Imberger, Rob 10 Jul, 2020 General, Chinese, 10am, Resonate, 8am

Dear Wellspring community,

 

We’re entering into an important season for the life of our church, and I want you to come along.

 

As a church, we meet in August each year at our Annual General Meeting to decide on our ministry investments: where we think God is calling us to spend our time, our money and our passion for the year ahead. In the coming weeks, you’ll receive some communication to help you prepare for that meeting, but the upshot is that our year ahead will focus on being a community where people belong, believe, grow and share. 

 

Today I am writing with an update on where we think God is calling us to spend our money, so that these keywords can become realities. Parish Council have put together a proposed draft 2020-2021 Budget that includes a number of significant changes to decrease our expenditure, so that we are being good stewards of our resources by having a sustainable long-term budget.  (Further detail in relation to the changes is discussed further below).

 

For those who are new to Wellspring or need a refresh, here’s some context. Last year, Parish Council felt God calling us to step out in faith with an ambitious budget, a budget that invested in our key ministries with the prayer that these ministries would grow spiritually and in number to enable an offertory increase of over 25%. 

 

Based on the recent Parish-wide Strategic Planning survey, we note various shortcomings to how we presented our budget last year. In particular, we understand that last year’s budget took some of our church family by surprise, especially surrounding staff expenditure.  We note that some church members did not feel that they had an opportunity to express their thoughts during or outside of the AGM. We hope that this communication about key proposed changes will give insight earlier. 

 

As reported by our Treasurer Gemma Kleywegt in the last Finance Update, as well as throughout the year in the fortnightly church Newsletter, an offertory increase has not eventuated, and as at 31 May 2020 we remain at a shortfall of $157,000.

 

In addition to the offertory observations above, we have also identified the following key factors;

  • Regular Cambodia outreach support has dropped significantly, resulting in Wellspring needing to compensate the shortfall from general funds.  
  • Whilst we have not seen a significant reduction in financial giving from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic environment as yet, we are conscious that there may be some in our church family experiencing hardship now or to come.
  • The federal government’s Jobkeeper initiative, which all staff employed by the Diocese of Tasmania are eligible for, allows some budgetary relief but is not a long-term provision.

 

As compared to current spending, these are the key expenditure changes proposed for the 2020-2021 Budget:

  • Staffing investments
    • Rector – Rob Imberger – reduces by 1 day per week*
    • University Pastor – Sam Gough – reduces by 1 day per week*
    • Chinese Pastor – Michael Chau – reduces by 2 days per week*
    • Chinese Assistant Minister - Tzu Nin Kwan – reduces by 1 day per week*
    • Children’s Ministry Coordinator – Lynne Grant – begins employment 1 day per week for 5 months (until end of 2020)
    • Children’s Minister (to be employed) – 2 days per week for 6 months (from beginning 2021)
    • Music Ministry Leader – Jessie Whittle – begins employment 1 day per week (this will be funded from the Wellspring Ministry Trust, not offertory giving)
  • Cambodia mission
    • Reduction of $24,000 against last financial year*
    • Continued invitation for Wellspring members to give privately and tax deductibly via Global Development Group

*reduction to occur following the AGM 

 

Let me be clear: these are not easy matters, and your staff team have graciously and willingly agreed that the above be considered. 

 

With all of that said, recent strategic consult feedback also showed the priorities our church family sees in the year and years to come. They include: children’s ministry, international student ministry, local outreach, 10am congregational leadership, and more. 

 

How great would it be to see to see increases in offertory leading to increasing our ability to address such strategic priorities?

 

So please pray for your Parish Council and for our wider church family, as preparations continue to be made for our Annual Meeting. I encourage you to touch base with our Treasurer Gemma Kleywegt or myself if you would like to discuss any points above in greater depth.

 

Your brother in Christ,

 

Rob Imberger

Rector/Senior Pastor