Finance
Council
-------------------------------
Dear Parishioners: November 4, 2006
This insert in today's Bulletin provides you with a report on the
Parish finances for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006.
From an operating perspective, the Parish generated a small surplus
of $10,118 for the 2006 fiscal year. We are genuinely grateful for
the support you give that enables St. Louis to provide the variety
of ministries that we do.
The pie charts within show the sources of revenue and expense for
the Parish, Noteworthy is that our revenues come overwhelmingly from
the weekly collections (75% of total
revenues), while our major expenses are in the areas of Catholic
School Support (26% of total expenses), General Parish (19%), and
Facilities Maintenance (15%), with the rest of our expenses directed
towards Christian Formation, Church Liturgy, Tithing, Pastoral Care,
and other ministries.
You may note the TGA expense category in the attached pie chart. The
expense here represents the amount by which St. Louis parishioners
collectively fell short of our Thanks Giving Appeal goal this past
year, which shortfall was required to be made up from the Parish
finances.
The Parish salary and benefits, which costs are included within each
of the Expense categories in the attached pie chart, aggregate
approximately $427,341. The year-over-year salary and benefits
increases reflected therein are approximately 3% and 10%,
respectively.
Though we are already well into our 2007 fiscal year, your continued
generous support is critical. As in your personal budget, we, too,
face cost increases in such expense areas as insurance, healthcare,
and utilities. Our ability to absorb these cost increases is heavily
dependent on increases in donations and sacrificial giving to the
Parish. Of course, there are some who are simply unable to increase
their giving due to family expenses or being on a fixed income,
making it all the more important that the rest of us to do our best
for the Parish.
Our goal continues to be that every household participates in
sacrificial giving to St. Louis Parish to the extent they are able.
We sincerely thank those of you who do currently participate, and
earnestly request those of you who are not regular contributors to
join in the Stewardship of Treasure. Of the 2154 registered families
at Saint Louis, eighty percent give on a regular basis (envelopes or
automatic withdrawal). If you would like to consider automatic
withdrawal as a user-friendly way of sacrificial giving, please
contact Birdie Proctor (586-5675) at the Ministry Center for more
information.
The Parish, in addition to the break-even operating performance
noted above, did receive additional monies through this year's
receipt of the Parish portion of the Diocesan Partners in Faith
(PIF) campaign ($117,939). As per a resolution adopted by the Parish
Council, ten percent of the PIF receipts go to tithing, with the
excess PIF funds placed into existing endowment funds the Parish has
in place for future use, both specified and unspecified.
Saint's Place continues to be a wonderfully successful ministry at
Saint Louis. The variety of Saint's Place support and outreach
activities continues to grow under the leadership of Colleen Knauf,
along with the support of many generous volunteers and donors, and
her continued successful experience in gaining grants from other
support organizations.
Subsequent to the 2006 fiscal year, the Parish purchased the house
at 21 Rand Place, with the approval of the Pastoral Council and
Finance Council. The purchase price of the property was $348,000. A
committee has been set up to make recommendations to the Pastoral
Council on possible longer-term uses. This committee has begun
meeting and is led by Rich Smerbeck. In the meantime, as no
permanent Parish use has yet been determined for the house, we have
rented it for the next year.
To provide some context, when the Partners in Faith campaign was
beginning in 2003, each parish was required to determine how any
money returned to the parishes from the Diocese would be used. At
that time, the St. Louis Facilities Committee recommended to the
Pastoral Council that the purchase of neighboring property (21 Rand
Place was specifically mentioned for increased parking) be
considered. The Council set two goals for any funds returned to the
parish from Partners in Faith: increasing the Endowment Funds of the
parish and the purchase of such property.
Finally and importantly, we want to thank you for the tremendous
support this financial report reflects. While we face challenging
and uncertain times, we face the future with great confidence in the
generosity of the People of St. Louis. Many thanks.
May the Good Lord bless you for the many
ways you share your Time, Talent, and Treasure!
Father
Kevin
,
Pastor
Edward Kay, Chair of Finance Council

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE
FISCAL
YEAR JULY 1,
2005 – JUNE 30,2006
|
| SACRIFICIAL
GIVING OFFERINGS
|
$956,996 |
|
DONATIONS |
211,136 |
|
OTHER Income
(weddings, funerals, room & board,
flowers, candles,
religious ed fees,
youth events) |
26,477
|
| CHRISTIAN
FORMATION - YOUTH PROGRAM |
30,424 |
| Saints
Place Donations |
65,789 |
|
|

|
TITHING |
$95,692
|
| Christian
Outreach - Saints Place |
95,588 |
|
TGA |
21,551 |
| CHURCH –
LITURGY |
106,888 |
|
CATHOLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT |
327,393 |
| PASTORAL
CARE |
57,429 |
|
GENERAL
PARISH |
238,794 |
|
CHRISTIAN FORMATION-
YOUTH |
110,550 |
|
PARISH MAINTENANCE* |
193,461 |
|
RECTORY |
33,358 |
Includes
the parish portion of school maintenance
|
|