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****************************************************** webminister@webminister.com August 2000 - #2
IN THIS ISSUE:
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****************************************************** A Nursery needs about 30 to 40 sq ft per child. Primary and school children need about 25 sq ft per child and adults need about 15 to 20 sq ft. Anderson recommends 32 sq ft per person. Assume a room is 12 ft by 16 ft, how many school agers will it hold comfortably? Well, 12 time 16 equals 192 sq ft. This divided by 25 sq ft would equal 8 people. This space would include tables and chairs but not cabinets. The same room for adults would be: 192 sq ft divided by 20 sq ft would yield 10 people (or 192 divided by 15 gives 13 people) Thus, 10 is comfortably full and 13 is packed. Teaching aids and chalk boards should be adjustable in height so a room can be used for primary or adults. In most churches Sunday school class space is at a premium. Multiple classes can meet in a large room, fellowship hall, corners of the auditorium, and portable classrooms. Sunday school classes can meet both before and after the worship service. Arrangements can be made to use public buildings, like community centers, bank conference rooms, funeral homes (no funeral on Sunday morning), schools, and homes near the church. How about evening Bible studies during the week or Sunday evening?
****************************************************** Assume that the church budget requires a monthly contributions of $900. Now, instead of the usual sermon on giving to raise the necessary additional $150, which means $900 divided by 75 equals $12 per person. More likely, leadership takes the alternative by cutting church programs, salaries, and teaching literature. However, Anderson recommends that with adding 15 more people with $10 each the budget is covered. Add 25 more people and a surplus develops. Per capita giving increases with church growth as people see that giving is making a difference. What is a seating space in the auditorium worth? How much does 30 inches of pew space or a chair bring in each week to pay all the expenses of the church? To find out, measure the pew space, total up the number of inches. Now divide that figure by 30 (30 inches per person) to find out how many attenders the auditorium will hold. Take the annual church expense for the previous year or present budget and divide by 52 weeks in the years to get weekly expense. Then divide the weekly church expense by the auditorium seating capacity. This will give the cost of each seat in a packed church with a single service. Capacity doubles with two services, etc for three. Now compare the total seating value with the average per capita. Evangelism and church growth becomes the easiest way to balance the budget. John Ellas in "Measuring Church Growth" (pp 91 - 93) continues Flavil Yeakley research that per member giving has increase from $15 in 1980 to $18.75 in 1996. In Ellas' sample of 112 Churches of Christ, the highest per capita was $33.66 and the lowest was $9.43. From 1992 - 1996 giving had increased at a 4% annual rate and in line with inflation. Anderson's surveys (p 119) concluded that attenders to Sunday school and the worship service contribute more than those that just attend the worship service. Carl Dudley in "Making the Small Church Effective" has an interesting section entitled "Turf Stewardship" (pp 116 - 119). The small church (less than 250 – p.19) is unique in stewardship. Dudley defines the break-even number between 45 and 175 average Sunday attendance. This also depends upon the capacity of the congregation to raise money and the expectations of the minister and congregation for adequacy of program activities. When someone moves away from a small church, a new contributing family is usually found within 90 days or the church cuts programs to adjust to a smaller income. To meet the budget requirements, work on evangelism and church growth as more converts and attenders will give a church more money for ministry.
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****************************************************** "Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide" can be bought from Barnes and Noble with discounts from the retail price of $34.95 (paperback) plus shipping and handling..
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