Growth is happening all around us. The roads are expanding, houses are being built, and people are moving into our area. We are seeing growth in our community and in our church. It’s an exciting time to be part of our Faith Community.

At the same time, expenses are growing. Insurance rates continue to rise, the infrastructure of the church is aging, and ministry expenses keep going up.

In order for us to sustain the church trajectory, we need to meet the cost of our growing expenses. Yet for us to make some progress forward, we want to fund our future. Our team has put together two options for the church budget for 2025-2026.

• Option A: increase the budget 10% which includes our wants and our needs. Increase the budget by $182,738 for a total of $2,017,036.
• Option B: increase the budget 7.1% which only includes our needs. Increase the budget by $131,138 for a total of $1,965,706.

Wants:

• $36,000 – Trustees one time expense for the maintenance of the critical systems around the church
• $15,600 – HVAC unit replacement

Needs:

• $32,670 – Cost of living raise for staff
• $27,634 – Church Ministry Increases
• $23,700 – Insurance rate increase
• $21,765 – IT and Cyber Security Maintenance and Equipment expenses
• $19,320 – Facility Operations increase
• $16,494 – Payroll related expenses
• $7,440 – Global Methodist Conference Apportionment Increase
• ($17,885) Savings due to Forward In Faith Capital Campaign payment on principle of loan and rate reduction

Please prayerfully consider how you might contribute to our budget for the coming year to make ministry happen. Fill out the Commitment Card for your estimate of giving for our 2025-2026 budget. This will help us plot our course for the next year and into the future. Commitment Card Sunday is March 2. You may turn in the card on or before that day.

As we look to “connect people with the grace of Jesus” it takes the membership of this church to take seriously our vows to support Faith MC through our “prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.”

Our Stewardship Scripture this year comes from our current sermon series. “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:38b At a time of rapid growth, what we do now will be measured back to us in the future.