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Message from Steve
Okay, so I have to admit something: I can't believe...it's August! And I keep scratching my head and asking myself questions like: "Wasn't I just using my snow blower on several feet of snow in my driveway?" Didn't school just get out? Wasn't it just independence weekend? I simply can't believe that it is already August!
And that disbelief means a couple of things. First off, it means that I want to soak up what summer remains! I remember how long, how dark, and how snowy this past winter was. I know that vitamin D abounds under all the sunshine and the potential for additional rejuvenation lies in the more relaxed season with more opportunities for recreation. And I know that this coming winter definitely holds the potential to be long, dark, cold, and snowy! So I am looking forward to getting away with my family again for a week long vacation at family camp. I intend to carve out some intensive time to read some books that stretch and refuel me along with my standard reading drink during the summer (read: an iced Starbucks latte). And I have designs on simply enjoying time and space with my wife and kids. I am angling to soak up what summer remains and maybe you are too.
But the simple reality of August being upon us also means that the fall is coming. The fall. The time when school commences. The time when we ramp up as a church. The fall is a time filled with promising potential for the church. So I am getting increasingly excited at what God has planned for us in the fall because the fall is a precipitous time when people make major decision about what they'll do and be involved with for the entire school year. So maybe, just maybe many will return from a prolonged hiatus and make the decision to make Sunday morning at GracePoint a priority. Maybe, just maybe, many will make the decision to make GracePoint their spiritual home. Maybe, just maybe, many will carve out time in our schedules to unleash good for Christ so as to irresistibly influence people far from God all around us. Maybe, just maybe, many will experience the transformation of Jesus Christ whether it is for the first time or for the zillionth time in their journey with him.
So keep September 7th in mind as the first Sunday when our church will ramp up for the fall. Kids will be involved with the service to highlight KidsTown. And there will be a buzz in the air with the anticipation of what God will set us up to do this year. But for now, it is August, so soak up the vitamin D from the sun and pray for what God holds in our future for the fall!
Enjoying what remains of Summer with you (For Now!),
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September 7 is only 5 weeks away...
Get Ready and Be There!
We hope to see every one of the 178 of you in our church database beginning September 7 for a full and exciting four weeks of activities and special events for everyone. Along with other activities, this special start to our new year will involve all the children being part of our services on both the 7th and the 28th of September. Invite a neighbor or friend to join with us in celebrating what is sure to be the beginning of a memorable new year for you and for the church.
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Financial Update
God has blessed us with your faithful giving in the first two years of operation. Because of your giving, we have been able to accumulate a cash reserve. This cash reserve (shown below) will help us as we seek to grow and expand our ministry and our reach throughout this region and throughout the world. It also provides us a safe guard if our giving runs below our expenses, as is the case this summer. We know that the summer is a busy time often taking you away from your church on Sundays. We expect to run at a deficit during the summer months, but this deficit is more than we have anticipated. Your support and regular giving is important to the on-going operations and ministries of the church. Thank you for your faithful giving to your church. Our giving has been running under budget this year, and the Elder Board revised our Outreach/Mission budget to 30% of projected giving for this year. As a result, our new budget for fiscal year 2008-09 has been decreased by about $40,000 to $336,227. We will continue to evaluate our giving regularly, and periodically adjust our Outreach/Mission budget to reflect a constant 30% of actual giving.
Below is an update on our financial status through July 2008.
(Our fiscal year runs from May 1, 2008 - April 30, 2009.)
Total Revised Budget: $336,227
YTD Budget (3 mos.): $84,057
YTD Giving (3 Mos.): $52,487
YTD Difference: -$31,570
Cash Reserve as of the end of July (not designated) = $115,000
Average July Attendance: 75 (includes KidsTown) |
