Over and Above
| Churchwide Updates | Dr. Wayne Splawn
This past Easter Sunday was a wonderful day in the life of our church. Because of the Lord’s faithfulness to us, we were able to gather in our newly renovated Sanctuary. While I am grateful that our church has been able to make progress in renewing our church facilities, Mountain Brook Baptist Church is equally blessed to have provided additional financial support for new and existing mission partners because of your faithful financial stewardship. While so many of our members were giving generously and faithfully towards our Renewal Building Project, they were also faithful in their support for our church’s annual budget.
Because of the faithful giving of our membership and the diligent financial oversight of our Finance Committee and church staff, we ended the year with a surplus. As has been our practice in years past, the Finance Committee designated a portion of this overage to mission partners. We were able to give $75,000 over and above the $516,633 we had allocated for missions in our 2024 budget. These additional funds were allocated toward the following initiatives and partners:
MBBC Foster Parents' Night Out
Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary
Serving You Ministries
Hope Community Church
Faith Church
Alabama Baptist Children's Home
Brother Bryan Mission Program
Citizens Church
While we have made significant investments in our church’s mission and ministries, we have also been able to invest in the ministries of others. I want to close this post by inviting you to read notes of gratitude from some of these partners. May the Lord continue to give us generous hearts that we might see the gospel go forward in our church and even to the ends of the earth.
Yours in Christ,
Wayne Splawn
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Hope Community Church
On behalf of Hope Community Church, I want to thank the saints of Mountain Brook Baptist Church for your continued partnership with us in our church revitalization. At the beginning of 2025, your congregation gave us a generous gift that enabled us to fast-track our plans to bring on a full-time Worship Minister! It was the just the gift we needed at the moment, and we give God praise both for His timing and your generosity. We do not fail to recognize that this missional gift is above and beyond your tithes and offerings; and was given in the middle of a significant capital campaign, no less! Thank you for your prayers, your support, and your generosity. We are privileged to labor alongside you for the work of God’s kingdom.
Sincerely,
Jacob Simmons
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Citizens Church
Citizens Church is a thriving five-year-old church plant on Birmingham's eastside that recently bought its first building (2838 Ruffner Rd). MBBC has given critical financial support to help renovate and repair the building for a Grand Opening on Easter Sunday. The repairs include a functioning HVAC, roof repairs, flooring, paint, playgrounds, and ready preparing many of our children's spaces. God has worked mightily at Citizens with an emphasis on evangelism, discipleship, and love for the poor. Citizens is grateful for the support and prayers in this exciting time in our church.
Justin Karl
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Faith Church
Your prayerful support of Faith Church is greatly appreciated and critical to our continued success in this community. Your gift is being used exclusively in support of our Children's Ministry which we identified as our focal point for this year. Because of your generosity, we now have a dedicated Children's Ministry Coordinator, an updated Children's space, strong discipleship curriculum, and our communication with parents has been enhanced by our periodic newsletter. We've already seen measurable success with an increase in attendance and favorable responses from parents and children. An additional element we just added to the ministry is incentives to support volunteer service and participation in Church and community events. On behalf of Faith Church, thank you to Mountain Brook Baptist Church and its membership
Aubrey Miller
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Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary
Dr. Kely Hatley’s visit as the keynote speaker for the 55th Lide-Walker Bible Conference in January 2025 continues to bring blessings to PBTS. MBBC responded with a special gift for the replacement of carpets at the stairs going to academic classrooms, the PBTS chapel, and the President’s office. These are all located at the Grover Tyner Administration Building. PBTS thanks God for Mountain Brook Baptist Church’s support for the new carpet in our spaces.
Dr. Armand Cannoy
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Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes
Thank you for your remarkably generous gift to our ministry to help us update the many appliances at our Family Care Home in Alabaster. This home serves homeless mothers and their children by providing them with housing, counseling, and mentoring as they seek to improve their lives. Your investment in this home will pay dividends in restoring hope and changing lives. God bless all of you, and thanks so much.
Dr. Rod Marshall
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Foster Parents’ Night Out
Thank you so much Mountain Brook Baptist for strongly supporting the Foster/Adoptive Parents’ Night Out. This event began a few years back because we saw the immediate need of church members. We reached out to parents fostering children through the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home, and we invited them to a night of fun, free childcare while parents spend time with one another. When children arrive, they receive a $50 gift card for dinner. The kids play organized games in the gym, have music and crafts, see Santa, and “Christmas shop” for their foster or adoptive parents. We take this opportunity to honor those among us who care for orphans day in and day out. We are blessed to spend time loving on the kids and showing them the love of Jesus.
Mary Splawn
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Brother Bryan Mission
Brother Bryan Mission has been offering the life-giving hope of the gospel to the economically, emotionally, and spiritually impoverished men of Birmingham since 1940. BBM wants every client to return to their families, churches, and communities 1) free of addiction, 2) with stable housing and employment, and 3) with healthy relationships with God, their families and others. Through the generosity of supporters like Mountain Brook Baptist Church this offer of hope is given free of charge to those who need it. Thank you!
Jim Etheridge (Executive Director)