Immanuel Southern Baptist Church

… and why are we still paying her?

Charlotte “Lottie” Diggs Moon was born Dec. 12, 1840, in Albemarle County, Va. she rebelled against Christianity until she was in college. In December 1858, she dedicated her life to Christ and was baptized at First Baptist Church of Charlottesville, Va. Lottie attended Albemarle Female Institute, female counterpart to the University of Virginia. In 1861, she was one of the first women in the South to receive a master’s degree. Edmonia Moon, Lottie’s sister, was appointed to Tengchow, China, in 1872. The following year, Lottie was appointed and joined her sister there.

Lottie served 39 years as a missionary, mostly in China’s Shantung province. She taught in a girls’ school and often made trips into China’s interior to share the good news with women and girls. Lottie frequently wrote letters to the United States, detailing Chinese culture, missionary life and the great physical and spiritual needs of the Chinese people. Additionally, she challenged Southern Baptists to go to China or give so that others could go. By 1888, Southern Baptist women had organized and helped collect $3,315 to send workers needed in China.

Lottie died aboard a ship in the Japanese harbor of Köbe on Dec. 24, 1912. She was 72 years old. In 1918, Woman’s Missionary Union named the annual Christmas offering for international missions after the woman who had urged them to start it. (From IMB.org website)

This year’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering’s (LMCO) goal is $165,000,000.00. The LMCO funds 52% of the International Mission Board’s budget. The Cooperative Program funds 36%. The remaining funds come from investments and World Hunger donations. Our church’s goal is $750.00. We have raised $142.00 so far.

Pray for the generosity of Southern Baptists to give to the LMCO to meet the needs of missionaries around the world. Your support allows you to participate in the Great Commission as you support those who “go”.

You can find out more information about Lottie Moon here.