Annual Report February 2010
1
FOREWORD
Dear Friends, The commitment All Saints has shown to ministering the gospel and supporting ministry of the gospel serves as a tangible reminder of our DNA as a Body. From the beginning we have talked about being a community where “the main thing is the main thing,” and I think that is reflected in the financial report presented in the following pages. Note: even though 30% of incoming monies are used for support of other ministries, 100% of our tithes and offerings go to ministry, whether within, through or beyond All Saints. Thus, as you consider our spending on rent (both St. Gabriel’s and the office), personnel and programming, be encouraged that all of such is for the furtherance of the gospel through worship, proclamation, counseling, special events, ministry to the poor, assistance with congregants in particular need, discipleship, Christian Education, ministry to children, youth, adults…. The wise counselors the Lord has given All Saints at the Sessional, Diaconal and Finance Committee levels are just that, a gift from the LORD. Because of such leadership through stewardship, All Saints’ finances are in excellent shape. We did end the year in the “red” for the first time. That said, the loss was minimal and we continue to have an excellent buffer in the form of savings. Further, our giving remained relatively strong without any impassioned pleas, which we never felt the situation warranted, especially knowing that plenty of people and institutions were feeling the effects of the worldwide recession in significant ways, even to the point of ceasing to operate. Related to both paragraphs above, I am thankful to report that we have made no cuts to missionaries, ministries or staff. Think about that. We have cut no missionaries, ministries or staff in the midst of a financial crisis that has rocked the foundations of the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds. Praise God for his gentleness toward us. Which brings us to 2010. What can and should we expect for the coming year? The answer is, “Good question.” And in fact, that has always been the answer, we are just more aware of the tenuous nature of money and life at this time. Whether the economic situation in North America, or the frailty of the human body, we are all more aware of how quickly things can change. We live not according to things seen, but by faith, guided and upheld by God’s Hand, Christ Jesus. There is little security in our grip on life, or on God. There is great security in God’s grip on his people and his world. Our trust is in the latter. And our grip (faith) is strengthened by knowing his strong grace toward us through the gift of the Spirit of Christ Jesus. How should we live in times like these as a Body? Should we budget for another shortfall? Should we assume a flat pattern of giving and spending? Should we assume small growth in light of the numerical growth of the congregation? As the Finance Committee and Session have weighed such questions, a sober yet hopeful approach has emerged: let us budget conservatively, putting no one under pressure. The last thing people need is the pressure 1
FOREWORD
of expectations in the current financial/job climate. In doing this, let’s also present some of the options before us as a congregation were our giving to be higher than expected. This way, people can “vote” with their giving, under no compulsion other than desire. Some might ask, “Why consider an increase in giving as a possibility at a time like this?” The quick answer to that is that we know our giving compared with our number of family units and probable average income and it seems that there is plenty of room for further giving – as our recent Haiti offering evidenced. In part, this lets us know that we have probably not communicated our needs and opportunities as well as possible. This much is clear - All Saints’ parishioners give: to All Saints and to countless other organizations. Missionaries know this. Ministries know this. We know this. Thus, All Saints has become a conduit for ministry and ministry support locally, denominationally, and beyond. It seems that the more we mature as a congregation and the more honed we become as a Body and institution, we can probably expect an increase in giving as people become more aware of the strong position the LORD has given All Saints to minister to the community and beyond. Two quick illustrations: All Saints’ ministry to youth has grown numerically and programmatically under the leadership of Taylor Leachman and Ruthie Fleming. Taylor departs for seminary this summer, leaving us with the question, “What does good stewardship mean for our ministry to youth – youth at All Saints and youth at-large in need of a church family?” By “stewardship” I mean not only dollars, but relationships, people, young men and women who are open to growing in grace and learning to minister to one another and to their peers. If possible, we want to build on what has already been achieved, perhaps calling a full-time person with training and experience to help us become a haven for youth in west Austin – a powerful force for ministry both in this community and on college campuses where our youth will eventually head. We will wait to see what our finances look like after the first few months of 2010. We also have a meeting planned to get feedback from parents regarding ministry to youth. We even have a couple who has expressed a strong desire to move to Austin and continue to develop our youth ministry into something truly missional and foundational to Christian maturity. What should we do? Let’s see how God leads us through financial gifts, conversations, and our own desires – all honed through the continual worship, prayer, and consideration of God’s people. Property. Physical people need physical structures. As recipients of God’s grace via Christ’s incarnation, we view property and a physical facility as means of further incarnating All Saints’ presence as part of the Austin landscape and culture. (continued) 2
FOREWORD
All Saints continues to pursue the piece of property on Southwest Parkway, mentioned in recent emails and announcements. We have yet to reach a contract, but we have signed a letter of intent and the details are being ironed out for what hopefully soon will be a contract. And where will the money come from to purchase this property? We will conduct some interviews – what fundraisers call a “quiet” campaign – to see how feasible this really is, meaning how desirous people are that we purchase this particular piece of property. Just as God leads his people through representative Elders, God will help lead us to purchase or not purchase land through whether or not those with means have the ability and desire to commit to property at present. Thus, pray for all involved to have wisdom. And, if you desire to participate in the quiet phase of this campaign, please do not hesitate to let me know. One final note on “church.” Churches are at the very hub of the culture, not simply interacting with the culture, but providing the very basis for the culture. As goes the church, so goes the culture. This is not an overstatement. The gospel gives the One and Only basis for true self-sacrifice, true purpose, true drive, true knowledge, true joy, true love. As people are enlivened in Christ and wed to him via the church, we begin to live and to provide the structure for others to live – children, family, friends, widows, orphans, aliens and strangers, ourselves. For example, want to see smaller government? Pray for a robust church. Go to church. Join a church. Serve the church. Give to the church. Want to see a larger government? Live for yourself. Assume that the church will be ok. Treat the church – and others – as “optional.” How is it that we find ourselves a part of this culture-shaping, God-united Body? Not by might. Not by power. But by God’s Spirit and Word. It is by grace we are saved, brought together to live in communion with God and man in order to be conduits for his Kingdom on earth. Thus, the LORD give us the grace to live Kingdom-oriented lives, even as the culture ebbs and flows around us. Blessings to you and yours, according to the riches of Christ Jesus our Lord, Bill
“Church is the core element in the strategy of the Holy Spirit for providing human witness and physical presence to the Jesus-inaugurated kingdom of God in this world. It is not that kingdom complete, but it is a witness to that kingdom.” Eugene Peterson, Practice Resurrection
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FINANCIAL REPORT
OVERVIEW OF 2009 Thank you for giving to All Saints in 2009. Your giving has supported staff, missions, the building fund, programs, and other expenses necessary for a young and growing church. Overall giving totaled $1,471,633 in 2009, down 4.5% when compared to 2008. Actual giving in 2009 also fell short of our budget of $1,609,324. Fortunately, our net loss for 2009 was limited to $50,236. Despite reduced giving levels in 2009, our general fund remains sound: All Saints had $426,537 on December 31. 2009 Highlights: • Giving totaled $1,471,633 • Membership increased to 714 as of Dec. 31, an increase of 110 new members • The Missions Fund received ≈$495,000 • The Property & Building Fund totaled ≈$580,000 as of Dec. 31 • The Benevolence Fund received ≈$57,000 and totaled ≈$46,000 as of Dec. 31
2010 BUDGET The number of people at All Saints continues to grow. In 2009, 110 new members joined the church, bringing total membership to 714 members representing 262 family units (up 18% from 2008). The number of children and youth at All Saints also continues to grow. At the end of 2009, babies and preschool children totaled 113, K5th grade children totaled 68, and 6th-12th grade youth totaled 57. All Saints anticipates at least 40 more babies in 2010! Membership 714
700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
604 504 397 272
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Despite growth in membership and families, 2009 was the first year All Saints experienced giving levels lower than the previous year: Giving ($ in 000s) $1,600 $1,400 $1,200 $1,000 $800 $600 $400 $200 $0
$973
2005
$1,104
2006
$1,541
$1,471
2008
2009
$1,244
2007 4
(continued)
FINANCIAL REPORT
As a result, the 2010 budget process has been different from past years and more challenging. While we would certainly like to think 2010 giving will be up from 2009 levels, the Finance Committee and Session feel it is most appropriate to plan for flat year-over-year giving in 2010 in light of the current economic environment. In order to match expenses with budgeted giving levels, we have made many reductions and adjustments to the 2010 budget in coordination with the All Saints staff. These changes are highlighted in more detail on the following pages. To the extent giving exceeds our budget for the first half of 2010, we hope to reconsider our budget plan mid-year and transition from a “Plan A” budget to a “Plan B” budget. The Plan B budget assumes additional growth expenses: most notably, it allows us to hire a full-time Youth Pastor in the summer.
2010 BUDGET “PLAN A” The 2010 Budget assumes total giving of $1.48 million, approximately the same amount of giving we saw in 2009. In order to create a balanced budget - one that does not result in a net loss - the 2010 budget pares down several expenses originally planned. Additional adjustments have also been made, and these changes are highlighted below: PROPERTY & BULDING The 2010 budget does not allocate 5% of tithes towards the building fund. Instead, All Saints intends to fund investments for property and a permanent building via a separate capital campaign. This also provides All Saints more flexibility in the 2010 budget. MISSIONS All Saints gave ≈$495,000 towards the Missions Fund in 2009 (this includes designated contributions). Since All Saints’ beginning, over $2 million has been distributed through our missions efforts. Given the fund’s size and growth, Assistant Pastor Benjie Slaton was hired in June 2009 to provide full-time staff support to the Missions Committee. David Breeding also spends a significant portion of his time on Missions Committee work. As a result, the 2010 budget allocates a personnel cost of $90,000 to the Mission’s Fund. While dedicating personnel costs to the Missions Fund could certainly reduce the amount All Saints is initially able to give away, our hope is that the staff resources ultimately foster more significant missions relationships. FULL-TIME YOUTH PASTOR HIRE ON HOLD Taylor Leachman (currently a Fellow at All Saints) leads the All Saints Student Ministry (along with Ruthie Fleming and a host of talented volunteers). Taylor heads to seminary in June. How do we respond? Solid groundwork has been laid for an even more developed Student Ministry. As Bill mentioned, the desire is to hire a full-time Youth Pastor in 2010. However, we have not budgeted for this expenditure in Plan A.
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FINANCIAL REPORT
2010 BUDGET “PLAN B� As previously mentioned, the 2010 Plan B budget includes some additional expenses that we dropped to get to the Plan A Budget. In addition to hiring a full-time Youth Pastor, some of these expenses include: hiring a parttime staff-person to help support growing program and administrative needs, communications projects (such as video updates to the website and more publications), and financial subsidies for several All Saints events (Good Friday meal, church-wide picnics). Total giving would need to be at least $1.64 million in 2010 to offset the Plan B budget costs. The Finance Committee and Session will determine whether to assume all or a portion of the Plan B budget mid-way through the year. This decision will largely depend on giving trends in the first part of in 2010. More specifically, we will be looking for a giving trend that suggests to us that Plan B expenses can be met. We remain excited to see how the Lord will work through All Saints this year. Thank you again for your support in 2009; we hope you and your family will prayerfully consider how to financially support All Saints in 2010. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. In Christ, Ben Moss On Behalf of the All Saints Finance Committee Ben Moss (bmoss7@gmail.com) David Beisner (dgbeisner@gmail.com) Peter Dawson (pdawson77@gmail.com) Rod Dunsmore (rdunsmore@gmail.com) Lizzy Newman (lizzynewman08@gmail.com) Gate Davis (Staff) (gdavis@allsaintsaustin.org) David Breeding (Staff) (dbreeding@allsaintsaustin.org)
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BUDGET 2010 with historical data from 2007
TOTAL INCOME
2007 actual 1,252,463
2008 actual 1,546,903
2009 actual 1,478,469
2010 Budget Plan A 1,487,993
104,827
112,842
100,976
109,438
76,170
80,000
80,000
81,000
9,006 14,127
13,846 22,260 9,429 95,028
14,938 24,465 17,050 99,240
5,115 26,740 3,500 105,182
? 2009 2010 Budget Plan B? Ver. A 1,640,875 1%
EXPENSES Su nday Worsh ip St. Gabriel's Rent
Con gregational Life & Care Administration Communication Projects Office Office Rent
121,964 84,921
66,000
68,454
72,579
Personnel Personnel Allocation to M issions Pastoral Ministries & Discipleship Programs Total Operational
523,397
563,517
669,780
14,674 26,286 814,282
14,480 40,895 872,297
18,081 69,104 1,013,633
766,199 (90,000) 26,800 89,207 1,042,180
Missions Fund Allotment Build ing Fund Allotment
372,019 62,002
459,807 76,634
441,490 73,582
445,813
1,248,303
1,408,739
1,528,705
1,487,993
4,160
138,164
TOTAL EXPENSES NET INCOME
110,586 8% 81,000 1%
15,615 31,740 31,500 108,182
(50,236)
0
0
800 Seasonal contracted musicians 200 Staff meeting expense
2,500 *Good Friday meal 7,000 *Church picnics (2)
15,600 Staff cost-of-living salary increases
Office needs Services historically provided by All Saints
28,000 Communications projects (i.e. 7 Deadly Sins--type journals and website videos)
3,500 ByFaith magazine 3,900 Childcare for women's studies
5,000 External financial audit 3,000 Church management software upgrade
New proposed event costs
2,600 Capacity to accept contributions online
*We hope to still schedule these events, perhaps with a
300 Volunteer scheduling service
per-person fee to offset costs. 1,000 *Young Adults retreat subsidized by church 1,200 *Women's leadership retreat subsidized by church 2,500 *Men's retreat subsidized by church
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## 3%
1,640,875 ##
5,900 Part-time office hire 9,200 Regular contracted musician(s)
500 *Backyard concert 1,000 *New member lunches
##
##
33,900 Youth pastor hire
per-person fee to offset costs. 900 *Pool party
##
491,678 1%
Personnel and related costs
*We hope to still schedule these events, perhaps with a
## 6%
72,579 6%
825,568 (90,000) 26,800 89,207 1,149,197
PROGRAMMATIC CUTS MADE TO ARRIVE AT PLAN A (BUD GET WISHLIST) Event costs historically paid for by All Saints
## 9%
FINANCIAL SUMMARY December 31, 2009 General Fund
2009 Actual
2009 Budget
2010 Plan A
2010 Plan B
1,471,633 6,836 1,478,469
1,609,324 6,000 1,615,324
1,486,043 1,950 1,487,993
1,638,925 1,950 1,640,875
-441,490 -73,582 -100,976 -14,938 -24,465 -17,050 -99,240 -669,780
-482,797 -80,466 -115,798 -15,940 -20,376 -16,724 -94,174 -682,903
General Fund Beginning Balance Tithes & Offerings Other Income 1 Total Income Missions Fund Allotment Building Fund Allotment Sunday Worship Congregational Life & Care Administration Communication Projects Office Personnel Personnel Allocation to Missions Pastoral Ministries & Discipleship Programs Total Expense
475,541
-18,081 -69,104 -1,528,705
Net Change
-50,236
General Fund Ending Balance
Missions Fund
2009 Actual 239,026
30% Income from Tithes Other Missions Income1 Missions Support Expenses Net Change
441,490 53,781 -513,227 -17,956
Missions Fund Ending Balance
221,070
2009 Actual
Building Fund Beginning Balance
488,427
5% Income from Tit hes Other Building Fund Income1 Building Fund Expenses Net Change
73,582 18,004 0 91,586
Building Fund Ending Balance
Fellows Program Fund
580,013
2009 Actual
Fellows Prgm Fund Beginning Balance
23,940
Fellows Prgm Contribut ions Fellows Prgm Disbursements Net Change
67,399 -87,637 -20,237
Fellows Prgm Fund Ending Balance
Benevolence Fund
5,590
425,305
Missions Fund Beginning Balance
Property & Building Fund
-445,813 -491,678 0 0 -109,438 -110,586 -5,115 -15,615 -26,740 -31,740 -3,500 -31,500 -105,182 -108,182 -766,199 -825,568 90,000 90,000 -16,545 -26,800 -26,800 -84,011 -89,207 -89,207 -1,609,733 -1,487,993 -1,640,875
3,703
2009 Actual
Benevolence Fund Beginning Balance
40,851
Benevolence Contributions Benevolence Disbursements Net Change
56,915 -52,025 4,890
Benevolence Fund Ending Balance
45,740
1
Other Income includes Designated Gift s and Interest Ministry and Worship Expenses include worship space rent/building use expenses.
2 3
Office Expenses includes Office Rent
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0
0
MISSIONS REPORT
Everything All Saints does is missional: Sunday worship, weekly bible studies, overseas trips, dinner conversations. All represent opportunities for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to extend to Austin and the world. Even in the middle of a shaky economic world, the Missions Committee has been steadily maturing: increasing our financial commitments, partnering with more missionaries, and including more of the congregation in this Kingdom work.
AREA TEAMS The Missions Committee dramatically expanded its reach into the congregation in 2009 with the creation of area teams. Area teams are groups of people tasked with communicating, supporting, and recruiting for specific areas of ministry. Current teams include: local ministries in Austin; the UT campus; church planting; Peru; Africa; Slovakia; and critical needs throughout the world. These teams are designed to become the entry points for our congregation to reach into our community and to the world – helping All Saints pursue our vision to engage the culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
PERU All Saints is sending our members out to do the work of missions. In Peru, Chase Gosselin (recent UT/RUF graduate) is spending every day working with groups of four to six women as they begin small businesses and learn to be financially independent. He is working as part of Peru Mission in Trujillo, Peru, a mission that we have supported for a number of years. Their vision is to transform northern Peru. They have planted four churches, often focusing on the poor, outlying areas of the city, where mercy ministries such as their micro-lending, medical ministries, and educational ministries are opening doors for them to further impact the city and region. In March, we’ll send a 10-member team to work alongside Peru Mission at an orphanage.
AFRICA Bryan and Rebe McReynolds are members of our congregation, who, three years ago, were sent out to work with a church planting / community development / and theological seminary in South Africa. They have just come off the field, and are attending Covenant Seminary for one year of further ministry training. Then, they will be returning to Africa to start a project called TIMO (Teams In Missions Outreach). The Missions Committee is hoping to help them gather a Texas TIMO team – a team of eight to twelve people from our church network in South Texas to go to Africa for a two-year project that will ultimately result in a church being planted. Additionally, a team from All Saints will be travelling to South Africa in March to work with another missionary we support there, Hannes Pieters, who is involved in medical and mercy work among rural poor communities decimated by AIDS. We are excited about these unfolding opportunities. Look for much more on all this to come.
AUSTIN Last summer, a women’s small group that had been regularly meeting and praying together took a step of faith and began to pray that God would open their hearts and their schedules to serving in the city. One by one the women became connected to LifeCare, a local ministry All Saints supports. LifeCare is a crisis pregnancy center
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MISSIONS REPORT
that provides counseling, life-affirming pregnancy services, and mentorship. Last fall, All Saints hosted Pam Cobern, LifeCare’s executive director, in order to recruit volunteers from All Saints and further firm up our relationship with them. Opportunities like this abound, and the Missions Committee desires to see more and more of the congregation involved in similar works over the coming months.
UT In May, Derek McCollum (and family) came back to Austin. Derek was the first music leader when All Saints was planted, and three years ago went to Covenant Seminary in hopes of pursuing gospel ministry. When I transitioned from RUF to working at All Saints, Derek was hired to replace me on campus. Derek has spent the fall getting to know students and reintegrating himself into the campus at UT. Derek joins an exceptional group of men and women who are ministering from All Saints to the heart of the UT campus: Greg & Mary Jane Grooms continue with their ministry at the Hill House, a Christian study center on campus; and Todd & Amy Stewman, James & Clare Wood, and Mary Beth Minnis minister through Campus Crusade.
HAITI For the past two years, Paul Dennison and Andrew Halton have been involved with a group of orphanages in Haiti through a group called The Global Orphan Project. They have seventeen orphanages in Haiti and over 2,000 children. After the earthquake, Paul and Andrew took the opportunity to go as first responders. They stockpiled goods, set up a camp where The Global Orphan Project now houses more than 500 new orphans, and established a supply pipeline that moves supplies from the Dominican Republic to the camp outside of Port au Prince. They returned to All Saints with stories of their experiences and together we raised over $100,000 which will go directly to this work. These are just some of the ways the Lord is at work through All Saints and through the Missions Committee. As a committee, we’re prayerful and excited to see what things the Lord might place before us in 2010. The Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continues to go out with the ultimate goal that as Paul says, “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Benjie Slaton On behalf of the All Saints Missions Committee Chris Acton (christopheracton@gmail.com) Eric Buescher (eric@whitleysiddons.com) David Breeding (dbreeding@allsaintsaustin.org) Paul Dennison (paulpod13@hotmail.com) Stephen Hurd (shurd1@austin.rr.com)
Jamie Kruft (jamiekruft@hotmail.com) Matthew Pipkin (matthewpipkin@gmail.com) Melissa Russell (mrussell@ijm.org) Benjie Slaton (bslaton@allsaintsaustin.org) Todd Stewman (todd.stewman@uscm.org)
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(continued)
MISSIONS REPORT
All Saints 2009 Missions Giving Total: $454,000 Countries 23%
Campus 22%
Critical Needs 10% Church 27% Campus: Campus $101,000 • Reformed University Fellowship at UT • Hill House at UT • Campus Crusade at UT
City 18%
Critical Needs: Needs $45,000 • International Justice Mission (IJM) • Food for the Hungry • Medical Assistance Programs International (MAP) • Hannes Pieters, Medical Ministry
City: City $81,000 • Community New Start/Smart Start • City School • Austin LifeCare • Texas Reach Out • Texas Alliance for Life • Apartment Life
Countries: Countries $104,000 • Bryan & Rebe McReynolds, Africa • Tim & Cheri Hoke, Uganda • Josh & Robin Eby, Peru • Chase Gosselin, Peru • Kris & Paula Lundgaard, Slovakia • Petra Tibenská, Slovakia • Michael & Erica Jarrett, Mexico • Travis & Brooke Scott, New Zealand • Kristin Madison, East Asia
Church: Church $123,000 • Southwest Church Planting Network • Redeemer PCA, New Orleans • Redeemer PCA, Knoxville • Hope PCA, Portland • Christ Church PCA, Georgetown • Church of the Cross PCA, San Marcos • Covenant Seminary • Seminary student support
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