September 25, 2025

This past Sunday, Galilee gathered for a Town Hall meeting to reflect on where the church stands and where we are headed. We began with prayer, giving thanks for our faithful congregation, families, youth, children, and staff, and asking the Holy Spirit to guide our conversation.

Finance chair Charlie Leftwich shared an overview of the church’s resources and expenditures. With an annual budget of about $1.2 million, the church manages costs for staffing, mortgage, apportionments, and facilities that support our ministries. Giving remains steady overall but is seasonal, dipping during the summer, which creates a modest yearly deficit that has been covered by reserves. The church currently holds about $660,000 in reserve, a portion of which is invested to earn interest. Charlie emphasized the importance of recurring online giving and long-term planning, encouraging those who can to give electronically.

We also received updates on facilities and ministry growth. This year, the church refinanced its mortgage, lowering monthly payments while maintaining the same contribution toward principal, in order to more quickly pay down a debt of around $2.7 million. The building is sound but requires ongoing maintenance, from aging HVAC units (the largest of which was replaced this year) to carpets and flooring nearing 30 years old. These investments in our facilities are essential, as ministry is thriving: nearly 40 new members have joined this year, many of them young families. Restoring traditional Sunday School is a priority to better serve children and parents. To help with this, we have launched a new initiative, Donuts and Discipleship, initially once a month and eventually weekly, encouraging Galilee folks (like you!) to arrive an hour early on Sundays for fellowship and learning.

We also want to make the church more accessible. Planned parking improvements include expanded visitor and handicap spaces, new senior-designated spots, and family parking for parents with young children.

A central theme from the meeting was how our stewardship of resources and facilities directly supports our larger mission. Dollars and buildings are never ends in themselves—they are tools that enable worship, teaching, welcoming newcomers, and reaching beyond our walls to create a legacy of Christian faith. Every budget line and every roof repair ultimately serves one purpose: helping people encounter the living Christ.