How American Lutheran s Annual Giving is divided between our ministries of: Connecting 15% Worshiping Learning Reaching Out Healing & Caring Connecting Worshiping 29% Healing & Caring 15% Learning 18% Reaching Out 24% CHART 1 2016 General Operating Budget Budget Worship Learning Reaching Healing & Out Caring Connecting Pastors, program & support staff 356,657 136,050 69,277 44,939 Staff subtotal 356,657 Committees 15,950 4,100 5,400 1,400 Office equipment and supplies 15,000 4,200 4,875 700 Program/Worship subtotal 30,950 Synod support 44,000 Outreach subtotal 44,000 Natural gas/phone 12,900 3,870 3,870 City Utilities 16, 4,950 4,950 Maintenance 20,700 6,560 6,060 Property subtotal 50,100 Misc Expenses 2,493 138 888 General subtotal 2,493 2016 Budgeted Expenditures 484,200 159,868 and expended from Chart 2 107,530 ALC's Overall Total Expenditures 591,730 Expenditures: 51,038 55,353 1,400 3,650 1,350 3,875 645 1,935 2,580 825 2,475 3,300 1,010 3,030 4,040 115 1,044 308 95,320 93,634 62,272 73,106 9,142 11,165 48,302 24,953 13,968 169,010 106,485 141,936 87,225 87,074 29% 18% 24% 15% 44,000 2015 Non-budget gifts received (Shows a typical year s spending impact) Percentage to each (totals 101% due to rounding) 15% Quick facts helpful to understanding the financial data and pie charts: Overall total expenditures indicates the total of the 2016 general operating line item budget plus the 2015 actual giving outside the operating budget. This formula provides us with the most reliable numbers with which to make this report. Each category includes a portion of 2016 budgeted staff compensation (based on a percentage of each staff person s estimated time given to that category), building expenses, utilities, custodial, insurance, office supplies and support, etc. You might ask: How did the pastors divide their time among our 5 allocations? Between the two pastors, they spent about 33% of their time on worship, 17% on learning (teaching others), 15.5% reaching out, 16.5% on healing and caring and 18% on connecting. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Mt. 6:21)
Many gifts come to American Lutheran s ministry from sources outside the budget. CHART 2 2015 Actual Non-Budget Giving Off-the-budget gifts in 2015 Altar flowers Dollar Amount Worshiping 1,371 1,371 Wednesday Meals 3,045 Individual benefit 4,466 Youth council/gatherings 7,157 Local Food Shelves Learning Reaching Out 4,466 5,757 1,400 18,051 Love Inc. 6,611 6,611 Bell Choir 1,210 Banquet in Sioux Falls 1,993 Vacation Bible School 905 Faith Community Nurse 600 580 ELCA Good gifts 1,993 905 6,115 Sharing Tree Easter Sunday Offering (2015) 1,210 6,115 17, ALC Women Missions 7,428 17, 600 580 2,837 1,455 493 921 9,720 3,694 1,895 1,205 Other smaller gifts (Box 4) 2,926 30 1,153 989 Shetek Ministries 2,974 2,974 Missionary Support 2,600 2,600 World Hunger 4,887 4,887 Local Needs 2,383 2,383 Project Morning Star Feed My Starving Children Local Needs Total Off-budget gifts 2,515 2,515 1,000 107,530 1,084 1,131 1,403 1,523 493 Christmas Offering (2014) Lutheran Social Services Connecting 3,045 18,051 75th Anniversary Caring & Healing 9,142 11,165 48,302 754 24,953 Over 600 hours are spent volunteering in learning and youth ministry activities. This would include Sunday school teachers and helpers, confirmation, and Vacation Bible School. An estimated 3,470 hours in learning includes Sunday School and Confirmation students, adult classes and Bible studies. 13,968 ALC s recent Missional Assessment Profile reveals that of the 193 people responding, agreeing or strongly agreeing are: 83% believe this congregation is making a difference in people s lives 73% say that participating in this congregation energizes me 80% feel a greater sense of belonging in this congregation the more I participate in its ministries 77% say what I experience at church influences my life throughout the week 98% say I believe God is active in the world today 85% say God works through me to carry out God s mission
WORSHIPING Worshiping is central to who we are and what we do. The Bible teaches that God s people are to gather regularly to give him our worship, praise and thanks. In worship we are also nourished and strengthened by Word and Sacrament for facing our daily challenges and to bear witness to Jesus Christ. In addition to two Sunday morning worship services, ALC offers Wednesday evening UpBeat! worship. This includes accompanists, band members, choir directors. 169,010 of our overall expenditures of 591,730 supports ALC s ministry of Worship. Worship is the heart and center of our community. It is by thanking God in public worship and in private prayer and devotion that we lay hold of the salvation God offers us in Jesus Christ and make it our own. When I come to worship and sit in the pew and listen to the organ/piano, chancel choir, praise band, bell choir, congregational hymns I feel the presence of God. There are approximately 140 worship services each year, including Sundays, festival days and UpBeat! Wednesdays. ALC pastors lead another 18 worships services in nursing homes and assisted living centers. Additional worship times include funerals, weddings and home communion visits. These are all extensions of our corporate worship. Musical leadership includes 7 worship band members, 4 pianists/ organists, 2 choirs and numerous solo and ensemble musicians. This year about 355 worship assistants gave generously of their time an estimated 1,558 hours to enhance our worship and make things run smoothly. These volunteers include, but are not limited to: 60 greeters, 45 ushers, 40 readers, 20 acolytes, 130 communion servers/setup, 13 media operators, 12 Altar committee members, 4 banner committee members, 12 Busy Bag volunteers, 2 bulletin assemblers, 12 Worship & Music Committee members. Hand bell Ringers and Chancel Choir members gave at least an additional 864 hours. I choose to share my musical gift in worship and elsewhere because this gift has been given to me by God to share his Gospel. Personally, whether in praise, confession, thanksgiving, sorrow or crying out, music has always helped me feel closer to God. Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Colossians 3:16b and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
LEARNING Learning is for the purpose of faith formation. We seek to provide lifelong learning opportunities from birth through adulthood. This includes Splash!, Sunday School classes, youth groups, Vacation Bible School, Confirmation, adult Bible studies, Parish Education and Youth Council committees. 106,485 of our total 591,730 in expenditures supports engaging programs for learners of all ages, including Sunday school, mid-week classes, mission trip, VBS, confirmation, adult Bible studies, and much more. In 2016, more than 160 children and youth participated in Sunday school, confirmation, and middle and high school youth activities. 88 teachers, helpers, mentors, and others have volunteered more than 450 hours to meet the goals of these ministries. God Sightings from youth mission trip I feel like this was a moment God showed me what I m capable of. One thing I enjoyed was meeting new people who are just as eager to grow closer to God as I am. I saw God working through me as I easily opened up and connected with strangers. I am typically very shy, so I truly felt God giving me the confidence to open up. My God sighting occurred one afternoon at our work site. We helped with a basketball camp and every afternoon we ended with a prayer as a whole group. 50 people holding hands and praying is pretty powerful. The color of our skin or where we came from didn t matter. All that mattered was worshiping God together. We worked with refugees ages 4-11. I have never seen kids want to work so hard. My God sighting was just seeing those kids getting a second chance. Nashville or Bust 2016 Our commitment to faith formation begins at birth, with Splash mailings being sent to the households of 0-3 year olds, and continues with Sunday school (preschool -12th grade), while confirmation provides intentional learning through classroom study, service projects and mentoring. But UpBeat! Wednesdays isn t just for confirmation kids. Six younger-than confirmationage kids attend the Ignite class, while nearly 20 adults join in Bible study after Wednesday night worship. Another 10-15 adults gather for Bible study on Sunday mornings. More than 30 women meet for monthly circle meetings, which include Bible study. A week in a challenging part of Nashville brought about numerous God sightings for 18 youth and 4 adults from our congregation. The group stayed in an older church in a dorm-type setting with outdoor shower stalls connected to garden hoses. After breakfast each morning the group packed their lunch and headed to various work sites throughout the city, including a boys and girls club, a refugee center and a retirement home. Work tasks included helping underprivileged kids with reading skills, cleaning up homes and yards, and cleaning and assisting in an assisted-living home. Each evening the groups gathered and shared their God sightings that day. Stacy Bickett, our church youth leader, researches 3 4 options for the yearly youth mission trip and presents it to the youth to vote on a destination. These mission trips provide great learning experiences and allow God sightings to become a part of their daily life beyond Nashville that week. Beyond the traditional educational opportunities, 10 households participated in Financial Peace University, resulting in 40,000 of non-mortgage debt being paid off, 23,000 being saved, and 51 credit cards being cut up. Of the attendees, 4 reported they are now giving substantially more. The sentiment of one person was echoed by all: Great course. Well worth the time. Everyone should take it.
REACHING OUT By Reaching Out we care for and serve people in Christ s name through the larger Church and outside organizations, locally & globally, beyond ALC. This includes Synod and ELCA benevolence offerings, The Banquet, Synod Assembly special offering, Sharing Tree, ELCA Good Gifts, Lutheran Social Service, Shetek Lutheran Ministries, missionary support, local food shelfs, ELCA world hunger, local needs, Project Morning Star, Feed My Starving Children, and Love INC. 141,936 of our overall expenditures of 591,730 supports ALC s ministry of Reaching Out. We give 10% of our Operating Fund Income (unless designated non-synod) to the Southwestern Minnesota Synod, which forwards 55% of that amount to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Our giving supports ministries of our synod, new congregations, raising church leaders and so much more. This offering is one way we do God s Work with Our Hands. Funding of many of our ministries is given generously by members beyond our general operating budget. The giving totals for these ministries was over 107,000. That includes social ministries such as: Local Food Shelves 18,051, Love INC 6,611, The Banquet 1,993, Lutheran Social Services, Shetek Lutheran Ministries 2,974, ELCA Missionary Support 2,600, ELCA World Hunger 4,887, Local Needs 3,383, Project Morning Star, and Feed My Starving Children 2,515. It also includes donations which supplement a variety of ALC programs, including 17, to the Faith Community Nurse ministry. Financial generosity is one expression of our love for God and our neighbors. But the story is not told by dollars alone. ALC members give generously of their time and efforts by serving. 9 Wednesday morning quilters gave 900+ hours making quilts for distribution through Lutheran World Relief; 60 adults and youth spent 120 hours packing meals for the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack in 2015; 24 drivers gave 96 hours delivering Meals on Wheels; 30 volunteers gave 15 hours loading & unloading 150 boxes into the trailer for King s Aid; 4 people gave 208 hours through Love INC; 20 youth and adults served 80 hours at The Banquet serving 617 people. Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40) Your generous gift is a beautiful reflection of God s love. Thank you! ELCA World Hunger Thank you so much for your donation! We are so very grateful for your continued support! Project Morning Star Thank you for your Congregation gift to Shetek Lutheran Ministries. Without your generosity, SLM simply could not continue its mission of providing year around opportunities for Christ centered renewal and learning for all ages. You are truly making a difference in the faith building experience for the youth and families coming to SLM. SLM As a member of the ELCA you are part of a much larger story. You are connected with our 9,300 congregations, 65 synods and one church wide organization. Your church is connected globally to 72 million Lutherans through its membership in The Lutheran World Federation. We are church together! Presiding Bishop Elizabeth
HEALING & CARING Healing & Caring serves people in Christ s name, primarily within our congregation, through the direct care of ALC staff and members. This includes pastoral visitations and hospital calls, Faith Community Nurse, BeFriender Ministry, People-in-Need Benefits, Home Communion Visitation Ministry. 87,225 of our overall expenditures of 591,730 supports ALC s ministry of Healing and Caring. The caring ministries of ALC s pastoral staff as well as lay members combine to form a well-rounded way of providing care and support to members and friends of our congregation. Our goal is that this congregation be a caring, compassionate community where each person is able to feel the love of God being shared with one another. Important initiatives this past year have been the continuing development of the Faith Community Nurse Ministry and establishment of the BeFriender Ministry. In October, our first 11 BeFriender course lay graduates were commissioned to serve in this listening ministry of support and friendship. A team of 9 Homebound Communion visitors continue to bring the Lord s Supper to more than 15 shut-ins every month. One couple relates their experience after making a homebound communion visit: What a feeling! It was great to connect with individuals not able to attend church. When scheduled for the VA Home in Luverne, we noticed how much they cared that the church took time to think about them. Lots of things they may have forgotten, but they all knew the Lord s Prayer and sacraments. We have left every visit feeling our hearts grow by taking a few minutes out of our lives to brighten someone s day and remember their faith with them. This is a very rewarding volunteer opportunity. A few responses to Faith Community Nurse ministry We are so glad you are here. I really enjoy your articles. I really enjoyed that article on stress, and I showed it to my daughter. She is a public health nurse, and that can be stressful. We are very thankful you are here, you are doing a great job. Thanks received for Christmas/Easter plant deliveries: Thank you for remembering me with Easter greetings. I appreciate everyone at American Lutheran and the good wishes I always receive. Thank you for the plant. It is doing well and still blooming. I enjoyed the visit from Thank you for thinking of me, and giving me the pretty pot and plant. Bear one another s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
CONNECTING Connecting expresses the many and various ways we are joined together in fellowship as the Body of Christ. This includes UpBeat! Wednesday meals, Sunday morning coffee time, congregational meetings, the 75 th anniversary celebration, and a portion of working side-by-side times such as serving at The Banquet. 87,074 of our overall expenditures of 591,730 supports ALC s ministry of Connecting. This includes support of committees and staff as well as a portion of the facilities and utilities costs. Worship is the primary way God s people connect with one another. Opportunities also abound for ALC members and friends to gather for fellowship, learning or service. Many of these arise out of our many ministries. In addition, two new groups have been launched this year to facilitate connecting and relationship building, including a Hospitality Team and a Mission & Ministry Committee, in place of the former Loyalty & Evangelism Committee. The Hospitality Team oversees and hosts Sunday morning coffee. The Mission & Ministry Committee plans and organizes a variety of projects which draw people together for a common purpose, including the annual God s work. Our hands. service Sunday and other small group gatherings. Floral arrangements donated for Sunday morning services provide beauty in the sanctuary. Then, if the donor has not picked up the flowers by Tuesday, an individual in need of a day-brightener is recommended to a volunteer deliverer. The recipients may be homebound, grieving a loss, have medical or other issues. Upon delivery of the flowers, the volunteer reads and gives this message to the recipient: These flowers have been on the altar at our church. They have heard the hymns sung, the prayers offered and the sermons preached. Now they come to share God s love with you. American Lutheran Church Prime Time Seniors meet the 4th Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Meetings include travel experiences and short excursions to surrounding locations. Topics of discussion have been travel experiences in Morocco, Ireland, and Greece. This summer the group enjoyed a play at the Okoboji Summer Theater. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) A variety of opportunities are offered throughout the year for ALC members and friends to gather for special meals and celebrations, coffee and fellowship. More than 65 volunteers of all ages give at least 400 hours to make a big success of the annual Scandinavian Smorgasbord which feeds more than 425 diners. About 30 women spend 60 hours to put on the Christmas Salad event, and 20 women spend 40 hours on the Summer Salad event. UpBeat! Wednesday (formerly SEEDS ) offers an energetic evening for all ages most Wednesdays, September-May. On average, 63 people come to eat and enjoy fellowship between 5:30-6:30 p.m., and 122 worship together at 6:30. The evening also includes confirmation, an adult class, and a class for kids pre-confirmation age. Other volunteers connect with one another while assembling Sunday bulletins, the Messenger newsletter, and annual reports. For many others, it happens regularly in committee or other group meetings. For still others it happens while representing ALC through a wide variety of ministries in our community, synod and beyond. God s people connect and relationships are built and strengthened through all of the ministries of this congregation as people work side-by-side with the mission of Christ in mind. Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:24-25a)
NON-PROFIT ORG. 915 Winifred St. Worthington, MN 56187 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit 162 WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA Return Service Requested Together, American Lutheran Church members support the ministries and programs of our congregation with both money and time. We give generously because God has given to us generously. In these pages we attempt to tell our story in a more intentional way. More than numbers in a budget, our giving tells the story of lives touched with the love of Jesus. The narrative of who we are as his disciples unfolds as we make ourselves available to be his hands and feet in our congregation, community and world. Look inside to see how we are living out of God s generosity through: WORSHIPING REACHING OUT LEARNING CONNECTING HEALING & CARING We love because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19)