Category: Finances

May Special Offerings: Campground Support

Posted on May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 by GPNW2020

For many years it has been the practice of many congregations in the GPNW Mission Center to have special offerings to support local Reunions in an effort to lower prices for those gatherings. Those offerings have been appreciated. Because camps and reunions have been cancelled again for 2021, those special offerings this year will be directed to support local campgrounds instead of the camps themselves. The month of May has been set aside for these types of offerings.

Any individual who wishes to make a special offering in the month of May should send a check to their local CFO with the words “May Campground Offering” on the memo line. You may also make e-tithing donations to campgrounds by selecting “Greater Pacific Northwest USA Mission Center” and then selecting the campground of your choice by following this link: https://app.securegive.com/cofchrist.

Finally you may send donations directly to campground treasurers. To do so, contact them below to get their mailing address:

Samish Island Campground & Retreat Center

Dave Skoor

samishcgdave@gmail.com

Lewis River Campground

Dan Jackson

Danjacks35@gmail.com

Camp Remote

Bev Burk

Bevburk49@gmail.com

If you would like a very simple view of campground financial health in the mission center please click here. Detailed questions should be directed to Campground Treasurers.

Any CFO who needs help processing donations like these please send Donald Welch a message: dwelch@cofchrist.org or 712-310-0718.

Bridge of Hope: GPNW Update

Posted on May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 by GPNW2020

Greetings GPNW Mission Center Readers. The Bridge of Hope Strategic Planning Team has requested that I publish an update on the Mission Center’s progress toward our goal of reaching the $3M target we have been handed. This announcement will be updated whenever there is a significant change to announce. Below is where we stand.

Property Sales: $510,157

$202,871—Selah Property

$27,108—Woodburn Property

$128,628—Bellevue Property

$92,302—Ellensburg Property

$59,248—Roseburg Property

Congregational AIP Fund Gifts and AIP Fund Gift Pledges: $317,442

Thanks to the following congregations for their AIP Gifts: East Wenatchee, Cottage Grove, Fairbanks, Garden Grove, Southridge, Renton, and Crystal Springs.

Gifts from Congregational Generosity and from Individuals: $44,820

Thanks to the following congregations for their cash offerings: Eugene, University Place, Mossyrock, Crystal Springs, Rainier Valley, and Woodland Park.

And thanks to all of you who have been individually donating to the Bridge of Hope either directly or through your CFOs.

$872,449—Grand Total

As a reminder to the mission center, the $3M target represents what has been determined is GPNW’s fair share of the overall Bridge of Hope Goal. It is the overall goal of $120M that matters most, and we will continue to contribute to the Bridge of Hope until that overall goal is met. For the most up-to-date information about Community of Christ contributions please click here.

World Church Bridge of Hope Update

Posted on May 7, 2021 by GPNW2020

Originally published by Community of Christ May 5, 2021.

We have amazing news! As of 31 December, 2020, the church has raised $88 million toward its $120 million Bridge of Hope goal—an increase of $12 million since June 30. Thank you to those in all fields of the church around the world who are working so diligently to meet this important goal. The next update will be provided in September 2021.

As a reminder, funding the retirement responsibility is the first priority for Bridge of Hope. Growing endowments is the second.

Press Release: GPNW Emergency Funds Awarded

Posted on April 16, 2021 by GPNW2020

As was authorized by the GPNW Mission Center conference in November of 2020—per the resolution titled “Establishment of the ‘Emergency’ Fund”—the Mission Center Financial Officer consulted with field leadership and with a sub-committee of the Mission Center Council to determine the proper uses of said Emergency Fund. Three jurisdictions applied for the distribution of emergency funds; all three were Mission Center Campgrounds: Camp Remote, Lewis River, and Samish Island.

Factors for making distribution decisions were varied and contextual and included the following considerations:

· Losses in 2020

· Overhead expenses

· Overhead expenses that could be further reduced

· Depth of capacity of supporting congregations and/or individuals

· Vulnerability to further closures and cancellations in 2021

· Demonstrated need according to overall financial health

The following decisions have been made:

1. The entirety of the $70,000.00 set aside in that fund should be payable immediately.

2. Camp Remote shall receive $14,175.00. This represents approximately 4.5 months of its operational expenses reported in 2020.

3. Lewis River shall receive $25,000.00. This represents approximately 3.75 months of its operational expenses reported in 2020.

4. Samish Island shall receive $30,825.00. This represents approximately 2.25 months of its operational expenses reported in 2020.

The amount our three campgrounds lost in 2020 was very large. Indeed, the losses were far more than the entire amount of the Emergency Fund. And we realize that these naked numbers may seem inequitable (particularly to Samish Island) to people who have not reviewed the large amount of data the above-mentioned people reviewed. Nevertheless, we are confident of the overall distribution in regards to fairness and demonstrated need. In particular we would like to remind GPNW that Samish Island is supported by 3 mission centers, and we intend to publish our decisions with those mission centers as a challenge to them to match our distribution.

Giving Tuesday

Posted on November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 by GPNW2020

Double the Good

This year a generous matching contribution of $200,000 has been pledged for this event. For example, a $25.00 contribution becomes $50.00.

Any size donation to Worldwide Mission Tithes helps bring hope to people around the world! In 2020, contributions have meant:

COVID-19 crisis relief and oblation aid, including $100,500 to Haiti, Africa, Nepal, India, and Central and South America. And, a total of $63,614 in oblation aid in the United States.
Ten chartered World Church teams with 136 members who provide guidance, advocacy, and education on Earth stewardship, diversity and inclusion, health and wholeness, spiritual formation, and peace and justice—among others.

How to Participate

Those in the USA can contribute to Worldwide Mission Tithes:

Online

Visit eTithing to give.

Text

Text GIVE to 844-964-1444 and follow the instructions.

Mail

Mail checks to Community of Christ International Headquarters, Presiding Bishopric, 1001 W. Walnut St., Independence, MO 64050. Mark the check “Giving Tuesday.”

Please email Presiding Bishopric at International Headquarters to ensure your gift is included in Giving Tuesday totals.

Engage in the Generosity Cycle

Posted on September 25, 2020October 6, 2020 by GPNW2020

The Generosity Cycle
Originally published in Community of Christ Announcements Sept 28, 2020

The Church celebrates various seasons, such as Advent and Lent, where our gaze is focused in a certain direction and we spend time in meaningful reﬂection and preparation.
For six weeks, the Generosity Cycle provides an annual opportunity to intentionally move together through a season of generosity. The four phases of the Generosity Cycle: Invite, Discover, Respond and Reflect encourage us to remember God’s extravagant grace and generosity, to discover a deeper joy in living Christ’s mission, and to respond through whole-life stewardship as we reflect on our lives as generous disciples.

HOW CAN YOUR CONGREGATION OR MISSION CENTER PARTICIPATE?
Disciples’ Generous Response moments focused on the four phases of the Generosity Cycle starting October 11th can be found here.
Additional resources including a video and study guides are available here.

If you have questions or need more information about how your congregation or mission center can participate, please contact MissionFunding@CofChrist.org, 1-800-884-7526

Bridge of Hope Retirement Responsibilities

Posted on July 24, 2020July 29, 2020 by GPNW2020

GPNW Mission Center has been given a target of raising $3 million toward the Bridge of Hope retirement responsibility. The deadline for meeting this target is January 1, 2024. To date, our mission center has already contributed close to $500,000 of that target through various net proceeds of property sales and congregational generosity through contributions from investment accounts. In order to ensure we meet our goal, the Mission Center Leadership Team has created the Bridge of Hope Strategic Planning Team whose focus will be to discern various methods for reaching this goal. The team is comprised of members throughout the mission center with expertise in strategic planning, business/project development, visioning, church planting, etc. Members of the Strategic Planning Team are: David Anderson (Redmond OR), Jammie Apodaca (Selah WA), Gary Farnsworth (Bend OR), David Irby (Redmond WA), Dan Jackson (Vancouver WA), Sean Langdon (Springfield OR), Bill McFarlin (Vancouver WA), Kim Naten (Chehalis WA), Steve Pomeroy (Bellevue WA), Brenda Sargent (Longview WA), Deborah Towner (Bothell WA), Donald Welch (Salem OR) and Dean Wight (Bellingham WA). The Team is chaired by Kim Naten, GPNMC President.

Over the next 3 ½ years, the Team will report to the mission center membership on its progress. We are excited to bring together the collective giftedness, experience, wisdom and creativity within our mission center to not only accomplish the monetary Bridge of Hope retirement goal, but to spend time discerning and visioning a bridge to OUR future in Community of Christ. Stay tuned for more information soon.