Financial Report for Spire

Financial Report

Summertime is almost here! That means vacations for most of u= s, but it will be business as usual for the church. We are happy to report that our year-to-date income is a little ahead of what we budgeted and our projected expenses are a little lower than anticipated so we are entering the summer = in pretty good shape. However, the summer months traditionally bring with them= lower than average cash flow and I have been told that we have some deferred buil= ding maintenance that needs to be addressed.&nb= sp; So this is a friendly reminder to our members that we hope they will keep their pledges current so that we can meet our cash needs during these months.

We have just completed the first quarter of 2006 makin= g this an appropriate time to review the Church’s financial status. If you attended the December Charge Conference, you will recall that at that time the Church adopted a budget t= hat does not permit us to meet all of our local expenses and our apportionment witho= ut a significant increase in income. Below is a synopsis of the budget and our first quarter.

				First Qua= rter
		Annual Budget	<= span style=3D'text-decoration:none'>	Budget=	<= span style=3D'text-decoration:none'>	Actual=
Income	=	$ 277,883	=	$ &nbs= p; 69,471	=	$ &nbs= p; 73,854
Expenses:	=	=	=	=	=	=
Personnel	=	&nbs= p; 182,055	=	&nbs= p; 45,514	=	&nbs= p; 42,495
Building	=	&nbs= p; 37,730	=	&nbs= p; 9,433	=	&nbs= p; 12,837
Programs	=	&nbs= p; 8,040	=	&nbs= p; 2,010	=	&nbs= p; 818
Administrative/Office	=	&nbs= p; 14,500	=	&nbs= p; 3,625	=	&nbs= p; 3,612
&nbs= p; Total Local Expenses	=	&nbs= p; 242,325	=	&nbs= p; 60,582	=	&nbs= p; 59,762
Apportionment	=	&nbs= p; 63,626	=	&nbs= p; 15,907	=	&nbs= p; -
= Desig. Fund Repayment	=	&nbs= p; 20,000	=	&nbs= p; 5,000	=	&nbs= p; -
Excess (Deficit)	=	$ (48,068)	=	$ &nbs= p; (12,018)	=	$ &nbs= p; 14,092
=	=	=	=	=	=	=

As the numbers indicate, we have been very conservativ= e this first quarter as we learn more about the Church’s cash flow. I have recently begun correspondin= g with our District Superintendent, Kate Conolly, regarding our apportionment obligations.

Jeff Grimm

Finance Committee Chair

Trustees N= ews

&nb= sp; The Trustees would like to thank all those who have come forward to help with repairs and to spruce up the church. This is a very exciting time with our focus on visioning and revitalization. So many have pit= ched in to accomplish so much already and in many cases are continuing ongoing projects. We're not able to list everyone here, but would like to highlight and give a special thanks to a few of the following indivi= duals or groups.

&nb= sp; Arden Sheets has organized a sizable group of gardeners interested in taking= on the task of planting and maintaining the flower beds around the church.&nbs= p; With springtime flowers blooming, it's a joy to see the beds look well groomed and cared for after the long winter. Thank you to a= ll who have helped. A special thanks to Seth = Myers who volunteered to maintain the lawn. It's already looking better. Seth has successfully attacked the moss, an= d is planning to de-thatch and add top seed with plans to improve the = lawn and grounds even more.

&nb= sp; Dale Harris and the Gentry have taken on many projects both large and small throughout the church. We're grateful to this crew who has given= so much time already and continues to do so. To name just a few of their accomplishments, they've installed a programmable thermostat in the sanctua= ry (no more chilly 8:30 am services!) re-plumbed the water heaters and covered= the loose wires, replaced burned out bulbs all over the building, and re-wired basement phone lines to meet code. These are just a few of many tasks they've taken on, and they've already made a huge differ= ence.

&nb= sp; To continue to build on these accomplishments, we're planning an ALL CHURCH WORKDAY ON SATURDAY, MAY 2OTH. There are both indoor and outdoor projects and we hope for a good turnout. Come join us, and spend as little or as much time as you can. We'll post a list of projects prior to that day to let you choose what you'd like to do and know what tools you may need to bring. Even with all the work that has been done, just like home, there are large and small projects that will make our church home even more inviting a= nd provide a sense of pride. Mark your calendar, and join us. Many hands working together will make the time go quickly and we'll ha= ve some fun too! Working together, you may even make new friends out of&= nbsp;your church acquaintances.

HUMC is= still looking for someone who can represent us at the neighborhood associati= on meetings. They meet at our church only 3 or 4 times a year in the evening to discuss current neighborhood issues. A short program = of general interest to homeowners is usually included. Since we're a part of this neighborhood, we'd like someone from the church to participate, keep us informed of issues that affect us, let us know where we can participate in the community, and provide another avenue of outrea= ch to those near to us. Please contact Verna K= astner at 503-648-8052.

Marie Hamann

Chair, Trustees