Our congregation is at a crossroads: Membership is growing, education programs are expanding to teach the Gospel to more children, youth and adults, and our service and outreach activities are touching those in need within our congregation, our community and elsewhere. The goal of our communications over the last several months has been to explain the financial challenges facing the congregation. As the year draws to a close, please determine whether your family has fulfilled its pledge or contributed your intended amount if you did pledge for 2005. As you prepare your 2006 pledge, consider increasing your family’s support for ministry by at least one percent of your annual income.
Here are the answers to some of the questions about the church’s financial situation that we’ve heard over the last few months:
Q: Is the church in a financial crisis?
A: We are trying to prevent our cash flow and other financial challenges from becoming a crisis. When the congregation decided to build our new facilities, we recognized that we would need a greater financial commitment from the congregation to pay the increased debt service. So far, the congregation’s regular giving is not enough to cover our debt service. Today, we can pay the bills as they come due because we are using contributions to the Bridge to the Future campaign in 2003. That campaign ends in 2006 and we need to increase regular giving to make the mortgage payments.
Q: How much more money do we need to close the gap?
A: Today, the gap between regular giving and our mortgage payment is about $20,000 per month. Contributions pledged in 2003 for Bridge to the Future cover the difference.
Q: According to the summary in the weekly bulletin, contributions for the operating budget are about $180,000 below the budget. Isn’t that a crisis?
A: We agree – it looks pretty grim. Over the last several years, many members of the congregation have waited until the end of the year to make their contributions. We’re counting on people to come through again this year. Here’s the issue: When members of the congregation wait until December to make their financial contributions, it’s very hard to make ends meet during the year. We all know how much the electric bill and other costs are going up. We need to give regularly – at least once a month. Every household would be in a similar bind if a major percentage of our income was deferred until the last month or two of the year.
Q: You talked about increasing giving by one percent of income. If you want people to tithe, why don’t you just ask?
A: Tithing would be great, and it’s something for all of us to consider and plan for. Right now, our families are giving about three percent of the average family income for the five ZIP codes around the Church. If each family increased their giving by one percent of income, we could cover the mortgage payments, support our growth and increase support for mission programs in Houston and around the world. But why stop at one percent? Why not set a goal of tithing?
Q: Why can’t the congregation live within our means?
A: Think of it this way: Our congregation is like a growing family, stretching to meet all of our expectations. We built the new facilities because we believed the congregation was going to grow. Now, like a growing family, we’ve got lots of children and many demands for our resources, and it’s time to increase our contributions.
Q: My family has contributed regularly to the church. Why should we bother with a pledge?
A: You are not alone – about one half of the families in the congregation don’t pledge. This makes it hard for the Church Council and the congregation to make informed decisions during the year. Families who pledge and plan their giving frequently find the means to give more. Your stewardship packet included a brochure for Simply Giving, the automated giving program sponsored by Thrivent, the Lutheran insurance company.
Q: I like the church’s slogan: The Village Church with a Global Mission. I want more of my contribution to go for outreach programs in the community and mission work overseas, but it sounds like you need the money just to pay the bills.
A: We need everyone to help pay the bills and support our outreach and mission activities, from Christian Community Service Center and SEARCH here in Houston to missionaries such as Dr. Jon Fielder at the AIDS hospital in Kenya. If we all gave according to our means, we could pay all the bills and have more money to support outreach and mission programs.
Q: I want to hear the Gospel and more uplifting things. Why do you have to talk about money all the time?
A: We don’t want to talk about this all the time. But the church’s bills come due whether we talk about money or we don’t. We hope people will remember that regular giving is an important aspect of Christian stewardship: Just as we make time in our busy schedules for worship, Christian education and service, we should make sure that we have provided for our financial contributions.
Church Council thanks all for their participation in the life of our congregation and wishes a Merry Christmas.