Friends,
On Sunday evening, January 29th, a significant group of members from our congregation gathered in our beautiful Sanctuary for a “State of the Church” meeting. In the reports from this church-wide meeting, we heard that our Building Plans are taking shape and that we hope to begin construction before summer. We heard that the Parlor and Bride’s Room were renovated. We heard that our Children’s Ministry and Young Adult Ministry continue to grow.
In 2016, worship attendance grew from 2015; we had more baptisms in 2016 than in the previous year; and out of 29 new members in 2016, 19 were under the age of 40 years old. Our church also began new mission opportunities in 2016 such as the Room 35226 school resource closets in Simmons Middle School, Bluff Park Elementary and Gwin Elementary.
I do want to share with you that we have not yet approved a budget for 2017. During 2016, we received more financial gifts than in the previous four years. The generosity of our church financed all 2016 expenses and left our church with a surplus of around $36,000.
Even with that surplus, we do not have the ability to fund our 2017 budget without relying on our church’s capital investments, endowments and other resources at this time. We have both expected and unexpected staff expenses for this new year including the need to hire a new Director of Senior Adult Ministries.
Our outgoing Finance Committee chairperson, Bill Pearson, reported at the State of the Church meeting that in spite of the increasing attendance in worship, growth in the number of new members, and the extraordinary response to the 10,000 Reasons Capital Campaign, the number of households pledging to the annual budget is actually less than at the same time last year.
Every person in attendance at the State of the Church meeting was asked to reconsider their 2017 pledges and gifts. We have had a few responses, but we will need more than those attending the State of the Church meeting to help us continue to offer mission and ministry opportunities to our congregation and to our community.
Enclosed with this letter is one of the State of the Church pledge cards handed out on Sunday evening, January 29th. You will notice that there are essentially three options:
- If you are one of the 276 households who pledged in 2017, would you consider increasing your pledge? You may choose a dollar amount or an increase in percentage.
- Or, if you are not one of the 276 households who pledged in 2017, would you consider pledging the amount that you intend to give to the 2017 Operating Budget?
- Finally, if you are one the households that continues to give to Bluff Park UMC without pledging, would you please continue to give as you normally give and possibly add an additional one-time gift to help us in this endeavor?
We thank each and every one of you for what you give to this church for its mission and ministry. If you are one of those households that have not yet entered into giving to your church, this is your opportunity! You can still make a pledge and make a difference. It is both an opportunity to take an important step in your faith development as well as a way for you to bless others in our church family by helping to provide meaningful ministry and mission.
Please prayerfully consider how you can help Bluff Park UMC continue to be God’s blessing to the people of our church and to the people in our community and world.
Blessings,
Rev. Mike Holly
Bluff Park UMC was invited by the Office of New Church Development of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church to participate in a new covenant which places additional associate pastors in healthy and strategic churches to start new ministries and new worship services. On April 10th, we announced in worship, that Rev. John Carl Hastings will be joining the staff of Bluff Park UMC as part of this new covenant. He will be reaching out, in new ways, to the young adult community in Bluff Park.
The Bluff Park United Methodist Church Choir Presents “What a Glorious Night” a Christmas on the Bluff Annual Concert Event