Dear Connect Church Family,

This may be the first ever year end Treasurer’s Message for our Church. I’m sure it is the first that I’ve written in the fourteen years I’ve been serving as your Treasurer. It comes about because I delivered an important message to the congregation, directly to the Guntersville Campus Business Meeting and through other Elders to each of the Albertville and Arab Campus Business Meetings, last Sunday. Upon reflection of the number in attendance at those meetings and the importance of the message I concluded that the message deserved a wider audience.

Our General Fund Budget for 2024, all campuses combined was $1,296,769 or $24,938 per week. Through October 31, 2024 (the most recent numbers available at the time the 2025 Budget recommendation was being prepared) giving year-to-date, all campuses combined was $803,126 or $18,677 average per week. That’s 25% below budget on a year-to-date average weekly basis. So, at the time we were preparing the 2025 budget we, the Elders and Finance Team, determined that this fact called for a budget reduced from the 2024 level. We therefore came to consensus on a 2025 Budget recommendation of $1,243,474 all campuses combined. That is approximately 4% below the 2024 budget. It includes at least a 5% reduction in programs and no staff salary increases. There are increases in certain operating costs and the health and dental insurance provided for full-time pastoral staff, because the cost of those things have gone up.

Even though as of the end of October average weekly giving was running at 25% below budget, based on historical giving patterns we were reasonably confident that extra giving in November and December would be adequate to bring our total actual giving for 2024 to within 5% to 10% of the budget. And, we felt that with some faith, if we made the 4% total reduction, we would have a 2025 budget that was manageable.

Now with 2 Sundays to go the giving in the intervening weeks has shown our optimistic outcome unlikely. Based on actual giving through the first 2 Sundays in December and our forecast for the last 3 weeks, it appears that giving will miss our 2024 Budget by around 22% all campuses combined.

Therefore, at this juncture we had two choices:

1. Adopt the 2025 Budget as proposed by the Elders and Finance Team, knowing that if giving in the last three weeks of December fail to bring the total for the year to between 5% and 10% of the combined 2024 Budget, we will need to have a revised 2025 budget presented in late January or early February or,

2. We could table the budget proposal until we have giving results for the whole year and then bring back this or a revised budget at a future called meeting in late January or early February.

It was the recommendation of the Elders that we adopt the proposed budget on faith and that we pray that giving over the final three weeks of the year will be adequate to close the apparent gap. That recommendation was adopted by all three campuses.

How much money are we talking about to close the gap? With a 2024 budget of $1,296,769 a 22% shortfall amounts to about $285,000. If we say we only need to close the gap to about 10% then we need to give an extra $156,000. Those are large numbers.

But I am not fearful. We serve a mighty God who can accomplish whatever He wishes. His observed preference seems to be to accomplish His will through His people. And I think He will this time as well.

What happens if we don’t close the gap to within 10% of budget? Well, that depends on how close we get. But any shortfall beyond the 10% will require some changes to our ministry cost structure and those changes will be defined based on the size of the necessary change.

Now you know the nature and size of the challenge before us. On Sunday Pastor Dustin spoke of God’s generosity and the generosity of His people. And it will be by our own generosity or by revising our cost structure or some of both that we get over this speed bump as we continue the ministry God has called us to.

As you consider this challenge, ask yourself, what am I to do about this? It is clearly a matter for much prayer. And maybe God is also calling us to make a special gift even beyond our tithe. If you feel that call, the next two weeks would be a good time to respond. I pray your generosity will help close the gap.

With thanksgiving that we serve a generous God,

Leon

Leon Hicks

Connect Church

Treasurer and Elder