“Buckets” of Money

One way to think about how money “works” at Saint Mark is to think of three “buckets” of money that we have, each with different sources of funding and each with different functions. You can think of them this way:

Operating Budget

The operating budget addresses “household expenses” for the current year - items such as program expenses, costs of operating our buildings, office expenses, and fixed expenses such as Conference apportionments.

The operating budget is funded entirely by revenue from:

• pledged income
• non-pledged identified contributions
• loose plate contributions
• building use fees, such as for weddings

Money from bequests and sale of property does NOT go toward the operating budget.

The 2007 operating budget adopted by the Administrative Council is $1,258,871. This compares to a 2006 budget of $1,212,835. Actual expenses for 2006 were $1,133,848, and we ended the year with a $5,500 surplus.

Trust Funds Managed by Board of Trustees

These funds are generally used for large capital expenses, for property purchases, and for other uses as designated by the donors (such as mission work with the poor). In recent months these funds have paid for things like the waterproofing of the sanctuary building, the repaving of the parking lot, and property taxes on the Juniper Street parking lot. We are faced with upcoming expenses such as new air-conditioning for the sanctuary (estimated to cost $250,000+) and painting the sanctuary ($70,000), and we have the possibility of acquiring more property on Juniper. The Administrative Council directs the use of most of these funds.

These funds are very important to Saint Mark, and they come to us from wills and bequests, and from the proceeds on the sale of properties such as the CVI building. They are invested in either:

• Morgan Stanley account
• North Georgia United Methodist Church Foundation
• Interest bearing accounts

Available amounts vary depending on our activities. Right now we have $1,200,000 from the sale of the CVI building and about $619,000 in spendable funds from bequests.

Special Offerings & Designated Funds

We have special offerings at times like Christmas and Easter where the monies collected go to designated mission activities. Communion offerings also go to named missions. Sometimes donors give gifts with a specific ministry designated, e.g. the Children’s ministry or Breakfast Club. Monies from these offerings and gifts are used only for the specified uses. These monies do not go toward the operating budget, and balances can be carried over to the next year.

Three buckets. All important.

We literally could not function without the operating budget. The funds managed by the Trustees help insure we have adequate buildings and provide for our future (what’s in your will?). And special offerings and designated gifts expand our program and mission opportunities. If you have questions contact Pastor Jimmy Moor or Deana Hilton, Business Administrator, in the church office.