02/07/2024 0 Comments
From the Vicar: Update on the Budget
From the Vicar: Update on the Budget
# News
From the Vicar: Update on the Budget
Dear One’s of St. C’s.
I am writing to you today because I want to be both transparent with you and assuring about some difficult information around the 2024 budget. Currently, we are facing a deficit in our budget. The Bishop’s Committee (BC) met on Wednesday night. We talked about many ideas including fundraising, using money from our reserves, and basically, I was the only person to discuss cutting some of my hours for 2024. The Bishop’s Committee was very clear with me that for them, this was the last option after every other option has been exhausted and well thought through. Ultimately, the BC wanted to invite the whole congregation into a conversation around the budget. We will offer two listening sessions. One after the 11am services on Nov. 26th and the other on zoom on Nov. 27th at 6:30pm.
Here is what I know. I know that St. Columba’s is a vibrant and healthy community. I just couldn’t be prouder of this place or happier to be your Vicar in this exact moment and time. I really feel as though I can fully bring my complete priestly self to this place. I am still in awe of how you all embraced the conversation on anger this summer and how many people showed up to go to the Sudanese church service and joint potluck. These are challenging things I am asking from you all, that I believe are pertinent to the gospel, and you all have joined me. So, the main thing I want to make clear is that this budget deficit does not speak to the abundance of goodness happening here.
Here is what I don’t know yet. I don’t know yet the direction we will go to solve this budget issue. I have been holding this tension in my heart, body and mind since June. I have known since June through people’s life circumstances that we were going to loose significant pledges for 2024. This is a tough time financially for us. But everything else is strong and beautiful and good. The reason I am okay with proposing cutting my hours is because I believe we will bounce back from this. I know how hard this community worked to be able to pay a full-time priest and I believe we will get back there. We just have to keep being the open, welcoming, Jesus loving place that we are.
I have no doubt about the amount of goodness this place is giving back to the world. I appreciate the BC’s hesitancy to want to cut my hours, but I want you to know that if this does need to happen - I am not going anywhere. I know there is so much good work we haven’t done together yet and I am here for it.
I hope that you will join one of our listening sessions on the budget. I also hope that you will be praying for our time together together as well as for our BC as they wrestle with these tough decisions. If you would like to see the draft budget ahead of time, please email me at vicar@stcolumbakent.org. I am happy to share. You just need to be aware that this is a draft and is continually being tweaked. We are opened to more tweaks during our listening sessions.
If you have not turned in a pledge card yet and you are ready to, you can click here.
Thank you to everyone who has given so much to this place. I am truly grateful!
with much hope and love,
Meghan
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