Financial Health

Among others in our congregation, your First Church Finance Committee is charged with assuring that we “make the best use of every resource entrusted to us by God.” Though often difficult to see, we are making progress toward financial health. But, you may ask, what is financial health? And, when will we be financially healthy?

To be truly healthy: (1) we must not only balance our budget, we must generate a positive bottom line in order to build reserves to sustain us through times, (2) we must maintain positive cash flow to avoid further debt, and (3) we must continually maintain our church home in order to achieve our mission.

There are good signs that will lead us to a healthy financial future. Thanks to your generosity, giving is now increasing at a rate greater than expenses. The Endowment recently received the largest gift ever received by First Church ($2.9 million). Why is this important? Some of the proceeds from the Endowment go to support chuch operations. Though we will not benefit soon, within three years, the increase in proceeds will be very beneficial. Next year’s “Burn the Note” fundraising campaign will eliminate one of the loans that has burdened us for years, thus reducing costs by nearly $100,000!

If your “extravagant generosity” continues, we will be financially healthy by 2010. We will have a positive bottom line, positive cash flow, increasing reserves, and resources to maintain the many wonderful programs that bring so many to "a lasting, life-changing relationship with God through Christ Jesus.”

Richard Bettis
Finance Committee Chair