At the last meeting of the CBWC Board, we reviewed the economic times in which we live. We reflected on the personal and social consequences of these challenging times and talked about the profound struggles of many of our churches to make ends meet. Our conversation never collapses around discouragement but always recalls and praises a faithful, caring and awesome God who provides for our needs.
Shortly after our early June Board meeting, David Holten, Colleen Schneider, Claudia Wakeman and myself looked at the 2009 financial commitments of our churches. We wanted to compare individual church 2008 budgets and their contributions to our family of churches with these churches’ stated intentions and commitments to the 2009 Budget year. Keep in mind the very difficult places our churches find themselves in and the incredible statement of dependence on God that is being made here.
Incredibly and wonderfully 62 churches in Western Canada have committed to giving more to this family of faith in 2009; 62!! Approximately 60 churches have stayed the same, which for some of these churches was an incredibly courageous thing to do. Thirty-seven of our churches have made cuts. These include some of the larger contributors to the CBWC. Some of these churches give substantially to CBM, camps and many, many other works. In some cases there is no reason.
We live in challenging times. God is faithful. His people are faithful. I am profoundly thankful for all the churches who are encouraging this family of faith in Western Canada by contributing in all sorts of ways to our life together; whether small or large amounts, whether increased or decreased…..thanks be to God, thanks to all of you.
With the figures that David provided, Claudia has assembled the following information.
Area | # church increase | # church decrease | $ increased | $decreased |
B.C. and Yukon | 24 | 19 | $48,510.00 | $71,570.00 |
Alberta | 20 | 6 | $28,775.00 | $18,124.00 |
Saskatchewan | 8 | 5 | $19,536.00 | $ 7,200.00 |
Manitoba | 10 | 7 | $ 6,890.00 | $ 4,080.00 |
Totals | 62 | 37 | $103,711.00 | $100,974.00 |
Warmly
In Christ,
Jeremy