Please join us this Sunday, November 23 for the Congregational Meeting. We will be voting on a budget for 2009.At this time last year we were voting on our budget for 2008.
Our wonderful volunteers on our Finance Team set about creating a 2008 budget with a lot of unknowns hanging over their heads. For the past two years, because of Katrina, the UUA Katrina Fund had been paying our staff salaries, but that was ending, and we knew that the coming year would be a challenge. As we had been receiving generous donations from our partner churches we budgeted for income from them. We were also sure that we would be receiving rental income for our building.
Well as it has played out this year, we have not solicited money from our partner churches because it was decided that they would be asked to contribute to the GNOUU Capital Campaign Fund. Our building rentals were delayed, and did not get started until late in the year. These factors have greatly reduced our income for 2008. Add to this the fact that there are a number of unpaid pledges, and it accounts for the large budget deficit we are running.
Last year, we ended the year with $80,000 +/- in the bank. We have been drawing on that money for this entire year to cover our shortfall. The hope is to not end 2008 with our bank account in the red. To this end we have asked all teams to spend only what is absolutely necessary until the end of the year. If you look at spending for the year, you will see that our shortfalls are not because of overspending in the budgeted categories. Our church is very frugal in it spending habits.
Our Finance Team has come up with a budget for next year. It is a very lean budget which is what we need. It calls for the elimination of the Office Administrator position and diligent work on fundraising activities. The position of Director of Religious Education will remain the same. The source of the salary will change with only a portion of the salary coming from the operating budget, and the greater share being drawn from the Flower’s Fund. This budget will need the support of all of us to run our church office and to create and bring to fruition the fundraising activities.
These are temporary measures. Our continued work on the church building will enable us to bring in more rental income, our membership is increasing which means we can expect more pledges, and our commitment to find fundraising activities which bring in monies from outside the congregation will also help. Together we can put ourselves back on a more comfortable financial path.
Please join us this Sunday, November 23 for the Congregational Meeting after Sunday Service. Your input is needed. Your support is needed.
Stumbling Along With Love,
Cherie LeBlanc
President, Board of Trustees
