On behalf of the First MCC Board of Directors, Treasurer Norm G. announced a major donation given anonymously to the First MCC congregation for specific building renovations, new projects and personnel support.
Norm's full announcement follows:
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Good Morning! I am Norm G., your FMCC treasurer.
I know what goes through your mind whenever you see the Church Treasurer come forward to speak—BAD NEWS!
Well today it is NOT going to be that way—We have GOOD NEWS to report—actually some GREAT NEWS!
We have been blessed with a major donation from an individual who wants to remain completely anonymous—even to the members of the Board. This individual is very specific in how this donation is to be used.
- You all know we have had problems with our roof leaking. We have replaced the roofs over the choir room, narthex, and chapel. And we have just completed replacing the roof over the pastor’s office and the outer office. This donation of $15,000 will cover replacing the roof over our entire sanctuary and when complete we will have a new rubber roof over the entire church! Go ahead—applaud and cheer as you feel led!
- But that’s not all. You are familiar with our freedom hall in the basement. How the ceiling tiles have been dropping off and the carpet will not stay clean. This donation includes $14,000 to replace BOTH the ceiling and the floor covering of the freedom hall!
- I’m not finished yet—If you have been in the pastor’s office and the outer office at night, you know how dim the lighting is there. This donation will provide $2,500 in funds to install a suspended ceiling in BOTH those offices, add efficient lighting, and deal with the associated heating ducts!
- But there is more—Our volunteers who do such a great job of doing our sound have long wished that the sound room could be opened up so they could actually hear what the congregation is hearing. Well that is going to happen along with any new sound equipment that is needed in that renovation—a total cost of $5,500.
- All these improvements to the building will relieve us of the burden of trying to find funds to do those repairs whenever we can do it or when we are forced to do it.
- To further alleviate the burden of fundraising by the congregation for this year’s conference, the donation will pay all the expenses for our pastor and delegate to attend the 2007 General Conference in Arizona in the amount of $4,000.
- AND it will pay all the expenses for two of our members to take the Creating a Life that Matters Leadership training offered by UFMCC also in Arizona a $3,000 value.
- Has anyone fainted yet!!—Just remember God does take care of us and God DOES answer prayers!
- In addition , the donor has provided funds to increase our music director’s salary to $600 per month, to increase the organist/accompanist salary to $400 per month and to provide $500 per month salary for the position of praise team director—and all this for TWO years, along with funds to pay the increased payroll taxes related to these. –a total donation of $19.640.
- Also a one-time contribution in the sum of $10,000 is being made to the General Fund
- AND a special pastor’s discretionary fund is to be established in the amount of approximately $5,000.
- PLUS funds will be provided to pay for the increase in our tithes to the Fellowship due to this donation—a $9.000 value.
Now doesn’t that deserve a standing ovation!!!
FINALLY—a special challenge is being issued by the donor, which if accepted by the congregation would create a fund sufficient to pay the first year’s salary of our permanent pastor. Can’t you imagine how impressed a prospective pastor would be knowing that the congregation already has the funds on hand for his/her first year’s salary.
Here is how that will work—and you’ll get more details later: A “Permanent Pastor’s Pay Package” campaign will be initiated whereby the congregation and friends of the church will be asked to make pledges towards this campaign to be paid over the following 12 months. Outright contributions will of course be welcomed and fund raising will be encouraged. This is a CHALLENGE grant which means the donor will match every dollar raised during this campaign up to the amount of $20,000. So if we meet the challenge, there will be a total of $40,000 set aside in a fund to pay our new PERMANENT pastor’s first year’s salary!
Now if we rise to the occasion and meet the “Permanent Pastor’s Pay Package” Challenge in full, the total of this major donation will amount approximately $108,000—that’s right $108,000.
This donation has very specific designations as to how this money is to be spent. It cannot be spent for any items not included in the designation.
It is important to realize that this major donation does not eliminate the need for us to work on increasing our general fund giving. It simply gives us the opportunity to satisfy many of the upgrades to our building that are sorely needed and to enhance our current program. We must also stress that all donations or pledges to the Permanent Pastor’s Pay Package campaign must be above our regular giving. It is that regular giving that keeps our church operating and our doors open.
So we all need to rejoice and give praise for this generous donation. AND watch for the kick-off of the Permanent Pastor’s Pay Package Challenge on Easter Sunday Morning!
Thanks to our special Donor, thanks to you all and Praise to God!
