August Voice Notes
Pastor’s Corner
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES?
During August, and September I will be leading discussions with the church surrounding a focused approach to our budgeting and ministry plan for 2013. Already I am working with UMW (Monday, September 10), UMM (Saturday, September 8), Choir and Bells, and Youth Group (Sun/Mon August 12-13) to set up times to meet with them. If you would like to join any of those relevant groups for those meetings you may. Additionally, I will have open meetings on Sunday, August 26th following worship at 12noon, with a light lunch provided; Tuesday, August 14, 10AM; and at Church Council August 23, 7PM. All are invited, and welcome to attend any of these meetings.
Utilizing the information provided from our other gatherings, and the decisions of the Church at Church Conference, we have a budget of $260,000 for 2012, and a desire to “live within our means” for 2013 and following.
If we were to commit ourselves to a budget directly related to our regular income level trends over the past few years we can expect about $190,000 for 2013. This would account for some more deaths, no major gifts, and that no further persons would leave the church, as well as that all persons would continue to give at current levels of giving.
Decisions will be based on what ministries we deem most important, and what resources we feel we can bring to bear on these ministries. In an effort to make these conversations more effective, a draft budget of maximum $190,000 will be brought forward to each of the gatherings, built from the ground, up.
Additional meetings are in conversation with our current ministry partners, Happy Hollow Parents and Families, Academy of Music Parents and Families, Boy Scouts Troop 87 Parents and Families, Girls Scouts Troop 50072 Parents and Families, and Coastal Voices Participants. Each of these groups has a vested interest in our success as a church, and has the potential to be a draw for the church, as well as additional support. We need to talk to determine how we can support one another for successful long-term ministry.
The ministry plan will then outline specific ministries we will focus on, means by which we will engage and support new persons to the church, and care for those already in our congregation. Funding will be one aspect of this ministry plan, as will evangelism, congregational care, lay ministry and pastoral roles.
For further consideration on your part - here are some of the highlights of the recent demographics report on the Orcutt area surrounding St. Andrew UMC.
WHAT ARE THE NEEDS IN ORCUTT? (ref. Demographics 2010 census and updates)
[This report is available in the church office, and can be reviewed in full if desired]
People growth highest: D04 (MissionInsite Index -p.363) Small City Endeavors [Lower income, young, old, singles, families, working-class towns;] F02 (MissionInsite index - p.498) Moderate Conventionalists [Mobile, middle-class singles/couples, modest homes, second-tier cities]; L03 (MissionInsite Index - p. 1008) Grey Perspectives [Small towns, prison and institutionalized population, some military barracks.]; B03 (MissionInsite index - p.158) Urban Commuter Families [Upscale, college educated Baby Boomer families and couples living in comfortable, single detached homes in city neighborhoods on the metropolitan fringe]
Persons over 55 growing in Orcutt at faster rate than CA.
High Drive for Affluence
High Devotion to Family
High Commitment to Career
High Faith and Practice
High Desire to Broaden Horizons
Low Sense of Wellbeing
Population Definitions: Global, Traditional, Sociable, Planned, Secure, Leaders
Lower education rate
Higher Divorced/Widowed
Poorer Household Income than average/CA
Higher family size per household (5+)
HIGH Hispanic population (160%ORCUTT/100% CA)
HIGH Filipino/Japanese populations
High Blue Collar population
No Management Services
Low Manufacturing
Low Professional Services
High Carpool/Vanpool population
High Close proximity to work population
Trending down Family/Empty Nest Population (35-55)
Increasing Some College Education Population
High Farming/Protection/Sales force
Ultimately we need to answer the question: “Who is Jesus Christ? What has he done for me, personally? Why would someone else want to participate in following Jesus Christ?”