Our utilities are about $2500 per month. Water, phones, electric, gas, garbage pick up.
While we have about 60 active members, the church could probably seat upwards of 300. Yes, that's sad.
We keep about $40,000 in a savings account and $8,000 to $10,000 in checking and we spend quite a bit on food baskets. We own a van but it's paid for and not used a whole lot. A couple of months ago, we voted for and installed, the cooling system in another nearby church, (Actually we paid for 1/2 of it, another church paid the rest). A couple of men from both churches did the labor.
We are fortunate and blessed by God because a lot of churches are struggling financially.
We even have to pay workers compensation taxes for the pastor and janitor workers and of course no one escapes the S.S. tax, we are not exempt on the Pastor's and janitor's salaries.
None of the above is our primary mission however. That would be to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You can probably tell that I'm proud of our little church.
This must be very sad for you. I hope you find another like-minded church. (I’m in central NY also, and know it’s a very dark area, in many ways)
Is your pastor going to retire?
May God bless you and your fellowship.
(keeper53)