Over the last ten years or so we have struggled to maintain a balanced budget. It’s not working. This is no one’s “fault.” We are generous and committed givers. Our average pledge for 2019 is $233 greater than it was two years ago. But there are 10% fewer pledges. In fact, there has been a decade-long pattern… But there has been a decade-long pattern of fewer of us supporting our ministries. Every other year we’ve come up tens of thousands of dollars short, and we’ve had to resort to second appeals, budget reductions, taking from reserves and draconian cuts in staff pay. In the same period, we have tried to staff for growth in both music and Christian Education, and maintain (and pay off) a building larger than we need.
The budget we’re used to is not sustainable. Back in the 1990s, this budget made sense. But no longer. We need to “right-size” our budget to fit our congregation. We have trimmed all we can from the budget; all that’s left is staffing. Most experts say a congregation with about 100 in worship, as we are, can afford one full-time pastor and a couple of part-time staff—usually an office administrator and a musician, and maybe a custodian. We have a staff of six. As much as we love them and appreciate their work, we can’t pay them imaginary money. We need to reduce our staffing budget in both music and Christian Education.
In 2019 we will maintain our staffing as it is through June. We are not looking to make changes before then. But come July there will be significant and permanent changes. We have six months to think ahead.
Though this brings challenges, it does not threaten who we are. Changes in what the staff doesn’t change what we do as a church. So the question is: What do we do? Who are we called to be? What is our mission? What does God need us to be doing in this time and place? How will we engage others in this work? How shall we pass on our faith and our ministry to another generation?
We’ll begin to address these questions at a meeting after the second service this Sunday, Dec. 16. We won’t be planning or deciding anything; we won’t be talking about the budget. We’ll be listening to each other, and to the Spirit as we share together how the Spirit is moving among us.