Financial Management at PCC: Managing Outflows

Managing Outflows

by Chauncey Starkey

Church Administrator

Today we’ll continue to try to make our financial management transparent to by explaining how payments and reimbursements are made. We’ve had a great process for “Accounts Payable” from the start. Checks are written in a timely manner, usually weekly. Of course, there are several protective measures in place, starting when the need for a service or purchase is realized.

Before an obligation is made an Expense Voucher should be completed.  You can download one from the website at http://www.powhatancommunitychurch.org/ExpenseVoucher.pdf. You will need to know the amount required; you can usually find this online or by calling the vendor. If you don’t know what budget line item to select you can check with your ministry leader, the staff support member or call the office at 598-1174. A staff member (named next to the budget line name) will need to sign the voucher before payment or reimbursement can be made, and you’ll need to select if you’ll require reimbursement (you’ll pay the vendor yourself) or payment should be made to the provider. When your purchase will exceed $5,000, Chauncey Starkey, Dennis Green or Brian Hughes will also need to sign the voucher.

By using the Expense Voucher you know funds are available without exceeding the budget (Brian explained the budget process in “Budgeting at PCC”). It also helps make sure we aren’t buying anything we already have on hand, that we use the best vendors at the best price whenever possible, and that any tax exemptions are claimed. Once the Expense Voucher is completed you can purchase the necessary goods or service.

There are several ways to make that purchase. You can make it yourself and request reimbursement; this is often the fastest method, but sometimes it isn’t convenient. If that is the case, send it to the office. Whenever possible your request will be forwarded to a purchasing agent to be purchased, or a check may be written and sent to the provider.

We use QuickBooks to manage our financials. We use most of its features; we use it to write checks, schedule recurring payments, process payroll and provide any necessary reports. There are only three people who can sign checks:  Chauncey, Dennis (and Brian, in extreme circumstances; in 6 years, Brian has signed only a handful of checks). If a second signature was required for the Expense Voucher (the check is over $5,000), one of the other two will sign the check providing another layer of oversight.

The Church Treasurer reconciles the bank statement every month and reviews transactions, providing a layer of checks and balances.

Whenever possible we use online or electronic banking to save time and money. On rare occasions when checks need to be hand written, they are entered into the system as soon as possible. In either case an Expense Voucher is required.

Budgets can be complicated, especially when needs continue after a specific budget line item has been spent. This can be resolved at staff level by moving funds from another line item; of course this requires the approval of both managing staff members. The total approved budget is not to be exceeded.

This may seem like a long process but a check can usually be received (or a purchase made) in a week or less. These processes are all necessary to ensure we are fiscally responsible, transparent and above reproach.

Annual Membership Banquet

ATTENTION ALL PCC MEMBERS:

Please mark your calendars. The PCC Membership Banquet is the evening of November 22 at Bethel Baptist Church. Childcare is available for infants through preschool. You will be getting a packet in the mail this week with the exact time. Dinner is provided. We need a headcount, so please email Lori Wheeler at Lori dot wheeler at powhatancommunitychurch dot org with how many will attend and how many children will need care, if any. This will be a really great evening. If you are not a PCC member, but would like to be, we will have a 101 class (which is required for membership) over the next 2 Sundays (next week is part 1, the following Sunday is part 2). If you have questions about membership or anything else concerning this event, please call or email our office for help. Hope to see you there!!

Getting Ahead of the Crisis Cycle

Getting Ahead of the Crisis Cycle

by Dr. Brian C. Hughes

Crises happen. They come. It isn’t a matter of ‘if’, it’s a matter of ‘when’. James acknowledges this truth; “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4, NIV) Not if a trial comes, but when.

The writer of the proverb knows this truth. “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 27:12, NIV) Not if danger comes, but when.

Jesus said it, too. "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:46-49, NIV) Not if the storm comes, but when.

Jesus’ words strike at the core of our crisis management center: When the storms come in your life, how do you do? The answer to that question is a direct result of your answer to this one: On what have you founded your life? Jesus says that when we build our lives and our families on His teachings and the reality of His Truth, we can withstand and even overcome any storm, trial, danger, or attack.

Let me encourage you to ask these questions:

• On what have I built my life?
• How much of Jesus’ teachings and the teachings of the Bible do I apply in my life?
• What can I do to more effectively learn the teachings of the Bible?
• Is there anything I can do to more effectively live out these teachings?
• Is anyone helping to hold me accountable to a life built on Jesus Christ?

Ask yourself these questions, but also ask someone else who knows you well to answer them for you. Tell them you want their honest answers. This could also make a good small group exercise.

Over a meal, get your family talking about this, too. Ask:

• How are we doing as a family?
• Do you feel like we listen well to each other?
• Do we practice the teachings of Jesus?
• What would you say is the foundation for our family?
• Are we prepared for a crisis?
  

If your spouse and your kids know that you really want to know how they feel (and that you will really hear them), they will pour the answers out, and your family will be stronger for it. Be sure to pray and thank God together after this conversation for each member of your family, and ask for His help as you make some changes.

I cannot overstate how important your small group could be in this process. If you are not a part of one, you need to be. If you will call our office or send an email, we’ll get you plugged in.

Quite Simply, "Yes"

Marc Chewning, Robert Moroney, Elijah Schiarelli, Joseph Freeman, Andrew Basic

Last summer a team of students and adult sponsors went to Cherokee, North Carolina for a week of work projects and mission work. Like most trips of this nature, those who went came back with much more than sore muscles and finished projects. God dealt with people and, in one particular case, infected a group of five young men in an unbelieveable way.

Marc Chewning returned from Cherokee knowing that he wanted to do more to help others know and understand the love of God. Shortly after arriving back home in Powhatan, he was mowing the grass. A bird skeleton was lying in the yard; he noticed it and thought to himself, "That's gross." He passed the skeleton again and was suddenly impacted by a powerful thought.

"How many times do we do that same thing with people? Notice, think "that's gross", and turn and walk away..."

Marc couldn't shake the thought of hurt and broken people who were ignored and left in need, often by those who claim to follow Jesus and his command to "love your neighbor as yourself."

After a flurry of communication with some of his partners from the Cherokee mission trip, Marc felt certain that God was speaking, and clearly calling them to go. They weren't sure where they were to go, but the compulsion to act was undeniable.

With the strength of their conviction and the boldness that comes from an encounter with God, these five guys starting moving. In spite of the fact that they weren't sure exactly what was ahead, they unashamedly began to declare that God had called them, and they starting looking for the next step.

Their journey led them to the front steps of the International Mission Board in Richmond (in spite of several wrong turns and a brief period of being lost), where they simply walked through the door and made themselves available. They were warmly received and graciously encouraged, and it was there that they received clarification as to the path before them.

Marc Chewning, Elijah Schiarelli, Joseph Freeman and Andrew Basic are going to spend their Christmas break in China. They will work within the specific guidelines of a Mission Board project, but what they will do is not as important as the fact that God spoke, and they said, quite simply, "Yes."

In response to the need for an adult chaperone, David Samuel also said "Yes", and he will join them. Robert Moroney will be unable to travel to China, but he said, "Yes" to the call to support those on the journey from home.

This trip is not inexpensive. Part of saying, "Yes" includes a committment to raise funds for travel. There are other basic expenses for the journey.

This is where we can help. Quite simply, say "Yes" to the opportunity to support this team financially and with prayer. There are a few specific upcoming opportunities:

• China Mission Carwash at Brusters on Saturday, November 1st, 9:00 - 1:00. This is a great time to actually meet these young men - and let them wash your cars!
• China Mission Day at Allen's Chinese Restaurant. Tell the cashier that you are dining out to support the China Mission Trip, and they will donate part of your check total to help support the trip.
• China Mission Ice Cream. Bring your church program or bulletin (PCC or any other church!) to Brusters on Sunday, November 2 and Sunday, November 9. Buy ice cream and give the cashier your church program. In return, Brusters will donate $1 to the China Mission Fund!

These minor opportunities add up and can make a tremendous impact on the efforts of these young men to make this journey. If you are unable to participate in this way, feel free to simply write a check and mail it to China Mission Trip, Powhatan Community Church, P.O. Box 834, Powhatan, VA 23139. Every contribution makes a difference.

We are excited about the privilege of partnering with these young men who heard a huge challenge from God and said, quite simply, "Yes."

Will you?

Fair Trade

Today, we talked about James 5:1-6.  I was especially affected by verse 4: "Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty." (NIV)  Originally, this was intended to reiterate the Jewish law requiring that poor workers be paid every day for their work.  This idea was taken from the Law of Moses 'Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.' (Leviticus 19:3b, NIV) and 'Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.'  (Deut. 24:15, NIV)

This teaching isn't literally applicable to most of us.  Even if we do have employees, our culture pays people weekly, biweekly, or even monthly.  But I believe that this scripture still applies to us.  I have been convicted through this text about what we purchase that is produced by exploited people who are not paid a living wage.  While our country protects workers with minimum wage and other labor laws, citizens of other countries are not so fortunate.  How can we know that what we purchase at a grocery or discount store was made by an employee who was paid fairly and treated humanely?

This is easier said than done, but there are a few resources.  Click on the links below for more information.

The Fair Trade Federation.

The International Fair Trade Association.

Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profit resource where you can buy merchandise and crafts from people in developing countries and know that they are paid a living wage.

The International Justice Mission, whose mission is stated as follows:  "International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression."  There are ways that you can get involved and you can learn more through their website.

There is much more research that can be done.  Please share what you find so that we can all benefit from your research.

Guest Blogger Ray Crews

Guest blogger Ray Crews is a member of the PCC Steering Team as well as a volunteer on the Production Team.  Ray is also a blogger; you can check out his blog here.

Here's some great insight into the workings of PCC's Small Group Leadership Team, of which Ray is also a part (he's a busy guy!).

The A Team

In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men and women promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Powhatan underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team.

Do you belong to a successful team? I do.

I belong to a group called the Small Group Leadership Team, which works to assist my friend Sammy with the Small Groups program at Powhatan Community Church where Daleen and I attend. As a rule, I am a sucker for a good cause and unless I stop myself, I will pretty much always say yes when asked to volunteer for something. So, when Sammy asked me to help him, I don't think I even paused for a second before saying, "Well of course, I'd love to be on your team!"

For those of you who don't know, Small Groups is, in my opinion, where our church resides during the week in-between Sundays. Ours is such a large church, there is no way the church staff can work with everyone on an individual basis, and there is no way people can really form meaningful relationships on just Sunday mornings. Also, in my opinion, there is just not enough time for an in-depth discussion on some pretty deep topics in a one hour service, one morning a week. So, Small Groups were formed to bridge that gap. They are small groups of folks who usually get together during the week to just talk, eat, keep tabs on one another, and help each other out when needed. Of course, these small communities also do studies on the bible as well as other topics such as financial management, relationships, etc. Basically they do what I believe can't be done in an hour on Sunday mornings... build relationships/community, and have more in-depth discussions in a safe, comfortable environment.

So, the Small Groups Leadership Team is responsible for helping my friend Sammy with planning activities for the small groups community, providing training for small group leaders, finding new people to lead and host new groups, and get people who are interested plugged into a group that will suit them.

As a team, I would say like all teams, we have had our high points and low points. There have been times where I think we have been on our game, and times where I've felt like we're spinning our wheels and not going anywhere. We are friends, but there have been times of conflict. But the whole time, I have felt good about the people on the team. Everyone is committed to moving this thing forward and making it grow. I have no doubt about that.

Last Monday evening, Sammy and I met up and talked for a couple of hours. We're both some pretty busy guys and it had been a while since we just sat down and talked. We were both very honest in our discussions about our team and and we talked about what we had done well and what could be done to strengthen our team. And then, like many discussions we had before, our talk shifted into a more upbeat tone as we began to talk about what we could do to make the Small Groups program at our church grow and improve. This is the part when I think our team is at its best, when we start brainstorming ideas about possibilities. Everyone on our team is kind of a dreamer and I think everyone begins to smile a little more when the ideas begin to flow (I know I do). The best part is, nobody on out team is all that negative when it comes to the pouring out of ideas. We are a bunch that instead of asking "Why?" always asks "Why not?".

On Monday night, we exchanged several ideas which I think were great. I know others on the team have also met with Sammy and I'll bet they have also contributed some good stuff. The bottom line is that after thinking for a couple of days since our meeting, I am now a lot more energized and positive about our team and what we are doing than I think I have ever been, and it feels great. In fact, now I feel like I'm the one not doing enough and I need to catch up. It really feels awesome.

I am excited about this team I am on and I think we are going to make some pretty amazing things happen in the next year. In fact I know we will and I'll definitely be telling you about it here. I'm just thankful to be on a team with people who are willing to work together as a small community, a small group if you will, to build up something that involves people and relationships in such a positive way. I think when it comes to what we do, we are definitely the A-Team. However, I am still working up the courage to get a mohawk, a bunch of gold chains, and start saying "I pity the fool...."

Innovative Church Network

Innovative Church Network

You may not know that PCC is one of the churches that helped form the Innovative Church Network. It started as a way for me and other staff and leaders to connect with other churches like ours. I became friends with Jeff Boggess from Atlee Community Church in Mechanicsville, Mark Jenkins from Mountain View Community Church in Culpepper, and Hank Brooks from Coastal Community Church in Virginia Beach. Each of these guys is the Senior Pastor at their church. We hit it off and felt that we could really understand each other and the highs and lows, challenges and triumphs of leading a new and different kind of church. We talk regularly about staffing, our families, balance, teaching, structure, leadership, church growth, finances, buildings, multi-site, education, and everything else under the sun. We’ve usually spend three days in the summer together with our wives talking, having fun, learning from each other, and planning the ICN.

The Innovative Church Network came out of our desire to help other pastors and church leaders to find what we have – a common bond with others in churches that are different from those around them. Specifically, the ICN caters to churches that either reach unchurched people, or churches that want to. We favor peer-to-peer learning, through guided discussions that give us all a chance to gain insights through each others’ experiences. While we hope to employ technology to help us in the future, we currently physically meet once per month, from September through May, at Atlee Community Church. We do not meet in December or during the month of Easter. We meet from 10-2 and lunch is served, but has to be purchased.

In October, PCC’s staff led the discussion, which was about building teams. Breakouts included ideas about building trust, mining for conflict and building a team from scratch. We also invited Tim Kinnell from Powhatan Mennonite Church to come and share from his experience leading his church from a committee structure to team based ministry.

This really is a unique opportunity for churches like ours and it is well worth the effort. I’ve heard more than one pastor now say that they would not still be in ministry if it wasn’t for the support and friendships they’ve found at this network. If you’d like more information about the ICN, you can contact our office or Desiree Henderson at DHenderson at coastalcommunitychurch dot com. If you are able, I hope you will come and be a part of this sometime soon!

Brian Hughes