A Word from the Warden

It's hard to believe we are already well into a new year, but your 2009 Vestry is already hard at work.  After a Saturday retreat in mid-January to get to know one another and refresh ourselves spiritually, we met for our first regular monthly meeting and approved a budget for 2009.  I have summarized the budget below after adjusting for the costs of the Capital Campaign incurred in 2008.

                                              2009 Budget             2008 Actual

Pledges                                      690,000                   703,000

General Offerings                        125,000                   118,000

Other Income                             112,000                   105,000

TOTAL REVENUES                         927,000                   926,000

Worship, Music, Pastoral Care       331,000                   312,000

Outreach                                    149,000                   147,000

Programs & Fellowship                 105,000                   109,000

Administration                            170,000                   186,000

Building & Grounds                      172,000                   182,000

TOTAL EXPENSES                         927,000                   936,000

As you can see, we are showing essentially flat revenues for 2009 resulting in the need to reduce expenditures in the coming year.   Our pledges in hand for 2009 total just over $658,258, so we have a way to go if we expect to meet this budget.  The Vestry has committed to working to increase revenue in the coming months to meet our operating needs.  This means encouraging more parishioner contributions, as well as looking at other sources of revenue. The Vestry is also looking for ways to reduce expenses.  To balance the budget, we had to reduce funding for a number of programs; did not provide any increases in compensation for clergy or staff; and reduced expenses such as property maintenance and grounds care.  Even this may not be enough, so we are looking at everything.  Our office and program staffs have been diligent in helping to keep costs down while working hard not to diminish the quality of the programs here at Good Shepherd.  I sincerely appreciate their efforts. We did not cut funding for Outreach in 2009; however, we will be taking a closer look at where those dollars are going this year, particularly as we continue to look for more ways to utilize our facilities for Outreach.

So what can parishioners do to help?  If you haven't made a pledge to the operating budget, I once again strongly encourage you to consider doing so.  I realize that many people are worried about their finances and are thus reluctant to make a commitment to the church.  But a pledge is not a legally binding agreement:  it is your estimate of what you think you can contribute.  If circumstances change, a pledge can be changed. If you have made a pledge, please do your best to stay current with your contributions. If you give in one or several lump sums during the year, please don't wait until the fourth quarter to make your gift.  Your church can use those funds all throughout the year. This will truly be the year when your time and talents will also be in great demand at Good Shepherd.  If you have time and can offer the church your skills or expertise in some area that would be of use to us, please let us know.  You can always contact me or any member of the Vestry with an offer to help.

As your Senior Warden, I sometimes feel that I am the one who is always out there asking for money for the church.  Believe me, it's not my favorite activity!  But I love this church, and I think it's my responsibility to let you know what's happening.  These are challenging times economically, and churches are feeling the pinch just like everyone else.  I hope that you will not forget what Good Shepherd means to you and your family.

Faithfully, Julie S. Lowe, Senior Warden