Update from the Finance Elder
Dear friends,
Thank you for the pledges and financial commitments you have made to St. Andrew during our Annual Campaign.
Here is where we are at.
Our vision for next year has us reaching out in faith, and we knew when we started that we had a high goal to achieve ($220,017). We are also trying to reach this year’s goal without the help of a one-time designated gift of $9,148 that was available to us last year.
After all of the pledges were turned in, the Finance Committee found that we were $21,783 short of being able to fulfill our vision for the 2014-2015 budget.
What is costing us so much?
Worship, Music, Choirs, REACH, Center of Hope, Honey Dew Elementary, CROP Walk, Bridge Ministries, Christian formation, Sunday School classes, St. Andy’s Gals, Bookmarks, Global Warming, Theology on Tap, POACH hikes, STARs, Youth Group.... The list of the programs and ministries that God calls our church to goes on and on, in an exciting and life-giving way. And our ministries need staff and funding to make them happen. Not to mention the basics of functioning: utilities, heat, building maintenance, computers, office supplies, and the like.
Additionally: Based on what we have heard from our staff and from you at the congregational meeting last year, we made the commitment to provide a healthcare benefit to all of our employees. Through much prayer and community discussions, we have come to see this as a moral issue. Just as we are called to care and provide for those throughout Renton and the world, so too must we start by caring and providing for those who we employ to make that work happen.
So, what’s the plan?
Members of the Session met in a Finance Committee meeting to address the $21,783 shortfall. They took a hard and painful look at the budget – the programs that so many of us are invested in and passionate for – the values that we espouse – all the ways in which we seek to do God’s work in this church and throughout Renton.
We successfully trimmed $11,686 from the budget, bringing the new total budget down from $220,017 to $208,331. Our proposed budget for 2014-2015 is now lower than our budget for 2013-2014 was. We believe that we cannot cut any more without sacrificing our ability to live out God's call for us with integrity and authenticity.
Here are some details about what the Session has already cut from the budget:
Your help is needed.
As a community, we need to come together with a minimum of $10,097 more dollars, in order to be able to live into our plans and mission for the coming year, and more than that if we want to reinstitute any of the cuts that are listed above.
Are you able to donate more to help?
Can you increase your pledge?
By 5%?
By another amount?
If you cannot increase your pledge, can you make a one-time gift to help us meet our goal? Perhaps you can make a one-time gift in honor or in memory of a loved one.
Any amount will help. We ask you to pray, and do what is right for you.
Please contact Pattie Holt, Finance Elder, (pattie.holt@gmail.com / 206-919-6778) by Sunday, May 18 and let her know how you are able to help.
Thank you for the pledges and financial commitments you have made to St. Andrew during our Annual Campaign.
Here is where we are at.
Our vision for next year has us reaching out in faith, and we knew when we started that we had a high goal to achieve ($220,017). We are also trying to reach this year’s goal without the help of a one-time designated gift of $9,148 that was available to us last year.
After all of the pledges were turned in, the Finance Committee found that we were $21,783 short of being able to fulfill our vision for the 2014-2015 budget.
What is costing us so much?
Worship, Music, Choirs, REACH, Center of Hope, Honey Dew Elementary, CROP Walk, Bridge Ministries, Christian formation, Sunday School classes, St. Andy’s Gals, Bookmarks, Global Warming, Theology on Tap, POACH hikes, STARs, Youth Group.... The list of the programs and ministries that God calls our church to goes on and on, in an exciting and life-giving way. And our ministries need staff and funding to make them happen. Not to mention the basics of functioning: utilities, heat, building maintenance, computers, office supplies, and the like.
Additionally: Based on what we have heard from our staff and from you at the congregational meeting last year, we made the commitment to provide a healthcare benefit to all of our employees. Through much prayer and community discussions, we have come to see this as a moral issue. Just as we are called to care and provide for those throughout Renton and the world, so too must we start by caring and providing for those who we employ to make that work happen.
So, what’s the plan?
Members of the Session met in a Finance Committee meeting to address the $21,783 shortfall. They took a hard and painful look at the budget – the programs that so many of us are invested in and passionate for – the values that we espouse – all the ways in which we seek to do God’s work in this church and throughout Renton.
We successfully trimmed $11,686 from the budget, bringing the new total budget down from $220,017 to $208,331. Our proposed budget for 2014-2015 is now lower than our budget for 2013-2014 was. We believe that we cannot cut any more without sacrificing our ability to live out God's call for us with integrity and authenticity.
Here are some details about what the Session has already cut from the budget:
- Staff salaries, hours & benefits
- Staff salaries have already been frozen for the coming year, but we don’t want to also have to eliminate funding for medical expense allowances that we heard from you were important.
- Due to increases beyond our control in medical insurance for Scott, the proposed budget actually cuts the dental benefit for Scott and his family.
- The original budget preserved a bell ministry after Helene’s retirement by increasing Julie Kae’s weekly hours from 10 to 12. This has already been trimmed.
- Facilities
- We have substantially reduced funding related to building upkeep and maintenance.
- We have already eliminated any investment in future costs by zeroing out the building contingency fund that provides funds for items related to long-term maintenance.
- We have eliminated modest funding for computer and equipment maintenance.
- Youth Ministry
- We have already reduced money available for youth programs by 40% (from $2000 to $1200).
Your help is needed.
As a community, we need to come together with a minimum of $10,097 more dollars, in order to be able to live into our plans and mission for the coming year, and more than that if we want to reinstitute any of the cuts that are listed above.
Are you able to donate more to help?
Can you increase your pledge?
By 5%?
By another amount?
If you cannot increase your pledge, can you make a one-time gift to help us meet our goal? Perhaps you can make a one-time gift in honor or in memory of a loved one.
Any amount will help. We ask you to pray, and do what is right for you.
Please contact Pattie Holt, Finance Elder, (pattie.holt@gmail.com / 206-919-6778) by Sunday, May 18 and let her know how you are able to help.