Year-To-Date (YTD) Actual is in the RED by over $ – 16,700. This is NOT good; the church cannot continue to take money out of our savings. This is a real slippery slope and if we continue to do this, our savings will be gone before too long.

What you do not see is that for the month of September, our expenses exceeded our income by an Negative or in the RED of over $ – 29,000. The church is holding the line on expenses, since the expenses were almost $40,000 less than budgeted YTD.

The church on the average has been losing income at the rate of about $25,000 a month and this is due to loss of members to death which is over 75 giving units. I am not saying that our current members who pledge to give in 2021 are the problem, they are doing what they agreed to do and we are very thankful for them and ask God to continue to bless them and their families.

I know that you are probably getting tired of me saying this but the answer is still that everyone in the church needs to invite their neighbors and friends to come to Lakeview.

The best way to do this is to invite them first to Amazing Grays on Wednesdays for lunch (11:30) and / or to TNT for dinner on Thursdays (5:30 PM). Dave McCord said last week that the Membership Committee would even pay for your guest(s). Before people decide to come to a church, they need to know how friendly they are and coming to Amazing Grays and / or TNT will cover this concern. That way they will meet people and get to know us and see that we are a friendly church and then maybe they will start attending regular church.

I still believe that God is still in charge but we need to do what He is asking us to do and that is to continue to pray and add to the number of people who give to Lakeview.

Remember for giving, you can still drop off your offerings at the church office (Monday-Thursday), you can still drop off your offerings through the North Staff Entrance door (just use the mail slot), give on the internet, put your envelopes into the offering plate on Sunday mornings, or you can mail them. Please continue to pray for God’s guidance, give what is in your heart to give, and invite your neighbors and friends to come. With God’s help, we will succeed.

God’s Blessings to All. Eli Reeves, Finance Chair