Welcome
Did you know that the Bible calls everyone who believes in Jesus a 'saint'? Well, that's who we are here - all fallen, all broken, all redeemed by Jesus. All saints.
All Saints is a community of ordinary people who trust in Jesus to save them, and who try to follow him as they live their lives, together.
Please have a look around here, and get in touch with someone if there's something with which we can help you.
Ministry Target for 2012 All Saints Church Nowra
What’s happening with money at All Saints?
We aim to point to the Lord Jesus, with Bibles open, in the power of the Holy Spirit! The way we do that involves employing Staff, giving to local
and overseas Mission and meeting the costs of operation.
By many measures we are doing well. People are being saved, we have an extensive network of ministry through teams and individuals and most importantly – very evident growth in numbers and godliness among the young people we have spent two years targeting! Thanks to God and His
Church. But one measure, money, is an urgent pressing challenge.
Simply put - as our ministry has grown we have not grown our level of giving. Although the last quarter of 2011 improved, we failed to meet the
weekly amount we had aimed for. In addition to this shortfall, there is a need to increase our 2012 Budget! We face a “double jump” in our level
of giving this year.
Average weekly giving last year was around $5,650 and this year it needs
to be $6,400 [see the last point on “What do we do?”]
What have the Parish Council been doing about this?
We have been working really hard in detail and time to bring a budget which is lean and weighted toward being able to be held accountable to
Christ, pursuing the things which please Him most - the Gospel to the lost and making disciples.
Why the increase?
The increase in our Ministry Target is due to increased wages, necessary Administration costs and increased giving to external Mission including
the Archer family and the Shoalhaven Aboriginal Church.
Why does it cost more now?
The greatest part of our ministry costs go to Staff stipends and wages. The big increase in the last two years has been in delivering on a
commitment to ministry to Children, Youth and Young Adults. This has been our glory – but it costs dollars as much as prayers and hard work.
The details will be presented in the 2012 Budget. Please make every effort to understand this increase – it matters to Jesus and us.
How can we afford the building work that is happening?
The building work is funded from money given in trust by our generous
forebears. It cannot morally be used for ongoing expenses. In fact, much
of this work will enable our future growth, accompanied by our faithful
and generous pursuit of current ministry goals.
Are we in debt?
No. A deficit is not a debt.
We cannot legally operate our general budget through debt! [We have
no debt except to love one another (Romans 13:8]
We have been spending a surplus built over previous years. This surplus
will run dry by Easter this year at current levels of giving.
Are we in trouble?
Yes, in that we have weeks, not months, to change our levels of giving. No, our problem arises from a desire to grow Gospel ministry. This is
good, even though it is painful. It points us to Christ.
So how does the “double jump” look?
We missed the 2011 Budget by $22k and need to give another $25k in
addition – a $47k increase!
OK. So what do we do?
1. We pray! Please make this a matter for your own prayers and the
prayers of your small group.
2. We talk about it – with intelligence and facts. Make it a topic for
home and Small Group discussion.
3. We stay on target. We grow our ministry numbers – People and
dollars with a focus on looking upward and outward.
4. We give generously, which will sometimes mean sacrificially!
5. We examine our whole life commitments. Money goes where
the heart is invested. No one reaches spiritual maturity until they
master their money instead of it mastering them. Our challenge is
about the heart.
6. We don’t stop our personal commitments to other ministry,
especially SECET (Shoalhaven Employers of Christian Education
Teachers)
7. We break it down. It sounds like a lot BUT consider - we only
need an additional $4.70 pw from each adult member.
Important Meeting – Sunday 5 February, midday
at the Church.
Full Budget Presentation and question time.
In Prayer and Faith
Matthew Pickering. mobile 0431 135 223