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Love Gift giving began in 1932. During the Great Depression,
American Baptist Churches faced a half-million-dollar deficit.
Fearing that the financial crisis would curtail God's work, the
Board of Missionary Cooperation (now World Mission Support) asked
individuals to give financial contributions in excess of their
tithes and pledges. The Committee on Conference (later named the
National Committee on Women's Work) challenged women to raise
$150,000 to help meet the crisis. Receiving the challenge, women
began the over-and-above contribution called Love Gift.
From the very beginning, women collected these gifts in small boxes. The first were called Silver Boxes, illustrating that beneath every cloud there exists a silver lining. The silver placed in these boxes would help dispel the clouds of financial difficulty that seemed to overshadow the mission. Subsequently, the boxes were called Mite or Might Boxes. Printed on these boxes were the words: "If we know we pray; if we pray we give."
Later, the boxes were designed to complement the title of the women's annual program theme. The 1941 theme was "Love," thus the boxes became known as Love Gift boxes. American Baptist women contribute over $3million annually to American Baptist mission through various programs such as Refit, White Cross, region mission projects, and Love Gift. Love Gift is a significant part of this giving.
From the beginning, American Baptist women wanted their Love Gifts to be used to support the total mission program of American Baptist Churches USA. In keeping with this early decision, Love Gift money is a part of United Mission, the basic funding source for American Baptist mission. As such, Love Gift supports the full range of American Baptist mission.
"Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in very good work" 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 NRSV
