The Board of Elders has decided that the church will operate on a Consolidated/Unified Budget beginning in January 2011. Because this is a change from the designated offering system that has been in use, the following frequently asked questions are for your guidance.
Q: If I can no longer designate my offerings, how will I know how my gifts will be used?
A: Your gifts will be used to fund the church budget, as adopted by the membership, at the annual meeting. Copies of the budget will be available to members at the annual meeting.
Q: I usually designate a portion of my gift to missions, local outreach, or pizza outreach, etc. Can I still make those designations?
A: Each of the ministries to which you now designate will continue to be funded through the unified budget. It is our desire that you no longer designate gifts to specific ministries.
Q: Can I still designate to Seed-Time Ministries?
A: Seed-Time Ministries will no longer be included in the church budget as it is its own nonprofit organization. However, a separate envelope for giving to Seed-Time will be available in the pews and at the offering boxes.
Q: I designate a portion of my offering to a missionary whose ministry is special to me. Can I still designate to that missionary?
A: You can still designate to that missionary, but not via your CBC envelope. If you have been regularly designating to an individual missionary, you will receive a letter from the church with the address of the missionary’s sending organization where your future gifts can be sent.
Q: Can I continue to designate to the needs fund?
A: You will not be able to contribute to the needs fund via the CBC envelope. However, all gifts, whether checks or cash, put into the offering plates available after the monthly communion services will be used exclusively for needs.
Q: I have occasionally given an anonymous love gift to a friend in need through the church. Can I still do so?
A: Yes, you can do so by mailing a check to the church office requesting that the gift be sent anonymously to your friend in need. Be aware that such gifts are not tax deductible according to Internal Revenue regulations.
Q: How will I pay for materials or events offered by the various church ministries?
A: Those events or materials can be paid for at the ministry tables in the lobby before and after services or you may mail a check to the church office.
If you have other questions regarding the Consolidated/Unified budget, please ask them on the back of your registration card and we will add to this list of frequently asked questions as appropriate.
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