Updated 2019 Ministry Spending Plan
2019 Updated MSP Rationale
Update: At our February 3, 2019 Congregational Meeting, the proposed and updated 2019 Ministry Spending Plan was voted down by a count of 96-31.
The Council has subsequently developed an Ad-hoc working group consisting of Rex Ritchie (Chair), Mike Stanfield, Dave Griffin, Rachel Carlson, John Gavitt, Donna Turrill, and John Fredericksen.
They are tasked with putting together a proposal for Council to consider regarding our Ministry Spending Plan. This should happen within 30 days, by the middle of March.
Please keep this Ad-hoc team and our Council in your prayers as we continue our prayerful discernment about next steps for Bethel.
Results from Bethel Reforming (2018)
Implementing God’s Mission for Bethel
Discern staffing needed to accomplish God’s ministry
Develop an organizational structure that is flexible and helpful for today’s world
Supporting God’s Mission for Bethel
Identify individual strengths for ministry within the congregation
Develop a strong sense of stewardship – financial and ministry
Sharing God’s Mission for Bethel
Develop logo/brand which reflects the mission of Bethel
Develop a plan for sharing that logo/brand and story with the congregation and community
We will not be available to attend the vote on February 3. Is an absentee ballot a possibility?
John and Arlene, thanks for the question. According to our Constitution, we are unable to have absentee ballots, you must be present to vote. I’m sorry 🙁 !
* Staff Payroll is by far the largest expenditure within the proposed Ministry Spending Plan. A breakdown of salary and benefits for each staff position should be provided to the congregation prior to the congregational meeting and vote on February 3.
*The proposed Ministry Spending Plan includes changed work hours for the Director of Office Administration and Director of Youth and Family Faith Formation. Increasing or decreasing work hours does not necessarily result in changing work priorities and goals. Assuming that the position descriptions for these positions would require revisions, it would be beneficial to the congregation to receive the revised position descriptions (or at least drafts) prior to the February 3 meeting and vote. The team responsible for Implementing God’s Mission for our church spent many hours of dedicated effort over several weeks to come up with its recommendations regarding staff changes in November 2018. It is therefore important to know the extent to which the team’s recommendations have been incorporated into these revised position descriptions. Finally, in the future, we believe that all staff position descriptions should contain performance standards with goals that are both objective and measurable to the greatest extent possible.
*Bethel is about to take on significant new debt through a line of credit to repair the underground. In addition, under the proposed Ministry Spending Plan, funding for several important Ministries is lacking and staff members are not receiving salary raises. However, the Plan proposes to change the 2019 payment to the Synod from $12,000 in 2018 to $24,000 in 2019. We clearly do not agree with this proposed payment.
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On January 27 at the 9:45 meeting in Discipleship Hall we’ll be able to answer most of your questions. Hopefully you can be there for that gathering. Thanks John and Arlene!
Hi Dave,
Unfortunately, Arlene and I will be absent during the next two Sundays. We thought it was important to get these comments to everyone, in spite of our absence.
Peace,
John
Just found out your out of town. Gotcha. Be assured your comments will be considered faithfully brother. Have a great time and be good!
Love and grace,
PD
Just found out your out of town. Gotcha. Be assured your comments will be considered faithfully brother. Have a great time and be good!
Love and grace,
PD
John and Arlene, all excellent points, thank you!
We have reviewed the new proposed MSP, and the rationale, and agree 100% with the Gavitts.
While I do not agree with John and Arlene’s objection to remitting our fair share to Synod, I do fully concur with all their other points.
I am sorry I was not able to attend the meeting last week. I have talked to some people about conversations that occurred. I was on the task force. As a member of the task force, we were told we were not able to discuss people but to focus on positions. The response from Bethel Reformation was to look at staffing and we did. The task force took into consideration the current economic status of our church, participation in events, and attendance on Sunday. Instead of accepting our church attendance to be declining as consistent with trends,, the group felt empowering the members was needed. Rebuild Bethel was the intention. The task force also took into consideration the activities that Pastor Dave was doing that should fall onto another so that he can serve our members and build our strengths. When conversation steered towards people, we were constantly reminded to “stay in our lane.” We considered the secretary position that is being increased. The groups did not want to “water down” ore create a mediocre position. We are in a very different position in 2019 than we were in 2012. Our needs are differeent. We continue to take away from the MSP in the areas of our activities, That is disappointing. I honestly don’t see our tithing will support more than our Pastor, bookkeeper, and office administrator in the near future.