Posted on 12/30/2009 8:46:19 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
Pastor Rick Warren urgently asks faithful for $900,000 December 30th, 2009
It’s been a heck of a year for mega-pastor/bestselling author/power broker Rick Warren of the enormous Saddleback Church. It started out with Warren’s invocation at the historic inauguration of one President Barack Obama - and it concludes with Warren asking his flock to cough up nearly $1 million in just two days to keep the church out of the red.
“Dear Saddleback Family,” begins today’s missive from Warren. “THIS IS AN URGENT LETTER unlike any I’ve written in 30 years. Please read all of it and get back to me in the next 48 hours.
“I have thrilling news to share with you below but first some seriously bad news: With 10% of our church family out of work due to the recession, our expenses in caring for our community in 2009 rose dramatically while our income stagnated. Still, with wise management, we’ve stayed close to our budget all year. Then… this last weekend the bottom dropped out.
“On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive - leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year, unless you help make up the difference today and tomorrow.”
The church does not make its financial information public, so it’s impossible to tell just how big of a hole in the boat this $900,000 represents. A spokeswoman for Warren said the church does not release detail on its finances, so it’s hard to put the shortfall in context. (Suffice to say it may not represent a terribly significant portion of Saddleback’s annual budget, and that his personal appeal may well close the hole, and then some.)
In his letter, Warren goes on to detail the church’s accomplishments for the year, and then says:
It’s obvious that your giving through your church family is providing more “bang for the buck” than anything else you could support. It is no wonder that our ministry was named the top religious newsmaker of 2009 as reported by Associated Press.
YOU CAN HELP SAVE THE DAY 3 WAYS BEFORE JAN 1.
1. Click HERE right now to and give as large an end-of-the-year gift as you can to help avert this crisis. If we all do what God leads us to do, we’ll all be a part of a miracle. 2. Mail in your gift today. Gifts must be postmarked in 2009 to be posted as 2009 gifts for tax purposes. Mail to: 1 Saddleback Parkway, Lake Forest, CA 92630. 3. Drop your gift in the box at the front door of the Ministry Center at 1 Saddleback Parkway so you know for certain we get it TODAY or Thursday….
I love you so much. It is a deep privilege to be your pastor….
And, perhaps, a pain to be his accountant.
I’m surprised that they don’t make their finances public. My parish publishes its budget every year (including support for the Catholic school that is attached). The buildings are all old (church and school) so there are big maintenance expenses that come up annually.
“..900k is not a great deal of money for Church of that size.”
He said in the letter that they were okay until this weekend’s offerings, which were half of what they thought they would be. So they were expecting $1.8 million for a weekend!!?? I imagine they were looking at the last-minute payers for the quarter or something? (I know on our offering we pay by the month, and the building fund on the quarters).
McCain would have been 100 times better. Shoot, my tomcat would have been 100 times better.
TWO DAYS before the end of the year, I need $900,000 from you... and PS, I love you all so much
It seems Rick has learned a thing or two about crises from Obama. Create a crisis and then take advantage of it...?
I don’t think so. I believe he takes no salary and gioves a large portion of his book royalties to the church or other Christian purposes; or at least he used to.
I also think he has gotten away from the purpose of the church on too many occasions. Maybe he needs to focus on spreading the Gospel and not a social gospel.
This is a small number for a church this size. The average attendance is 22000. 900,000 is about 40 per person. Hardly a huge stretch for a church.
Christmas cheer is EXPENSIVE ya know....
I’d suffocate in a social-gospel-only church.
Saddleback needs $900,000 - I guess that makes them Brokeback.
Warren is a POS. Did the faithful at his church finally wake up and leave his clown church? I bet they did. He is an Obama and Muslim lover. Phony prosperity preacher con artist scum.
I would not attend a church that fails to openly disclose the financials on a regular basis.
**“On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive - leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year, unless you help make up the difference today and tomorrow.” **
That’s what happens when you bakc Obortion Obama!
LOL!
**“On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive - leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year, unless you help make up the difference today and tomorrow.” **
That’s what happens when you back Obortion Obama!
Have wondered, given Paul's devotion to Judaism and his great teacher if he was, indeed, in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover/Crucifixion, even a witness. When on the road to Damascus and Jesus spoke to him, Paul already seemed to know who Jesus was. Maybe that was because any soul would recognize Jesus in a burst of light.
Sorry for the temporary thread hijacking.
**“On the last weekend of 2009, our total offerings were less than half of what we normally receive - leaving us $900,000 in the red for the year, unless you help make up the difference today and tomorrow.” **
That’s what happens when you back Obortion Obama!
I believe you about McCain. What is wrong with your cat that he wouldn't be 200 times better?
You beat me to it!
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