbath School, Annual Sacrifice, and all donations given for the purpose to which mission appropriations are made. These funds are accumulated as world mission funds and are recognized as General Conference funds. They are therefore included in the annual world mission budget distribution.
