ALL IN Finances

In 2023, the congregation of First Presbyterian Church Glen Ellyn embarked upon a two-year initiative to fund its ongoing mission and ministry, as well as four new ministry initiatives. The total funding goal to include all ministries and projects was $6.3 million, with $3.8 million dedicated to two years of fueling ongoing mission and ministry, $2 million committed to projects related to “ALL IN for the Future” and $700,00 for “ALL IN for Others” ministries and initiatives.

The congregation has responded enthusiastically and generously and in April of 2023 we projected total financial commitments and expected gifts of $5.1 million over the two year period of April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2025.

As we near the halfway mark of this two year initiative, the staff, Session, and Ministry leadership teams have been working hard to tighten and adjust budgets and to adapt to dynamic changes in expenses. There are a few important items to note as we near the 12 month mark of the 24 month initiative.

• Severe inflation in the building and construction industries over the past three years will impact the projected cost of the sanctuary renovation, previously budgeted at $1.5 million. A more likely cost for the project is somewhere between $1.8 and $2.0 million.

• The sanctuary renovation team, in partnership with the properties committee and the session, have been working hard to keep the cost as low as possible while ensuring that the sanctuary renovation is done right. Particularly important to the renovation project is ensuring that audio, video, and lighting infrastructure is all built in such a way that the sanctuary space will facilitate both in person and online worship participation in a powerful way.

• The debt elimination component of the ALL IN initiative has been tabled until we have sufficient funding to address it. Additionally, there will be a need to finance some portion of the sanctuary renovation project if it is not funded in full.

• The three components of the “ALL IN for Others” section of the All In vision are moving forward with reduced budgets from those which were initially envisioned. We are still able to pursue each of these ministry initiatives in a modified way, as each of them is scalable based upon the resources available to commit to them. We can do more in these “ALL IN for Others” areas in the depth and breadth we would like, when and if we are able to fully fund the all in initiative.

We are off to a fantastic start in the first year of the ALL IN initiative! We have seen and continue to see wide participation in the mission and ministries of First Presbyterian Church as the congregation offers its time and talents, as well as financial gifts in ministry. We have much to celebrate and to be thankful for. While we are not yet at the $6.3 million goal needed to fully fund the entirety of the ALL IN vision, the Lord is providing in abundant ways for our community and we are committed to following him together.