Growth Brings Financial Challenges for Brewster

We do an acceptable, but not an outstanding job with money," says the Rev. Jim Robinson of First Parish, Brewster. "The challenge for us is: How do we move to outstanding?"

First Parish has a budget of around $450,000; the average for congregations of 700 is $700,000. First Parish raises about $340,000 in its annual canvass. The balance comes from other fundraisers and investments.

A capital campaign, just concluding, raised $900,000 to buy and renovate a house and barn for offices and children's religious education and to build a 70-vehicle parking lot. The campaign succeeded, but it brought financial challenges. In the springs of 2000 and 2001 the annual canvasses fell short. "Our expenses grew pretty fast the last couple of years and maybe we stretched too far," says canvass co-chair Pat Patterson.

When the canvass fell short in 2000, a special appeal asking each pledging unit for $50, did the trick. In 2001 the budget request was an increase of $60,000 over the previous year. The canvass fell short $40,000. A special appeal brought in $20,000 and the rest was absorbed by cutting expens- es across-the-board with salaries exempted.

First Parish asks for 3 to 5 percent of gross income annually from its 385 pledging units. The median pledge is $750. Only the financial administrator knows what people give. As in many congregations, sentiment runs against face-to-face canvassing, and the tradition has been to mail out pledge cards, then follow up with phone calls if necessary.

First Parish invited fundraising consultant Michael Durall in for a workshop last year. He recommended they do the canvass differently, asking for money before preparing the budget. Patterson says, "This year we didn't mention how much we needed to raise. We just talked about the strength of our spirit and community and how First Parish's future lies in its children. We asked people to give as an expression of their love of First Parish." Early results were incomplete, but encouraging, said Patterson, as this issue of InterConnections went to press.

First Parish's overall budget figure and its number of pledge units is low, says Robinson, because of the unusual economy on the Cape. A third of First Parish friends and members are retired. Another third work in tourist-dependent small businesses or low-paying service jobs. Robinson estimates a third of First Parish members are especially challenged by the Cape's high cost of living.

The good news is that First Parish is attracting people from across the economic spectrum. The challenge is that many find it difficult to pledge. The church struggles with how to reach them. "It's not that they don't love the church," says Patterson, who thinks many may be intimidated by the median pledge and believe their small amount won't matter.

Pledgers get quarterly statements. The church has a $600,000 endowment, which has grown from $40,000 in 1982. "We did it just by keeping it in front of the congregation on a regular basis, in a low-key way," says Robinson. The congregation borrowed from the endowment for its recent building project.

In 1995 Brewster helped the Chatham UU Meetinghouse, 12 miles away, grow by encouraging many of its members to transfer there, and giving a $10,000 gift and a $25,000 loan to help it buy its first building. Chatham has grown from 40 to 201 members.

Chatham has two Sunday services, but only a small children's RE program thus far, probably because of Brewster's large one. "We just can't compete with that Disneyland," says Chatham's the Rev. Edward Hardy, smiling.