The vestry would like to express appreciation to parishioners for your generous response to the 2003 Canvass. Last minute-pledges and increases in previous pledges enabled us to approve a 2003 budget on Thursday, January 16, that continues support for most parish programs but requires increasing reliance on parish endowments and other special funds for ongoing operating expenses.

Pledges for 2003 are budgeted at $970,000, up 2 percent from $951,501 pledged for 2002 (including the second asking last spring). Expenses are projected at $1,280,078. To make up most of the difference, the vestry authorized spending $109,375 from endowment earnings and special funds. (We also receive income from the diocese and other sources).

The additional pledges allowed us to provide a 1.4% cost-of-living increase to clergy and staff, to keep social ministry spending at existing levels, and to preserve current spending levels for church programs. We had considered freezing salaries and cuts in the other areas. We also fully met the diocesan asking of $147,647, which, it should be noted, goes for social ministry in the diocese and in the world.

However, we still had to do some unpleasant belt-tightening to balance the budget, including the following:
- Elimination of some ‘cafeteria benefits’ to clergy and staff
- Reduction in contributions to Episcopal seminaries from $10,000 to $5,000
- Elimination of funding for mission trips and reduction in child care scholarship
- Reduction in parish administrator’s hours. (This was done by mutual agreement, serving the interests of both.)

While we were pleased to be able to preserve most programs, such as Christian education and music, the budget essentially froze their funding when they should be expanding to meet parish needs. We would have liked to expand social ministry support during this time of economic distress. And we should be treating our staff more generously.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact one of us, or Canvass Co-Chair Hugh Tilson or Finance Chair Joe Ferrell.

Ted Vaden, Senior Warden
Terry Eason, Junior Warden