Cascade Covenant Church Our Finances

Money is a very important, personal and often sensitive issue for individuals. This is true in the church too! It is our desire to approach this area with sensitivity, honesty, integrity and a biblical balance that will honor God. Here is a brief description of how we approach this issue at CCC.

1. How do we handle money on Sunday mornings? There really is no pressure to give on Sunday mornings. We typically receive an �offering� during our worship service. Offering baskets are passed around so that those who want can share a gift to support God�s work at CCC. For people who have made a commitment to Christ and are active participants in our church, these gifts are freely given and are significant acts of worship. We do not expect newcomers to give. We understand they haven�t had an opportunity to find out who or what they would be giving to. In most of our services there is no mention of money. Occasionally there might be a brief update and/or prayer related to the financial needs and opportunities of the church. On occasion, our pastor will share a teaching message on this subject. When this happens we work hard to share this with sensitivity to the newcomer. These teaching messages are important because while we want to be sensitive, we do not want to ignore this issue. We believe God has provided us with some wonderful guidance in the scriptures about giving and finances. It is important to explore this issue and the Bible�s teachings on money. If you have been turned off to God and/or the church because of a perception that the church is greedy, manipulative and out for people�s money, we believe you will find a refreshing difference at CCC!

2. How do we manage our church finances at CCC? We strive to manage the finances of our church with prayer, wisdom, faith and integrity. Each year members of CCC vote on a budget for the coming year. They also elect a church treasurer and financial secretary. These two people are responsible for managing our financial deposits and expenditures. Our church leadership team oversees our finances during the year. They receive regular reports from our treasurer and financial secretary. Regular financial reports are available to everyone. There are no secrets in this area at CCC. We have an open budget. Anyone can ask, �Where is the money going?� or �How are the offerings?� at any time.

3. What do we teach people about money and giving? This important question could lead to a long answer! Here are a few highlights:

God owns everything!
God calls his children to generous, sacrificial, regular and joyous giving.
We give as an expression of gratitude, worship, trust and obedience.
Our giving can be a key to our spiritual growth, our experience of contentment and our affirmation of our faith.
God calls his children to tithe.
Our giving should be thoughtful and prayerful.
God cares not just about what we give but how we manage all the resources He has given us.
One of our motivations to give can be to support what God is doing in a specific way.

In the affluence of our culture, giving is an especially important issue. It can be one of the ways we become free from a self-centered lifestyle.

4. Do we invite our people to be generous givers to God�s work at CCC? For people who are committed to Christ and to CCC as their home church, yes. Our desire is to extend this invitation with care, integrity, sensitivity and with confidence that Christ calls his followers to generous giving. Again, we don�t ask or expect the newcomer to give to CCC but we do encourage people who are actively involved in our ministry to support God�s work here as He leads them.

If you find anything here that is confusing, please feel free to call us. We want to approach this issue openly and carefully. Our prayer is that how we handle the money issue at CCC will lead to great blessings rather that discouraging barriers.

5. Specific Financial Information:

2004 Giving to CCC General Fund = $376,000
2005 Giving to CCC General Fund = $399,000
2006 Giving to CCC General fund = $472,000
2006 CCC Budget = $570,000

LAND/FACILITY PHASE I & II FINANCIAL SUMMARY:

Final Land & Phase I Costs = $2,325,000 (Moved in in 2002)
Final ETS Phase II Costs = $700,000 (Moved in in 2005)
Funds raised and paid during this process = $825,000
Land & Mortgage Debt in 2007 = $2,200,000

6. Expanding to Serve Captial Funds Campaign Information & Goals:

Victory Goal = $375,000
Challenge Goal = $500,000

ETS is our 3-Year Capital Funds Campaign that we entered into in the winter of 2005. Our financial goals reflect our prayer for increased giving over a 3-year period of time to support the expansion of our ministry through a facility addition, staff additions and the planting of a new church. In March/April of 2005 we received 100 ETS pledges reflecting commitments to give $700,000 to this ministry expansion. Through the end of 2006 CCC received approximately $325,000 in ETS gifts.