Pastoral Update: Prayerfully Respond
Dear Calvary Family,
I gave a financial update last Sunday as we approach the end of our fiscal year. I used to read a sentence that said “fiscal year” and think, “what are these people talking about? Maybe you do, too? It just means that we organize our budget around a year from July 1 - June 30 which means we are almost at Fiscal New Year, but I don’t think anyone will plan any parties lasting until midnight.
The point of emails and announcements like this is to just be open and honest with our church body about where we are financially. We want to make these announcements about six times per year regardless of how good or bad the news might be. The current news is good, but not great.
Then the next point of these emails is to ask for you to prayerfully respond. Pray first, then respond. Pray and listen about how you should give to Calvary Church.
With one Sunday left in the year, here’s where we are:
General Ministry Fund:
This is the fund that pays the salaries of all of our staff and pastors, keeps our rooms and buildings used for ministry throughout the week, and fuels the ministries of Worship, Discipleship, Kids, Sstudents, Soul Care, Men, Women, Hispanic, etc. (The school is its own separate fund.) We have reduced some spending in this account to end the year very close to on budget no matter what.
Hopes for this Fund:
We mainly want to be able to pay our associate pastoral staff a better wage to be able to afford living and serving here in Orange County.
Budget: $3.9 million
Received: $3.75 million
Need: $150,000 more in the next week, but more for needed salary increases.
Reach Missions Fund:
This is both local and global outreach and missions that primarily supports our missionary families around the world, and also to support projects with ministry partners.
Hopes for this Fund:
We would love to increase the monthly support to missionaries, add a few new missionaries, and give to more, exciting projects across the globe.
Budget: $925,000
Received: $815,000
Need: $110,000 more in the next week, but more to increase missionary support.
I thank you deeply for your radical generosity to Calvary Church. This church does not belong to me. It’s the church of Jesus Christ. And it’s our church, the church that God has entrusted us all to steward and grow. It’s like the parable of the talents. Let’s use what God has given us to grow kingdom impact in our community and across the nations.
We have been practicing dependence in a deeper way over the past couple of years. This is another opportunity to pray and to depend on God to provide for us and to guide us to where he wants us to go. Please keep praying along with us as we seek to be faithful, wise, bold and act with full integrity.
You can find ways to give and help make a difference locally and globally at CalvaryLife.org/Give.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Eric Wakeling