Why do churches always ask for more money? 

Legitimate Concerns: When it comes to finances and the church, we understand that there are concerns and, at times, frustrations. Some might think:

• "The church keeps asking for my money and my time. Isn’t it enough to show up?"

• "Is the church really using these funds in a way that serves us all?"

• ____________________ (fill in the blank)

While it’s true that churches haven’t always handled finances in ways that build trust, it’s not true that all of them do. At Westminster Presbyterian Church, we are committed to being responsible and transparent with every dollar given. If you want to know how we spend church giving, ask us and we’ll answer—we’ll even give you a copy of the budget!

Household Needs: Whether as people responsible for our own households, then, or as pastors responsible for the church, when it comes to money there will always be a need to:

• Seek more of it

• Juggle or borrow funds to meet immediate needs (whether or not we want or can afford to do so at any given moment)

• Budget to address what will soon or next need to be done

• Pursue aspirational goals whenever possible

Our Financial Needs: Just as each household manages expenses, our church has both fixed costs and growth-related needs. Here are some of our current financial priorities:

• Rising Costs of Maintenance
  Inflation and increased expenses due to expanded use of the facility, etc. Over the course of a school week, every room in our building gets used.

• Unexpected Repairs or Replacements
  Increased use leads to increased need for repairs—malfunctioning or broken appliances, plumbing problems, HVAC repairs, etc.

• Desired Improvements or Aspirational Goals
  We hope to add a new Sunday morning worship service aimed at those who are far from Jesus, to increase the number of Bible studies and community groups, and to hire additional staff to develop and support church growth.

Faithful Stewardship: In spite of rising costs, our church has not had a significant budget increase in six years; instead, we’ve made a lot of cutbacks to make ends meet without compromising our mission. This careful stewardship has required reducing some of the things we can offer as a church, but we remain dedicated to doing as much as we can with what we have. Our finances are also managed by an outside accounting firm and are reviewed annually to ensure proper accountability.

God has called us to be a people at peace in a chaotic world, a people rooted in the ancient, life-giving way of Jesus. Doing that enables us to see everyone in our community encounter the hope of the Gospel every day—and giving is not about obligation but about the opportunity to be part of our mission.

Our Promise: While we will ask for support, we can promise a commitment to:

• Openness & Approachability

• Honesty & Accountability

• Thoughtfulness & Resourcefulness

• Faithfulness & Hopefulness

...and believing that God will continue to provide for us what is needed to advance the mission and vision of WPC for His glory.

If you have any questions or concerns about finances, please feel free to reach out to Sarah Griffin, our Office Manager. Giving amounts remain private, known only to the giver, the Lord, and Sarah, ensuring that contributions are treated with respect and confidentiality.