Is your Chirstmas Shopping Done?
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Is your Chirstmas Shopping Done?
| Wed, 11-28-2007 - 3:46pm |
Is your Chirstmas Shopping Done?
- Yes all done
- Yes exept for stocking stuffers
- Almost completely done
- Half way finished
- Have some more people to shop for
- Havent even started yet
- Oh shoot!? Its chirstmas already?
You will be able to change your vote.

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<<My mom enjoys to do things for the kids and if she wants to be a grandma, then why can't she be? She is able to afford more things now then when she had her own children and she would rather see them enjoy them now instead of when she is gone. >>
Enjoy them?
PumpkinAngel
But again, you aren't her and vice versa.
PumpkinAngel
Most mainstream Christian denominations have an official way of approving the budget and accounting for income that is pretty transparent.
I'm a United Methodist, which is a "connectional" denomination. We have both local churches and dioceses and a national umbrella organization.
Most of what is collected over the course of the year goes toward local expenses: Paying off the building loan (we recently expanded), paying staff salaries and benefits, upkeep on the church, utility bills, etc. Then there is the cost of running a worship service: Music, candles, vestments, etc. Then there is the cost of running a religious education program. Curriculum is the biggest expense there, but it's more than you think. We give something between 500 and 1000 dollars a month to local charities -- things like after-school programs, the food bank, Meals on Wheels, etc. Basically, all loose change and dollar bills in the collection plate is for that. We have a covenant partner church in Mogadishu, Mozambique and we pay for about 50% of the cost of running that church. We also pay appportionments to the diocese and to the national organization for both administration and relief work.
We have different committees of the church that oversees expenses for different areas of ministry: A worship committee, Staff-parish Relations Committee, Trustees, Youth, Children's Ministy, Missions, Adult and Family Ministries, stuff like that. They plan programs in their area, submit budget requests, get half of what they ask for (lol!) and then are accountable for whatever is spent annually.
In a large church that has been there for awhile, some of the income is likely to come from special funds and bequests and annuities and stuff like that. That money is often designated for special purposes. We've got a pretty large music endowment, for instance, a bequest from someone who apparently loved church music. It allows us to do stuff like bring in special musicians or have special events -- like the performance of Handel's Messiah coming up Saturday. We also have another one that is designated for "capital improvements."
Yes....most people that I know,
PumpkinAngel
Are you really not into clothes, shoes, fashion? Don't you like your children to look nice? A couple of extra outfits and shoes helps so when they ruin one, there is something else they can go out in and look decent.
Is this my fault as well?
PumpkinAngel
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Ducky
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