Fair warning, this article is about our church budget! I know, not everyone finds a budget interesting. If most of us don’t tune into the Federal Budget, why bother with a church budget? A good question! Practically, our budget supports our ministry and mission. Put simply, a budget is a plan to ensure we pay our bills, support, and grow our ministries, and build for the future we believe God has for our church. 

At our recent Church Member’s meeting our treasurer Glenn Dixon outlined this plan. The full budget papers can be accessed here. Over the coming 12 months we see God doing great work! We anticipate a 6% increase in our offering income as our congregation size grows. We are maintaining our staffing size as we encourage, equip, and release more people into their ministry passions and gifting. We have increased our investment into our community and mission efforts because we want to be a church that helps others follow Jesus. This also increases our Church’s ‘Kingdom’ influence and opportunity in our community, and beyond. To do this we are investing in: 

•  $4000 for local chaplaincy in 4 public schools. We are a key church in supporting school partnerships. 
•  $1500 for Blackforest Primary Social Welfare fund. BPS highly value our contribution in supporting vulnerable families. Currently, we are the only church/agency which does this, in any local school. 
•  $3500 to Aboriginal Berean Community Church, as we share in this gospel work among our Indigenous peoples. 
•  $3500 to the Iranian Church as our partnership supports their growth. 

Each year we receive a Thanksgiving Offering. Last year the focus was on supporting our allocation of staff, anticipating congregational growth. This has happened as over the last 18 months we have grown by approx. 80 people. The Thanksgiving Offering target was $50,000. To date, we have received $30,000. This year our budgeted Thanksgiving Offering of $45,000 will go to meeting our Global & Local Mission and People Development investments. This Thanksgiving offering is a needed contribution to sustain our investment in helping others. 

As we plan our budget, we prayerfully look to God for his supply. We see how God does this through our congregation’s faithful, generous, willing giving. The primary source of finances for our ministry and mission comes through you. You share in all God is doing through our church. For this the Church leadership is thankful. We trust you are too. 

In Him, 

Jason 

Photo by Isaac Smith on Unsplash