Several things led to troubles. For about 10 years, the church subsidized St. Margaret’s School, on the grounds of the church, while enrollment was low, Douglas said.
Through the years, the church staff got bigger, slowly becoming more expensive, Douglas said.
Then, about 2½ years ago, the church took a financial hit relocating its thrift shop, Maggie’s Cellar Door.
“They had a place they decided to move to and were told they could sublet the first place,” Douglas said. “After they signed all the leases, they learned they could not sublet it. So they found themselves running two stores.”
The cost of running both added about $100,000 to their expenses, Douglas said.
The church is reaching out to the parish.
“We need to increase our pledges (by) $200,000 a year,” Rice said
Like many churches and organizations in the desert, St. Margaret’s deals with a very seasonal group, Rice said.
Roughly 40 percent of the more than 800 households that are members of the church do not donate regularly, probably because they do not attend church here year round, he said.
All is well.
[i]Job cuts included the development director, the church administrator, a maintenance position and two financial positions,[/i]
A “thrift” shop that costs over $100,000 just to operate? Doesn’t sound very thrifty.
Is this a church or a shopping mall?
Here’s an idea, dismiss everyone except the priest, teachers and janitors and start from there.
Those working in the thrift shop have to live somewhere. Homes that look like total dumps to me go for $500,000 out there in “paradise”.
Maybe the previous rector shouldn’t have done such things as used his eulogy during President Ford’s funeral at the National Cathedral to say that Ford had liberal opinions on the issues going on in the Church? If he was that inappropriate at the Ford Funeral, he must have been a real piece of work back at the parish.
#4, you are wrong on every thing you just wrote. The former rector did not say Pres. Ford had liberal opinions in his sermon, he said that Pres. Ford said that he (Ford) did not believe the church should split up over the homosexual issue. Otherwise, his sermons could not have been more reasserting and orthodox. The problems at St M’s were not of his making and were long-standing. He did all he could to get the church on good financial grounds. But some problems are insurmountable, when you don’t have the cooperation of some persons in your parish and when much of your parish is only there 1/2 the year and does not pledge.
I cannot understand this article — and suggest it must be a scandalous falsehood. After all St Margarets clearly states on its website that
[blockquote] We are single, married, married with kids, divorced, remarried, gay and lesbian, empty nesters, widowed, old, young, you name it, we are here. [/blockquote]
This is not one of those close-minded parishes which drive people away. This is a parish that has followed the enlightened path of the TEC and we know, because we have been told by our leaders, that since 2003 TEC has been flooded with new people who have been attracted by the inclusive decision. If I recall correctly, we even have the assurance of Bishop Robinson that he has seen this influx with his own eyes.
As I say, it must be a scandalous falsehood!
On a more sober note and for the statistically minded of us — here are their figures
http://12.0.101.88/reports/PR_ChartsDemo/exports/ParishRPT_72200860730PM.pdf
Actually while giving is down the last year, it has not gone badly, and the numbers are stable. It does suggest the problem is on the costs side not the income one.
Mmmm…as the article reads, it seems the church’s thrift shop was a major percentage of their income??? If so, I do hope they were paying sales tax, property taxes, etc. (Unless every dime supported some charitable outreach cause (NOT the parish budget)).
Anyone know about this aspect? What percentage of this parish’s budget was derived from the thrift shop?
You need to reduce your expenditures by $200,000 a year.
[blockquote] “They had a place they decided to move to and were told they could sublet the first place,” Douglas said. “After they signed all the leases, they learned they could not sublet it. So they found themselves running two stores.” [/blockquote]
Who trusts what they are “told” in that situation. Why on earth didn’t they get that in writing first.