On Sunday, May 17, the congregation approved a budget that shifted $50,000 from the “keep the lights on/administrative” side of the budget (the left side of the chart below) to the programs, ministry, and music that make this church come alive (the right side).  The fact that management could do this at all is because this congregation has generated the largest pledge campaign in its history—over $500,000.

This infrastructure reduction and pledge increase has also done something else:  it has put us firmly on a path to being a sustainable congregation.  A major pledge increase in the next fiscal year gives us the “jolt” that moves us to having revenues greater than expenses over the next few years, and in a few years could start contributing substantially to a building reserve. I also showed several charts at the congregational meeting that suggested we had turned the corner on growth:  the 52 week average attendance is up 12% since fall of 2013, the 12 month average of first time visitors is up nearly 40% since fall of 2013, and we added more new members in the first 4 months of this year than we had since 2008 (coming off the Bay Area Marketing campaign).

A huge and grateful “YES” to this congregation and everyone who is making this happen.