An Introduction to the 2021 Annual Meeting

Our annual congregation meetings in January are quintessentially Presbyterian. There is fellowship, a budget presentation and abundant desserts. This year, the fellowship is virtual and you’re on your own for dessert. And this time, we have some perspectives about the budget that take us beyond the numbers. 

Basically, here’s the situation. When the Western congregation received our building in the IMF transaction 25 years ago, we also inherited the obligation to keep the property in good repair. It’s an expensive proposition, on the order of $300,000 a year (for maintenance, repairs, utilities, insurance and capital replacements).  

No congregation our size could afford this level of commitment year in and year out. So, prudently, the IMF transaction also included a sizeable fund (which we have imprecisely called an "endowment"), the earnings from which would cover the building costs for the foreseeable future. 

The challenge is, over the years we also used these funds for everyday church operations, the kind of expenses that other churches normally cover through member giving.  

We find ourselves now taking considerably more from the funds than they earn (reverses in the stock market have not helped this), and this reservoir is drying up.  

Two different groups under the auspices of the Session have led the work to use these funds in a manner that sustains our mission and ministry, notably an investment funds task force led by Jen Druliner and a study group led by Becky Koenig. And after some hard discernment, the Session has found common voice on this principle – that the funds should be yoked to their original purpose of supporting maintaining our building, so that our building can be a resource for the mission and ministry that happen every day - from Miriam's Kitchen's work to worship on Sundays. 

This means the congregation takes responsibility for the mission, ministry, programming and staffing of our church – like nearly every other church. By doing so, the funds can continue to sustain our commitments, and the congregation takes on its customary role and obligation.  

Wish to learn more, ask questions or share your thoughts about this? Please plan to join us Sunday at the congregational meeting immediately following worship.