Hancock United Church of Christ. Doing God s Work. An Illustrated Church Budget

Transcription

1 Hancock United Church of Christ Doing God s Work An Illustrated Church Budget

2 A Narrative Budget for Hancock Church Each year the Hancock Church Finance Committee produces a carefully planned operating budget for the following year. The annual budget is prepared with a great deal of analysis, prudence, consultation, and prayer. The budget lists the church s income and expenses in detail, and the Finance Committee presents the budget at the Annual Meeting in January for approval by the congregation. That line- item budget shows our funds and costs for the work God calls us to do. It provides the financial structure for our business manager, treasurer, and Finance Committee to responsibly manage and faithfully track those figures. It is black and white, finely categorized, and number- oriented. What you hold is something different, an illustrated narrative budget, and we hope it adds to your understanding of the church s work and finances. This annual narrative budget describes the same income and expenses. It highlights our activities and accomplishments, and shows how our income is gathered and how it is spent across our five principal ministries: Worship Education Mission Congregational Care Community Outreach May this budget inspire you with our shared successes, and encourage your continued involvement and generosity for our future together doing God s work. Thank you for all you do for Hancock Church. Many thanks to the following contributors to this second annual narrative budget: Anne Hoffman, Robin DiGiammarino, Paul Shupe, Kim Gladstone, Yvette Kirby, Barbara Shafer, Paul Topalian, Daryl Battin, Joy Fallon, Charlie Wyman, Sue LaLone, Pam Cochrane, Jim Fenske, Mark Morgan, Andy McClaine, Amy Swanson, Rachel Kowalik, CeCe Potter, Julina Rundberg, Eliza Duncan, Sarah Keeping, Scott Martin, Mark DiGiammarino. Julia Potter, Managing Editor Doing God s Work

3 Who Is Hancock Church? Ours is an active, caring, vibrant congregation called to do God s work for each other, our community, and our world. Responding to God s call to be faithful disciples of Christ, at Hancock we: celebrate worship that inspires, teaches, nourishes, and consoles provide service to others, especially the poor and the powerless offer education for all ages delight in being part of a joyful and loving community Hancock United Church of Christ is caring and committed, thoughtful and progressive, welcoming and generous, open and affirming. In this narrative budget you will see Hancock s five ministries Worship, Education, Mission, Congregational Care, and Outreach. Witness your church in action. Read stories of lives changed through our work together. Learn how your contributions of money, time, and talent are helping people come to deeper faith in God and connection to one another. Enjoy the gratitude of work well done. In 2013, as we strive to be ever more faithful disciples of Jesus in a world in need, your participation is essential to the tasks before us. The most important contribution is yours, as each of us is called to support God s work at Hancock. May these words and images inspire your giving for the coming year. Hancock Church Narrative Budget

4 The Blessings of 2012 Hancock has many blessings to be thankful for in As a congregation, faithful servants of God s work, our efforts were dedicated to supporting our church family, our community, and our world. Hancock continues to be blessed by an incredibly talented ministry team, whose leadership inspires, supports, and transforms the work we do in God s name. Remarkable leaders from within the congregation carry us through our tasks to completion with dedication, strength, and patience. Seeking to discern God s call, in 2012 we initiated the planning and fundraising part of our first capital campaign in 20 years, raising pledges of $3.3 million. The vision of our capital campaign was developed with many discussions, prayerful consideration, and careful planning, to make our church more accessible and to better reflect our covenant of welcome. As a church we have worked well together to make decisions, plans, and to raise these special funds. We have focused on welcoming as never before, and our newest members reflect that in their sentiments about our community. We are strengthened by our sense of welcoming, not only to outsiders but within our own congregation. In 2012 we renovated Clark Hall, our center of social and community activities, and home to our evening worship service, The Well. Worship at the Well continues to enrich our church family with baptisms, new members received, and a wedding. This year we renewed our three essential communication pieces by redesigning our weekly updates and website, and refreshing our Hancock Herald to be a quarterly feature magazine. Our vibrant adult education program again offered many learning opportunities this year. Our high school youth group (HYG) held its most successful auction ever to raise funds for their mission trip. Our middle school group (JYO) made a commitment to provide ongoing support to the Outdoor Church in Cambridge. Our church family has grown this year through the 24 new members who joined, and the increase in Sunday school families. We sent Hancock members and friends, youth and adults, on three mission trips two in the U.S. and one in Panama. Our music and arts program continues to flourish, with an amazing concert series, a new children s choir group that performs twice a year, and an additional holiday handbell concert for those who cannot make it to church. We celebrated a multi- generational Mardi Gras with a talent show, attended by 125 people. In this booklet you will see our congregation at work together, and discover anew Hancock as God s work. Doing God s Work

5 Our Income How are all of Hancock s good works accomplished? Hancock Church is funded mainly by our own generosity, as is true for most congregational churches. A full 93% of the money in our annual budget comes from our own pledges, gifts, and special donations, and from endowment and legacy funds created by church members who came before us. The remainder of our income is from rental revenue for the use of the church building. Even the rental income is made possible by our dedicated staff and volunteers who maintain the church building, which is our greatest financial asset. Hancock s five ministries highlighted in this booklet, and truly all of God s work we strive to do, are only made possible by our own commitment and gifts. You gave from the heart. You are reminded of God's abundant love. Thank you for being a blessing to the many families that look to us for hope and help. And thank you for being a faithful partner in Christ's ministry. Rev. June Cooper City Mission Society, on Hancock s Manger Sunday Gifts Annual Income: $922,550 Pledges and Plate Offerings 80% of the Budget $743,000 Special Collections and Events 5% of the Budget $43,000 Legacies and Bank Interest 3% of the Budget $26,250 Building Rentals 7% of the Budget $64,000 Endowment Income 5% of the Budget $46,300

6 Worship Worshiping God together is the center of our congregational life. At Hancock worship is a renewal of spirit, a deep connection between God and ourselves individually and as a church family, inclusive of all the beloved community. Worship brings us together before God to share our concerns, our questions, our hopes, and our joys as nothing else. It is the solid rock on which we build our lives together. It is real. It is now. It is essential. Worship changes our lives. We are blessed to have an extraordinarily talented, cohesive ministry team that works tirelessly to provide many opportunities to worship and celebrate our faith. Our varied and engaging worship services satisfy the heart and feed the mind, and the music lifts our spirits. We find reflection and refreshment in worship services and resources such as: Sunday morning worship Sunday evening The Well More than six special holiday services throughout the year Chancel Choir and Children s Choir Six handbell choirs for all ages Baptisms, weddings, memorial and funeral services Cantatas at Christmas and Spring TV ministry Worship materials including weekly bulletin, Bibles, hymnals, and communion Hancock is where I truly feel welcomed and accepted for who I am: a learner, a believer and a seeker. My community of faith is a blessing, a joy, and an anchor in my life. I am lucky to worship with many whom I consider to be inspiring role models, many who are teaching me what it means to do good works. Robin DiGiammarino Doing God s Work

7 Worship Is 34% of the Budget $313,630 Outreach $101,490 11% Congregational Care $138,380 15% Worship $313,630 34% Hancock has been a wonderful Christian community, both because Hancock has been a source of blessings (music, youth programs, fellowship etc.) and also because it has provided opportunities for Christian service, stewardship, and other ways to say "thank you" to God. A Hancock Member Mission $249,100 27% Education $119,950 13% Our talented music director brings more than 50 additional paid and volunteer musicians to Hancock each year to enhance our worship service music. Hancock Church Narrative Budget

8 Christian Education Thoughtful questions, spiritual inquiries, and serious discussion are encouraged here at Hancock Church. With Christian education (CE) for all ages, we explore familiar stories in Scripture to understand them anew, develop new spiritual practices to grow in our faith, and learn to invite God into our lives. Our CE is engaging and fun. Classes and small groups come in many forms to nurture life- long growth and learning: New in fall 2012: Bagels & Bible Sunday mornings, evening book group, monthly Sermon Discussions: Seasons of Our Lives, and monthly Poetry & Our Spiritual Lives Pastor s Class Sunday mornings Drawing from The Well Sunday evenings Monthly Thursday Morning Book Discussion Group and Talking Faith Small Planet Suppers (with HEAT) Lenten Series: 2012 featured six different programs throughout Lent Annual Women s Retreat in May Theology on Tap monthly group Resources for all ages in Potter Library Hancock Youth Group (HYG), high school Confirmation Class for 9th graders Our Whole Lives (OWL): Sexuality and Our Faith weekly program for 7 th 9 th graders Junior Youth Organization (JYO) for middle school grades Programs for children pre- K through grade 5, Toddler Room and Nursery In 2012 our Sunday School has grown to be twice what it was three years ago, with 87 K 8th grade children participating. The OWL program offers middle school youth a I love being an adult mentor to HYG because I get to support Hancock's great tradition of youth empower- ment and spiritual and social justice education. I love facilitating the kind of great experiences that shaped my own high school years for the current generation of HYGers, while also supporting the new ideas that make the group their own. Sarah Keeping unique opportunity to learn about changes they are going through, in a safe, open community. Our high school youth have a strong cohesive group that works well and has fun together, and our young adults meet monthly to connect at Theology on Tap. Our Adult Education offerings provided 15 programs totaling 162 hours in There truly is something for everyone here. Doing God s Work

9 Christian Education Is 13% of the Budget $119,950 Congregational Care $138,380 15% Outreach $101,490 11% Worship $313,630 34% Mission $249,100 27% Education $119,950 13% Over the past two years of being a member of this church, I have learned many things. The first is that common faith brings about a sense of community which is unrivaled by any other I have experienced. The sense of security which has been tucked into the folds of the Hancock community is remarkable and special. I feel truly safe here. An HYG Member Heating the church for one month in the winter costs $4,000. Hancock Church Narrative Budget

10 Mission Mission and Christian service are terms that are used interchangeably because helping those in need is one of Christ s principle teachings. At Hancock, we strive to embody our identity as Christians by serving others in our local, regional, and global community. Doing God s work can often mean going beyond Hancock, beyond borders of town, state, or country, beyond our comfort zone, even beyond what we think is possible. We devote many hours of our labor and more than one- quarter of Hancock s budget to mission work in a variety of ways by gathering sports equipment and used bikes for City Mission Society in Boston, by creating an Interfaith Garden across the street from the church to provide our neighbors with fresh vegetables, by making sandwiches for the homeless in Harvard Square, by cooking and delivering dinner for women staying at Rosie s Place in Boston, by helping with home builds for those in need in rural Kentucky and New Jersey, and by working to initiate sustainable farming practices in Panama with farmers there. In 2012 our Christian service programs were invigorated by partnerships with organizations such as City Mission, Fourth Presbyterian Church in Boston, and the Outdoor Church. This fall Christian Service Committee (CSC) and JYO issued a challenge to us to donate 600 pairs of new socks to those who live on the streets in the Boston area. This goal seems to be a stretch, but our congregation is motivated to reach it as we continue God s work here at Hancock. Doing God s Work mes up that beco ro g a n i g n icipati usiasm and I enjoy part joy the enth n e I s y. it n u e discoverie a comm how and th t fun and I s y e h t t a h t energy een grea ake. It has b p that that they m of the grou rt a p a e b o t am honored y. laine on, Kentuck e N o t ls Andy McC trave

11 With gifts of our time, talent, and treasure we serve in many ways: Lexington Interfaith Garden, supported by Hancock, grows and donates its produce to the Lexington Food Pantry Lexington Food Pantry: ongoing food donations and monthly volunteering HEAT (Hancock Environmental Action Team) to pursue sustainable living Strengthening our partnership with Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) by our 2012 service trip to Panama and support of their Central America mission Partnering with City Mission Society by bringing gifts to Manger Sunday and providing ongoing support to their youth and outreach programs Supporting South Boston s Fourth Presbyterian Church music programs Working with The Outdoor Church in Cambridge to provide food and supplies Ongoing support of 15 charities including Women s Lunch Place, Bristol Lodge, and Reach Beyond Domestic Violence Training the next generation of ministers, including our seminarians and supporting Andover- Newton Theological School Denominational support of the National UCC and Massachusetts Conference Collections for Neighbors in Need and One Great Hour of Sharing Funds such as scholarships for mission trips, Good Samaritan Fund to support youth and young adults in mission projects, Hancock Response Fund to provide disaster relief, and Pastor and CSC Discretionary Funds for one- time gifts Mission trips to Kentucky, New Jersey, and Panama People with Projects weekly meetings Mission Is 27% of the Budget $249,100 Congregational Care $138,380 15% Mission $249,100 27% Outreach $101,490 11% Worship $313,630 34% Education $119,950 13% Imagine seeing life from abundance, rather than scarcity. What a difference that could make! You see, there is enough. There is more than enough, and we have gifts to share! Live from abundance, and you will be changed. Joy Fallon Hancock Church Narrative Budget

12 Outreach to the Community All are welcome here. We have a special community at Hancock, and we joyfully invite others to join us in our faith journeys. We want to share our blessings with the world and are eager to include others in doing God s work. We are blessed to have wonderful facilities in a great location, so we share them to foster community and individual development through education, music, and other activities. Outreach in our community includes: Membership outreach Interfaith worship services and support Bell concerts, caroling, and other events for the general community, nursing homes, and other audiences Sharing our church space with other organizations including: Hancock Nursery School Boy, Girl, and Cub Scouts Alcoholics Anonymous Math Club Hancock Consort Occasional or one- time uses, such as Housing Partnership and Harvard Collegium Doing God s Work

13 Outreach to the Community Is 11% of the Budget $101,490 Outreach $101,490 11% I am looking forward to joining Hancock in a week's time. I feel very fortunate to have found the enriched and open faith community that Hancock represents on so many levels. Laurel Cooley Congregational Care $138,380 15% Mission $249,100 27% Worship $313,360 34% Education $119,950 13% Hancock is a safe environment to celebrate God s goodness, but it is also a community that reaches out to the world, that does not accept the inequality in the world. Gert- Jan Huizer Hancock Church Narrative Budget

14 Congregational Care God s work calls us to love one another, to care for one another. It is impossible to be a Christian by oneself. To believe is to belong. At Hancock we reach out to one another, welcome all, and help each person to feel the accepting love of God through our own acts of care. We sing together, laugh together, discuss together, and grow together. We share holy communion, cups of coffee, and caring prayers. Delighting in diversity, and united in common causes, we are all essential to the beloved community. Hancock provides congregational care through a dynamic network of more than 100 volunteers, staff, and our ministers. This network cares for our parishioners in need, nurtures our sense of community, and celebrates our joyous occasions. This year we initiated a new program to support caregivers in the sandwich generation. We also started a new blog on downsizing, and provided programs on cognitive aging to support our community. Congregational Care team celebrates, supports, and cares for our church family through: Prayer Shawl ministry Flower delivery Fellowship Hour every week Linger Lunches Annual Senior Picnic Summer weekly Hancock Grills Progressive Dinners Seasonal celebrations Collations Caring for the Caregivers Doing God s Work

15 Our children thrived and matured in the work and play of HYG. My faith gained substance and breadth through Lenten study groups, classes, and discussion groups led by our clergy and seminarians. The opportunity to work and pray with communities in Honduras opened my eyes to new worlds and helped to put my own in perspective. Above all, I treasure the community of people at Hancock, whom I have come to know through committees, retreats, projects, or simply sharing pews. Yvette Kirby Congregational Care $138,380 15% Congregational Care Is 15% of the Budget $138,380 Outreach $101,490 11% Worship $313,630 34% Mission $249,100 27% Education $119,950 13% Serving coffee, tea, and punch at fellowship hour each week costs $70. Hancock Church Narrative Budget

16 What s Ahead in 2013 The vibrancy and enthusiasm of our church life on these pages is certain. We have been blessed with a year filled with opportunities, challenges, laughter, tears, and most of all a community sharing in God s work. We look forward to a year to come filled with more good work together, and continued creativity, challenge, and extending our care. Our three- year capital campaign will continue through 2013, bringing exciting changes to our church home and programs. Our talented staff and dedicated leaders will continue to create and sustain ministries that have reinvigorated our worship, education, fellowship, and service together. In 2013 we will focus on expanding our blogs as sources of reflection and encouragement renewing and strengthening partnerships in Christian service with mission organizations continued focus on building community within our church, and widening our welcome to those in Lexington and beyond Your financial support of Hancock will continue to support: a dedicated, creative, and talented staff working with committed lay leaders help for those in need in the local and world community outreach to young adults, to seniors, to young families, to empty- nesters, to children and youth Above all, you may rely upon your church s commitment to God s work in Hancock United Church of Christ 1912 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, Mass HancockChurch.org