Good morning! My name is Brittany Fenderson and this morning I am representing your leadership team here at the University Church.
In an effort to be transparent about the state of the church, we are going to share information on our financial status on a regular basis. The budget and giving totals you are seeing here are specifically the general operating budget of our church. We cannot be a functioning church and sustain our outreach ministries, including the garden, the Reynolds & Rogers school programs, and Third Thursday, without a fully funded general operating budget.
On the last Sunday of each month I will present some additional information. This may include where our money goes and testimonials from the ministries we invest in. It could also include ways in which all of us can work together to build the financial foundation for our church. We are only able to continue to serve the Toledo community, including investing in the lives of our young people, if we have a financially stable church.
Today, I would like to share a story about a fellow congregation member who led a small fundraiser for our church. The following is Gayle Schaber’s story:
“I can’t tell you exactly how the idea for the Gold Project came to me. One day during the Christmas season, I was looking through my jewelry drawer. I really began thinking about the rings, earrings, and other pieces I no longer wore. Some were broken and some I just didn’t like. I decided I could sell the gold and have some extra money in my budget. We had recently been told of the challenging financial outlook for our church. All of a sudden, I thought about using that money to make a donation to our University Church. The idea seemed to create and organize itself. I could hardly wait to share my idea with Julian and seek his approval. Before Bible Study the next Wednesday, I told him my idea. He liked it and pointed out it could be a great Epiphany fund-raising project: mirroring the Wise Men’s gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Baby Jesus. The lovely green velvet and gold box that was placed on the altar to receive donations was purchased at one of my favorite stores: The Goodwill on Reynolds Rd.
I love our University Church because it does two things. First, it teaches God’s message of faith and grace; “The just shall live by faith alone”. And second, it shares the message with our community through many outreaches; “Faith without good works is dead”.
I was so happy to offer this fund-raising idea to my fellow members. I know from personal experience that it is not always easy to answer the call for additional giving. But, the Gold Project gave members a chance to increase their giving without negatively impacting their personal budgets. God was giving us a hint as to how we can use our resources in new ways.
The Gold Project raised over $550 for our church. The green and gold donation box is sitting on my bookshelf at home waiting for next Epiphany. I also encourage the Leadership Team to continue to inform all the members regarding the financial status of our church.”
We are so grateful for Gayle’s creative idea and that she chose to say “yes” to an idea she easily could have ignored. As you think about and pray about The University Church, please consider your means of giving and other fundraising ideas you may have. We are not simply investing in a building, we are investing in countless human beings, of all ages, who matter and make a difference.
If you have any questions or ideas, please reach out to anyone on the leadership team or Pastor Julian. The University Church is our church and we are all part of this beautiful family. Thank you for choosing this place to call home.
