Update from Finance & Planning

Donations continue
at encouraging rate

By Ron Kelly

Donation income has held steady for the past two or three months. As I have mentioned so often, regular and sustained giving is extremely helpful in our budgeting process. So keep up the good work.

November closed with donation income at more than $1.76 million. Other sources of income of $526,000 brought the total for the month to almost $2.3 million.

Here are the year-to-date figures: donation income, $19.9 million; other income, $5.5 million. Total for the year so far is $25.5 million. However, expenses for the year are $30.5 million, so we have used more than $5 million from reserves to sustain our budget without making cutbacks in employees, salaried pastors and activities supported by the church.

We are at the earliest stages of our transition to a new financial model that focuses on the local congregations. We had hoped this process would be implemented by now, but our hands are tied until the Pasadena property sells.

We continue to experience delays in the sale process, and it now looks like completion of escrow could extend into the middle of 2002. This is a test of our patience—as well as a test of your patience, no doubt but patient we must all be.

The first phase of the transition to a new financial model is to integrate collections into worship services. Our goal for 2001 was to have all congregations do regular collections by the end of the year. I believe most of our churches are now doing so.

Collections are made at church services and the offerings are sent to Pasadena for central processing and receipting. While we encourage members to make their contributions at church, we realize a number prefer to contribute by mail or credit card, and that is fine.

Currently more than two thirds of our donation envelopes come from the local collection process, and about one third come through the mail.

Donating by credit card has some advantages. First, members can set a monthly amount that remains steady. This helps the church in processing. Also, some credit cards can be attached to affinity programs such as frequent flyer miles, hotel bonus points or even cash back. A word of caution, however: donation by credit card requires strict discipline to pay off the entire balance each month. Maintaining a balance and paying interest on charges would soon offset any benefit.

A negative side to credit card donations is that if one donates in this manner, he or she would not be participating in the weekly offering during worship services.

My wife, Norva, and I have solved that problem, so I pass it along for what it’s worth. We determine our monthly credit card offering at the beginning of each year. That’s what we consider our base level of giving.

During our many years in the WCG, we also gave special offerings during festival times. We continue that tradition with a slight variation. We determine the amount of offerings we would like to contribute and divide that by the number of worship services we attend each year.

Because we travel to many conferences and visit a number of congregations, we are not at our home church in Pasadena every week. But each week we are there, we contribute our special offerings in the collection plate. To us, we have the best of both worlds, the credit card option and the joy of special offerings at each service.

In whatever manner you choose to contribute, we hope you will joyfully participate in the work of the gospel with regular, generous donations and special offerings. Next month we will report the total income for 2001. It’s hard to believe time has passed so quickly. We pray your 2002 is off to a good start. And once again we so much appreciate your dedication to our Lord and Savior.

Statement of Income and Expenses for

WCG and PTM combined for November 2001

                                                    For the Month                 For the Year-to-Date

Income

    Mail Income                                     $ 1,767,000                         $ 19,982,000

    Other income                                         526,000                             5,504,000

        Total income                                    2,293,000                           25,486,000

Expenses                                                    3,207,000                         30,852,000

Net gain (loss) to bank reserves $                 (914,000)                     $ (5,366,000)

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002