This is a question often asked by families new to our congregation. But this is also something that those who have been a part of the church for awhile still need to know and understand. So here is my version of “GCC Budget 101” because being a good steward of God’s money includes knowing how the money we give is used. Refer to the graph below to get an idea of how your giving is divided into the budget.

            First this congregation believes in the mission we have been given by our Lord, to go into all the world to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). With that in mind the first 14.5% that is given is directed into our Mission Fund. This then is divided into three categories: helping agencies, educational ministry and missions both around the world and local.

            After this we pay our Fixed Expenses. This would include all salaries, utilities and expenses related to the daily operation of the church. This is, by far, the largest category in our budget.

            Third, depending on the monthly giving, up to $2,596.00 is divided among our individual Ministry Teams for their monthly budget. These are Building and Grounds Maintenance, Education, Evangelism, Men’s Ministry, Scholarships, Seasoned Saints, Women’s Ministry, Worship and Youth, and each receives a different percentage of this allocation. If our giving is down in a particular month, then less is given to each ministry. From these monies each team decides how to fulfill their ministry. (Also none of these teams can receive designated gifts to supplement their budget.)

            Finally, if the giving is healthy enough to fully fund the above categories, the excess is divided equally between our Building Fund and a Special Project Fund for unexpected expenditures.

            Since no budget category has a specific amount allocated per year, but is based entirely on the health of the giving, the congregation does not vote on a yearly budget. Instead our Finance Team oversees the allocations, does the accounting, promotes good stewardship practices in the church, and recommends a yearly budget to the Elders for approval. This means that each individual is responsible for the stewardship of giving to the ministry of this church, and the various Ministry Teams are responsible for the stewardship of how those monies are spent.

            Besides all this, of course, is our monthly obligation of $10,475.42 to repay the loan for our new building. This is what our “Build to Serve” (BTS) campaign is all about—giving above our regular offering to pay for our building project.

            I hope this simplified explanation helps you have a better understanding of how our budget works. Each month in The Bell we report our monthly giving for both the General Fund and Building Fund. A more detailed monthly statement is available at the Welcome Center for your information. We also encourage you to ask those in leadership if you have more questions.

             May we all be found faithful in our stewardship of God’s money so that His work on earth will be accomplished.

Denis Whittet