February 8, 2024
Dear Parish Family:
Today, I am sharing with you information about our parish finances for last fiscal year. Overall, I am happy to report that our parish is on solid financial footing. While our everyday expenses and some deferred maintenance items have escalated in cost, similar to yours, due to inflation, it is your generous support that covers the operational expenses of the parish, ministry programs, and the repairs and maintenance of the church and school grounds. Below you will find the Income and Expense Report for the 2022-23 fiscal year and our budget for 2023-24.
Some of the highlights from last fiscal year include the retention of an architect to create a comprehensive plan for our parish and school campus that will address and itemize our long-term needs. This plan will include a comprehensive maintenance plan, potential expansions, additional buildings and other capital improvements, along with cost estimates. Last fall, we solicited feedback from our stakeholders and parish family via a parish-wide survey and a listening session. We are working to ensure this plan is a collaborative and transparent process. Based on the feedback we received, the plan will also prioritize projects for the parish to undertake. In addition, we also retained a firm to do a comprehensive study of the sanctuary roof. It is imperative to have all leakage issues resolved before we begin the necessary restoration and maintenance on the sanctuary's interior. We are in the process of reviewing that report, however, I want to alert you that the repairs could be expensive.
Good Shepherd had a savings balance of approximately $1.2 million dollars at the end of last fiscal year. While this seems like a large amount, we have budgeted $300,000 for economic uncertainties and $310,000 for needed repairs and maintenance including: exterior painting, contracts with the architect and roof inspectors, HVAC replacements, bathroom refurbishment/repairs, and parish center floor maintenance work. This budgeted amount does not include critical roof repairs and interior restoration of the sanctuary. In addition, as Good Shepherd continues to grow, we anticipate the need for additional parish staff to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of our parish. I am working closely with our staff and the finance council to ensure that we prioritize our expenses while retaining the prudent reserve for economic uncertainties.
Stewardship is a profound aspect of holiness! Everything we are and everything we have belongs to God. We aren't “owners” of anything, we are merely “stewards” of the gifts God has given each of us. All God is asking is that we give back a portion of what He gave us. This is the essence of Stewardship. I continue to encourage each of you to devote one hour of your week to prayer, one hour of your week to service, and one hour of your weekly salary to the parish.
As you offer your resources of time, talent and treasure, your clergy, parish staff, and councils also commit to you to be humble, holy, and serious stewards of all the gifts you entrust to us. I look forward to leading Good Shepherd parish as we go, make, and be missionary disciples.
Your servant,
Fr. Michael Vaughan, Pastor
