A Message from the Treasurer

For many months, the focus of my volunteer time at church has been in preparation for the start of the Imagine Incarnation conversations.In the course of preparing videos and in-person tours, I had the opportunity to research the history of our properties, with many inspiring stories of consequential decisions made by vestries and parishioners.The deeper I read, the more I couldn’t help but admire the bold gumption of prior generations since 1863.“Really!” I thought.“How did they DO all that?”

Well, I guess it’s true:With God all things are possible.

For 2023, we’ve set a goal of $500,000 in pledges.That’s a 16% increase from our $430,000 pledges in 2022; and that’s some bold gumption that, with some help from God, just might be possible.For some parishioners, their existing 2022 pledge may be all that is possible.Thank God for continuing to make those pledges possible!Hopefully, for many other parishioners, an increase of 20% of their pledge on average just might be possible.

Here are some budgetary figures which help corroborate that $500,000 goal.

The total budget for this year, 2022, is $700,000.Our pledges of $430,000 are supplemented primarily by withdrawals from the Don & Maureen Green Fund, cash reserves, and property/facility rents to balance the budget at $700,000.

For 2023, due to inflation our diocese has recommended a 5.3% cost of living increase for our staff, which will total about 15,000.The market decline in value of the Green Fund, along with a goal on our Vestry’s part to reduce its draw below 7% (preferably to 6% or 5%), may be a reduction of about $30,000 in income.An impending change in insurance coverage for staff member(s) may cost another $12,000.Add in some very worthy “wishes” for expansion of our ministries, such as launching a children’s choir program, and we’re looking at a combined total of up to $70,000.Added to our $430,000 pledge base, the total of $500,000 in pledges for 2023 is the right goal.

Looking back for the inspiration of those prior generations of Incarnation parishioners, the records show their pledges, in today’s dollars, easily exceed our $500,000 goal.As recently as 2013 our total pledges of $407,000 were the equivalent of about $522,000 today.Yep, with God all things are possible.

Regardless of your ability to give, please know how grateful we are for your presence in our parish community.Should you have any questions or concerns regarding finances, please reach out to me:[email protected] or (707) 538-7220.

David Jasper
Treasurer
October 3, 2021