FLY (Faith Lutheran Youth) Ministries is a vibrant part of Faith Lutheran Church. Each summer, FLYouth goes on a mission trip. This year, we’ve had unprecedented registration for our New Orleans mission trip in July. We’re sending 90 young people across the country to spend a life-changing week doing God’s work and showing Christ’s love to the people of New Orleans. Making this happen isn’t easy, and this year we’ve been presented with a really good problem: the mission trip is over budget.
This year’s budget was based on 75 participants, but 90 are going instead. Those extra 15 participants blew a $3,000 hole in the budget – mostly because it required renting an additional 15-passenger van.
Faith Lutheran is promoting five special offerings this year under the theme of High-5. One goal of High-5 is to meet all our ministry commitments with no borrowing for a fifth straight year. We are also trying to spread some of the enormous giving we have needed each December (to meet those ministry commitments) throughout the Spring, Summer, and Fall.
The 3rd of those five special offerings was already scheduled for July, as a way to highlight the importance of the mission trip. The fact the mission trip is over budget (a result of having way more youth attending than we had anticipated) makes that even more appropriate. The first $3,000 received in High-5 extra offerings in July will be used to close the gap in the mission trip budget. Gifts beyond that will support the many other ministries that occur at Faith all year long.
Special High-5 envelopes will be mailed to all member households, and will also be available during worship on July 7, 14, and 21. Please give as you are able. The amazing response to the mission trip this year presents a problem for the budget during the leaner summer months, but without doubt, this is the best kind of problem to have!
For a peek at all of Faith’s financial updates through June 2013, read our Mid-Year Mission Investment Report.
