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We are a few weeks into a new ministry year together. In our United Methodist tradition, the appointive year begins in July, so this is the season when our shared work finds a fresh start. Before anything else, I want to say thank you. The ministry we do here runs on your generosity, and you have been faithful.

What the plan is

This spring, our Leadership Board unanimously approved the Ministry Funding Plan for the 2026-2027 year. The plan anticipates revenue of $722,539 and operating expenses of $706,900. It sets aside a missional opportunity reserve of $14,451 and projects a small surplus of $1,188. In plain terms, we planned carefully, we planned within our means, and we built in a margin so the church stays on steady ground.

Where the support comes from

Most of our income, about $607,500, comes from your regular giving to the Ministry Fund. The rest reflects a season of transition: roughly $70,000 from a Transitions into Ministry grant and our shared ministry with Little River UMC, and a planned $45,000 draw from our Legacy Fund endowment. Some of that grant and partnership support will taper off in the years ahead, which is one reason your steady, ongoing generosity matters so much.

Where it goes

Ministry happens through people, so a little more than half of our spending supports the pastoral and lay staff who lead worship, form our children and youth, care for our members, and keep the church running day to day: about $186,700 for pastoral staff and $201,300 for lay staff. Beyond that, the plan invests about $146,000 in our property and building, $73,700 in giving beyond our walls through missions, conference apportionments, and neighbor assistance, $65,200 in administration and operations, and $34,000 in ministry programs for every age.

What it makes possible

A funding plan is really a ministry plan. Your giving is what gathers us for worship each Sunday, forms children and youth in faith, walks with people through grief and joy, sends students to serve in places like San Angelo, opens the doors for Grace Groups and everyday discipleship, and supports the staff and the building that hold all of it together. Every gift, of every size, becomes ministry in someone's life.

Two calendars, one shared ministry

You may notice that our church now keeps two rhythms, and I want to make them clear. Beginning July 1, 2026, our ministry year runs from July through June. This shift gives our leaders several months each spring to plan and budget thoughtfully before a new ministry year begins. Your giving commitment, though, still follows the calendar year, from January through December. We kept it that way on purpose, because a calendar year matches how most of us think about our finances and our taxes. You can track your giving simply, and the church takes care of how that giving supports each ministry-year budget behind the scenes. If you made a commitment back in February for 2026, nothing about it changes; it carries through December just as you intended.

The gift of steady giving

One of the most helpful things you can do for the ministry of this church is to give regularly. Steady giving, month after month, lets us plan with confidence and say yes to ministry as opportunities arise. The simplest way to make your giving steady is to set up recurring monthly gifts through the Church Center app, so your generosity continues faithfully through every season, even the busy ones.

Later this year you will hear more about Faithful Partners, a new way we will say thank you to those who give consistently across the year. It is about faithfulness rather than amount: anyone who gives in ten or more months of the year is a Faithful Partner, whether by automatic gift, by check, or by cash, all counted equally. There is nothing to sign up for, and your steady giving throughout the year is all it takes. I simply want you to know it is coming, and your giving this year already counts.

How to give

If you would like to give toward the ministry of this year, you can give online at mcphersonfirst.org/give, where you can make a one-time gift or set up steady, recurring monthly giving, place a gift in the offering on Sunday, or mail a gift to the church at 1200 E Kansas Ave, McPherson, KS 67460. If you have questions about giving, the church office is glad to help at 620-241-3626. And if you would like to see more, you are welcome to stop by the office any time to look through the full financial reports our Leadership Board receives. Transparency is part of how we honor your trust.

Thank you for the trust you place in this church and in one another. With your generosity, we will keep learning together to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in the year ahead.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Andrew