2025-26 Operating Budget

As Proposed by the Board of Elders

For more information or if you have questions, please contact:

Download the PDF
Membership Gathering/Annual Meeting
Introduction

On behalf of the Board of Elders (“Elders”), Deacons, and Staff, the Elders submit their proposed 2025-26 Operating Budget to you, the membership of CHBC. It reflects our intent to align to the ministry priorities of CHBC by adopting a budget that matches our needs as we desire to see the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ bring glory to God as it transforms us, our city, and our world.

Budget Adoption Process
  • The 2025-26 Budget Proposal is contained at the end of this page (Table 1, below); it comes from the Elders and is available to CHBC members for review and comment.
  • There will be an Open Conversation to discuss and ask questions about this proposed budget. It will take place at CHBC in Room 306 on Wednesday, May 7 at 7 pm. Members with questions or comments are encouraged to attend.
  • The membership will vote to adopt the budget at the Annual Meeting on Wednesday evening, June 4, 2025, at 6 pm in the Sanctuary.
Membership Gathering Registration
  • The Elders request that questions about the 2025-26 Operating Budget be raised prior to the Annual Meeting. Opportunities to do so include attending the Open Conversation or contacting one of the people listed above by phone or email prior to Wednesday, May 28, 2025 (contact information is listed above). This will enable the membership to center its discussion at the Annual Meeting on big-picture issues.
  • Motions for specific amendments to this proposal to be voted on at the Annual Meeting must be submitted in writing by email to Eric Rodgers, Treasurer, by 6 pm on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 (contact information above). This will provide adequate opportunity to prepare information regarding any amendment(s) for presentation at the Meeting. All proposed amendments submitted will be presented at the Annual Meeting. There will be no presentation of new amendments from the floor during the Meeting.
  • QUESTIONS: The people listed above are very happy to meet with any member to discuss the details behind these summary documents. We encourage and welcome feedback and insights on financial matters from our members.
Summary
Fellow church members, we come to you as your Elders, inviting you to vote “yes” to adopt our proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-26 at the Annual Meeting at 6 pm on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in the Sanctuary. Please find a word from Pastor Jay below.
From Pastor Jay

Dear brothers and sisters,


I hope this finds you resting in the grace of Jesus. Below is a budget summary for you to pray over as we prepare for our annual members’ meeting on June 4. This budget work is the result of prayer, Biblical discernment, and a commitment to see our church equipped through the power of the Biblical gospel, as a loving community, so that we can grow as disciples and to reach our places with the message of Jesus. It can be easy to lose the forest for the trees, but let us prepare and affirm these descriptions and numbers as a work of the Lord in people's lives.


And, as you pray, would you lift up the work of the Lord in two ways. First, please pray for our church to flourish as we reinvigorate our life together as One Church, in One Place, for the One Purpose of God's Glory next year. As we consider how to reshape our Sunday gatherings to our overall ministries, we are expecting the Lord to do a good work! Second, would you pray for our church to blossom in its hunger and practice of personal discipleship. May the Lord use older Christians to love, shape, and encourage younger believers to become all that God wants them to be, rooted in Christ. Thank you.


This is a budget summary and it is a summary of gospel work. Thank you in advance for your prayers and consideration..


Yours in Jesus,


--

Pastor Jay

CHBC’s cash balances, by category:

Here’s an updated summary of the church’s cash balances, as of 3/31/25:


Operating Capital $484,963 balance – this is akin to a personal checking account. Giving comes into this account and bills are paid out of this account.

  • Please note that the above balance does not include the $326,692 of Employee Retention Credit funds we received. As presented during the November 2024 Membership Gathering, these funds are currently on ice, which our external auditor affirmed as prudent in October 2024.


Board-Designated Funds $334,588 balance – in years in which our church’s giving exceeds its expenses (i.e. surplus) and our Operating Capital is in a healthy place, our Board (formerly Deacons, now Elders) often choses to shift some money from Operating Capital, designating it to specific Funds that were created for a specific purpose. Our Elders can always re-allocate these monies to areas of greater church need in future years.

  • $241,070 – Facilities Reserve Fund
  • $38,762 – A/V Fund
  • $34,137 – Building Fund
  • $10,619 – Church Plant Fund
  • $10,000 – Office Equipment Fund


Donor-Designated Funds $297,387 balance – these monies have been given by individuals over time and cannot be used for purposes besides those the donor intended. (For example, a gift given to Benevolence cannot be used to help pay for a major church facility repair.)

  • $106,625 – Benevolence Fund
  • $91,329 – Building Fund
  • $61,945 – Adoption Fund
  • $16,857 – Child Sponsorship & Beacon of Hope Funds
  • $12,891 – Mission Special Projects Fund
  • $6,923 – Special Needs Fund
  • $818 – Other Funds


SEE: Proposed CHBC 2025-26 Operating Budget, by Ministry Investment Area sub-level (PDF)


NOTE: At last year’s Annual Meeting, we enjoyed a robust discussion about the church’s various cash balances, prompting a more extensive primer the following week.


The Elders respectfully ask the CHBC membership to prayerfully adopt its proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget of $3,130,000.

A Primer on Church Finances (6/24)
Download Table 1 (PDF)