Glad Tidings for the Week of January 10, 2010

Dear Members and Friends of Isle of Hope United Methodist Church,

As we begin this new year of 2010, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of IOHUMC during 2009.

We also want to up-date you on the 2010 Stewardship Campaign. Since the Campaign began on November 8, 2009, the Church has received "Estimate of Giving" cards from the congregation and our Finance Office has tracked the measure of congregational support. At the time that this letter is written, there are 90 individuals or families who turned in an "Estimate of Giving" card for the 2009 year, but who have not yet turned in cards for 2010. The Finance Committee cannot recommend, and the Church Council cannot adopt a Budget for the Church until we know what congregational support will be for the year ahead.

In building a Budget each year, Church committees and staff are asked to make projections. For 2010, the Finance Committee asked that budgeted requests remain at the same level as 2009. Some small increases were necessary, but basically the draft 2010 Budget is similar to that of 2009. However, we are some distance from being able to fund the 2010 Budget at this time.

In the early years of this decade, our Church was blessed to accumulate some reserve funds. Over the last two years we have had to use those reserve funds, to the point where we can no longer depend on them to fund current operations. The best projection from our finance office is that the Church will have a $285,000 deficit in 2009. The 2009 deficit and the fact that our "Estimates of Giving" are   $431,000 behind our 2010 draft Budget, gives us cause for great concern. We could be looking at a short-fall of some 18% for our 2010 Budget.

There are only two options: (1) find more resources, or (2) cut the 2010 Budget, eliminating programs and/or staff.

How can you help? (1) If you have not yet turned in your "Estimate of Giving" card, please do so; (2) If you can increase your giving, you may complete another card reflecting the change; (3) First and last, pray that together we will do the work which God calls us to do during 2010.

We are a blessed people! Will we choose to be a blessing to others? We have a lot of work to do. Will you stand with us to do the work which we believe God has called us to do through the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church?

Sue Strickland                                                                               Debra Brook
Chair Finance Committee                                                             Chair Church Council

RETHINK CHURCH!- Not a place we go, but what we do and who we are!

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