March Financial Update
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Ever since Suzanne and I joined Hopewell Presbyterian Church (going on 34 years now), our church has been a “faith giving” congregation. Most churches utilize an annual giving model, where members of the congregation are asked to pledge the amount they anticipate giving over the next fiscal year. When I’ve shared our faith giving model with others, I’ve gotten a variety of responses. Many people wonder how we can possibly create a budget for the next twelve months without having a specific dollar amount as a base. Others ask how we can stay on course financially without the members of the congregation being accountable to an annual pledge.
I don’t have specific answers for these questions. What I do know is that the congregation of Hopewell Presbyterian Church faithfully responds to God’s grace year after year. Our giving reflects our desire to follow Jesus and to have a positive impact on our church, our community, and beyond.
It is undeniable that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of our lives. Pastor Melissa and the rest of the HPC staff have done a terrific job keeping the congregation engaged during the pandemic with Zoom worship services and meetings, and yet we still all miss seeing each other in person on Sunday mornings, and singing together, and of course, sharing a time of prayer together. With the vaccination process underway, we should all be encouraged that we will once again be together in our beloved sanctuary in the not so distant future.
In the meantime, we all need to continue supporting our church through our tithes and offerings. The pandemic has had a minimal impact on reducing the church’s overall expenses, but we have also seen a decline in giving. This decline began in September of last year and has continued through March this year. Our giving in December, usually the strongest giving month of the year, was $15K less than in 2019. Likewise, giving through each of the first three months of 2021 has been well below the figures from the previous year. HPC is currently running at a deficit of $12K for the year. In order to meet the church’s current budget, we need to realize T&O’s of around $6,400 per week. For March, our giving averaged $5,250 per week.
As we celebrate the risen Christ this Easter Sunday, and as we embrace the warmth and beauty of spring, let us give graciously and generously…”for God loves a cheerful giver”
Sandy Sherrard
Chair of Finance & Facilities