2013 Budget

Copies of the proposed budget for 2013 are available through the church office.

I just wanted to express my appreciation publicly to the Leadership Council for their work compiling the budget and doing what they could to help balance our expenses to income for 2013.  What we failed to share at Sunday's business meeting was the fact that when they started to work, we were looking at another deficit around of $32,000 for 2013.  At our last meeting we as a Council agreed that this was too large a number to bring to the church.  With a lot of hard work we were able to shrink the projected deficit for 2013 to a number closer to $18,000 for the year.

While I am pleased by their work, I also think that there is more that we can do to help balance the budget.  One way to fix a deficit is to cut our spending, but another way is to increase our income.  This is why I am writing this to you.  Now, in most cases I am sure that you and your family carefully considered your giving for next year before making your pledge.  At Crooked Creek Baptist we have between 60-65 people who contribute to our budget every year and this is something to celebrate! 

Are you one of those?  If not, I would like to challenge you to consider supporting God's ministry here at Crooked Creek Baptist financially.  Our Scriptures testify to the generous nature of the God we serve and of the care for which God provides for our needs.  God challenges us to try tithing to see if "I will not open up the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." (Malachi 3:10).  Here is a chance to respond to this challenge.

If you have not supported the God's ministry at Crooked Creek Baptist, would you consider it for 2013?  Would you be willing to put your faith in God in this manner?  God has promised to faithfully watch over us.  Are we willing to live according to that faith?

Are you the occasional giver?  Throwing in a couple of dollars on the occasions when you have the spare change...or giving when you remember to write the check before church?  Can you become a disciplined giver?  If God has responded to your occasional giving, what could we expect from regular giving?

I know many of you receiving this are our regular givers and some of you are already going beyond the tithe to sacrificial giving.  You have discovered the blessings already present in your life and are responding with praise and celebration of God's goodness!  It is my prayer that the blessings of faith, and the joy of this community will continue to be yours.

We are challenged to be good stewards of the resources God makes available to us.  We would do well to remember that God operates in a system of extravagant giving and bountiful blessings.  As we strive to become the community God has called us to be, we can look forward to a future full of Divine blessings!

Grace and Peace,

Tom