MEU NEWSLETTER FOR TREASURERS APRIL 2010

T he Treasure r’s Ledger

CONTENTS A Note from your Treasurer
1 Thank you for the overwhelmingly of our church members really understand the
CHECKLIST positive response we received for the first offerings as listed on our tithe envelopes.
Sixteen reasons you should be issue (January) of The Treasurer’s Ledger. The result was a decision to devote some
using Church Pal! We appreciate your feedback! Because we additional time in future issues to clarify the
-Roger Taer, hope that our newsletter will be a good use of various offerings.
Associate Treasurer, MEU
resource for treasury in the Middle East Donovan Cleary, Secretary Treasurer of
2
Union, we recommend you file copies for EMF, will be sharing some thoughts about
OFFERINGS
Why do we separate tithe and future reference. Your email is important to the spiritual purpose of Tithe Envelopes, and
offerings and how are the various us so that we can continue to provide a viable the change in perspective. You will be
offerings used? Part 1 newsletter, with informative articles and impressed by the picture of one tithe
-Yvonne Novlesky, topics of interest, beneficial to your work as envelope currently used in the British Union
Stewardship Director, EMF church treasurer. where they have prayerfully addressed the
3 In this issue we will be looking at Tithe need to have tithe envelopes reflect giving as
TITHE ENVELOPES Envelopes, the various offerings, their use and an act of worship.
How and why are they changing? distribution.
-Donovan Cleary, Yvonne is sharing about the That about sums up this issue.
Secretary Treasurer, EMF development of investment offerings and Happy Accounting!
4 their use through the years. She has found an Richard Novlesky
INVESTMENT informative article by Ed Reid, Stewardship
Yesterday and Today PS!
Director for the North American Division,
-Yvonne Novlesky,
Stewardship Director, EMF (NAD). Please note our announcement on page 2
Unbeknownst to you, we’ve been doing and our request on page 4!
5.1
a little sleuthing to determine just how many
WHAT IS INVESTMENT?
A few words from the NAD
-G. Edward Reid,
Stewardship Director, NAD
Sixteen Good Reasons You Should be Using Church Pal
Roger Taer
5.2 Associate Treasurer, MEU
MEET RAVEEN
The man behind Church Pal 1) No formulas ~ easy to understand and use!
-Yvonne Novlesky, 2) Treasurers can enter receipts with few key strokes;
Stewardship Director, EMF 3) Cash balances are easily monitored;
6.1 4) Treasurer can access giving records at members’ request;
TREASURY GUIDELINES 5) Files are easily backed up and restored;
Setting up and using local church 6) Reports are generated quickly and are easily understood by board members;
accounts 7) Field and local church funds are properly segregated;
-Richard Novlesky,
Treasurer, MEU 8) Accurately records transfers between departments or funds;
9) Budget is easily monitored;
6.2 10) Provides church membership detail;
CHURCH PAL 11) Offering codes and descriptions can be designed according to need;
It’s good for you!
12) Church expenses can be labelled for easy review;
-Richard Novlesky,
Treasurer, MEU 13) Best of all - Church Pal has a bank reconciliation capability!
14) Easily facilitates sending monthly financial reports to field or union;
Volume 1 Number 2 15) Technical support and training is available from the MEU;
16) Updates to better handle the unique needs of the MEU treasury are in process.
 THE TREASURER’S LEDGER PAGE 2 APRIL 2010
Ty
pe But sacrilege
to
ent does not only consist
er
tex
of profane use.
t

In its worst form

it consists of taking

something and giving

to God when it

means absolutely

nothing to us.

G. Campbell Morgan, 1863-1945

God’s gifts returned for local church offerings, Section or Field Field Offerings
Your Tithe Envelope offerings, and World Mission Offerings. Your section or field offerings provide
Each Field creates and prints their Tithe for projects that affect every member of
own tithe envelopes. A well designed tithe Your tithe is sent from your local the church in your section or field. These
envelope is so much more than solely an church to your Field or Section, where it include for example evangelism, Christian
envelope to record tithe and offerings. is used to operate the work in your area. education, and youth outreach.
When properly designed and understood, Tithes are used to support the pastoral World Mission Offerings
it reflects God’s needs in the local church, ministry, and for administrative costs These offerings support various
the Field or Section and indeed around directly related to the work of ministry. ministries worldwide such as global
the world. Returning tithes and offerings Each Field passes on 6.4 % of their tithe mission projects, investment, 13th
is an act of worship, and even the to the TED and 10% to the MEU. The Sabbath special projects, media ministries
envelope on which we prayerfully record MEU passes on to the TED, the 6.4% and institutions of higher learning.
our offerings should be reflective of our received from the Fields with an YN
respect to God, our faithful appreciation additional 10% of Union tithe money
of His gifts, and a sincere desire to see His received. This means TED receives 7.4% Treasury Announcement
work go forward. In other words, we of all tithes collected from within the MEU will soon be designing new tithe
should not carelessly fill it with whatever Middle East Union. The TED retains envelopes, for use within our Sections, at
change we dig up from our pocket, at the 5% of this amount for its operations and no cost to them. Their design will be
last minute, before the offering plate passes on the .4% to Newbold College, incorporating both the spiritual and
comes around. and the remaining 2% to the General confidential approach as described in this
Distribution of Tithes Conference. (TED returns some of these newsletter’s feature by Donovan Cleary.
tithe dollars back to the Unions, in the
and Offerings Your input is welcome. Each field is
The Seventh-day Adventist Church form of appropriations.) responsible for the development, printing
is a world church with missions in your Local Church Offerings and distribution of their own envelopes,
Your local church offerings remain
local city and country, reaching out but we recommend that a prayerful
within your church and are recorded by
around the world. Your Tithe Envelope is evaluation of the current envelopes and a
your local church treasurer. They support
divided to give you opportunity to subsequent new approach may be in
the local church congregation and its
prayerfully consider where and how much order.
ministries. These include expenses related
God is calling you to return to him. After ~Richard Novlesky, MEU Treasurer
to outreach, Sabbath School, utilities,
the first line reserved for tithe, the
local building projects, etc.
envelope is generally divided into sections
THE TREASURERS’ LEDGER PAGE 3 APRIL 2010

Tithe Envelopes: How and Why They're Changing

NOW
And Donovan Cleary
Secretary Treasurer, EMF
THEN Donors have a right to confidentiality. As The purpose of giving should be a matter of
treasurers, we have a duty to respect the the heart, and these new tithe envelopes
privacy of the donor’s gift. We also have introduced by the BUC a decade ago, focuses
the duty to respect the honour of the gift. on encouraging these spiritual matters of the
A gift is a gift, whether large or small -- heart. The envelopes have biblical texts and
size does not determine the respect given illustrations which aim at complimenting the
to either the donation or the donor. We reasons for giving, such as making God a
should never make assumptions about the priority in our life and putting Him first by
reasons for giving or make inferences keeping our promises of giving, as well as
about the welfare of the donor. expressing the goodness of God in our lives.

The new tithe envelopes used by the Tithe and offering envelopes should be used to
British Union Conference (BUC) allows enhance and encourage the spiritual reasons for
the donor to give information simply and giving, rather than focusing on the mechanics
the gift is concealed within the envelope and amount of giving. God is the author of
for confidentiality. The back of the every gift in our lives and shouldn’t the tithe
envelope has the donor’s details. The envelope reflect that generosity of experience?
offering and amount details are
concealed. With these thoughts in mind, The BUC
envelopes (one of which is illustrated above) are
The purpose of our giving should not be printed in full colour with varying spiritual
regarded as a test of fellowship, although themes.
it is a symbol of discipleship, and an
expectation for leadership.
DC
 THE TREASURER’S LEDGER PAGE 4 APRIL 2010

And so he had received five

talents, came and brought
five other talents, saying
“Lord, Thou deliverest
unto me five talents,
behold I have gained beside
them five more.”
Matthew 25:20

We would like to hear about your investment projects. .

Investing for Jesus was officially called “Investment Another year, our children sold
Investment Fund” and its promotion was garden vegetables to neighbours, in
Yesterday and Today officially undertaken by the Sabbath our immediate neighbourhood.
School department. The idea flew Investment is a fun and unique
Yvonne Novlesky
around the world with various names way to partner with God in a
Stewardship Director, EMF
in various countries. business venture to watch His funds
Becoming involved in an Our ideas for investment funding grow. It feels good to know that we
investment project is an exciting are limited only by our imagination. can be a part of supporting world
endeavour between God and you. For example, in the early days when missions. Why not consider a spring
“Investment” for missions is an health reform was new and members project? You’ll be glad you did!
earning project, with the proceeds were learning better ways, there is Together we can make a difference.
given as a special offering. Did you the story of one man who quit the YN
know that the investment idea was habit and gave the money he would
followed as early as the 1880’s and normally spend on tobacco, to
1890’s? Members dedicated such investment. Today many nurses and If you have some ideas for our new
tithe envelopes, (or suggestions for
projects as an acre or two of a crop, other medical personnel who must
future issues of The Treasurer’s
some cattle or some cash to provide work on Sabbath, take their Sabbath
Ledger) we would like to hear from
camp meeting equipment. Even pay and dedicate it to investment. you. Email us at :
today, many church members One year I decided to bake yvonne.novlesky@gmail.com
dedicate proceeds from specific bread. In no time at all I was baking
parcels of land to investment. In over 40 loaves a week! A church
time as the idea of investing for member, who was a wheat farmer
missions grew, articles appeared in donated freshly ground flour and
various Adventist publications God blessed our partnership.
sharing testimonies. In 1925 the plan
 THE TREASURER’S LEDGER PAGE 5 APRIL 2010

What Is Investment? You begin with “seed money” to start a new

venture that is dedicated to God. The profits from
G. Edward Reid this project are then contributed to the
Investment program in support of new outreach
Stewardship Director
programs.
North American Division

Each year, on a rotating basis, two union

It’s been around conferences in North America are encouraged to
in the Adventist church select projects in local conferences that are new
for more than 100 years. It brings in about $4 and interesting enough to spark the support of
million each year. And some people don’t even Investment leaders and church members. All 13
know what it is. But Sabbath School Investment is world divisions of the Adventist Church have
coming back to life. Investment was designed for their own projects. From the funds allocated to
church members who like to see new, innovative the North American Division for Investment, a
projects that have the potential to really make a portion goes to the projects that have been
difference in communities in the interests of the highlighted and advertised throughout the year.
kingdom of God.
To see the 2010 Investment projects,
Investment offerings go beyond what we regularly visit www.adventiststewardship.org
and systematically do in our tithes and offerings. On the home page click on
The Investment idea starts in the mind of a “Investment,” then scroll down to
person who is challenged by the concept of “2010M issionIn vestmentP rojects.”
partnership with God—with making an initial Join the growing ranks of Sabbath
“investment” in a project that is dedicated to God school mission investors!
through the Sabbath School Investment program.

C
H
U
R Church Treasurers
C never had it so good
H

P
A
MEET L Maybe church accounting will never be this easy,
RA V E E N but with Church Pal it comes pretty close!

Just so there is no confusion, the man on the left is Raveen Pal, and he says he is humbled to see how it has grown, and how it
author of Church Pal, an accounting package designed with the is beneficial to so many church treasurers. Church Pal is used
church treasurer in mind. It was designed specifically for Seventh- and enjoyed by many church treasurers across Canada, and
day Adventist churches and conferences. the United States and now in the Middle East.
Raveen began development of the program in 1999 when he Church Pal is vastly different than when it was first
was employed by the Ontario Conference, Canada. He noticed released. They have released so many new features over the
that the DOS system had become old and antiquated, not able to last decade, they have literally lost count. As it expands into
meet the changing needs of church treasurers. After seeing the new regions, Church Pal is customized to meet the needs of
struggles for supporting the old system and the frequent requests that region. Raveen says, “Church Pal is where it is because of the
for new features, he decided to design a new program, a private valuable suggestions we receive from users. We absolutely welcome
undertaking, which was very quickly adopted for use in Ontario. suggestions.” Raveen is working on some specific adjustments to
Raveen never thought that it would be used outside Canada, accommodate the unique needs of the Middle East region
and upgrades are scheduled to be in place in summer of 2010.
YN
 THE TREASURER’S LEDGER PAGE 6 APRIL 2010

TREASURY GUIDELINES Board approval is required for any

new accounts or for changes to
THE
Setting up and Using Church
Accounts existing accounts. Often unknowingly, TREASURER’S
Richard Novlesky, Treasurer church members give donations to non-
existent accounts. Treasurers then add
LEDGER
Many of you have recently begun using A resource newsletter for Field
these as new local church accounts. (I have
Church Pal or will be doing so soon. and Section Treasurers as well
seen churches with as many as 30 plus
Following are guidelines for you, as well as as for local church treasurers.
accounts!) As treasurer you are
for those currently not using Church Pal:
responsible to educate the membership
MEU Accounts
The Union will give you a listing of
regarding accounts approved by the www.adventistmeu.org
board. This is done at Church Business
accounts. They have been grouped to
meetings when financial statements are
reflect the distribution of funds for TED/
GC and those that remain with the MEU.
presented to the church members and also NEWSLETTER STAFF
on Sabbath morning when offering
When your statements are presented to
appeals are made. Richard Novlesky
your church board, the distribution of
MEU Treasurer
your funds will be easily understood and
A listing should be made for each
present a good opportunity to educate
account indicating the following: Roger Taer
church members about the use and
i) Source of funds: Is this a one time gift, Associate Treasurer
distribution of these offerings.
or an on going account?
Church Accounts
ii) Purpose of funds; Malou Taer
For your local church accounts, you
will likely use many of the same ones
iii) Authorization for spending; Distribution
currently in use. However, you will need to
The number of accounts you have Yvonne Novlesky
keep the guidelines at right in mind, when
should be determined by the Editing & Lay Out
adding and changing your local accounts.
board’s decision as to what is used
and what is important for tracking. Contact Information
Account Name: Women’s Ministry They should be as simple and as few as yvonne.novlesky@gmail.com
Source: Weekly offerings/donations practical. The standard accounts used
Purpose: For activities related to include Church Budget, Church Expense, Contributors
Women’s Ministry; Sabbath School, Pathfinders, etc. Middle East Union welcomes
Authorization: Treasurer, Pastor and
pertinent articles from
Women’s Ministry Leader Accounts should be set up or treasurers across the Union
changed only after board approval
If you do not have a record of accounts by vote and as duly recorded in the
which has been approved by your board, minutes.
it is important to begin doing so right away. Treasurers should work closely with their board to go
through the account names, presenting their source , purpose and authorization. Final approval by
action and vote should be recorded with the file listing.

Church Pal: It’s good for local churches and it’s good for the Union
Church Pal is the buzz word these days as many MEU local church serves as an excellent internal control mechanism. And it’s all done
treasurers are setting up their accounts using this (new to the Middle via the internet! Your treasurer has questions? Needs helps with his
East) church accounting package. Church Pal has been around for books? Help is only a mouse-click away! It allows the Field or
over 10 years and evolving to accommodate the unique and specific Union Mission Treasurer to work with multiple churches and switch
accounting needs of the Seventh-day Adventist church treasurer. It between them with ease. Church treasurers can export reports into
has been tried and tested by many church and conference treasurers Excel or PDF files. Church Pal checks for, and updates itself
who speak highly of its easy to use approach, excellent statement automatically! The audit process is more efficient because Church
presentation and a host of other benefits. Pal creates a more complete audit trail, with monthly statements and
It allows treasurers to transmit reports, (or even the entire database transaction details.
when needed) to the Field or Union. This not only facilitates the RN
Field Treasurer to give better support to his treasurers, but it also