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| Opportunities For Giving
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man or woman should give what he or she has decided in his or her heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
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3 Ways to Make Your Weekly Financial Offering
Simply Giving - a regular deduction from your bank account. Remember that our expenses continue even when you are not here. Click HERE to link to a form that will allow you to sign up for this service.
PayPal - NEW!!! Click on the Donate Button on our Home Page if you would like to make your Weekly Offering on-line using your credit or debit card or your PayPal Account.
Cash or Check - given during our worship services or mailed to Holy Cross. Call the church office (631-588-9509) for weekly envelopes.
All of your financial contributions further the mission and ministry of Holy Cross and are managed and used wisely as we help people to know and share the love of Jesus Christ.
Financial Ministries Calendar
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM MEETING SCHEDULE - Available online by clicking here.
FAMILY GAME NIGHT FUNDRAISER, OCTOBER 18, 2008... Our Eleventh Annual Family Game Night is being held on Saturday, October 18th from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Tickets are on sale NOW! There will be raffle tickets and admission tickets available for you to purchase. Make sure you invite your family and friends; this is always a great evening. There will be lots of prizes for the many, many winners. Any questions, call Valerie Barba through the church office at 631-588-9509.
CHRISTMAS FAIR FUNDRAISER, NOVEMBER 28 & 29, 2008... At the Centereach Fire House. We are looking for vendors. Contact the church office at 631-588-9509 if you are interested. Watch for details.
Financial Ministries Opportunities
DO YOU HAVE FUND RAISING IDEAS?... we are always looking for ways to fund raise and fellowship so if you have ideas please e mail them to the church office....or better yet come on down to a Financial Development Team Meeting. Everyone together can help grow this ministry SPIRITUALLY AND FINANCIALLY.
God Owns It All... is the chapter heading in a book by a Christian author who presents this chapter first as the foundation for money management and giving. God does own it all! That is the teaching of Psalm 24:1 which says, “The earth is the Lord’s.” Psalm 50:10 says that all of the beasts of the field belong to God, and that the cattle on a thousand hills are His. Haggai 2:8 says that God even owns the silver and gold in all the mines. Now, He allows us to use what rightfully belongs to Him, but God continues to retain the ownership. We are managers and stewards of what He has entrusted to us. Someday, when we stand before Him, we shall give an account of what kind of job we have done in managing the resources which He has allowed us to use. That’s why every spending decision becomes a spiritual decision. Every time we use some of God’s money, we are making a decision which has eternal ramifications. Are you using money and possessions as if they belong to you, or are you making spending decisions with the full realization that “God owns it all?”
GRANTS TO SEEK OUT... are you interested in helping us research grants that the county, state and Federal Governments might have available? Pastor has some information and places for you to research. If you are interested email or call the church office.
There are many ways to give to the ministry of HCLC thereby reflecting your giving to our God. We provide windows of opportunity for generous giving through your financial resources, items to be brought in and your gifts and talents.
All Special Offering Gifts can be made in honor of, in memory of, or in thanksgiving for someone and will be listed in the church bulletin. A letter will also be sent to that person.
By cash or check mailed to Holy Cross. Call the church office (631-588-9509) for weekly envelopes. Simply Giving - a regular deduction from your bank account. Remember that our expenses continue even when you are not here. Click HERE to link to a form that will allow you to sign up for this service.
Item of the Month - NEW!!! Click on the Donate Button above if you would like to make an on-line contribution to our Item of the Month using your credit or debit card or your PayPal Account.
November’s Item of the Month is Reams of Paper. Your donations will be very much appreciated! Thank you for helping to keep our ministry costs down. Donations can be left at our new collection drawers to the left of the Narthex (Lobby) entrance. God bless!
CrossWords & Gifts Store - Purchases made in our store or through our CW&G on-line sales help fund our ministry while at the same time helping to spread the “WORD.” Your patronage is very much appreciated. Our store is now officially re-opened on the main floor of the church. Please come in and browse. Sit awhile too! We have a coffee area with tables and chairs for you to relax, read, or gab a little bit. There are great books to read and we will be holding book reviews and studies. We will be offering guest speakers too.
Pastor’s Discretionary Fund (PDF) - donations are used to help people in need in our own community with food, oil, car repair, rent, medical bills, etc.
Sponsor-a-Bill - your donations go toward paying the bill you adopt from the board in the Narthex
Operating Budget - your donations pay for the everyday needs of our vibrant ministry - electric, gas, water, salaries, etc.
Special Ministry Appeals - new roof, RSVP, Work Camp, Seats for Souls, etc.
Memorials - give a donation to memorialize someone
Thank Offering - give a donation to recognize someone you appreciate
Requested Items - bringing in items when requested throughout the year. Item of the Month / monthly ministry appeal, food, clothing, seasonal items, Meal Madness needs, Youth Ministry needs, Celebration Ministries needs, etc.
Operation Christmas Child - shoe boxes filled with small toys and gifts for children throughout the world
Food Appeals - all year round for our Food Pantry and Food Baskets, Valentine Goodie cans, Easter Love Baskets, grocery store gift cards, etc.
Altar Fund - donations here provide for the maintenance our altar furnishings, linens, etc.
Education Ministries Fund - your donations go toward our religious education curriculums and supplies, our Communion and Confirmation programs, Sunday School, ACTS, Vacation Bible School and Adult Education
Youth Ministries Fund - your donations supplement our purchase of supplies, crafts and refreshments for our various youth programs: Faith Friends, God Squad 567, and JAG (the Jesus Adventure Group) as well as help us purchase supplies for our YM community activities: Cook-ins for the homebound, Easter egg dying at Lakeshore Assisted Living, etc.
RSVP - major campus renewal projects
Fundraisers - by supporting our various fundraisers throughout the year, you are not only aiding the ministry of our church, but enjoying the fun and fellowship these events provide
Life Insurance - You can make a gift to the mission and ministry of Holy Cross by changing the beneficiary on your existing policy to reflect Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Call your insurance agent today
So why not remember someone special with a gift that continues God’s Word in the mission and ministry.
We need your help to fund the “Mission Center”, our church ministry that reaches out into the community to welcome people into a relationship with God in Jesus Christ. We thank all who regularly and generously give to our ministry, both financially and with their time. We pray that you will continue your generosity so that we can maintain...and even expand...our most important work... God's work!
YOUR HEART & GIVING TO GOD... Jesus promises that if we invest our treasure for the work of the Kingdom of God, our hearts will follow: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Maybe risking our treasures will help our hearts go where we want them to go – into a closer relationship with God. We won’t always feel like we can risk a commitment. Sometimes all we feel is the anxiety. Jesus says take the risk, trust in god. Put your treasure where you want your heart to be, and your heart will go there. And it’s not just about money. It is about our entire lives being placed in God’s hands. We need to give away our worldly security, our money, our hopes, dreams, desires, loved ones, trusting that God has the very best in mind for us... risking our treasures to God so that he might bless us and those we care about. RELEASING OUR STUFF MAKES IT EASIER TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD (his unconditional love).
Financial Ministries News
A FINANCIAL UPDATE FROM OUR CHURCH TREASURER... Your Ministry Giving vs. Expenses: The total of our gifts to our Ministry year-to-date through the month of August: $212,299. The cost of our Mission year-to-date through the month of August is $207,977. Our surplus for two months is $4322.
NOAH’S ARK PRESCHOOL... added two programs this year. Two Year Old Program and the Enrichment Program. Both have met with great excitement. We have a wait list for the 2 Year Old Program. Director Barbara Lusky, together with the NAPS Board have worked to be creative and innovative in it’s programming. Enrollment is up to 118 now and we are excited. The staff is in place and they have had a great start to the new school year.
EASTER ALL OF YOU WERE VERY GENEROUS... We received over $16,000. Included in this giving was $1,600 in matching funds from Thrivent for the Rock ‘n Roll Dinner Dance and a $2,000 special gift. We are blessed in your generous giving. Please remember the lean “spring and summer months” are coming. After Easter people seem to think there is no need to worship and then there is the sports conflicts. Won’t you consider WORSHIPING with the family of Holy Cross; your spiritual health and life health matter to us. And when you choose not to, are on vacation or traveling or involved in sports would you please mail in your envelope or drop it off in the mail slot? The envelope only needs a stamp on it and your return address.
BUDGET REVIEW TEAM... met and carefully reviewed the income Vs expenses. The expenses are being held down and the income is slowly increasing. There is a real need to directly pay down our debt and concern about how this is going to be done.
PAID FOR AND WILL NOW BE INSTALLED... We needed a whole new telephone system and you made it happen. You responded and we were able to raise enough money to pay for the repairs and installation of the system. Praise be to God and thanks.
TWO GENEROUS OFFERS... Susie Weed and Kenny Zagare have graciously decided to continue in positions they were being paid for, positions that we eliminated because of our budget crunch. Susie continues with the Children’s Choir and Kenny continues with the Bell Choir. We thank them for their generosity.
OTHER PEOPLE OFFERING THEIR TALENTS... Buck Barba has agreed for a one year time period to be our church “handy man” together with John Raggie. This will help us keep expenses down. John Raggie continues to maintain the property, change light bulbs, deal with the sprinkler system etc.
BY THE WAY, LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE HELPING... to keep expenses down. Often we see “church mice” cleaning up the property, breaking up boxes for the trash, cleaning up the pews and pew racks. So many, many people are saying to Pastor, “do you need anything, Pastor” or “can I help you Pastor”. We asked for help in the church office and many people stepped forward. Our computer system crashed and Charlie Ward stepped up and has done tremendous work rebuilding it. Angelo DeLiso, “got in trouble” with his wife Christmas Eve Day because she didn’t know where he was. He had stopped off at church and was cleaning up the property. When our Financial Assistant left her position, people filled the gap until we hired and trained a bookkeeper. Gigi Colaiacovo, has been working diligently with the store bookkeeping and is doing it without financial remuneration. This is just some of the ways recently, people have been saying “yes I care, yes I can help”. So many others regularly assist in the ministry, day in and day out, without pay, without complaint. Recently, someone said to Pastor, “ I really love helping out at Holy Cross”.
WE CAN AND WE WILL SOLVE ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES... 1. Accumulated Debt: We are making every effort to clear up outstanding bills. At the end of December 2007 we had no bills unpaid. 2. Overspending: We are cutting spending and expenses and have fine tuned the budget. 3. Ignorance: We are no longer ignorant! Work has been done to unfurl the finances; make corrections in accounting practices, booking policies, and have a Finance Team in place to continually analyze our finances. We also have a very outstanding bookkeeper in Jennifer Hecker whose work is impeccable, thoughtful, conscientious and careful. We know she will help to keep us on track. Big thank you to Diana Losi who stepped in when Nancy Jaissle left our employ in the beginning of October.
2008 BUDGET... was approved by the Congregation at its November Annual Meeting. As has been indicated in the Parish News section each Sunday, we have been running a deficit. As with one’s own home budget, you build it based upon a certain level of income. If you were to lose your job or take a huge cut in pay, you would have to re-evaluate your spending and cutback. So, too, with our ministry. We built our staffing and expanding ministry based upon a certain level of income from the members of our ministry and the Noah’s Ark Pre-School. We have fallen short of the projected income and are now having to cut back in staffing and put projects on hold. We are hoping this will be a one year pause and re-evaluation time.
BUDGET REVIEW TEAM... The budget for 2008 was approved. This does not mean we spend that amount. It means we can spend up to that amount. Since there is a large deficit being carried forward and real possibility of reviewing downward the expenditures, it is necessary to involve the general congregation population in the process of revisions. The Council, as part of its plan to get our ministry info financial strength (and quickly), is to empower this Budget Review Team to make the month-to-month recommendation for reductions. If you are interested in helping achieve these goals, please submit your request to participate on this team in writing. The Rational, Objective, Strategy and Evaluation (R.O.S.E.) is at the Information Center along with the dates for the meetings.
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM... are you interested in helping the ministry of Holy Cross to become strong financially? The Council, last winter, created FDT to explore ways to increase giving, develop other income streams to fund the ministry. At the Information Center is the Rational, Objective, Strategy, Evaluation (R.O.S.E.) for this team with the dates for the meetings. Come and help. This is your ministry and your church.
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM MEETINGS... Please mark your calendar for the following dates or pick up the schedule at the information center. All meetings are being held on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm: 9/18/08, 10/16/08, 11/20/08, 12/11/08. We expect to see people attend these meetings who are interested in helping Holy Cross become fiscally solvent for years to come. Ideas and encouragement are always welcomed. The ROSE will also be at the information center. This will explain what the FDT is all about. R=rationale...O=objective...S=strategy and E=evaluation.
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM MEETING UPDATE...
STEPS BEING TAKEN TO SECURE OUR MINISTRY... This list is illustrative of some of the things being done to secure our financial solvency: wholesale accounts being set up, implementation of the “Item of the Month,” fresh face and push to use “Sponsor-a-Bill,” development and implementation of fund raisers, not filling the Financial Assistant position but hiring a bookkeeper at reduced hours, encouraging the use of “Simply Giving” and electronic giving, Noah’s Ark is actively pursuing broad-based advertising, reducing staff and becoming certified by Sachem School District for pre-school, significant volunteer hours given over to CrossWords & Gifts to move it into profitability, reducing the heat in the offices and church, handyman services have been secured for one year for free (thank you to Buck Barba).
YOU HAVE HELPED... as we develop fund raising activities, we’ve also believed in the fellowship aspects of these activities. We have had great fun and delightful times together. By the way, Family Picnic/Yard Sale raised $1,131, Family Game Night raised $4,000, Pampered Chef raised $600 and Spirit Strength Concert raised $839. But the fellowship we cannot put a price tag on. Let’s enjoy one another and our gifted ministry.
WE ARE COLLECTING OLD CELL PHONES... look around, you must have one, two or three phones in a drawer or a closet. Ask your friends, relatives and neighbors. Kids ask your friends, employers ask your employees. Hang a sign at your workplace. Let’s see how many we can gather!
ROOF FUND COMPLETED... Thank you to all who made the replacement of the roof possible. Special thanks go to those who were financially able to take out a roof bond to fund the work until we could raise the money to pay this large debt. There were several members who declined the return of their bond and we would like to acknowledge their extra love offering to the ministry of Holy Cross. They are: Colleen Anderson, Deborah and Thomas Aurandt, Ethel Cunningham, Barbara Drewes, Kristen and Joe Esatto, Dorothy Goudie, Carol and Wallie Horstmann, Elaine Kotarski, George and Arlene Krauss, Arthur Lohsen, Kenneth Lohsen, Diana Losi, Claudia Raggie, Johjn Raggie, Linda Rocke, Judith Schill, Christine Thompson, Gina and David Varacchi, Betty Wright and James and Ronnie Barrows.
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Special
Offering Gifts...
OFFERING
ENVELOPES FOR 2008... are now available in the Narthex. If your
name is not on a packet and you’d like envelopes... first, please
forgive us... and second, fill out a request form which you can get at
the Information Center. Our ministry depends upon your financial gifts.
We do not receive any money from a synod or church body. Each dollar you
give helps us to have a church for worship. Your donations allow us to
heat the building, light it, clean it as well as teach the faith, marry,
bury and baptize, pay our staff and reach out to people who do not know
the love, care, salvation and hope of Jesus the Christ. As our ministry
grows, our mission opportunities grow. All to the glory of God. Please
be generous. Consider increasing your giving for 2008. Use your
envelopes so that you have an IRS statement. When you cannot be with us,
please mail your offering in. All you need is a stamp, the envelope is
preprinted for mailing purposes.