Help Wanted: Treasurer & Stewardship Chair
HELP WANTED.
Filling lay leadership positions in the church is among the responsibilities of the board. Working through the Nominating Committee to propose new board members is an annual process.
It’s never too early in the church year to start to identify possible candidates. A good way to begin is to have a member self-identify as a candidate. The rewards of board service make the work required worthwhile.
There is no better way to understand how the church works and positively influence the future of the church than by serving on the board. This year we have two other key leadership positions which the board must fill: treasurer and stewardship chair.
Treasurer
Church by-laws require that I step down as treasurer at the end of 2023, having served the maximum number of years allowed. By-laws permit us to have more than one individual in this role.
Historically our treasurers have had diverse backgrounds and financial experience. Comfort with numbers is probably the one common denominator.
Treasure’s Main Duties
Main duties are reconciling checking and savings account bank statements monthly with the Congregational Administrator, providing a monthly report to the board of the church’s financial status after analyzing the profit and loss financial reports and balance statement, reporting financial status of the church to the congregation quarterly (one of them being at the annual congregational meeting), and serving on the church’s Endowment Committee.
Treasurer’s Term
Term is three years, which can be extended for three additional years. I would like to identify a successor early in this calendar year so the individual(s) can spend time shadowing me to become familiar with the cycle of work through the church year. If you are a “numbers person” who might be interested in using your talents to assist the church in this critical position, please contact me to investigate further.
Stewardship Committee
We are also a seeking a new Stewardship Committee chair or co-chairs. We have been fortunate to have Carl Drake’s committed leadership for all the stewardship campaigns since the beginning of Rev. Brian Mason’s ministry. Under Carl’s guidance these campaigns have consistently resulted in pledges that provided the major source of income to allow us to meet our annual financial obligations. As Carl steps back from this role, we express our gratitude for the vision, dedication, and team building that Carl brought to the church as chair. We need to begin our next stewardship chapter now to do the planning necessary be ready for our 2024 stewardship campaign.
Consider this the first for call for anyone with fundraising experience or interest to come forward and assist in developing the plan for that campaign. While a new chair or co-chairs is our most pressing need, we are also seeking additional committee members.
Speaking of stewardship, a final request for help. First, thank you for all those who have made financial pledges in support of the church for 2023. As of (use date compiling the CW), we have received 97 pledges totaling $253,670.77, which is 68% of our pledge goal. To those of you who gave for 2022 but have not yet pledged for 2023, and new members who joined in the last year, please consider the importance of the church to you, and show your intent to financially support our church by making a pledge.
Thank you.
Randy Jefferson
Treasurer, Board of Trustees