A Time for Thanksgiving

As we reflect on all we have to be thankful for, both personally as well as for our Church, I want to ask you to consider your "wants and needs" and do so reflecting on what you give to CTK.

For 2015, giving to CTK is 8%, or about $30,000, behind our budgeted level for receipts through the end of October and the trend is continuing through November. Unfortunately, while efforts have been made to reduce expenses as a result of the shortfall in giving, our spending is just 4%, or $17,000, below budget. This means that we have had to "dip" into our reserve funds to meet our actual expenditures for about $13,000.

As a congregation, we are indeed thankful to have reserves to help us through this period when our expenses are exceeding our revenues, but as your Finance Director, I want to take this opportunity to ask you to review your giving to CTK for 2015. Can we respond to where God is calling us to serve by reaching down and giving a bit extra as we finish out this calendar year? If your pledge is not current, are you able to bring it current? If your pledge is current, are you able to give a bit more? If you don't pledge, but feel called to give, will you please do so?

What are we spending on our personal "wants" (vs. needs) that could be directed to helping the ministries of CTK? Prayerfully consider making a special gift to CTK between now and the end of the year. Let's see if we can meet our budgeted revenues - not just to meet the budget, but so we can increase our service to others by having the resources to do so. This will enable us to position ourselves well as we plan for our service to others going into 2016.

I am thankful to have served on the Long Range Planning Committee. We have some exciting goals that were recommended to Church Council for their review. The focus for the future, based significantly on input you provided, is to continue to grow our ministries and to look to reduce the mortgage obligation, currently with a balance due of just under $800,000. To do so, we all need to continue to ask for God's guidance. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead us to respond to serving others before serving ourselves.

Finally, thank you for your support - in giving of yourselves as well as your treasure this past year, 2015! We are blessed to have an excellent Pastor and Staff that continue to excel at their duties and service to us and the community we serve.

May God bless you and give you Peace during this Advent and Christmas seasons!

Ron Larson
Finance Director
Church Council Member