Once a year I report to you on the church’s finances. The reason we do this is because transparency in our governance, handling money etc, is one of our values and as we don’t have church meetings where these things are dealt with (you have entrusted it to the staff and trustee teams) I am bringing an annual review to you. Accounts available from charity commission website or ask Kelly (trustee) & Anne (assistant pastor finance).
 
Standing orders/gift aid and information booklets are available if you would like to know more about giving.
 
And I will make an invitation to you to commit yourself to the church for another year.



Wharfedale Vineyard is the umbrella charity
Leeds, Harrogate and Sheffield are different entities under that umbrella
Today is about Leeds Vineyard only
 

Last year my report to you was pretty dire. We had made a significant deficit and had used up all our reserves. However, we didn’t come asking for loads more money, we tried to make the necessary changes to get our house in order with the giving we were already receiving.
 
I am really glad to report that in the last year we managed to crawl over the line and create a small surplus.
Next year we are budgeting for a more healthy surplus.
We are using a cautious income prediction – lower than last year – because we are not assuming as much irregular giving.
 
Let me go through the numbers with you.

 
At difficult times, times when it is hardest to make a sacrifice, that’s when we are meant to be generous.
So, try these two things: (1) tip double, (2) increase your regular giving to a tithe, 10%, if you don’t do that already.
 

KEY ISSUES
Firstly; we have assumed that we would grow – and we didn’t.
So we have budgeted for no growth next year. Over next three months, if we do grow, if our income exceeds our expectations, we will give 50% of it to the Vine.
Secondly; we had found ourselves in the habit of funding every suggested act of kindness and giving opportunity. I want you to continue to be generous and for this church community to continue to be a generous community but – there will be a closer match up between the money and the commitment.

In other words we will help and facilitate and support generous activity but we won’t be writing a blank cheque every time.

1. Most events have to be self-funding;
2. Mission trips require you to raise your own funds;
3. Acts of kindness or servant evangelism will often require you to use your own resources;
4. Expenses paid to staff (paid or voluntary) are more restricted than before.

 
This is all part of our seeking to consecrate ourselves – which we started in January at the Bunker. Personal and community, every aspect – behaviour, activity, prayer, money etc…

We track some numbers in order to understand this stuff better and plan for the future. These are the attendance figures at weekly worship:

• Blue = adults
• Red = children
• Green = young people

Note the August effect – but this year we will continue through August.
We’ve not grown over two years and in fact, since we moved to Headingley we have seen total numbers fall very slightly. That has contributed to our reduction in income too.
 
That’s interesting because we have also had a steady number of new people joining – which means that in our move to Headingley we have lost a small but significant group of people who used to consider LV their home.
 

 

So what?

We have significantly improved our stewarding of the finances in the last year. And if things go according to our rather prudent plan we’ll be back on track in another year.
 
What we have done and what we would do if that were the case is all good:

• Weekly worship for all ages
• Extensive young people’s ministry
• Housegroups and pastoral care
• Mission trips all over the world
• Acts of kindness all over the city
• The Vine – Debt Advice and Child Contact Centre
• Healing on the street
• And much more

 
It’s all really good stuff and the Lord is delighted in all this.
But if I stand in front of you in 12 months’ time and report that we have done what we budgeted for … happy? Groan?
 
Is that all God has called us to – budget for a modest income and spend and act accordingly?
 
No chance – we are here to fulfil an even greater God-given purpose. Where we have got to so far is good. Great even. But there are a million people within 30 minutes’ drive of here – and most of those people have never experienced the love of Jesus, they don’t know that there is more to life than this, that they have an eternal destiny and that whatever their past it can be redeemed and they can have a new life today. God has given us lots to do.
 
The LV was established with this Vision:
 

We believe God has called us to establish a growing, regional, biblically based community of faith in Leeds. We will worship God, communicate His love and mercy to all people and commit to living out our faith in Jesus in a creative and contemporary way, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We believe that there is good news for this generation in the Kingdom of God and we long to share that news, particularly in Leeds and the North.
We aim to make, train and equip followers of Jesus to be effective in the extending of God's Kingdom, to develop leaders, to plant new churches, to contribute to the blessing of the whole church and to minister with the poor in practical ways.

 
In the last couple of years the Lord gave us a specific vision – to make Headingley our Home and our Hub – and from here to fulfil that vision. Other themes will be revealed on June 29 at the Bunker.
 
God has lots for us to do and we are not going to sit around for 12 months just making sure that the finances turn out OK. He has called us to take risks for the kingdom.
 
This is what I think the Lord is saying to us for this year:
 
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour.
 

This is what we are called to do this year and it doesn’t have to cost a penny.

Isaiah 55:1
Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without cost.
 
Sharing the good news about Jesus’ love and forgiveness doesn’t cost anything, we can all do that wherever we are.
 
If you are newish and aren’t sure whether this the church family for you – please come to the Discovering Vineyard course at our home on Saturday 28 June. A day in which we will tell the story, explain what we do, why we do it, how we do it, where we are trying to go, what part you can play, what it means to follow Jesus in the Vineyard.

There are some who have still to decide whether they are meant to stay with us – people move on for all sorts of reasons and that’s fine. It could just be a good time to move, some don’t like Headingley, some don’t like the pews.
 
But went it comes to our commitment to the church, any church, we go where the Lord places us – until he moves us on. And if he is moving you to another church, that is fine, we will bless you on your way. If he’s not. Stay put and get stuck in.
 
If you know are called to be here, to be part of this family, this community of faith, then I invite you to commit yourself again, give generously, serve selflessly, join a housegroup, come on Sundays, pray for us.
 
If that is you - I have a challenge for you, well four risks four you to take. They don’t cost a penny but they will grow you and they will grow the church:

1. Risk the inner journey. Give God permission to love you, open your heart to him in a deeper way than ever before. The bunker, personal devotions etc. Take a risk.
2. Risk sharing your story with someone else. Love your neighbour until they ask you why. Pray and ask the Lord to put people in your way with whom you can share your faith. Take a risk.
3. Risk praying for someone who is ill. Hands on. In your housegroup, on the streets, on Sunday, friend, neighbour, stranger. Look for a red light – and ask if you can pray. Take a risk.
4. Risk inviting a seeking person to church. Would you like to come with me to my church one Sunday? Would you like to hear about what Christians believe? Would you like to experience worship? Would you like to see people being prayed for? Take a risk.

The Lord’s great favour and our four risks.

The Lord has blessed us with a great community, an amazing geographical location, a huge opportunity and a scary challenge to take risks: go the inner journey, share your story, pray for the sick and invite someone to church.
 
At the beginning of the year we read in Joshua 3:5, Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.
I believe we have been consecrating. There is more consecrating to do but the day of the Lord is not behind us – it lies ahead – not far away, this year. I believe we are going to see amazing things as we continue to consecrate ourselves.
 
I believe that this is the year of the Lord’s favour for you and for the Leeds Vineyard.