October Update & 2010 Budget
November 12, 2009
At the Congregational Meeting November 8, 2009 the 2010 budget as put forward by Session was approved. Overall an 11.0% increase will be required in 2010, for total Congregational Commitment of $275,552 in God’s service. Roughly 1/3 of the increase is to support operating costs which will increase 3.7% (of that, 2/3 is from having all positions staffed for the full year in 2010 vs. a part year in 2009); 1/3 of the increase will be to fund what looks to be a 2009 deficit; and 1/3 to increase our Presbyterians Sharing contribution back to pre-2009 levels.
September year-to-date results were also reviewed at the meeting:
- givings and receipts are up 6.8% vs. 2008 but short of budget by $13,817.
- our deficit of $24,107 is $8,477 larger than budgeted due to the lower receipts, partially offset by slightly lower expenses than planned. (Remember, each year we expect to run a deficit through the year which is recovered with the larger givings at the end of the year i.e. Thanksgiving and Christmas.)
- contributions to Capital and Presbyterians Sharing are both well below budget, such that total dollars contributed to our Congregational Commitment are $28,364 less than budgeted, and 1.9% less even than last year.
October results are now available and have not improved. Please prayerfully consider how you personally, as part of our unified congregation, can help close this gap and set the stage for a great 2010.
Jun09 Update
July 1, 2009
Well, we're half way through the year, and seeing tremendous gains in areas of Natural Church Development, our new Music Director has started, Vacation Bible School is full (and then some!). All of that growth in ministry is to be celebrated for sure, AND requires the full support of our congregation to continue.
As shared this past Sunday, thus far in the year our givings per week are just about flat when compared with last year, but as we remember from our Annual Congregational Meeting that level of givings is not sufficient to carry the increased costs of our decisions and investments in Christ's Ministry.
We are currently $13,000 under budget in givings towards the operating costs of the church, and a further $12,000 behind in givings towards Presbyterians Sharing and the Capital Fund (for purchases and repairs). So our combined Congregational Commitment is $25,000 shy of our goal.
This is not slowing down our plans for growth, neither is the shortfall insurmountable. We all must prayerfully consider how to provide additional support to Knox's Ministry in Milton, and when we all do that together we won't believe the outcome.
Yours in Christ's Service,
Dave McCaig
Chair, Finance & Maintenance
October Givings...Ouch!
November 16, 2008
As we've shown in our weekly bulletins and discussed during announcements, we were very short in givings in October. Not only were regular givings $2,700 below budget, they were $1,250 less than last October! Add to that, Thanksgiving special givings, one of three major additional givings each year (plus of course Easter and Christmas) was substantially off, with only $2,305 received vs. $4,333 last year.
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It is very clear we must all, as a congregation, prayerfully consider what more we can all do to support Knox. This may be more time volunteering, or more prayer! But also, while it can be especially difficult to do so in uncertain economic times, reach a bit deeper for Knox. I once had someone say to me "give as if Jesus was sitting right beside you in the pew...because he is".
November itself seems back on track to budget so far, which is great news heading into the home stretch of 2008. Keep in mind how important Christmas givings are to Knox - success in December typically makes or breaks our givings for the entire year as December alone traditionally accounts for more than two regular months of givings.
The momentum is truly building in what Knox is, and what Knox does. With our financial resources matching ambitions to serve Milton in His name, there's no stopping us!
Peace
Dave McCaig, Chair, Finance & Maintenance
Congregational Letter Oct08
October 7, 2008
Dear Knox Members & Adherents –
As we ramp up to the new season of schools, fall weather and the next liturgy, it is time for a financial update. You will recall we have embarked on a more ambitious plan this year to share God’s love within Knox and Milton, particularly with the addition of the Christian Education Director staff position , capital improvements (e.g. sanctuary sound system) and launching a web site. These plans and projects are well underway.
In order to support these programs, we as a congregation approved our 2008 Budget which requires $36,600 more givings than the previous year – on average over the entire year this equates roughly to $4 per Knox family per week. As of August we have in fact increased our givings versus last year by $20,604 – His presence is being felt at Knox! However, due to the timing of various items and givings in 2007, most of this year’s total increase was to have been achieved by the end of August so we are in fact short $12,229 year-to-date towards our Congregational Commitment. But there is still time to make up the difference.
On the plus side, we have spent $15,811 less than planned due mostly to the delay in hiring our new Christian Educator by a few months, and also the current vacancy of our Music Director position. Therefore our year-to-date deficit of $9,218 is less than planned and our bank balances are as expected.
So what does this all mean? In order for Knox to complete 2008 in a strong position and continue increasing our ministries in 2009, we must all continue to make Knox even more of a priority. This may be giving more of your valuable time, certainly includes your prayers, and where individual situations allow will be increasing your monetary contributions. We pray that we will fill the Music Director position as soon as possible and our givings must be equal to the task!
We are confident our Knox family will continue to unify as a congregation and complete this year as planned, our next important step in fulfilling God’s will in Milton.
Yours in Christ,
Dave McCaig Howard Sullivan
Chair, Finance & Maintenance Team Pastor
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