Posted by john on April 15, 2002 at 07:42:39:
In Reply to: Re: Quandary... posted by Thistle on April 15, 2002 at 04:57:40:
: : : : : Family,
: : : : : I hope this isn't out of line, but here's something that's bothering me, and you guys have been on an honesty kick... We only received a $2 to $3 offering in church today. I don't think the other Sundays have been too much more. The nursery workers alone cost $30, coffee costs, electricity costs, etc. Steve spends a lot of time bookkeeping, planning studies, teaching classes, preparing for the service, etc. There isn't enough money to cover the expenses, let alone to pay the pastor/teacher/musician/bookkeeper. When there is no offering, he pays the nursery workers out of his own pocket. Most of us would immediately quit working if we didn't get paid. He rarely gets anything. The pastor shouldn't have to pay the expenses out of his own pocket. Especially when he isn't even getting paid himself. The church should at least be able to support its expenses. I don't know about you guys, but I am really happy to have the afternoon service. I would be really heartbroken if it fell apart due to lack of finances. Is there a reason why few (or less) people tithe, or even give a love offering, to support something a lot of people have told me they are really excited about?
: : : : : Please forgive me if I seem to be ranting, but I had to get this off of my chest. Few of the church will get to see this, but the message board is the only forum that I have. Steven, I hope you're not mad at me for posting this.
: : : : : Thistle
: : : : i understand your frustration and concern. i usually do give an offering, and i did feel bothered that i couldn't this week, but you know my financial situation as of lately. i am sorry.
: : : : ~clover
: : : Usualy, I do tithe. I haven't in the last couple of weeks and the weeks before that were actually more than my tithe to try and catch up on weeks that I didn't tithe. I'm still having a problem with having the faith to tithe before anything else. I don't tithe at the afternoon service. I usualy give it to Jeff on Sunday mornings and ends up in the general offering.
: : I tithe my time more than anything else.
:
: You are two of the few who do. I can understand people have weeks where they just don't have anything, but when we have about 30 people and get under $3, that's pathetic. That calculates to about .10 a person. If you go with the biblical principal of tithing, each person makes about $1.00 per week. Even if people don't tithe, enough of an offering to meet the expenses would be nice. I seriously do not enjoy "traditional church," but more (not all) of the "traditional" church people do their part in helping the church stay functional. Steve does the church finances and knows this well. Even our morning church has a percentage who tithe and a much larger percentage who doesn't. The church bills are astronomical (Im speaking of the whole Lost and Found ministry). It can only survive so long this way. If people really want to see these services (I speak of the morning church, too), they need to do their part financially. If they don't have the finances or faith to tithe yet, that's okay, but at least help out enough to help the church survive. Otherwise, we lose our church. Maybe some people don't need a church, but I do. There must be a way to solve this problem. Once again, please do not take this wrong. I'm just being honest.
I understand and I admit that we often just don't have the money. I won't make excuses, but we give when we can. Yesterday was either give or go to dinner, we went to dinner. As for the frustration you and Steve feel, i have a real suggestion. Don't bear the burden on your own. The service is ours. I had no idea Steve was paying the sitters out of his pocket. I would have forgone dinner to stop that. And as Steve said yesterday, the workers are worthy of their hire. So you guys don't have to pay for anything. This will force us to pick up the slack. Of course, there may be a few weeks where the things we're used to just don't show up, and all you have to do is say we didn't have the money. I'm serious. This way either we pick up the responsibility or it closes down, but you guys definitely don't need to keep carrying us all. Sometimes the only way to learn is to force us to endure some hard knocks.
Maybe try this. Next week you say the costs are: xxx for: abc. If the money isn't there, A, B, and C will not be available next week. Then that's it. We'll either do it or we won't.