Financial Update

- Matthew 6:21

It is the goal of the OroNaz Finance Team to keep this church family updated on our financial blessings and challenges. Through this expanded Financial Connection we will share biblical teachings that direct the decisions made by the CLT and we hope you can find application to your life as well.

This week we’ll take a closer look at giving and know the origins of tithing.

In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. In time, they had two sons, Cain and Abel. “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.” (Genesis 4:2b-5a)

How we approach God matters. Notice that Cain ‘brought some’ while Abel brought ‘fat portions from some of the firstborn’. Cain’s offering was rejected because it was not from the first portion of his crop; nor was he intentional with his offering since he brought it ‘In the course of time’. On the other hand, God honored Abel’s offering because it was from among the best of his firstborn lambs. Not only were these lambs first, they were among the best of the flock. When we look at our finances, first of all we need to be intentional with how we manage that which has been provided to us. As Christians, we are called to first return a tithe back to God. Returning the first ten percent of your income to your local church is an act of faith, knowing that God’s provision in our lives will always be greater than anything we can do on our own.

Pastor Robert Morris has been teaching and preaching on Biblical finances for over 30 years. He writes, “Our obedience to God’s principles reveals the condition of our hearts. When we honor the Lord with the best parts of everything we have, we invite His provision and protection into our lives. Many blessings go along with tithing, but it is the principle of putting God first that initiates those blessings.”

No matter where you are on the giving and tithing spectrum, each of us need to ask ourselves what we are offering God. Are you like Cain bringing some of yourself when you feel like it? Offering what you feel like, when you feel like it? Or are you like Abel, intentionally bringing your best first and foremost to our Father? Our God is jealous for you. He wants to be first in your life in all that you do. When you put God first in your life, He will honor you and unleash blessings upon you.

Thank you OroNaz for your continued faithfulness, not only for your support of this local church, but also for the global works of the Church of the Nazarene.

If you are new to church or have questions regarding tithing, giving, church finances or managing personal finances, please reach out to us at finance@oronaz.org.
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We are keeping the church family updated on our financial blessings and challenges. Please pray and give as God leads.

August is the 6th month of the annual budget year that runs March 2024 to February 2025. Thank you for your continued financial commitment; it is a testament to what God is doing in us and through us.

Our Pastor, CLT, Treasurer (Joey McCoy) and Finance Team welcome your questions or feedback. Please email the Finance Team at finance@oronaz.org to start a conversation.

FINANCIAL CONNECTION ARCHIVES: Click the month below you'd like to view.
APR 2022     MAY 2022     JUN 2022     JUL 2022     AUG 2022    SEP 2022    OCT 2022    NOV 2022     DEC 2022     Jan 2023   No FEB 2023 report 
MAR 2023   APR 2023    May 2023       Jun 2023     Jul 2023     Aug 2023    Sep 2023        Oct 2023      Nov 2023 Dec 2023   Jan 2024   No Feb 2024 report
Mar 2024    APR 2024    May 2024       Jun 2024

As part of the governments recovery plan to stimulate and shore up the economy during the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Church Board approved us applying for the Payroll Protection Plan (PPP). Working with our Bank, the church was eligible to receive a $10,000 Grant and was approved for $98,000 in payroll protection, which was a loan with a forgiveness provision. We have weathered this pandemic, keeping our staff employed during this time. The church has followed all of the Federal Government’s provisions for the forgiveness of the PPP, and after submitting it to the Bank, they determined that we would need to repay $10,000 plus a small amount of interest accrued after approval, they determined that the remainder, $98,000, was forgiven. Because we spent the money from the PPP for payroll and mortgage payments, we were able to hold back the money budgeted for these things in a restricted account as they were paid. At the end we had set aside out of our budget the full amount of $108,000. Below we have charted this for you. The amount of interest was $81.45, leaving us with $97,918.55.

With $97,918.55 funds available, the Finance Team discussed that we need to use some of the money to help others, not just for ourselves. The recommendation to the Church Leadership Team was to pay a 10% tithe off the money to help others, and then use the rest in a prioritized spending plan developed last year for extra funds above the budgeted amounts. More on the prioritized spending plan later.
 
The Church Leadership Team approved the Finance Teams recommendation. The  tithe on the forgiven amount was decided to be split in two gifts: the first 5% ($4895.93) was allocated to World Missions (NMI) to give to those in need on the mission field, the second 5% was for the same amount,  and was allocated to Local Missions in our area.
Our World Missions Council (NMI) split their money and gave it to two projects:

• $2,447.97:  Project 1 – NCM COVID - 19 Response:  “As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is committed to acting in compassion as we respond together throughout the crisis, including the long-term needs that will go beyond immediate risks and dangers. Together, we can continue to be formed by Christ to respond in love, care, patience, devotion, and boldness.”  More details at: https://www.ncm.org/covid19 [ncm.org] and https://issuu.com/ncm.magazine/docs/covid-19_digital
• $2,447.96:  Project 2 – NCM The Shechem Children’s Home: “The Shechem Children’s Home is a short-term assessment center for children who are survivors of online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC). This is a form of human trafficking where images or videos of children performing sexual acts are sold over the internet. It is a growing problem globally and, in the Philippines, where Shechem is located.”  More details at: https://www.ncm.org/shechem

Our Local Missions designation for the other top 5% ($4895.92) was split into four gifts:

• $1223.98: Gift 1 – Caring for Women Pregnancy Resource Center: Caring For Women is a nonprofit pregnancy resource center. We have helped teens and women in Butte County with free services for over 25 years. The Pregnancy Resource Center offers a friendly, caring and confidential atmosphere. More details: https://caringforwomen.life/index.htm
• $1223.98: Gift 2 –The Axiom Youth Center: The Axiom is a Youth Center in Downtown Oroville Focused on building platforms for success for students to realize and utilize their untapped potential. More details: http://www.theaxiom.org/
• $1223.98: Gift 3 –The Greater Oroville Homeless Coalition: The Greater Oroville Homeless Coalition is housed in the Hope Center to assist in-crisis individuals and families keep their homes. They work to end homelessness one individual or family at a time, whether you are in trouble of losing your housing or if you are trying to find housing. More details: https://www.facebook.com/OrovilleHomelessCoalition/
• $1223.98: Gift 4 –The Oroville Rescue Mission: The Oroville Rescue Mission is a religious non-profit organization which serves the homeless and disadvantaged in the Oroville area and its surrounding communities. It is affiliated with the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. More details: https://www.orovillerescuemission.org

Prioritized Spending Plan Distribution of Remainder: $88,126.30
Last year as part of our budget process the Finance Team and CLT set up what we are calling the prioritized spending plan where extra funds above the budgeted amount would be distributed as follows: 75% ($66,095.03) was allocated to debt repayment on our construction loan, 10% ($8,812.67) has been set aside for our Maintenance Team to use on the many needs of our campus and buildings, 5% ($4,406.33) has been set aside for Local Compassionate Ministries future needs, 5% ($4,406.33) has been allocated to our NMI team for future needs, and the last 5% ($4,406.33) has been set aside for the CLT to aid our church ministries and their needs.
We have been truly blessed! We will continue to steward God’s finances to the best of our ability. Any questions feel free to email finance@oronaz.org

Joey McCoy, Treasurer and the Finance Team