On the way to church

LindaS · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:11 am

I mentioned that summer is almost over so the pastor should be mentioning about not meeting this years budget.
Sure enough the associate pastor got up and said that in two weeks it is the end of the piscal year and they have not met their budget.
DD wanted to know I knew he was going to say that. I told her he does it every year.
They plan their budget way too high and can never meet it.
I am hoping that this year they learn to lower that budget. They have had a lot of families leave this year.

scottbiddle · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:49 am

We are fortunate enough to attend a congregation where we have consistently met the budget for as long as we have had one (it's a small country church that has only had a real"budget" since the late 90s). We have increased our budget every year, but always with a focus on missions/benevolence/outreach. Folks are excited and stretch to help because over 50% of our money is spent on missions, benevolence, etc. and less than 20% is spent on maintaining/improving the facilities/grounds (back in the mid 90s the congregation was spending 8% on outreach). The people see their money being used to make a real difference and want to help. We have had former members who move away and still send money back because they are excited to see a group "doing what's right". We increased our budget by over 8% this year and we have been over budget on contributions every month through July (but not nearly every week).

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

Wow! What a great financial focus, Scott! I really admire that : )

Do you have paid or volunteer clergy? (since you didn't mention what percent that was of the budget, that left me wondering)

scottbiddle · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:30 pm

Our usual preacher is a retired preacher who gets a few hundred dollars a week. Considering he drives 15 miles each way to get out to the little country church several times a week in addition to coming out for work days, VBS, meetings, etc. it is pretty good. To put harder numbers to this, our annual budget is a little over $63,000. This year we have budgeted about $19,000 for "missions" (outside our state and/or country) and another $5,000 or so for "local" missions/outreach and about $11,000 for benevolence (helping support two children's homes in the area and ad hoc support for others in need). The preacher gets about $19,000 and the rest is for maintenance/upkeep/insurance.

This is possible because we are in a paid for building with no mortgage, etc. I have a friend who preaches in another state at a congregation that is about 7 times our size who told me that he is struggling to get the folks there to focus more on outreach and uses us as an example (we were spending more actual dollars on missions/benevolence than that congregation which was way larger than us and which had a much bigger budget).

I think this is what has helped this little congregation over the last 20 years or so. It was 8 people in 1990. 6 of those people are dead and the other 2 are so old they are hardly ever able to attend. The part-time retiree preacher at the time (different guy, since deceased) insisted that they remain focused outwardly (refusing to accept any money on any fifth Sunday of a month so that the entire contribution those Sundays could be sent to a children's home or to a missionary - he was paid less back then than the guy today). The congregation has gone from around 8 in 1990 to 40-45 average attendance today while the little town shrank from 630 to 601 according to the census numbers.

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

That is truly inspiring, Scott! Thanks for sharing : )

(if it's not too personal a question, I would be curious what denomination, if any, the Church belongs to?)

scottbiddle · **Posted:** Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:10 pm

We attend the church of Christ.

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

That was my guess, since you emphasize Baptism and call it the Lord's Supper instead of Holy Communion or the Eucharist.

What a great testimony your Church has, and what a Spiritual benefit for her members!

scottbiddle · **Posted:** Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:11 am

We refer to it either as communion or the Lord's supper.

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