The Finance Committee Part 1: Embedded in the Spirit
Update: Last week, I wrote about the amazing $100 million gift given to Spelman College earlier this year. Well…welcome to this week where a $1 billion gift (yes that’s a billion with a “b”) was given to The Albert Einstein School of Medicine so students can attend med school tuition-free. Holy moly! Let’s all tip our hat and thank Ruth Gottesman, the chair of the board, for her life-changing generosity.
Let’s get back to business.
Here might be your reaction to the title of this post:
You: Cesie, excuse me, but the Finance Committee…how in the world can it be embedded in the Spirit? It’s about making sure the church stays afloat!
Me: Before you pass out, let me explain.
Yes. There's no doubt that the primary purpose of the Finance Committee is to make sure the church’s finances are in order and that a budget is developed and approved annually (more on that next week).
But how is your Finance Committee different from any other non-profit’s Finance Committee?
It’s embedded with the Spirit (and in this case it’s the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the living God).
As mentioned in a recent post, I’ve been attending a five-part webinar series on the “Spirituality of Fundraising: For Those Who Give & Raise Funds.” Last week, Ben Keesey, the Development and Partnerships Director for Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation spoke about developing Guiding Financial Principles.
For committees that almost exclusively focus on spreadsheets and budgets, this can be a jarring shift in perspective. Moving beyond numbers and developing Guiding Financial Principles means thinking about your committee’s purpose and vision. About what God might be calling your committee to do and how it might make decisions. Numbers do not fit into this equation (pun most definitely intended).
To give you an example, here are the Guiding Financial Principles of the Center for Action and Contemplation:
We operate from a clear definition of “enough” (i.e., “abundance doesn’t come from more, it comes from ‘enough’”).
We practice transparency.
We seek for money to never be the barrier to participation.
We understand exchanges of money as vehicles for advancing our mission and message.
We commit to spending simply, equitably, and sustainably.
We lead with giving and generosity.
What would it take for your Finance Committee to set aside one meeting (or an hour) to begin the conversation about what it means to be the Finance Committee in a place that follows the teachings and principles of Jesus?
This isn’t just some foo-foo touchy-feely exercise.
It gets to the heart of who your congregation is and who you want to be – especially as it relates to finances.
Money can trip us up. I’ve seen it in myself. I’m not Zen about financial issues – far from it. I was chair of the Finance Committee, and it was hard to not operate out of a position of scarcity versus the abundant life to which we are called.
That’s why grounding – embedding – your Finance Committee in an understanding of the Spirit’s work within your group is so important.
Your Finance Committee is so much more than spreadsheets and budget.
It’s about ministry and witness.
Take some time to reflect and remember why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Photo credit: Bru-nO @ pixabay.com
Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations.
If you want to get a sense of the impact of one billion dollars, she wants you to check out the video of student reaction to the announcement. It’ll make your day.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered!
Schedule a meeting now.
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