This Giving Tuesday on Dec. 3, all donations made to GuideStone’s Mission:Dignity ministry will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $700,000, thanks to the generosity of 25 donors committed to providing support for ministers and their families.
Mission:Dignity, a ministry of GuideStone, supports retired Southern Baptist ministers, church workers and their widows living on insufficient incomes. Many faithfully served in small, rural churches that offered modest salaries without retirement benefits, making it difficult to meet basic needs in their later years.
“This program goes beyond meeting immediate needs — it affirms the value of their years of service and helps ensure they are supported in a way that honors their legacy,” said Hance Dilbeck, president and CEO of GuideStone. “Mission:Dignity is a tangible way to honor ministers’ lifelong dedication to the kingdom, and we are grateful for the ongoing generosity that makes this possible.”
Thanks to the continued generosity of individuals, churches and small groups, Mission:Dignity is on track for one of its strongest years yet — potentially the second-highest year for giving in its history. Giving Tuesday and year-end contributions account for nearly one-third of annual donations, making the year’s final weeks essential to maintaining the ministry’s reach.
“Mission:Dignity exists to serve those who spent their lives serving others,” said Aaron J. Meraz, director of Mission:Dignity. “Through the generosity of our donors, we can provide not just financial assistance, but a sense of dignity and care to ministers and their families.”
Each year, Mission:Dignity distributes over $11 million, with 100 percent of all donations going directly to support retired ministers, workers and widows in need. Every contribution helps provide essential assistance to those who dedicated their lives to ministry.
To learn more about Mission:Dignity, to donate, to apply for assistance or to refer someone in need, visit MissionDignity.org.
— Roy Hayhurst is director of executive communications for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.