Stewardship Campaign October 2011
A Message From the Pastor
Faithful Stewards -
It's amazing what we can do!
As we come up on our October Stewarding focus, it's wonderful to look back on the last year and see what astounding progress we have made!
We have:
- Increased the number of pledges,
- Increased pledged income,
- Decreased amount spent on buildings and staff,
- Brought mission up from nearly nuthin' to nearly 5%,
- Increased budgets for Christian Education, Worship and Music, Church Life, and Deacons by $2,688 and made them proportionate to each other,
And perhaps most importantly -
- Effectively managed a zero balance budget!
(I can't tell you how many people asked me if we couldn't take our plan to the US government and make America's budget work!)
We made this astounding progress during a recession, and increased our giving when the majority of churches saw a drop in giving. But we are not the "majority of churches," we are the unique and wonderful Rock Spring.
So let's do it again. You've seen it work. Let's get MORE faithful - even if just by a little bit - it's amazing what we can do. Think about the boy's bread and fish that fed the 5,000. That's what happens when we all chip in with a regular and committed amount. It multiplies and becomes ministry: "So much bread. So many fish."
And while we're at it - let's put mission at the front of our commitments - let's "pay" mission before we pay anything else. In 2011 God honored our new found commitment - and did not let us down.
Let's go further in faith this stewardship season. No matter how much we do - it can never meet the astounding and overflowing generosity of God toward us - so let's just give what we can, in joy and in trust - trusting that "so little" will become "so much" in the economy of God.
Your Sister in Christ, Pastor Karen
A Message From the Stewardship Committee
We are again taking a different view of our budget than you may be used to seeing. Instead of the usual Personnel, Property, etc. church committee groupings, this budget attempts to spread all of our costs across the various areas of ministry. In reality all of us support multiple ministries. Our building and property supports all ministries in some fashion. Pastor Karen estimated the percentage of time she spends in the various areas so we could show her activity in all ministries.
This view represents a proposed budget; the final form will reflect our pledges and decisions made by the Session. Your comments and questions will be a big factor in those discussions.
The Session will also consider goals for 2012 which will be reflected in the budget:
- Increase Missions Giving - continue to move towards 10% of our budget,
- Shift Missions Giving to earlier in the year - let's make it first!
- Increase the number of pledges.
The Session will add details to these or other goals to be as specific as possible.
The Ministry of RSPC Through the Annual Budget
Projected 2012 Ministry Income:
Pledges $212,000
Unpledged Gifts $ 29,000
KDO Overhead $ 30,000
Other $ 24,000
Total Projected Income $295,000
Ministry Investment:
- RSPC Worship Ministry $117,508
- RSPC Christian Education $ 30,934
- Caring for our Members $ 76,694
- Evangelism and Outreach $ 34,420
- RSPC Mission Ministries $ 29,958
- The Presbyterian Partnership $4,812
These budget categories are supported by our staff members, by the church committees, by the building and facilities, and by many volunteers!
We have a detailed view of the budget and expenses which is the basis for the above numbers - please ask for more detail if you would like to see how this was calculated.
Many of the budget changes made during 2011 were enabled by the ability of members to volunteer their time and talents which allowed us to remove expense from the budget. The enclosed card has room to indicate your pledge of not only money but also time and talents.
Pledge Sunday is November 6, 2011. Please help RSPC reach these goals by pledging for 2012. If possible, please consider increasing your pledge!
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