how to choose a church in Aptos, CA or elsewhere? Compare the cost of “out” versus “in”.

How to choose a church in Aptos, CA  — or elsewhere?

One way is to compare two costs.

Compare the cost to maintain the   enterprise with the cost to do the goals of the  enterprise.  Compare the costs “out” versus “costs in”.

For all churches including Christian churches, there are “costs” associated with reaching out to the world with the good news which  they preach.    Most  Christian churches  — not all —  offer the good news of Jesus Christ.

What ever the “good news” offered, to do the enterprise of reaching out to others with the good news,  there are “costs” of maintaining a building, providing clergy and providing services on Sundays.  Right?

Find out the “costs” to maintain the enterprise.     And compare those costs with the costs to achieve the goals of the church enterprise.

Let’s discuss one particular church in Aptos, CA and briefly compare it with two others.

Principle example:  St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, Aptos, CA., commonly called St. John’s.

Per  St. John’s 2015 budget information, it costs  $317 K  to maintain the enterprise.  Roughly 110 persons  attend  St. John services on Sundays.  Divide the figures and it “costs” $2,881. or roughly 3K per attendee.  If every St. John’s   attendee paid roughly 3K,  that would fully fund maintenance of the church  enterprise ( e.g., pay clergy, staff, cost of building, Fair Share to episcopal diocese, payroll taxes).

Now, what are the “goals” that St. John’s  church enterprise hopes to achieve?  That’s a bit ‘ify’ but let’s try.

One  ‘goal’ (typical of most churches) would be to ‘equip the Saints’.  We know that cost.  That ‘cost’ at St. John’s  is roughly 3 K per attendee for services and small group meetings.

Another ‘goal’  for St. John’s  would be to do   ‘good works’ associated with that church.   One ‘good work’ associated with St. John’s (for many years)  is financial support to educate youth in Africa.

Many churches have goals, projects, ‘good works’  that they hope to achieve. Some local examples from other Aptos, CA churches:

For example, the catholic church in Aptos pays  once a year for several buses to take children to visit their parent(s) in prison. Support for families connections is an important goal for this church.

The Lutheran church in Aptos (together with two other denominations) supports clean water and latrines in San Salvador.

Twin Lakes  church in Aptos supports missionary activities in various parts of the world.

Clearly, support for goals besides maintenance of the enterprise are vital for Christian churches.  Right?

What about  pass through money?  St. John’s in Aptos  calls goals such as supporting education in Africa as “pass through” money — money that goes towards a worthwhile goal  which does  not go to maintain the enterprise.

For St. John’s, let’s look at what occurs when attendees support maintenance of the enterprise compared to support for goals / projects supported by the church.

Here’s a hypothetical:  Let’s say that two women both give $1,000 a year  to St. John’s.   Both have been members for 10+  years.

Woman A  at St. John’s gives her $1,000 to  a church sponsored ministry which  educates  youth in Africa.  Woman A has given money to this ministry for a couple of years.

Woman B at St. John’s gives her $1,000 to  the fund which pays  the clergy and maintains  building. Likewise, this woman has given money for several years.

In the fall of 2016, both women   apply  to serve on the church board.  Elections occur in December, 2016.   Can both serve?   Nope.  Why?

The woman who gave “pass through” money  — that went to achieve a goal of the church (educate African youth) — cannot stand for election to the St. John’s  church board.

The woman who gave documented money to the  St. John’s designated fund (which pays for the clergy/ building, Fair Share to diocese, taxes)  can stand for election.

What does this mean?  It does say something about values….