Hello Church!
One of the things we committed to last year, in conversations with our Elders, was to have more consistent communication about the finances of the church. We don't talk a lot about money at C3AK, and we don't make the offering on Sundays a separate part of the service. We do this for a variety of reasons, but there are two fundamental ideas which drive this:
1. We never want to give the impression we are "out for your money" (or anyone else's) Finances are only one aspect of a healthy believer's life in Christ, but a very important one.
2. We strongly desire all of us to approach giving as an act of worship, and not an obligation.
One way this affects the operation of the church is that we have VERY LEAN budget to actual expenses plan. There's no fluff, and we generally don't have money lying about we can spend on whatever feels good. Every dollar goes to an ongoing expense like our mortgage (two more years!), phones, electricity, internet, heat, plowing, bathroom supplies, and staff salaries. Most of us have been involved in organizations, especially churches, with seriously unrealistic budget expectations which don't give good insight into actual expenses and where the funds are going.
Another way this affects the operation of the church is we don't have any wiggle room. The past four to five years have been a very exciting time of growing, with some ups and downs sprinkled in and, at the beginning of 2018 we weren't sure how we were going to recover from some serious downs of the previous fall. I'm thrilled to tell you God has continued to bless and C3AK is growing in number, and in reputation. There are many new faces and some truly lovely people who have made C3AK their home, or are considering it. Our plan is to keep pressing forward and trying our very best to be the church and the leaders God has asked us to be. We trust Him for everything else.
In recent weeks, you have probably seen the emphasis on the new giving options via Text2Give and our streamlined online giving portal. We were happy to add these to the options we have available and I hope you're taking advantage of what works best for you.
I'm writing today to let you know about a couple of things since our last Finance Update earlier this year.
We continue to make up ground in the deficit we expreienced in January, but we have a ways to go. Often this is an issue of timing, and I can't stress enough how helpful it is to us if our giving is consistent in timing and generosity. Our weekly average giving is around $3,400.00, which is fantastic. When we reach $3,600.00 per week (average), we will be hitting the mark for the projected expenses for 2018!
Once again, we're short of making staff payroll. I, Pastor Tracy, will be holding his check over for a few days. Mid-month is tough with payroll, and our insurance payment due, as well as the recently received snow plowing bills. If you have been planning to give, but haven't gotten around to it, now would be a great time! When this happens (and it does, on occasion) one or more of the staff will have to hold their salary back until we get back in the black.
If C3AK is your church home, and you haven't experienced the joy that comes from giving, I really hope you will. Karen and I have always been committed to regular, generous giving. This doesn't mean it's always been a lot of money, but it has been generous and regular. This year, we've committed to nearly doubling the amount we give, because we believe in Christ Community Church. I know our other pastoral staff has made commitments of their own, for the same reason. I hope you'll consider your place in the financial care of the church, and the staff who lead it.
Below are convenient links and info if you’d like to give today.
Finally, our new website is online! It has a new blog space for our newsletter, a streamlined experience for visitors to the website, and a mobile site you can share with friends who may be looking for a church home. There are still a few updates to be made but, it should be complete over the next couple of weeks. We truly believe, because we've seen it over and over again, as we honor God with all we have, He is faithful to care for us, love us, and provide for us. This is true for us as a church, and for you as an individual. Pray with us for a continued season of growth and for the wonderful Spirit if God which rests on C3AK to be magnified, that the name of Jesus would be spoken whenever C3AK is mentioned, and all of us will know Him, and His love more, every day.
Below are convenient links and info if you’d like to give today.
Blessings,
Pastor Tracy
- https://c3ak.churchcenter.com/giving
- Text-2-Give #84321 (information here: https://www.c3ak.com/donate)
- PayPal donations can be sent to donate@c3ak.com
Checks can be mailed to:
Christ Community Church, Alaska
2222 West 100th Avenue
Suite 100
Anchorage, Alaska 99515