How much does it cost to keep Edwards Church running for a year?
This is a difficult question to answer. Our budgeted expenses for the year 2001 come to $134,388. Those are our expenses for the operation of our own church. In addition, we will give about $26,000 to support ministries outside our own church (to support programs that care for people in need in Framingham, and all over the world).
But not everything we do as a church comes out of our budget. For example, last year we bought a new copy machine for $3700, and the money came from a special fund called “Wooden Banks.” This money was raised by members who fill up wooden replicas of the church with coins as an act of gratitude. Our new sound system also did not come from the budget, but from Memorial Gifts people have made in memory of loved ones. In addition, members and friends of our church purchase many things for the church which do not show up anywhere in our financial records. People donate goodies for coffee hour and special receptions; they also donate large items like computers and fax machines. We have no way of recording the value of all those gifts; we know they are very valuable.
Finally, many people give countless hours of volunteer time to our church. If we were to try to give a dollar value to each of those hours, the cost of running Edwards Church would be astronomical.

Why should it cost so much money to run a church, which is supposed to be based on spirit and faith, not on material things?
In our understanding of Christianity, our faith is lived out and expressed in our actions, including our use of material things. The money we raise and spend as a church is used to “do the work” of our faith.

• About 16% of what we raise (through the local budget and Wider Missions) goes to missions-to support the wider church and other organizations who care for people in need.
• Almost 2/3 of what we raise goes to pay the salaries of our professional staff, so we can have people who are skilled in providing worship, music, Christian Education and pastoral care that is inspiring and comforting.
• About 16% of what we spend goes to care for our buildings and property, so we will have a safe and comfortable place to worship and gather.

How is all that money (the $134,388 for local budget and the $26,500 for Wider Missions) used by the church’s different programs?
The total of $160,388 is divided in this way:

• 11% Administration (including secretary’s salary)
• 10% Christian Education (including C.E. director’s salary)
• .1% Chancel
• .4% Diaconate
• 1% Finance
• 35% Ministerial (including pastor’s salary and benefits)
• 10% Music (including Choir Director and Organist salaries)
• 1.3% Publicity
• 16% Trustees (including Sexton’s salary)
• 16% Wider Missions

Where does all this money come from?
Just under $23,000 comes from rental of our parsonage and our hall, and about $4500 comes from special events like the Rummage Sale and Village Fair. The rest (most of it) comes from donations from our members and friends.

What form do these donations take?
The vast majority of these gifts come to us in the form of pledges (to Local and Wider Mission). In the fall of every year, individuals and families make a prayerful commitment of how much they intend to give the following year. These pledges form the heart of our budget.
There are other categories of giving as well:

• Open giving, in which an individual or family gives regularly to the church, but has not pledged an amount they intend to give.
• Loose offering, which is money put in the offering plate without an indication of who has donated it.
• Gifts, which individuals may make to the church for a variety of reasons.
• Fellowship Dues, in which each member of the church is asked to make a set contribution (about $10) to support the work of the Massachusetts Conference.
• Special Collections, such as Neighbors in Need, which are used to support the work of the church to care for those in need.
• Wooden Banks, in which families regularly put coins into a wooden replica of the church

Why should I pledge, rather than just giving to the church as the Spirit moves me?
There are at least two good reasons to consider making a pledge. First, when you make a pledge to the church, you have the opportunity to really stop and think about what your faith means to you, what the church means to you, and what you are inspired to give. It helps you to prioritize your values, so that giving to the work of God comes first, rather than being an “extra.”
Second, the church relies on pledges to build a budget for the following year. Without some way to estimate how much money our congregation will contribute, we cannot make responsible, faithful decisions for our work in the next year.

How much do people in this church give?
Everyone in this church has different life circumstances (family responsibilities, income, level of commitment), so there is a wide range of amounts people can give. Our pledges range from $50 per year ($1 per week) to $10,400 per year ($200 per week). No matter what the size of the gift, everyone’s giving is valuable to this church.

How do people in this church decide how much to give?
There are a number of factors people consider when they make their pledges to the church. Here are a few of them:

• Gratitude to God: Some people make their decision based on a time of reflecting on all God has given to them-so that their pledge and their giving are an act of thanksgiving.
• Value of the church in our lives: Some people reflect on what the church means to them and base their giving on the ways the church has enriched their lives.
• The Biblical mandate to tithe: Some people give 10% of their income to the work of the church, in accordance with what the Bible says. Some give a total of 10% to charity, including the church and other worthy causes. Others try to move a little bit closer to that percentage each year.
• Awareness of the church’s need: Some people give to the church out of an awareness that the church can only do its work if members contribute generously. They know the church struggles to meet our budget every year.
• Recognition of our individual financial circumstances: Some people look carefully at their household budget as they consider what they are able to give. They might compare what they are giving to the church with what they spend on leisure or entertainment.

What’s the difference between Wider and Local giving?
When you make a pledge (or a contribution) to the church, you make a decision as to how much of it you would like to go to Local, and how much to Wider.
What you give to Local goes to support the work of Edwards Church-our worship, our Education, our care for each other and our programs. The giving to Local enables us to pay professional staff and to care for our buildings, among other things.
When you give to Wider, you support the ways we reach out beyond our own church. About half of the money contributed to Wider Missions goes to support the work of the United Church of Christ all over the world (we have mission personnel and programs in over 60 countries); the other half is donated to a wide range of organizations, many of them local, which help people in need. The Board of Wider Missions carefully researches each of the organizations, to ensure they are using our gifts well. Some people have chosen to give to Wider Missions instead of to the organizations that solicit by phone or mail, as they know the Board has done careful research. By giving to Wider Missions, they know their money will support a wide range of good causes and will be well-spent.
Each person or family decides how much of their pledge or contribution goes to Local and how much goes to Wider.

What happens if we don’t raise enough money each year to cover expenses?
For the year 2001, we have a projected budget deficit of $8,191. In many previous years, we have also had a projected deficit. In most of those years the deficit was made up by the end of the year, through extra generous contributions and by spending less than we budgeted. If we are not able to eliminate our budget deficit, we will have to draw upon our invested funds (which are limited).

What about the building and renovation project we are doing? Does the money for that come from our budget?
Our plan for our building and renovation project is that it will draw from other sources of money than our annual budget. The four sources for the project are:

• Pledges and gifts made to our Capital campaign
• Income from the rental of our steeple to two cell phone companies
• Some of our invested funds
• A construction loan that would eventually become a mortgage (much of which can be paid off using on-going rents from our cell phone contracts)

If I made a pledge to the Capital Campaign Fund, does that mean I don’t need to pledge to the annual giving of the church?
The Capital Campaign Fund is going to support new construction and selected renovations, to enhance the life of the church. The annual giving to our church is what enables us to be a church-to worship and serve God in many ways. Without the generous giving of our members and friends to the annual budget of our church, we could not exist, and our new buildings would be meaningless!

How are the finances of the church overseen? The Board of Finance, together with the Financial Secretary and the Treasurer, are responsible to overseeing the finances of the church. The Financial Secretary is responsible for recording and depositing of moneys coming in, and works with a group of 10 counters. The Treasurer is responsible for moneys going out, and for keeping records of income versus expenditure. The Board of Finance is responsible for the budgeting process, for decisions regarding our invested funds, and for ensuring the overall financial well-being of the church.