I was really proud
of our Annual Meeting on January 25.1 could point out any number of
particular aspects that in themselves were "the way things ought to be." But
what I'm most proud of is the great spirit in everything we did. This is the
more remarkable because there were a few things on our plate that were
challenging and just plain hard
to wade through. First and foremost among such matters was our parish's
operating budget for 2004. In case you haven't heard, our pledges came
in at $30,500 under last year's budget. That sort of thing will
usually put folks anywhere into "high anxiety" mode and over-reacting. But
not here! The meeting listened thoughtfully to the presentation and
explanations so that we could gain the perspective needed in order to
understand the big picture. I think we came to that understanding. More
pointedly, there was also trust and support—trust and support for the very
hard work of the Budget Committee, trust and support for the Vestry's
agonizing responsibility for the ultimate decisions, trust and support for
our treasurer Corky Springfield, and trust and support for All Saints'
continuing strength and ongoing mission. When you can see all of that, you
don't have to worry about the occasional disappointments or hurdles.
Pledges aren't down because of the reasons you'd normally suspect.
We're not losing members; we had solid growth in 2003. It's not the
controversy about the openly-gay Bishop of New Hampshire; All Saints' holds
to the conviction that we are the same place now that we were before the
controversy. I'm even confident that it's not about being mad at the Rector
or staff! It seems that pledges are down for three primary reasons:
(1) several of our households have decided that because of personal budgets
they cannot make a firm pledge (but they have indicated that they will
continue to give); (2) a significant number of households reduced their
pledge from 2003 because they found the former amount to be too ambitious
and they want to set a figure that is more realistic for them; and (3) many
households had to decide to reduce or discontinue a pledge in order to
support the capital campaign to construct our new facilities.
Nevertheless, the effect is the same. We had to enforce major cuts in our
already lean budget. The only possible places to make cuts substantial
enough to cover so much money were our percentage-based line-items: the
Diocese (cut from 16.125 to 12), local outreach (held at 4.8, and cutting
gifts to local agencies in order to support our
new congregationally-based initiatives), and the gift of 1 for seminary
support (eliminated entirely). These were very bitter pills to swallow,
but we simply had no choice.
There were also cuts in our own programs. The Budget Committee, the
Vestry, and I all agree that it is important that we bear some of this
burden in our own church life and not make cuts only at the expense of
others. If we don't feel this crunch then we'll never truly understand
the essential connection between our pledges and what this congregation is
able to offer and to do. It really is a ease of cause and effect. Most of
our programs had their askings reduced and/or were cut back from 2003
levels. A couple of program line-items were not funded at all (acolytes and
music continuing education). I must note particularly one program that
was cut completely— our "Lenten Lunches" offerings on the Thursdays of Lent.
This is especially painful because All Saints' has
been doing this for so long that it had attained the status of a
"tradition." But we did not have the money for the guest speakers (honoraria
and mileage), advertising, or to meet requests for reimbursement of personal
costs in preparing the food. Budget cuts mean having to prioritize
literally every dollar available.
There's another bit of "cause and effect" in this decision and it doesn't
have to do with money. As Iannounced two years ago, we were even then
considering whether or not the Lenten Lunches remained a viable program for
All Saints'. Over the past several years, attendance at these events has
been dropping steadily and dramatically. This is true with regard to
both our own parishioners and in the number of visitors. The attendance at
these services over the past few years has been less than half of what it
was in the 1990's. Given this, we decided that the relatively tepid interest
in Lenten Lunches could not justify the considerable effort it takes from a
lot of people to make it all happen. None of us likes having to make these
kinds of choices, but this is the plain truth about program administration,
and this is the work you ask the Budget Committee, Vestry, and me to do.
Hard choices can bring new opportunities, though. You know: "when one door
closes another one opens." This, too, is cause-and-effect! In all things.
All Saints' must be a place of that next open door.
Faithfully,
Shannon +
