Hey Church Family,
I hope this email finds you well and you are experiencing God’s peace in this new year. Before we get too much further into 2025, I want to share with you where we finished last year financially and give you a snapshot of what awaits us in 2025.
YEAR-END GIVING REPORT / MINISTRY FUND
December Budget: $240,000
December Actual Giving: $294,050.24
Difference: +$54,050.24 (+22.52%)
2024 ANNUAL BUDGET REPORT / MINISTRY FUND
Budget: $1,890,000.00
Actual: $1,1890,811.73
Difference: +$811.73 (+.04%)
COMMENTS: We are blessed to have had such strong year-end giving and to make our budget for the year! THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your generosity and continued support for the ministry. In fact, you gave 7.4% more in 2024 than in the previous year! As exciting as these numbers are, they are frail in comparison to God’s transformative work in the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals reached through the people and ministries of MStar.
Finishing the year on budget is absolutely energizing! It’s a good reminder of what is possible when God is at work, and it continues to encourage us to be proactive in advancing the gospel and leading Salem–and people in the far corners of the world–to pursue a Jesus-first life.
As we enter 2025, our Elders have approved a 3.32% budget increase. This increase is to ease the effects of inflation. Everything is more expensive and many of our staff are overdue for much-needed and well-deserved salary increases. All in all, this is a very modest budget increase which I believe reflects solid biblical stewardship. You can review our budget below. If you have any questions, please ask!
2025 BUDGET: $1,955,000
COMMENTS: We are asking the Lord to provide what we need to continue to fulfill the mission He has given us, to make disciples. Here is what we can do to help reach our financial goals for 2025.
Pray.
Implement a personal budget that includes or increases your giving. Need help making a budget? There are many resources available! Let me know if you’re interested in a financial management class or workshop something like Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
Set up automatic giving with our church center app. If you’d like, you can do that now by clicking HERE.
Win the lottery
and give generously to the church and other incredible non-profit organizations that are helping make disciples in our area and around the world.
God has great things in store for Morning Star in 2025. Again, I welcome your input and questions, so feel free to contact me anytime, john@mstar.church.
In all things, Jesus first.
John Jaskilka
Executive Pastor
John Jaskilka
executive pastor