Monday, September 8,
2008
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee
This meeting was called to review the state of our budget
and offer recommendations to the church council.
Attendees: Pastor
John Soyster, Paul Christensen, Bob Winters and Herb Holler (Chair)
The church finances continue to decline. We are vitally interested in how the
finances will hold up in the fourth quarter, this will determine our draft
budget for 2009.
Recommendations from the Budget and Finance Committee to the
Church Council;
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Meeting of the Budget and Finance Committee
This meeting was called to review the state of our budget
and offer recommendations to the church council.
Attendees: Pastor John
Soyster, Paul Christensen, Karen Gramacki, Bob Winters and Herb Holler (Chair)
The Church Treasurer, Bob Winters, presented a “MCLC
Finances: Mid Year” report for our review and discussion. He also presented a “MCLC2008 Comparative
P&L Summary” report to the committee.
Our Budget at the end of May is $22,821.32 short. Expenses
are on schedule but income is running behind the budget. Income has been
decreasing since 2006. In reviewing
expenses it became apparent that minor cuts can be made to some operating
expenses. The only area that major cuts
to the budget can be made is salary.
Our current income is $36,000 a month and it would require $46,000 a
month for the rest of the year to catch up.
We do have enough cash reserve that we are not in a crisis situation but
this deficit cannot continue.
Recommendations from the Budget and Finance Committee to the
Church Council;
The committees’ next meeting will be held Sept 2nd
to discuss our financial situation and recommendations for the 2009
budget. Recommendations to be presented
at the council meeting on Sept 9th.
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Budget and Finance Committee Meeting Minutes
Sept. 11, 2006
Attendees: Jenny Christensen, Paul Christensen, Karen Gramacki, Keith Selbrede and Bob Winters
Agenda:
1. Review/analyze financial performance YTD
a. Income YTD is right on budget and expenses are $10K below – excellent position for the end of August.
b. We discussed our recommendation regarding the $5,000 front money for “Project Peace.” Our recommendation remains the same: to treat these funds as a loan to the people who received them. This is primarily due to the expected increase in the 2007 budget of around $33,000 due to added staff, Safeguarding Our Children costs and Pastor John’s sabbatical.
2. Develop 2007 budget
a. Input from committees – none received yet.
b. Input from Mutual Ministry regarding called staff - none received yet
c. Input from Personnel regarding other staff – none received yet
3. Stewardship Committee plan and timing
a. No information has been received. Input requested again.
Keith will bring these items up again at Council on Sept. 12. Key needs are as follows;
1. Committee budgets for 2007 with justification for changes
2. Budgets for all staff
3. Budget for Safeguarding our Children
4. Decision on Project Peace advance funds.
5. Budget for Pastor John’s sabbatical
6. Stewardship plan
The next meeting will be Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 10:00 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Keith Selbrede
STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE UPDATE
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Annual Every Member Response – Fall Drive 2007
THEME: GROWING OUR GIFTS
Incorporate
our Core Values form the Strategic Planning Committee
Dates for
introducing Core Values with “Garden Spots” and sermons
Committee Members: Bob Brundage,
Barbara Burke, Herb Holler, Dick Hough, Gayle Johnson, Pastor Erik, Pastor John
DIGGING IN AND BRANCHING OUT
September 16:
Introduction to Growing our Gifts –Bob and Gayle
September 23: Intimacy with God –Pastor Erik
September 30: Inspiring Worship – Jenny Christensen
& LaJean Wenzel
October
7: Nurturing
the Next Generation- Kelsey Rhodes & Ross
Crockett
October 14: Compassionate Outreach – Pat Gallagher
& Cy Johnson
October 21: Caring Community - Probably Bev
Rueckert
October 28:
Property? Need to discuss.
Pastor Erik is
organizing Sundays September 23, 30 and October 7. Gayle is organizing Sundays
October 14 and 21. We need to discuss Sunday, Oct. 28.
Display tables
with information, pictures, power point, video and other items are encouraged
for each ministry area to coordinate for the appropriate Sunday.
GARDEN BASKETS – Sunday October 21
Return prior to Sunday, November 11th
Materials for
the baskets:
Letter of
information
Time and
Talent 2008
Plan for
Giving 2008
Envelopes for
2008
Seed Packet
Outside
Baskets:
Instructions
Handbook for
2008 – 3 copies for the basket and online
Decorations
Overall:
Baskets have
been purchased – Thanks Barbara
Prayer for
send off of baskets on Sunday, October 21
Delivery
Routes: Garden Baskets to households
Seed Packets –
Herb checking on this
Recruit Master
Gardeners for each route
Master
Gardeners – Start and check on the routes
*Routes are organized- Thanks to Dick
Hough
Currently 16 routes and two mail groups
and others to mail
COMMUNICATIONS – Connection to the
Congregation
Return of the
baskets
Results- Patio
Party between worship services
Other . . .
Pastor Erik checking
on this area - brainstorm any other ideas
Coordination
with Finance Committee – Need to check on this
Overall Goals for Stewardship Committee
Incorporate
our Mission and Core Values
Year Round
Emphasis
Inspire giving
Involve
children and Youth
Debt Reduction
Ideas
Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 16 @
1:30 p.m.
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Budget and Finance Committee
Meeting Minutes
July 24, 2006
Attendees: Jenny Christensen,
Paul Christensen, Karen Gramacki, Keith Selbrede and Bob Winters
Agenda :
a. Income YTD is $2800 ahead of budget and spending is
$5600 below.
b. There are a number of unbudgeted items that cause
concern:
i.
The $5000 used to
finance Project Peace. The committee
recommend these funds be treated as loans to the people who receive $100 seed
money rather than having the congregation absorb this expense as benevolence.
ii.
Estimated $5000 for the Safeguarding
Our Children project (See discussion below).
iii.
Expenses of $7000 for
the children’s ministry new hire. While this has already been funded from
designated funds, we need to keep it in mind for the 2007 budget.
iv.
Adding the Praise Band
to Jonathan’s responsibilities.
v.
Expenses related to the
40th anniversary.
vi.
Expenses related to
Pastor John’s sabbatical.
a. Input from committees
i.
The initial request will
be made at the July council meeting. All
budget requests for 2007 are to be submitted to the Budget and Finance
Committee by October 1.
ii.
Budget requests must
indicate how the money will be spent (especially for increases over 2006 budget
or expenses).
iii.
Budget requests not
received on time will be handled by the B&F Committee at their discretion.
b. Input from Mutual Ministry regarding staff:
recommendations are needed from this committee regarding called staff
performance and salary recommendations.
The Personnel Committee needs to provide recommendations for other paid
staff positions.
c. Coordination with the Stewardship Committee: Keith will obtain a schedule from the
Stewardship Committee on their plans and timing.
a. Paul reported the current estimated cost to be $5000
($55 each) for the people identified for this project.
b. He has also contacted our insurer to determine their
expectations on required needs. This
will influence the final costs.
c. Since we won’t have the program in place for VBS, we
will include that in the 2007 budget.
d. We recommend that the initial expense in 2006 be taken
from the “Sunday School” designated fund which currently has $5115 in it.
Next meetings:
Sept. 11 to budget items that are our responsibility.
Oct.
16 to review the inputs from other sources and start assembling the final
budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Keith Selbrede
Budget and Finance Committee
Chair/Liaison
July 24, 2006
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Budget and Finance Committee Report
For
September 22, 2005
The following members of the committee were present; Karen Gramacki, Herb Holler, Jenny Christensen, Paul Christensen and Bob Winters. Gayle Johnson, President of the Church Council, also attended the meeting.
Gayle brought a request from the Stewardship Committee; they need the church budget for 2006 to use in their drive for this year. The committee wants to include the visionary budget items that are under discussion by other committees of the church. They are;
After much discussion it was recommended that the Stewardship Committee use the 2005 budget plus 2% for cost of living adjustment. Then the committees above should provide their visionary costs to the Stewardship Committee.
At the next council meeting Herb will request budgets from the various committees so a church budget can be put together for next year.
The Personal Committee did provide raise inputs for non-call staff.
It was not resolved who would provide raise recommendations for called church staff.
The next meeting will be Monday, October 17th at 7 PM.
Herb Holler
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Budget and Finance Committee Report
For
June 24, 2005
The topic of discussion was how the church funds not required for immediate cash flow are invested. Bob Winters presented a breakdown of the present investments and his rational for determining those investments. After review it was decided that the present investment method meets the requirements of the church and no changes are required.
At our next meeting in September we will start the annual budget process for the coming year.
Herb Holler
Mount Cross Lutheran Church
Budget, Finance and Endowment Committee Report
For
February 24, 2005
The following people comprise the committee membership:
Jenny Christensen
Paul Christensen*
Bill Greason*
Herb Holler*
Karen Gramacki
Tim Thomtom
Bob Winters*
*Were present at this meeting, those absent expressed a strong willingness to join the committee and participate in its activities.
The committee met to discuss our mission, meeting times and select a chairperson.
Herb Holler was selected as chairperson of the committee.
The “Areas of Council Responsibilities” were discussed related to our committee on page 10 of the “Handbook for Council Members”.
· It was noted that the line related to the endowment fund should be removed and that committee should have a separate area for their responsibilities.
The following topics were discussed for future work;
· Investments – The treasurer presently invests the church reserve funds. At Bob’s request we will review those investment procedures.
· Pastoral compensation – The committee will obtain and review data on pastoral compensation within the ELCA in relation to our present compensation.
· Review our church’s contribution to benevolence.
· Only one person in the congregation knows how much each individual contributes to the church. We will review this procedure.
· It was noted that the CDC and Endowment Committee did not include a financial report in the annual report.
· We want to meet with the stewardship committee to discuss contributions to the church.
The committee will meet on alternating months. The next meeting will be April 14th.