Financials



That giant red ($271,787) looks kind of bad, doesn’t it?  Well, this is a case of things aren’t always as they appear.  You see we made a principal only payment to our mortgage of $300,000 in July thanks to a generous bequeath that was given to us early in the year.  That took away nearly a quarter of the churches debt.  Doing this took 9 years and 11 months off our mortgage and saved us $620,406.92 in interest over the course of the loan.  So, this gift that was given by one of our departed Saints will have an over $1 million impact for our church!
We are also passing about 10% of this gift along to other organizations that are doing God’s work.  $10,000 each is going to UMCOR, Africa University, Kairos Indiana, and Upper Sand Mountain Parish.

Isn’t it amazing how our gifts can grow?  Above is a large scale example, but it can be applied to every dollar that is put in the offering plate or online.  In most cases it is almost impossible to measure.  Who knows what difference that dollar could make?  Well, God does, and maybe that is the point, we shouldn’t worry about it.  Once we have given our gift it is in God’s hands.  Actually, it was already in God’s hands since that is where we are.
Let’s look at Proverbs 18:16:  A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

My daughter Sumner (7 years old) gets this.  It is amazing how our children can teach us so much.  She had earned $10 for cleaning my car out (a bargain for me) and was contemplating how to spend it.  We were driving down Southport rd. just west of the church and she said I want to give them some of my money.  I wasn’t sure who she was talking about, Papa John’s maybe?  Nope, she saw that kind of dilapidated looking building on the south side of the street that is being converted into a church.  She wanted to give her money to, “that old rickety church.”  I’m pretty sure in her mind her couple of dollars will make “that old rickety church” into something amazing.  And maybe she’s right, because it is in God’s hands.

It is important to remember when we talk about giving we do not only mean to Southport United Methodist Church.  We are talking about how you decide in your heart without
reluctance or compulsion to give in celebration of God’s generosity.  I know this sounds strange coming from the church finance guy, but we are about going into the world with Christ’s love and grace which includes sharing our gifts of time, talent, and financial resources.   So, please share your gifts wherever you have decided in your heart and through prayer.
Brandon
 

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