While the policy of CMS-NSW is to put the gospel before money,  prayer for the organisation’s $2 million budget deficit was firmly on the agenda as the CMS MayDays conference began in Katoomba last night.

CMS-NSW must raise just over 44% of its operating budget in just under two months.

The charitable organisation needs approximately $1.9 million by 30 June in order to meet its record annual budget for missionary support of $4.3 million.

General Secretary of CMS-NSW, John Menear, says the answer is to find new supporters, not rely on those CMS members already committed to giving.

"We either raise the money or cut expenditure,” he says.

This year's budget is a 13 per cent increase on the previous year. 

“The challenge is to broaden the support base so that more people are giving generously and sacrificially, as our existing members already are,” Mr Menear says.

But CMS has good grounds for its hopes for a timely solution to its economic challenge.

Historical data shows giving generally increases significantly in May and June as members respond to the need for funds by the end of the financial year.

The CMS MayDays conference which began in Katoomba last night will continue until Thursday May 5 with extraordinary first-hand reports from missionaries back from the field. 

Last night, CMS Missionaries Lance and Gwen Tremlett, who minister in the Northern Territory with a team of Aboriginal workers announced their team has recently finished translation work for the Kriol Bible.

Once published, it will be world's first complete Aboriginal language Bible.

Donations to support the work of CMS-NSW can be made by visiting the CMS website.