Saturday February 25, 2017
Sunday February 26, 2017
Talking points for Finance Council Report
1.Hello, I am Chuck Davis, Chairman of the Finance Council here at St. Mary of the Valley. Father Bloom asked that I give an update on where we are against our 2016-2017 plan. In short, we are short.
2.Our plan for this year was to generate approximately $434,000 in donations. Right now, at our current run rate we will land at $369,000 or $65,000 down from the plan. Perhaps worse, we are actually about $15,000 behind our collections for 2014-2015.
3.In other words, we are shrinking.
4.And some of our biggest challenges are yet to come.
a.The Annual Catholic Appeal in May which is calculated on our planned general giving for the year. Right now, it stands at about $63000 for 2017 2018 of which about $11,000 is set aside for priest’s retirement. Note we are still paying off last year and we are behind on this year’s commitment.
b.The immediate need for a new copier costing $13,000 for the office. Ours is dead and we use it every day for bulletins, music, class room materials and so on. We have to spend this money now.
c.Technology for the classrooms and office. We had estimated that we needed about $4000 at the beginning of the year. We have made some progress but have a long way to go in getting best possible technology for office and classrooms.
5.Pause
6.Humor me for a moment and turn to the non-family person sitting beside you and quickly introduce yourself. Just your name will do.
7.You know how people are always saying, “Don’t worry they will take care of it” well you just met they. They is all of us.
8.We have to find a way to meet these challenges.
9.We can do this a number of ways;
a.Increase our contributions
b.Fund raising activities
c.Inviting more people to come to St. Mary’s.
d.Targeted funds e.g. we need a new copier that cost $13,000. Make a contribution toward the purchase of the copier by putting copier on the check or the envelope. Use the building fund capital projects envelops.
e.If you want to help upgrade our technology do the same thing. We had identified about $4000 needed this year for computer hardware and software to improve our religious education. Make yourself one of the people that makes this happen.
10.If you have an idea or want to work on a fund raiser or know someone who could use an outreach, please tell Anita Macedo in the office. She will see that the right person is notified and the individual is contacted.
11.We understand that the uncertainty of this past year has created a lot of concern for all of us. Living on a fixed income as Judy and I do can be frightening. But, I am reminded of when I was really broke, out of work with a wife and family to support. How bad was it? I had three job interviews one day and literally had no money to pay for parking. God took care of me; first when I walked out of the supermarket He put this $10 bill on the ground behind MY car in the parking lot; then, I didn’t have to pay for parking after all and I got two job offers. I have had this $10 bill for 32 years to remind me of how faithful God is.
12.I think the big message here is to Trust God to meet your needs just as Father Bloom and I are trusting Him to help St Mary of the Valley meet these challenges. As for me, I am going to add this $10 bill to today’s collection as confirmation to all of us of God’s faithfulness after sitting in my wallet for 32 years it is time for it to go back to work and help someone else.
13.Together we can do this. We just have to focus on our part and make it happen.
Sunday February 26, 2017
Talking points for Finance Council Report
1.Hello, I am Chuck Davis, Chairman of the Finance Council here at St. Mary of the Valley. Father Bloom asked that I give an update on where we are against our 2016-2017 plan. In short, we are short.
2.Our plan for this year was to generate approximately $434,000 in donations. Right now, at our current run rate we will land at $369,000 or $65,000 down from the plan. Perhaps worse, we are actually about $15,000 behind our collections for 2014-2015.
3.In other words, we are shrinking.
4.And some of our biggest challenges are yet to come.
a.The Annual Catholic Appeal in May which is calculated on our planned general giving for the year. Right now, it stands at about $63000 for 2017 2018 of which about $11,000 is set aside for priest’s retirement. Note we are still paying off last year and we are behind on this year’s commitment.
b.The immediate need for a new copier costing $13,000 for the office. Ours is dead and we use it every day for bulletins, music, class room materials and so on. We have to spend this money now.
c.Technology for the classrooms and office. We had estimated that we needed about $4000 at the beginning of the year. We have made some progress but have a long way to go in getting best possible technology for office and classrooms.
5.Pause
6.Humor me for a moment and turn to the non-family person sitting beside you and quickly introduce yourself. Just your name will do.
7.You know how people are always saying, “Don’t worry they will take care of it” well you just met they. They is all of us.
8.We have to find a way to meet these challenges.
9.We can do this a number of ways;
a.Increase our contributions
b.Fund raising activities
c.Inviting more people to come to St. Mary’s.
d.Targeted funds e.g. we need a new copier that cost $13,000. Make a contribution toward the purchase of the copier by putting copier on the check or the envelope. Use the building fund capital projects envelops.
e.If you want to help upgrade our technology do the same thing. We had identified about $4000 needed this year for computer hardware and software to improve our religious education. Make yourself one of the people that makes this happen.
10.If you have an idea or want to work on a fund raiser or know someone who could use an outreach, please tell Anita Macedo in the office. She will see that the right person is notified and the individual is contacted.
11.We understand that the uncertainty of this past year has created a lot of concern for all of us. Living on a fixed income as Judy and I do can be frightening. But, I am reminded of when I was really broke, out of work with a wife and family to support. How bad was it? I had three job interviews one day and literally had no money to pay for parking. God took care of me; first when I walked out of the supermarket He put this $10 bill on the ground behind MY car in the parking lot; then, I didn’t have to pay for parking after all and I got two job offers. I have had this $10 bill for 32 years to remind me of how faithful God is.
12.I think the big message here is to Trust God to meet your needs just as Father Bloom and I are trusting Him to help St Mary of the Valley meet these challenges. As for me, I am going to add this $10 bill to today’s collection as confirmation to all of us of God’s faithfulness after sitting in my wallet for 32 years it is time for it to go back to work and help someone else.
13.Together we can do this. We just have to focus on our part and make it happen.
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