BUDGET FORUM & PRESENTATION TO CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
ANNE STARK
Go over budget – Comparing to last year’s numbers,
Using the info from the surveys, the Board formulated this budget with 4 priorities:
- Sunday Services
- Religious Exploration
- Music
- Promote what we’re doing.
Our 2018-19 budget has an $6837 shortfall. Last year’s budget had about a $9,150 shortfall,
Both covered by Joan’s bequest, which started at $62,849 and will be down to $43,499. This board and the previous board wanted to do a signature project with Joan’s money, but we just can’t with the pledges we are receiving. Keeping the doors OPEN has been THE signature project.
We’d rather renovate the sanctuary or hire an interim minister, or hire a musician/music coordinator, but with the pledges and receipts that we have, we can’t.
Compared to last year (2017-18), there are xx pledging units that have not made a pledge yet and 3 who are not expected to do so at all.
We are NOT going forward with any building upgrades:
- Studio RAD Renovations
- Flooring
- sealing and repainting the parking lot (We have budgeted for crack repair)
- Front door art installation
- upgrading the AV system.
We are NOT going forward with hiring an interim minister.
And the 2018-19 budget is about $8,000 less than last year.
IF every pledging unit would increase their pledge (and pay on it) by 22%, we’d cover our shortfall this year.
Take Ownership of this beloved community!
- Increase your pledge by 25%. Gary and I tripled our pledge vs. last year, even though I haven’t had a full-time job for 3 years. This church is important to us. If it’s important to you, put your money (literally) where your mouth is.
- Set up automatic payments (it’s SUPER easy. Ask Heidi, Gary or g.g.)
- When you volunteer, FOLLOW THROUGH. Managing this congregation is incredibly difficult when people do not show up when they are expected.
- Volunteer to be a coordinator. We have dissolved several committees because nobody wants to be on them. (Faith in Action, Community care and outreach, membership, music)
- Volunteer to conduct a service with Soul Matters resources (Service in a box)
- Submit stories, poems, articles to This n That and the Chronicle. Heidi does an incredible job. Help her out.
- Participate in fundraisers – Sari’s flea markets on Saturdays and Econo Receipts.
- Bring guests to 2 Sundays a year.
- when in conversations around town, ask people what church they attend, invite them if they say “none”. Proselytize even if it feels awkward.
This year the Board will be exploring:
- Hiring musicians weekly
- Bringing in UU ministers as we can afford it. Mileage, lodging (usually donated) and honorariums are expensive (think $600-$1,000 each time)
- Doing more online advertising of services and events along with ads about Uuism
- doing a year-long exploration of what options we have as a congregation led by Dave Stensaas
- what to do with the rest of Joan’s bequest, the vision fund and if we need $20,000 in the building fund or if we can get by with less.
- Selling part of the land to a developer
- selling the building all-together
- partnering with (in town) Beth Shalom Synagogue or other faith community
- holding 2-3 services in town in 2018-2019 to see if that increases attendance
We do NOT have to sell any property even if we get an offer. We are just looking for flexibility and more options. We’d rather stay here and double the attendance, but we can’t do that without help.
Remember, the building was for sale for 3 years when we bought it. A sale may take a long time.
As a Board, we were faced with an ugly financial situation, and we tried to keep in mind the priorities we found in Jamie Kuehnl’s amazing survey. Nobody got everything they asked for, some important items (like UUA) got cut to the bone. We kept the priorities of Sunday services, RE and Music forefront in our minds.
This budget is a bitter pill. I can’t sugar coat it. We need the commitment of every member!