Where does the money in your offering plate go?

[woodsprite]

6. Our Presby church has a breakdown of their budget that we vote on

at a congregational meeting each year. Anyone who is a member is allowed to question the budget, etc. and vote against proposed actions. Sometimes we hold a meeting mid-cycle if an issue comes up requiring more funds than allocated. Our church is a service-oriented congregation.

We have one pastor (approx 30K salary), but gets housing because we have a manse on the church property. Small amounts go to youth ministry (we have only a handful of young ones), music ministry (some new music purchases and part-time salaries for organist/choir & bell directors). Our big expenditures are church building upkeep, mission and outreach (assisting with the community food pantry, helping people w/ expenses when needed, Meals on Wheels, Emmanuel Dining Room, Sunday Breakfast Mission, Friendship House, among others) Free activities for the community include VBS, Easter fair/egg hunt, and a community lecture series (the next one is on emergency planning). We have, in the past, made a good amount for mission through a Christmas festival/concerts/historical home tours that we put on, which is free to the community, but we sell crafts, baked goods, soups, have free-will donations, silent auctions, etc. to go toward expanding our support in the community areas that need it most. We also have a medical benevolence fund and a small pastor's discretionary fund that helps where it can (it usually goes back into the benevolence fund or to help someone with their bills). Our "White Gifts" giving around xmas goes directly to replenish the community food pantry. We also have had special donations in the past for Presbyterian Disaster Relief.

It's a small church - never more than 200 members for the 20 years I've been there, and we stretch our budget fairly well. I'm proud of how we handle our money and account for it. I've been in other situations that haven't been as transparent or had such strong congregational and community support.

I'm much more comfortable here than at a mega-church!