Annual Business Meeting
December 3, 2023
Our annual business meeting will be held in two parts after the 8:15 and 10:30 am services.
Agenda Items:
Agenda Items:
- Elect members to serve on Council
- Adopt our 2024 budget (Previews below)
A Letter from Our Treasurer
Dear Fellow Members of St John,
Below is the draft budget that will be up for approval at the annual Business Meeting next Sunday. The 2024 budget has increased by 2.2% over 2023 results. The increase includes a 3% cost of living increase for our staff. Salaries represent 53% of the total budget so there was a real effort to hold the line or find savings in the rest of the budget. During the meeting I will highlight some of the savings we were able to achieve.
Looking at the larger picture however, our Income from 2019 to 2023 has stayed about the same but our expenses have grown by 15%. The church budget like our own budgets at home has been hit by inflation, but the larger expense increases over that time reflect step-ups in our staffing to realistic long term levels. We gained a full time Pastor, filled the Youth Director, and expanded the Facilities Coordinator positions during that time.
In 2019 we needed to only draw $9,000 from the Endowment to balance the budget. In 2023 and in 2024 we will need to draw $50,000 plus each year from the endowment to balance our budget. With these positions now filled, our budget should flatten out going forward as reflected in only a 2% increase for 2024. As we grow the congregation and our income over time, we will continue to carefully manage our Endowment dollars to ensure the success and growth of St John’s.
Thank you for your generous support.
Jack Ruse
Treasurer
Below is the draft budget that will be up for approval at the annual Business Meeting next Sunday. The 2024 budget has increased by 2.2% over 2023 results. The increase includes a 3% cost of living increase for our staff. Salaries represent 53% of the total budget so there was a real effort to hold the line or find savings in the rest of the budget. During the meeting I will highlight some of the savings we were able to achieve.
Looking at the larger picture however, our Income from 2019 to 2023 has stayed about the same but our expenses have grown by 15%. The church budget like our own budgets at home has been hit by inflation, but the larger expense increases over that time reflect step-ups in our staffing to realistic long term levels. We gained a full time Pastor, filled the Youth Director, and expanded the Facilities Coordinator positions during that time.
In 2019 we needed to only draw $9,000 from the Endowment to balance the budget. In 2023 and in 2024 we will need to draw $50,000 plus each year from the endowment to balance our budget. With these positions now filled, our budget should flatten out going forward as reflected in only a 2% increase for 2024. As we grow the congregation and our income over time, we will continue to carefully manage our Endowment dollars to ensure the success and growth of St John’s.
Thank you for your generous support.
Jack Ruse
Treasurer
2024 Budget Documents
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