Stewardship 2008

Important Announcement....

During the summer each purpose area submitted requests for the 2009 budget. The asking budget was $1,456,281. At the September meeting, Church Council approved a preliminary budget of $1,411,203, through reductions of $25,000 in the Staff-Parish Relations Purpose Area and $20,000 Property Purpose Area. As of November 16th, we had received pledges totaling $934,750 during our Fall Stewardship Campaign. Based on those pledges for 2009 and our historic giving patterns, the Finance Committee recommended the budget be cut to $1,250,000. (Annual giving for the past several years has been approximately $1.3 million.)

On Tuesday, November 18th, Church Council approved a 2009 budget of $1,256,003. Over $155,000 was trimmed from the preliminary budget in the following areas:

• $100,000 in staffing, including 5% reductions in salaries and the reduction of two administrative staff positions and one custodial position from full-time to part-time

• $40,000 in property maintenance and office expense, including reductions in lawn care, parsonage maintenance, and printing supplies

• $15,000 in the program areas of Worship, Music, Fellowship, Discipleship, Stewardship, Congregational Care, Outreach, and Evangelism

Copies of the 2009 budget, which include line detail, are available in the office. Got questions? Members of the Stewardship Purpose Area will be available in Fellowship Hall from 10:30-11:00 on November 30th and December 7th. Also, watch for town hall meetings in early 2009 as we discuss how we will continue to do God’s work within a smaller budget.