Hello Church Family,
I hope this email finds you well. We’re hitting the final lap of 2026 and I want to pass on some important financial information to you as we head toward the end of the year.
OCTOBER GIVING REPORT / MINISTRY FUND
October Budget: $165,000.00
October Actual Giving: $120,976.77
Difference: -$44,023.23 (-26.6%)
JANUARY-OCTOBER BUDGET REPORT / MINISTRY FUND
Budget: $1,547,500.00
Actual: $1,526,265.25
Difference: -$21,234.75 (-1.37%)
NOVEMBER GIVING NEED
$200,000
Explanation. We had been trending strong financially through the spring and the first part of summer, but we have seen a significant dip in giving this fall.
First, the good news: With our healthy early-year giving, we find ourselves only a couple of percentage points behind for the year. We’re still in a relatively good financial position with a minimal gap to make up to meet our financial needs for the year.
Now, the hard news: The current giving trend is unsettling. Since July, we have been 12% behind our budget and if this trend becomes permanent, we’ll need to adjust our expectations. Note that our budget needs do increase during the fall months as we approach year’s end.
We’ll keep leading people to pursue a Jesus-first life with whatever God gives us to steward. Thank you for praying and for your faithful giving as we look to the Lord to reverse this most recent trend.
Maintenance Projects. We have finished two significant maintenance projects that addressed notable needs. First, we repaired structural damage and re-sided the back walls of the church. Most recently, we also replaced the overhang roof of our main entrance, which corrects a plethora of persistent water leaks that consistently damaged areas in our building. It is a huge blessing to have these projects finished and fully paid for! Both were necessary to keep the integrity of the building intact.
We currently don’t have any other deferred maintenance projects planned, and the team will begin assessing future maintenance needs.
That’s it for now. I’m looking forward to a great holiday season of ministry and family. I’ll keep you updated along the way as this year closes out. I can’t wait to see what God has for us next. As always, I welcome your comments and questions (john@mstar.church).
In all things, Jesus first!
John Jaskilka
Executive Pastor
