PiNNACLE PRESBYTERiAN CHURCH
a message from Susan Matura Elder for Stewardship
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Heading into our stewardship campaign I have been thinking about what it means to be Rooted and Built Up…Abounding in Thanksgiving. I feel blessed to have deep roots here at Pinnacle.
Eighteen years ago while looking for a preschool, I came upon this magical Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool. We felt so welcomed and invited and a part of the whole Pinnacle community even though we were not attending church here at the time. Six years later we were in need of a new church family and we came to Pinnacle, where we were immediately accepted, seen, and loved. Becoming a member gave me the chance to give back to my faith community and an opportunity to build up this place that had become a home to me. Building a strong foundation at Pinnacle, and giving generously to meet its needs, allows me to dream with our church and see a bright future. A future where we can continue to build up others and meet their needs; a future where we, as a church community, can dream big. I am proud to be Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, here with you, and I cherish our dreams. I am hopeful and Abounding in Thanksgiving as we look towards our tomorrows together, basking in the glory of God as he blesses us with one another.
In Christ, Elder Susan Matura
a message from
The Rev. Erik P. Khoobyarian Senior Pastor & Head of Staff
Our roots run deep. As I’ve mentioned, Pinnacle is celebrating 35 years of worshipping together. Our roots as a church continue to strengthen. In Colossians, Paul encourages the new church to be rooted and built up not just in their past, but in Jesus Christ. He further encourages them – and us – to be built up, not just with buildings and programs, but to be built up in Jesus Christ. Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ. This is our identity.
In the past nine months we have continued to experience what it means to be rooted and built up. We’ve seen our children’s ministry (Pinnacle Kids) growing in numbers and in the quality of programming. New and existing Bible study opportunities continue to help us grow with one another. Our music program is flourishing and continues to lead our congregation, pointing us toward God in our worship and through high quality music offerings available to the wider community through the Pinnacle Concert Series. The list could go on and on.
Service continues to be fundamental to our ministry. We have members who are involved in a variety of mission and service organizations including Andre House, Habitat for Humanity, UMOM, Vista del Camino, Noah Webster Schools, as well as our connections with Bright Stars of Bethlehem and Harmony Ministries in Haiti. This past year we’ve tried to bring mission to our campus as well in order to give everyone the chance to be a part of serving. On December 1 after the 10 am worship service we’ll do this again with a hands-on mission project. And back in March we had a great day of packing more than 20,000 meals in the Fellowship Hall for Rise Against Hunger.
I’m also excited to share that in the last nine months the Pinnacle campus has undergone significant major repairs, some of which were more than a decade overdue. The Chapel and Office were painted and stucco repaired. The parking lot was sealed in an attempt to add some more years before it requires a major overhaul. Several infrastructure repairs were made to our aging Sanctuary heating and cooling system. We made some partial upgrades to our audio/visual system in the Sanctuary and Chapel. Two classrooms were updated in the Fellowship Hall providing an adult classroom in Room 2 (the “old kitchen”) and a dedicated music classroom in Room 4. Finally, I want to share the exciting news of the completion of the Memorial Garden expansion. It is truly a beautiful space for reflection, remembrance, and recognition of those whom we love. Not only is there more room in the garden now, but there are spaces for gathering. Again, the list could go on, but this gives you a glimpse and a reminder of improvements continuing on our campus.
The reality is that most of the improvements over the past year have been focused on protecting our existing infrastructure or helping existing spaces become useful for our current ministries.
We have much more to do, though, in order to responsibly care for the existing campus. Wear and tear is showing, and some of our most actively used spaces, including the Chapel Library, are ready for some attention. Most of the improvement projects we undertook this past year were funded by special contributions beyond annual giving. If this is an area you’d like to support, I would love to talk with you about options and priorities on our campus.
I also want to be very candid with you all about our finances and provide an opportunity for you to be a part of our Shared Ministry at Pinnacle through your financial support. The reality is that our expenses have outpaced our pledge income over the past 10-15 years. We have often received income to cover the gap through bequests and other unpredictable gifts, but we have relied upon those contributions to cover our operating expenses.
10 year Comparison - Pledges to Operating Budget
Budget
This is not uncommon in churches. And the pandemic actually made this even easier with significant grants and forgiven loans. Pinnacle experienced some operating fund surpluses even, particularly when staffing was lower-than-budgeted. Those surpluses provided cash to cover anticipated budget deficits in the last few annual budgets.
Until our 2024 pledge drive earlier this year, financial pledges remained the same for the past decade or so with small ups and downs. Earlier this year, our pledge drive exceeded expectations and
Pledges
we experienced an increase. What a great joy! But even that modest increase to about $1.6 million was not sufficient to bridge the gap to meet our $2.95 million budget.
This year, we do not have cash reserves to cover another budget deficit. The good news is that your congregational leaders adopted a budget for fiscal year 2024-2025 which is leaner on expenses and intended to anticipate the income more accurately. This means that we did not budget for significant bequests or other substantial, unanticipated contributions. What we did do is obtain assurances from a few individual donors that they would provide funds, if needed, to cover a deficit to allow us the opportunity to share the need and invite others to participate. The commitment to avoid a deficit needed to be in excess of $500,000 for the current fiscal year (ending June 30, 2025). Personally, I am grateful for these commitments because they allow us some time to do this hard work. I am also grateful to our Session for their leadership in supporting an approach that faces the realities of our financial situation.
What all of this means is that we are in need of at least $500,000 more income in order to meet our budget. With the expectation that some unpledged giving may become pledge, the ultimate goal over the next two years is to increase our pledges by at least $800,000, from $1.6 million to $2.4 million. The remainder of our income will continue to come from Pinnacle Presbyterian Church Foundation distributions, direct giving to specific programs (like the Pinnacle Concert Series), use fees, and other contributions which are both consistent and predictable.
Total Operating Budget
The increase is ambitious. But it is time. And we need your help to make this happen. If you are already giving all that you’re able to contribute, you are not being asked to do more. Please know that. For those who have the means, though, I pray that you will consider a pledge for 2025 to considerably change our financial position.
Abounding in Thanksgiving
And, why? Toward the end of our stewardship scripture there’s this phrase that Paul adds on after saying that we should be rooted and built up in Jesus Christ. He writes that we are to be abounding in thanksgiving. For me, abounding in thanksgiving looks like a church that does not need to worry about income, but instead spends time dreaming about how we can impact our community and world with an abundance of funds. Abounding in thanksgiving means more people learning of the love that God has for them and having their lives transformed through meaningful programs. Abounding in thanksgiving looks like a church campus that honors those who sacrificially contributed to build it by maintaining and protecting it for future generations. Abounding in thanksgiving … this is what we’re called by God to be and do. Perhaps more than anything else, as we reflect on our lives, on God’s fingerprints through our journeys … as we consider how we have been rooted and built up in Christ … perhaps then, abounding in thanksgiving with our financial gifts and with our acts of love and service is precisely how we love and honor God.
This year, we’re asking for you to consider your pledge for the 2025 calendar year and submit it anytime between now and November 24, 2024, either electronically at pinnaclepres.org/pledge-card or by returning the enclosed pledge card.
Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ … Abounding in Thanksgiving.
The Rev. Erik P. Khoobyarian Senior Pastor & Head of Staff
How to Give
Our goal is to make it easy for you to make your contribution to Pinnacle. There are several ways you can do this, and Pinnacle Business Administrator Lea Reinke is available to provide more detailed assistance or instruction. You can reach her at 480-585-9448 ext. 206.
As you prayerfully consider your pledge to Pinnacle, if you would like to discuss anything in this brochure, and particularly our goal of increasing pledges to meet our operating budget needs, please reach out to Rev. Erik Khoobyarian at erik@pinnaclepres.org or by contacting the Church Office. Thank you for being a part of our shared ministry at Pinnacle, and know that whatever amount you’re able to contribute will be used for the work of God in this place and beyond.
There are several convenient ways to give:
Online Debit or Credit Card: give securely at pinnaclepres.org/give-now
Checks/Cash (mail to church office or give during worship)
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
Automatic Bank Bill Pay (through your personal bank account)
Stock Transfer (please call our business office at 480-585-9448 to coordinate the transfer)
Donor-Advised Fund or Family Foundation Grant
Charitable IRA Rollover – the rollover must be made directly to the church via your IRA account
Questions?
Please contact Lea Reinke in the business office at 480-585-9448.
Missions
Kindness PASTORS
SING
AT THE fOOT Of THE mOUNTAiN wE CREATEd A SANCTUARY.
WE COmE TOgETHER AS GOd’S PEOPLE, REACHiNg OUT TO mAkE A diffERENCE iN ONE ANOTHER’S LivES, iN OUR COmmUNiTY, ANd AROUNd THE wORLd.
WE ExPRESS OUR fAiTHfULNESS THROUgH
ExCELLENCE iN wORSHiP, THE ARTS, SERviNg mEALS, BUiLdiNg HOmES, CROSSiNg BORdERS, ANd NURTURiNg CHiLdREN ANd YOUTH.
WE ARE PEOPLE wHO kNOw THE POwER Of fORgivENESS, JOY ANd LOvE.
