Budget Issues

[Joseph McCauslin]

Hello Everyone:

 

I hate to be the harbinger of bad news however I wanted to inform all of you that due to the lack of tithing recently, I am going to have to make some budget cuts.  Last month we raised $89 however $75 of that was my own contribution just to meet the budgeted income for last month.

 

We have already cut our attendance at the Quaker Meeting House in half in order to save money.  I do not want to give up this prime location with excellent rent ($15 a week).  Renting from other churches before, they lowest I have come across is $300 a month and it doesn't matter whether or not you use the facilities.  So I am trying to maintain this space for growth which is what Pride Fest is for...potential growth.

 

So therefore, I am cutting the Youth Program fund.  I was ear-marking 10% of our tithe for supplies for the kis that come to church every once in a while.  But since I started doing this, we have not had any children come at all, so I am re-intergrating that fund into the general fund.

 

Also I am cutting the budget for the Pride Fund.  I originally had $180 set aside for Pride.  For now, I am cutting it back to $150.  The admission price is a minimum of $75 which only leaves us with $75 left.  The cheapest I have been able to find a banner is $55 without shipping which will pretty much leave us with nothing left for any additional supplies. If there is anything left over, it will be re-integrated into the general fund. 

 

I promised all of you that I would not preach about money and I still am not, however I must state that in order to do all the things that we want to do in the future, in order to buy books, materials, rent spaces for lectures or to bring in guests for sacraments or to share their intellectual expertise with us, it requires money.  Without it, we limit ourselves to what is capable and affordable.  I know that none of us just has extra cash lying around (I know I don't) however keep in mind that according to our budget, if there are 5 people at church, we could all give $4 and that would keep us in budget, if there are 3 of us, $7.  To be perfectly frank, I would take a ziplock bag of pennies anyday, if it meant keeping this mission alive.

 

Again, thank you all for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you all at church on Sunday.

 

With Love: RMJ