Finance info

[Salty]

In some churches I have visited, they have a section in the bulletin about finances. For Example, Budget for this Quarter, $1000, Amt received to date $200 - short $ 50 to date.

What are your thoughts about this? Does it look like the church is money hungry or is it just informing the congregations on the status of finances.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

 

[OldRegular]

In some churches I have visited, they have a section in the bulletin about finances. For Example, Budget for this Quarter, $1000, Amt received to date $200 - short $ 50 to date.

What are your thoughts about this? Does it look like the church is money hungry or is it just informing the congregations on the status of finances.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Unfortunately doing what churches do!:tear:

 

[ktn4eg]

I don't think it is necessarily wrong for a church to print its income and/or budgeted amount for a given period of time (in the case of the OP, the quarter).

My church, Lighthouse Christian Fellowship ( www.lighthouseministries.org ), publishes this information every week in its bulletin showing the amounts for its weekly budget for the general fund and for its missions fund as well as for the income for that week. It also does the same for its YTD budgets and incomes.

I don't see that publishing this information as being "money hungry." I think it's very useful information for its members to see where the church stands financially at any part of the year. Sometimes the church may fall behind in its giving, and given this information, it may prompt some members to increase their giving (at least I would hope so).

 

[Don]

I prefer a monthly statement that also shows all expenditures, not just the giving statement.

 

[Old Union Brother]

We detail both giving and expenditures each month and our records are open for inspection.

 

[blackbird]

In some churches I have visited, they have a section in the bulletin about finances. For Example, Budget for this Quarter, $1000, Amt received to date $200 - short $ 50 to date.

What are your thoughts about this? Does it look like the church is money hungry or is it just informing the congregations on the status of finances.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Some churches ARE money hungry

Some churches merely are informing their people

 

[Crabtownboy]

We have this information on the back of our bulletin. I feel it is simply for information purposes. As our business meetings each person attending receives a detailed report showing all income and all expenses by category.

In these hard times I was pleased that we ended up with an $11.00 per week surplus for the year. That may not seem like much, but it is much better than having an $11.00 deficit per week. I understand many churches has serious short falls in 2011.

 

[HAMel]

I don't have any problem with any church informing of their needs whether financial or for someone to climb up and patch the leaky roof.

Those who attend church to be entertained might find those financial needs a bit offensive and for them, I'd suggest they either stay away or grow some thicker skin.

Should the electricity get turned off the cry would be..., "Why didn't someone tell us we didn't have any money?"

 

[HeDied4U]

The church my wife and I attend publishes each week in the bulletin what the budgeted amount is as of previous week versus the actual money received.

All offerings/tithes now go into one general fund, instead of various funds, so it now makes for an easier tracking.

I for one am glad that the church provides this information. On more than occasion, it has influenced how/what my wife and I give.

 

[DiamondLady]

In some churches I have visited, they have a section in the bulletin about finances. For Example, Budget for this Quarter, $1000, Amt received to date $200 - short $ 50 to date.

What are your thoughts about this? Does it look like the church is money hungry or is it just informing the congregations on the status of finances.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Our church operates on a very tight budget. Our weekly tithes and offerings are printed in the bulletin so that people know where we stand budget-wise. They also receive a quarterly report which lays out the expenditures for the month as well as the giving so they can see that we spend all, or more, than we took in for the month. It's not a matter of being money hungry but of good stewardship and accountability.

 

[Tom Butler]

"Tis better to err on the side of openness than in the other direction.

Noting wrong with detailing the offerings each week. Our detailed financial reports are examined at at each business meeting, then laid out on a display table for everybody to see.

I'm sure some of you are aware that some churches do not reveal salaries to their congregations. They are know only to a select few, say, the Finance or Budget Committee.

I'm aware that some churches don't publish financial information because they don't want outsiders to have access to the data.

Whatever a congregation can agree on is fine with me.

 

[preachinjesus]

In some churches I have visited, they have a section in the bulletin about finances. For Example, Budget for this Quarter, $1000, Amt received to date $200 - short $ 50 to date.

What are your thoughts about this? Does it look like the church is money hungry or is it just informing the congregations on the status of finances.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

We don't detail budget matters on our worship guide, but do mention (in a corner on the back) three line items: budget needed to date, budget received to date, (under)/over.

We do this, and add a point about more detailed budget figures being available in our finance office for members.

We believe openness and honesty communicate trust and provide a platform for continued giving. Too often when churches and ministries are closed off about finances it leads to sin and distrust. No ministry has ever been challenged by openness in their communication.

 

[DaChaser1]

Some churches ARE money hungry

Some churches merely are informing their people

My church prints out on bottom of bulletin amount needed per the week as per annual budget, and the amount made that week...

We do that in order to keep members informed of where we stand as per the agreed upon annual budget!

 

[gb93433]

Pastored a church where they posted the attendance and giving for each month and the amount for that same time last year. When I first started the attendance numbers were inflated because the attendance had gone down with the previous pastor. When I questioned the attendance numbers the deacon who posted them told me that people would notice. I told him that we were going to give every reason for people to trust us and be honest. The next Sunday he posted accurate numbers and not one person noticed.