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Lamplighter Class
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A quick note from the Treasurers office. We'd like to take a few minutes to explain how the finances of the Lamplighters class are handled. The class operates with a total of 4 funds: the
General, Social,
Missions and Benevolence Funds. Each fund is established for a different purpose and each operates independently of the others (except as noted below). Let's take a look at how each fund operates. General Fund
- This fund is used to cover miscellaneous expenses of the class such as postage and other incidentals. This fund begins each year with a balance of $100.00 as "working" funds to cover costs as they occur through the year. All undesignated collections (such as loose cash offerings on non-Mission Sundays) goes into the General Fund. At the end of the year, any money in excess of the initial $100.00 "rolls over" into the Mission Fund for end-of-year to the designated charities supported by the class.
Social Fund
- Like the General Fund, this fund begins the year with $100.00. This money is also used as "working" funds to help with the cost of socials held by the class. The goal of all socials is to break even so this fund usually remains fairly steady at $100.00 throughout the year except immediately before a social event where some of the funds may be for the social. These expenses are normally covered by a nominal fee charged for a social. Any money received from a Social (such as the collection of the fees for a social) are "deposited" into this fund. In the event that the fund finishes the year with less than $100.00, it is replenished with money from the General Fund back to the original $100.00. If the fund has more than $100.00 at the end of the year, the excess also "rolls over" to the Mission Fund for distribution.
Missions Fund - As the name implies, this fund is used to support the class mission efforts. Each year, the Class officers establish both a goal for the Mission effort and a set of charitable organizations to be supported by the funds raised for Missions. The amount of money given to each organization is also established by the officers. Any offerings given to the class designated as "Missions" go directly to this fund. In addition, the first Sunday of each month is typically designated as "Mission Sunday". Any loose collections such as cash or undesignated checks collected on this day go directly to this fund. In addition, the class may designate a particular social event as a Missions event in which case any funds raised at this event also go to the Missions fund.
Distributions from the Mission fund are typically made once each quarter. At the time of a quarterly distribution, all the money in the Mission Fund at that point is divided among each of the individual organizations based on the percentage that each organization was assigned at the beginning of the year. For instance, if the Class officers decided to support 10 organizations equally at the beginning of the year and the Missions fund had $1,000.00 in it at the end of the first quarter, each organization would be sent a check for $100.00. If the Mission fund had $3,500.00 at the end of a quarter, each organization would be sent a check for $350.00 and so on. At the end of each year, once all the other funds have been balanced (General and Social), the excess funds roll over into the Mission fund for final end-of-year distribution of all remaining funds. The Mission fund always finishes the year with a balance of $0.00.
Benevolence Fund - This fund is actually called the Frances Bohmer Benevolence Fund. It was established by the class in memory of one of the first "Class Grandmothers", Frances Bohmer. Mrs. Bohmer had a special relationship with the class through her periodic offerings to support the class. When she passed away, she left money to the class. This money was used to setup the Benevolence Fund as it is now known. Only money specifically designated for the "Benevolence Fund" go into this fund. In rare occasions when this fund is running low, the class officers has the option of adding money to the fund from the General Fund.
Money from the Benevolence Fund is used to help a class member in a time of need. When a need arises in the class, the class officers will meet to decide on how best to meet the need. Often, this results in money being given to the needy individual from the Benevolence fund.
Class Offerings: Each Sunday through the year, the offering plate is passed around. Contributions to the class can be made through a cash offering or through a check. The check should be made payable to "The Lamplighter Class". If you want to designate that the money should go to a particular fund (i.e. "Benevolence" or "Benevolence/Missions"), please indicate this in the Memo field on the check or attach a note. Any undesignated funds go either to the General fund or to the Mission fund (if it is a Mission Sunday). At the end of the year, ALL excess money (except the Benevolence fund) are distributed to the Missions organizations supported by the class that year.
Please note that for tax purposes, the Lamplighter Class operates under the charter of the Mt. Lebanon UP Church and, as such, is treated as a charitable organization. Contributions made to the class are fully tax deductable. However, it is important to note that none of the money raised by the class goes to the overall church budget in any way. You should continue to support the church using the regular church giving process as well. |
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