Bobservations: The “Spend Less” and “Give More” part of the Conspiracy

There are many reasons that our Christmas series, “Advent Conspiracy”, resonates with me, but the primary reason is the idea of foregoing the chaos and stress usually accompanied with Christmas and replacing it with hope, peace, and rest. According to the Advent Conspiracy website, over one trillion dollars ($1,000,000,000,000) is spent on globally each year at Christmas. That’s why this year Sunridge is joining the “conspiracy” to give Christmas back to whom it belongs. In the four weeks leading up to Christmas we are going to: worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all! That sounds so refreshing to me.

Christmas Giving

In light of this series, this year Sunridge has decided not to create a special offering for Christmas as has been our tradition in prior years. Instead, we are simply asking, that as God leads, give extra to the general fund this year. As Britt mentioned, we had to remove some items from our budget that we would still like to fund such as, a camp for families with children that have special needs, to help offset the mounting cost of the fire alarm retro-fit, and help us catch up in our operating account as we continue to face ongoing financial needs.

When You Give

Our church is completely funded by the generous donations of those who are led to do so, not out of compulsion, but cheerfully from their heart (2 Cor. 9:7). We consider it a trust and privilege to partner with you to accomplish our mission of helping people find and follow Jesus. As such, we strive to be good stewards of every dollar entrusted to us. Here’s a high-level overview of how each dollar given to the general fund is allocated in the 2019-2020 budget:

I wanted to share that chart with you for a couple of reasons. First, I think it’s important for you to know where your money goes when you invest in what God is doing at Sunridge. Second, it’s important for you to know that every dollar matters to us and allows us to accomplish our mission. You may think that a little won’t make a big difference, but it really does. Let me show you why, by using the latest giving consistency report (November 2018 – October 2019):

• 57% (390) of the people/family units that financially support Sunridge gave 1-6 months in the 12 month reporting period
• 15% (103) of the people/family units that financially support Sunridge gave 7-10 months in the 12 month reporting period
• 28% (187) of the people/family units that financially support Sunridge gave 11-12 months in the 12 month reporting period

If the 493 people that gave less than eleven months were to give $20 in the months they missed, that would be an increase of almost $85,000 annually! This is why every dollar matters to us, there is no gift too small for God to use. I know for some, giving $20 a month sounds insurmountable, and that’s okay. Please do not feel under any pressure to give. This is not a salvation issue, that comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). God loves you so much, regardless of your giving record. This post is simply a way for me to encourage, inform, and challenge those who follow Jesus to grow deeper in their faith, and I know for many the tie to their finances is a powerful one. I believe that’s why Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” in Matthew 6:21.

Ways to Give

If you are ready to jump in and partner with us, here are ways to support Sunridge financially:

Donate Online
To give online from your computer right now, click here.

To give via a mobile device like a smart phone, text “pushpay” to 77977 and download the free app.

On Sunday Morning
We have “Give” boxes strategically located throughout our campus where you can place your donation on Sunday morning.

Donate by Mail
If you would like to mail your donation, please send your check to:
Sunridge Community Church
42299 Winchester Rd
Temecula, CA 92590