We have finished the first quarter! This quarterly update is meant to be a touchpoint for us all as we review our current finances and keep focused on our shared vision of a future church plant for the remainder of the year.

First off, I wanted to call out that our January expenses were higher than usual. There are a couple of key factors contributing to this increase:
1. Presbytery and Denomination Dues: we paid these upfront to help those bodies with their budgeting for the year.
2. Building Maintenance and Purchases: Some larger necessary building purchases were made in January.

We do not anticipate a month with expenses that high in the next quarters.

As Anthony shared with you all earlier this year, our primary focus is on church planting—a significant endeavor that requires a substantial investment of time, talent, and treasure from our congregation.

In support of that vision, I do want to note that you’ll see that our giving has not kept pace with our 2024 budget goal line. That goal line is where we start supporting the new planned sta (some of which have not been brought on yet) and church planting allocations overall.

I hope you all are seeing as I do that the gap is small and are excited by how we are moving forward together to support this. Whether through financial support, volunteering your time and skills, or simply lifting this vision up in prayer, every contribution plays a vital role in keeping us focused on advancing God's kingdom.
Please continue to prayerfully consider how you can encourage, contribute and participate in the shared vision of Valley Hope and the church planting specifically.

In Him,
Elisabeth Donovan
Valley Hope - Finance Team Lead