Dear Folks,
This newsletter comes in two parts: news about financial challenges and an invitation to
respond. It is always a funny balance between receiving too much information and being under the
impression that one does not have a good idea of what is going on. This too little/too much information
cycle has often been true when it comes to the topic of money in our family of churches. We are making
a fair deal of progress in changing the cultural awkwardness around money. Today is one of those times.
We have a shortfall of $117,000 from now to the end of the year, which is in less than eight
and a half months. We will implement cuts to that amount over the next month but a further set of
concerns arises if we do not meet fundraising targets of approximately $180,000 in that same eight and
a half months. Let’s remind each other of part of a previous newsletter: (‘The Money Issue’, Feb 13 th,
2013)
Dear Folks,
In the 1950’s and 1960’s, our family of ministries was quite small. There was
the local church which was often part of an association of churches that related to
the denomination that had a relationship with the Baptist Federation of Canada and
Canadian Baptist Overseas Mission Board. This family of ministries has expanded, and
over the years, many new groups have left the umbrella of combined fundraising and
have reached out to individuals and churches to request money for their work. During
the post-second world war years, many outstanding groups have been formed which
have encouraged the local church, enabled people to come to faith, and sought for
mercy and justice, amongst so many other things. I’m going to give you some of the
more notable ones in a burst of naming if you like: The Seeds, World Vision, Alpha,
Inter-Varsity, Billy Graham, Union Gospel Mission, Just Work, Just Potters, etc., various
private foundations, Regent College, A Rocha, Missions Fest, Operation Eyesight,
Kinbrace House, and if you are from Central Canada, Yonge Street Mission… and many
more.
At various times over the last twenty years, several ministries in our CBWC family
have begun to ask individuals and churches directly for funds. They are an effective
and noble list of which I am proud to be associated with:
- CBM
- Sharing Way
- Step Churches
- Camps (all 7 of our camps)
- Carey Centre
- CBWC Foundation
- Legacy for Ministry
- Century II
What has been missing from this family that asks for individual financial support,
(as if you could imagine someone missing at the dinner table), is the Canadian
Baptists of Western Canada. Since 1996, when church contributions in real terms
remained the same until now, we have had over $600,000 less in income to support
an ever-increasing number of churches, resources, church planting, and a whole host
of ministries. In real dollars, we are providing more resources with less money. That,
in general, is a good thing. In the short term, it is also a good thing. I believe in fiscal
conservatism, collective and private partnerships, and in very good value for money,
as I know many of you do. In 2010 – 2011, we cut 23% from our budget, and we are
reducing our draw on the Foundation by $400,000-$500,000 this year. We are
joining the other ministries that we have talked about today in inviting individuals to
contribute to the resourcing of churches, planting, education, and the building of
community (New Pastors Orientation, Assembly, Area and Banff Pastor’s conference,
Ministry Network Meetings, and SERVE, which has over 240 youth in Winnipeg this
year). We are not able to continue to support churches and regional ministries
unless we experience a real encouragement with clear growth and financial
contributions.
We’ve now gotten to the stage in this newsletter where I’ve communicated too much
information. Let me break it down into two simple steps. If you have prayerfully and thoughtfully
reflected on financially supporting some of the Partnerships and Possibilities of the CBWC in the same
way that you have prayerfully and thoughtfully supported some of the very same ministries I’ve just
referred to then please consider coming to one of the next three events that seek to raise money.
Calgary – Bonavista Baptist Church – April 24th – 6:30pm-8:30pm
Edmonton – Braemar Baptist Church – April 25th – 6:30pm-8:30pm
Victoria – Emmanuel Baptist Church – May 1st – 6:30pm-8:30pm
It’s a brief evening of dinner, time together, celebrating God’s stories in our midst, and giving
each of us the opportunity to financially contribute, or to even simply prayerfully support the work we
do together. We have only invited those who have recently given financial support, which is why you
may not have heard of this before now. Please let Heather Thomson, our Special Events Coordinator,
know by the end of this week if you are available to attend (email: hthomson@cbwc.ca, phone: 778-
242-2598). There is an opportunity to financially contribute online and there will also be a table set up
at Assembly in Calgary in May. Heather would like to talk to any of us who would like to participate in
a monthly pre-authorized piece and you can use the same contact information to inquire about that
matter as well. Thanks so much for your thoughts, prayers and considerations of these matters. Please
pray for these events, Heather, Bob Webber, and myself as they unfold.
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy