“The first day my head was spinning,” Krista said, remembering the day when she began her new duties as a member of the Counting Committee. “Today we did it! We balanced!”
“It’s definitely been a learning curve,” Helen added. “Now it should be fun because we’re more confident, less stressed and taking less time. In fact, we were finished an hour earlier than last week!”
For the last few weeks the two women have met weekly to count the money that the deacons deposit into the church safe every Sunday. Their duties include sorting out the monies that people designate to the day’s cause, to the church budget and to the building fund. “It’s tough when we get one check that’s meant to be divided between these three different areas,” Helen observed. “For large amounts we appreciate separate checks.”
Newer bills are proving to be an interesting challenge. “They just don’t unfold. That’s something you don’t think about unless you deal with money. The bills fit in the envelopes and we wish people would not fold them.”
They also agreed with a pet peeve of the former members of the Counting Committee, Diane and Pam. “We wish people would remember to write their giving number on the envelope. When the number is missing we have to match the name on the envelope or check to the number that we register in the computer. That means an extra step for us. It also takes away the anonymity of the donor.” They encouraged those who don’t know or remember their envelope number to call the church and request it from Evelyn Oudyk, the office administrator.
Volunteering in the morning works for Krista, a wife and mother of two school aged children, because she has more flexibility during the day. Helen, a retired widow, signed up when she realized that no-one was stepping forward. “I thought, ‘Maybe I should do it.’ After all, before I retired from working in our store I did lots of buying, selling and balancing.”
Their immediate goal is to be fast enough to have time leftover to go and chat in a coffee shop. “We can be a small group,” they laughed. “Just like Diane and Pam were.”
Three others have also signed up for this task, waiting to be taught by Krista and Helen when they have mastered the weekly money matters that take place in the church office.
“It’s definitely been a learning curve,” Helen added. “Now it should be fun because we’re more confident, less stressed and taking less time. In fact, we were finished an hour earlier than last week!”
For the last few weeks the two women have met weekly to count the money that the deacons deposit into the church safe every Sunday. Their duties include sorting out the monies that people designate to the day’s cause, to the church budget and to the building fund. “It’s tough when we get one check that’s meant to be divided between these three different areas,” Helen observed. “For large amounts we appreciate separate checks.”
Newer bills are proving to be an interesting challenge. “They just don’t unfold. That’s something you don’t think about unless you deal with money. The bills fit in the envelopes and we wish people would not fold them.”
They also agreed with a pet peeve of the former members of the Counting Committee, Diane and Pam. “We wish people would remember to write their giving number on the envelope. When the number is missing we have to match the name on the envelope or check to the number that we register in the computer. That means an extra step for us. It also takes away the anonymity of the donor.” They encouraged those who don’t know or remember their envelope number to call the church and request it from Evelyn Oudyk, the office administrator.
Volunteering in the morning works for Krista, a wife and mother of two school aged children, because she has more flexibility during the day. Helen, a retired widow, signed up when she realized that no-one was stepping forward. “I thought, ‘Maybe I should do it.’ After all, before I retired from working in our store I did lots of buying, selling and balancing.”
Their immediate goal is to be fast enough to have time leftover to go and chat in a coffee shop. “We can be a small group,” they laughed. “Just like Diane and Pam were.”
Three others have also signed up for this task, waiting to be taught by Krista and Helen when they have mastered the weekly money matters that take place in the church office.
- Pastor Peter
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