Financial

Fund- Raising, Financial Reviews, and Budgeting

Annual Pledge Drive. Members for 2008 have been Robert Behr (co-chair), Deborah Crabbs-MacDonald (co-chair), Robert Hadden, Samuel Humes, James Richardson, and Barbara Walvoord. The newly-named “Annual Pledge Committee” began its work in early October with a reminder note added to the third quarter pledge report sent by Financial Secretary Annie Parkman. The fall Sunday bulletins each contained brief reminders about how 2008 pledge monies were being used. Stewardship Sunday (November 9^th, 2008) was highlighted by a thematic sermon from Pastor Carrie. The formal pledge requests for 2009 were mailed to arrive in the following days.

Meanwhile, the six members of the Committee each gave successive Sunday testimonials, briefly noting what the FCC meant to them.  A stirring sermon by Co-Moderator Carl Westerdahl kept the pot boiling. By mid-December we had received 92 pledges for 2009, totaling some $200,000, but still short of the $235,000 goal. Reminder notes from the Committee stimulated additional pledges. At press time (January 13, 2009) 125 pledges have been made for $233,185.00. Additional follow-ups may be necessary.

Tag Sale. Jody Green and a host of volunteers collected, cleaned, organized, priced, and sold on September 6^th, 2008 many, many household items, resulting in a net revenue of approximately $9,000 for the church. The cluster members thank all those who helped with this significant recycling and fund-raising effort.

Financial Review and Budgeting. Cluster members have worked with new Treasurer John Craig and have received his monthly reports, including an outside financial review and regular monitoring of income and expenditures, both for the cluster and for the church as a whole. Cluster members Robert Behr, Susan Clarke, and Anne Skinner served on the Budget Task Force. Annie Parkman has been generous with her time to provide historical records and documentation in many endeavors.