We have an opportunity to open a Daycare at MRC. The Vision Team is excited to share this because we have been working on this project for years. A Daycare would allow our building to be used throughout the week and it would provide a small income. More importantly, we hope to build relationships with young families and be a helpful resource to them. What does that mean? Young families share with us that they are facing challenges today in the area of finances, parenting, mental health, and marriage. We want to invite them, and everyone, into the financial peace course, parenting course, healing to mental health, and the marriage course.

Here’s the challenge. Because of the most recent Federal requirements, we will be required to have our water tested because we are not hooked up to city water. The cost estimate to have our water tested for year 1 is $16,300. This means year one we would lose money. Assuming the water results continue to be clean, after year 1, the cost to the water testing drops to $2,000 and we would see a small profit. Action Step: What are your thoughts?

This leads to the next subject. Finances. We don’t talk much about finances because many people who don’t attend church regularly think that churches are just about money. To remove that barrier, we don’t talk about money too much and we provide giving boxes and online giving.

However, there can be a danger in not talking about money. People can attend church and not realize what is happening financially in the local church. They might not see their financial role in their spiritual family. And worse, they may not see that the number one thing that competes for their love and trust in God is their love and trust in money.

Let’s do a quick update. Year to Date, giving is $2,000 less than last year at this time. Our yearly budget is $460,000. That includes our mortgage payment, insurance, utilities, staff, children’s ministry, coffee, HVAC, rent, everything. Our mortgage is a 1 year adjustable at 6%, our mortgage payment is $9,043. Our mortgage balance is $1,212,00, we pay it off in 2042. That means, the cost to do church each weekend is $8,846. The weekly average attendance at MRC in Dillsburg and Heidlersburg is 130 people during the summer. If each person gave $295 a month, we would easily meet that cost. As simple as that is, what happens in many churches is the 80/20 principle. 20% of the people give 80% of the budget. And 80% give 20% of the budget.

Let’s make this personal. If MRC is your spiritual family, we want to invite you to give to MRC. For some, that may start at $10 or $100 or $300. For others, you are giving 10% of your income . For a few, you give even more than that. How can you give? In the gift box at church. Online through our website. And we provide ACH giving – please see us.

Action Step: What decision do you feel you need to make?