LOAN NOTE UPDATE:
Church Family,
I want to express my sincere gratitude for your contributions to the Summer Challenge, specifically to help us address some serious HVAC issues and building repair. We have implemented a plan to address all those repairs!
I do need to share an additional challenge that has recently been shared with us by the Tennessee Western Kentucky Conference’s Stay UMC team. The fund that supports our mortgage payment is unfortunately close to being depleted.
What does that mean to us?
- Stay UMC support of our mortgage payment will drop to 75% from 100% coverage through December 2025
- There is no guarantee we will get any support from January 2026 on, but praying for 50%
- Ultimately, we will have to begin covering our full mortgage with our own funding by summer 2026.
What are we doing internally?
- Debbie Ray, Director of Finances, and others are developing plans to fully cover our mortgage within our budget for 2026.
- The work is focused in 3 areas, expense reduction, revenue from rentals, and a successful Stewardship season.
My request is simple. Please keep us in your daily prayers as we make every effort to balance the 2026 budget with as little impact to the church missions and staff as possible. This will be a very challenging time for our church, and we need to continue to be a unified congregation to see us through. As I have said many times, I have been humbled by the outpouring of support. You have been amazing!
I know it seems like we face challenge after challenge, but we have come so far together. I have faith God will provide and our spiritual strength as a congregation will shine through!
Blessings to all!
Cary Pappas
Finance Chair