Ministry Audit Form
“Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Local churches are the most significant arena where disciple-making occurs.” (Book of Discipline, ¶120)
Our Conference’s strategic plan is to reach more, younger, and more diverse people to become world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ. We will accomplish that goal through building healthy congregations, creating new faith communities, raising up a new generation of spiritual leaders, and helping local churches make missional connections beyond what they can do alone.
I. Name of this Ministry:
The Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care
II. Name, e-mail, and cell phone number of person(s) completing this report. (We may need to contact you while the Audit is being evaluated.)
Donald R. Batson, President/CEO
(405) 202-9845
III. A paragraph about the Conference’s strategic plan is listed above. What did you do differently last year, or what are you planning on doing differently in the coming year, that will help you better guide your ministry in fulfilling this plan?
In 2014, we added a position of Development Director to our staff and hired Mike Slack in that position. The purpose of this position is to strengthen our ties with both our churches and our various supporters across the conference. We have experienced a substantial increase in new funding and have increased communications with our churches because of this. An example of this is an appeal that was generated in July 2014 that generated significant interest in our programs. A supporter who received this communication late in 2014, issued a challenge grant to the Circle of Care to allow us to expand our Child SHARE program into eight additional communities to recruit, train and support local foster homes for area children in need of temporary, safe, nurturing Christian homes. We have to date hired in six of the eight identified communities and are looking towards the last two communities. In each of these communities, local churches have found a church office for the new employees, hosted welcoming events and have developed various church support groups to help strengthen those mission connections. We believe that this new outreach will indeed allow local churches to become world changing disciples of Christ helping those most in need in their own communities.
IV. How are you helping your ministry extend its mission by enlisting the financial and physical support of people beyond the ones who currently support your ministry?
In 2014, Circle of Care placed an increased emphasis on community fundraising. We accomplished this through a number of ways: 1) applying for and receiving grants from 3 foundations that had not supported Circle of Care in the prior year 2) leveraging relationships with current donors to issue challenges to raise money from new donors (we had both a challenge from our board and a challenge from an individual major donor, 3) increasing the amount of funds raised from our state contract and 4) utilizing our Friends of Children Banquet as an opportunity to both tell our story and attract new donors. While the dinner happened in 2015, the planning stages began in 2014. Circle of Care attracted 60 new donors and 11 new leadership donors ($500 or greater) through the dinner.
V. Please attach a copy of your financial report for last year (or the last 12 months, if available).
Please see attached 2015 Audit.
Feel free to use bullet points rather than a narrative. And as a reminder, your readers always know your ministry better if you can use real numbers rather than generalities.
Please submit this summary in a Word document to Rebekah Hasty, , and copy Craig Stinson, cstinson@okumc.org