Fellow Church Members and Friends,
At its January 17, 2022 meeting, Session approved a Ministry Plan of $975,000 for 2022, representing an 8.8% increase in General Fund spending over 2021 actuals. Key drivers of this increase include:
- Giving 10% of general fund receipts to external mission (a return to our longstanding tradition of a “mission tithe”)
- Significant increases in health plan rates, with added participation by staff
- Payout of unused vacation upon the Senior Pastor's retirement
- A return to full post-Covid activities, including nursery staffing, mission trips, building use, and fellowship
Session's Ministry Plan also assumes General Fund giving of $819,500 in 2022, which is $155,500 less than what is needed for the Ministry Plan. We have a General Fund balance of $85,375 on hand. If we subtract that from the $155,500 deficit, it leaves us with a projected negative General Fund balance of $70,125 at the end of 2022. This represents a significant faith stretch budget.
The Session has had to make difficult decisions to get to this point. These include the elimination of the staff positions of Church Receptionist, Director of Worship and Music Arts, and Worship Production Coordinator. We thank the individuals who have so faithfully served in these roles: Donna Kopan, Nancy Groeneveld, and Bram Groeneveld, respectively. Saying goodbye to dedicated, hardworking staff members is never easy. Churches across our Presbytery, State, and Nation are struggling to meet unprecedented ministry challenges in a pandemic time. Our church is no exception and we take no joy in saying farewell to anyone who has worked hard to serve us and to serve Christ who is Head of the Church. We owe these three individuals our thanks for their service to FPC and invite your prayers for each of them.
The Session sent a message previously to let you know that we had an untenable $300,000+ budget gap. These position eliminations, and other budget cuts the Session has had to make, reduce the Ministry Plan budget gap to a more manageable level. We ask you all for your patience, prayers, and a spirit of cooperation as we adjust our worship and office practices to react to the changes in our church staffing.
We and the entire Session thank all of you who have pledged to support Christ's work at FPC during 2022. We celebrate the fact that the average pledge for 2022 increased by 3.7%, despite having fewer actual pledging families. Any additional pledges or donations are welcome and would reduce the budget gap, lessening the need for other actions to make the 2022 budget workable.
Thank you for your faithfulness to Christ and His plan for 2022 at FPC. We remain optimistic that FPC's brightest days are ahead.
Yours, for the Elders,
Lolly Lawrence, Clerk of Session
and
FPC Budget Alignment Team
RJ Binau, Building and Grounds Elder
Doug Brown, Personnel Elder
Alan Roberts, Finance Elder
A word from Pastor Kirk:
Ministry contractions are facing churches everywhere. FPC is no exception. I am truly impressed as I see the prayerful, caring, hardworking Elders who are working together to address exceptional times and challenges facing the Church we love. A wise person once said, “Great contractions are followed in life by great expansions.” I believe FPC’s best years are yet to come! I love the hymn that reminds us that when it comes to the Church, “Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ the Head and Cornerstone.” Christ has been faithful to FPCW for 144 years now. FPC’s leaders and people have weathered and risen to meet, tough seas before. They have rallied in the face of challenge and made their way to brighter shores. They can do that again, as they stand on the Rock and place their faith, trust, and hope in Him.
