Do you watch our “offering year to date” – the little bar graph on the second page of our newsletter? You may note, over the past few months our “actual” bar has not tracked with “budget”. This means we are currently $12,000 behind budget.
I appreciate this has a context. When we put forward the 2017-2018 budget the members agreed we could be expectant for a 2.2% increase in offerings. We have also had a Thanksgiving Sunday offering where $40,000 was raised, outside of the budget. I do believe our outlay this financial year has been careful and effective. Certainly, we have had very positive outcomes with new staff in Admin, Pastoral care and an Interim Pastor. We have saved monies due to not yet appointing a Youth Pastor. Yet, the bars tell us, we are behind in our giving.
From weekly offerings, to giving to those in need, to supporting aid projects, to supporting cross-cultural missionaries, I am persuaded our people are generous. We are thankful to you for this. Moving forward we need to get used to talking about our giving. We hope to see increasing numbers of people following Jesus. We hope to see increase in our equipping, support, and release of God’s people. We hope to see an increase in our blessing and renewal of our world, particularly where it is in pain. In expectation of God’s increase, we begin this year to build the financial resources to renovate. All this and more will put pressure on staffing, facilities, resources, budgets.
Our current deficit is a wonderful opportunity to consider how you can give:
- Pray that our financial needs will be met.
- Consider increasing your current giving?
- Begin regular giving via our weekly offerings or a regular bank transfer;