What increased expenses might our operations budget need to cover in 2027?
- At the time of this message, we don’t yet know the details of what our Staffing Task Force will recommend to Vestry in terms of future hiring needs.
- However, we do already know that in the coming year we will need to hire a new Children and Youth Minister and a new Music Director.
- We also know that as our church grows, our needs for staffing will also increase.
- We provide our staff with an annual salary increase to keep up with cost of living increases, in keeping with diocesan guidelines (3.5% increase for 2027).
- The cost for staff benefits, based on insurance costs and other factors, will increase by 13.8% this year, which is higher than the current inflation rate.
- Building expenses tend to increase at a similar rate, as insurance and Genesis staff pay also increase with inflation.
- Outreach expenses are likely to increase with instability in the economy. The needs in our community are likely to grow, as are the requests for help from the clergy Discretionary Fund.
While the future feels uncertain, we do know that we want to be able to meet the needs of that future together as a church– the needs of our world, our community, and our own growing membership. Your gifts to our operations budget help us provide the programming and staff which allow us to engage thoughtfully with those needs. Your Estimates of Giving help us make our budget and prayerfully discern our potential actions for the coming year.
You can fill out your Estimate of Giving card in person on any Sunday, or online by visiting saintclareschurch.org/pledge.