From August through December, your Vestry and Finance
Committee are working hard on our budget for the coming year. Our over-riding question is: How to match
vital ministries with adequate funding to promote their growth in mission?
Some exciting possible uses for new funds include:
- A paid part-time youth minister to support our growing High School and Junior High School groups and the lay people who teach the youth. (estimated $10,000/year)
- Provide paid counselors for our booming Vacation Bible School and Choir Camp ($2,500/year)
- Funds to bring in well-known speakers and teachers for Wellspring and other adult-formation areas, because “learning leads to God!” (estimated $4000)
Of course, budget planning is a combination of discretionary
and mandatory spending. So in addition
to the exciting missional funding opportunities above, we have some rising
costs in other areas.
- Benefits for the staff. We work hard to offer a living wage and competitive benefits to our paid employees from pension to medical insurance.
- Cost of Living Increases for paid staff. We don’t want our employees to fall behind inflation in their earnings.
- Energy costs. Our cost for energy will rise by $7,500 next year. This is partly the result of heavier use of the facility and partly a result of the way we pay for energy. We will make up in 2015 for the frigid winter of 2014.
On the revenue side we know that we have abundant resources
when our membership gives generously to our Annual Campaign. Certain factors are always the case:
- It takes 5 to 10 new pledges to make up for larger pledges lost through death or relocation of members.
- Approximately 60% of members pay for the operation of the church through pledged giving. We would like that to be at 80% at the least.
- Our congregation has a wide range of incomes. While the average cost per household to run the church is $2,100 we know not all members can reach that level. Thankfully those who are able give well in excess of the average and make church possible for us all.
We hope you will consider these facts as you plan your
pledge for 2015.
