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One of the most sensitive areas of church financial management is how member contributions are received, counted, deposited, and recorded. Members want to know that their contribution is used in the way designated. They deserve to know that it is kept safe and private and they need to have accurate records maintained and made available to them periodically. Procedures & controls were established by the Financial Secretary; with added suggestions from the Conference; constantly being tweaked as specific findings occur; reviewed and approved by the Leadership Board. The procedures not only cover Sunday contributions but also all other fundraiser and special event contributions. We are under the guidance of our Financial Secretary, Kathy Mortensen.
The team was established to study the future facility needs of our congregation and its various ministries and to make recommendations to the Leadership Board regarding the nature and timing of facility expansion projects. Once the Leadership Board decides on a building project, the Book of Discipline provides specific instructions for a committee to be formed to manage the project. Hurricane Ian has pushed us back a bit. Watch for new details in 2023! Contact the church office if you are interested in working on this project.
The Leadership Board was created in 2020 as a combined streamlined body encompassing the Church Council, Board of Trustees, and Finance Committee. The Leadership Board members are elected by the annual charge conference. The Leadership Board meets the 3nd Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM.
The charge of this committee is to identify, develop, deploy, evaluate, and monitor Christian spiritual leadership for the local congregation. The committee shall recommend to the charge conference, at its annual session, the names of people to serve as officers and leaders. The committee is composed of not more than nine persons in addition to the pastor and lay leader.
The Gulf Cove United Methodist Church Permanent Endowment Fund was established by a unanimous vote of the church council meeting held on February 5, 2012. With the same vote, the Permanent Endowment Fund Committee was created.
Purpose of Fund:
The fund is established to provide members and friends of Gulf Cove UMC the opportunity to make charitable gifts that will fund a permanent endowment. Income from the Fund will allow the Church to expand existing ministries and pursue new ones as we are prayerfully led.
The Fund is not intended to replace the need for faithful giving of our tithes and offerings. Instead, the intention is to supplement our current stewardship and financially enable the Church to expand outreach and faith-sharing efforts within the local community and beyond.
Administration of the Fund:
The Fund shall be administered by the Permanent Endowment Fund Committee under the authority granted to the Committee by the Church Conference.
Gift Acceptance Policy:
The Endowment Committee will accept or decline gifts according to the guidelines established in the Gift Acceptance Policy. All gifts will be acknowledged by written confirmation of the gift and of any terms and conditions of the gift acceptance. All gift related information will be treated confidentially. Committee members should avoid giving legal advice and should encourage the donor to seek his own legal and financial advice.
A prospective donor should ask for a complete copy of the Gulf Cove UMC Permanent Endowment Fund document which includes the Gift Acceptance Policy as a first step in his decision-making process.
Members:
The Endowment Committee includes the Pastor, Leadership Board Chair, Finance Chair, Trustee Chair, Treasurer, Endowment Chair, and three to five At Large members.
GCUMC offers two scholarships each year.
The Losh Scholarship is for those who are seeking to continue their education beyond high school.
The Henry Scholarship is for those who will be attending a technical school.
Applications for scholarships are due on April 1st of each year. Eligible individuals are those who regularly attend GCUMC. An official transcript from your high school or college and an essay on God’s influence in your life are required with the application.
The committee in charge of awarding the scholarships is comprised of the Pastor, Youth Director, Finance Chair, Endowment Chair, and Lay Leader.
The SPRC members are proposed by the committee on nominations and leadership development and elected by the charge or church conference. In addition to elected members, the Book of Discipline also requires that a lay member of the annual conference and the lay leader be members of the SPRC.
The SPRC is responsible for encouraging, strengthening, nurturing, supporting and respecting the pastor and staff and their families. Pastors and staff need friendly advisers: people to suggest how best to handle some of the joys, concerns and issues of the church. This function of council determines, in large measure, the degree to which the shared vision can be achieved.
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee meets when needed but at least quarterly. The meetings are in closed session because of the sensitive nature of the discussions. The committee is comprised of 5 to 9 full or associate members of the church in three classes of three year terms. Excluded are staff members or immediate family members of a staff member and only one person living in the same household.
When vacancies occur during the year, nominees shall be elected by the Leadership Board.