by Alan Hill
(Chair, Board of Business)
On Sunday, January 11, we will have a congregational meeting where our primary task will be to adopt a final 2026 operating budget for UCG. Back in October the congregation approved a “challenge” budget which set our pledge goal for 2026 at an ambitious $870,787.
In my enlistment moment remarks at the November 30th service, I reported that we had reached 80% of our goal. I also stated that the 202 pledges received through November 23 were high enough that if all the prior year pledgers who had not yet pledged only pledged at the same level, we would exceed our pledge goal. What this means is that 202 persons/families had pledged enough to make up the budgeted 7% pledge increase. Everyone else would just need to repeat their current pledge.
As I write this article on December 17, we have reached 90% of our goal. That still leaves a way to go to get where we want to be with our finances. Maybe you’ve gotten a personal phone call or email from an enlistment committee member, and you haven’t gotten around to responding. We understand that members come and go and that financial situations change. Everyone cannot always give as much as they have given before. It is never too late to make a difference and support our church with your pledge in any amount that works for you and your situation.
As for the current (through December 31, 2025) budget, I’m happy to report that we are doing well. While we’ve spent more than we planned on utilities, building maintenance, technology and other items, we have saved funds in personnel. Through 91.7% of the year, we’ve only spent 88.4% of our total budgeted expenses. Our pledge income through November is on track while revenue from plate collections, parking, rent, and interest is already $8,448 above the annual budget with a month still to go. Our revenue through November was 94.2% of our total revenue budget. Including giving to designated accounts, $984,676 was donated to UCG through November 2025.
Post Script: You made have heard or read elsewhere in this newsletter about discussions around creating a Pastoral Relations Committee (PRC) that would merge the Congregational Ministry Review Board (CMRB) and the Board of Human Relations (BHR). The role of the Board of Business is determining how much money is available in a final annual budget to be used for establishing annual pay levels for all employees. In a typical year this number is the amount that can be distributed among the ministers and employees for wage and salary increases. In years when we make changes to staffing positions the Board of Business in consultation with BHR establishes an amount available for any new positions. Through its work BHR establishes the goals for equitable, fair market compensation for ministers and staff. The Board of Business is tasked with, based on actual pledged revenue and other financial factors, setting the real amount of funds that can be allocated to compensation. Based on that number, BHR sets the actual compensation for ministers and staff.
The CMRB, BHR, the Board of Business, and clergy will be meeting in January to consider how merging CMRB and BHR into a Pastoral Relations Committee can best be implemented to further the vision of the church.