In the world today, there is a battle for your every buck. While Harlem Road Church doesn’t have a point reward system and you won’t find gasoline rebates in your mailbox, we know few other places can offer such lasting rewards. From community outreach to disaster relief, your church is making a difference.

We realize how important it is that you see the value that your contributions have to HRC. Thus, this page has been put together to illustrate how what you give is put to use.

For more information on any of the above funds please contact our Finance Chairperson, Dave Killinger by phone (740)965-2130 or by email.

Our weekly and monthly tithes and offerings make up the General Fund which provides for all daily operations and ministries: Children's Ministries, Teen and Adult Ministries, Nurture and Membership Care, Outreach and Evangelism, Sports and Recreation, general maintenance and upkeep, utilities, insurance, office equipment, phones, medical, retirement and salaries for our staff.

The General Fund provides for the 'life blood' of our church's purpose..."to reach out to all people as children of God."

Included in our General Funds, our Apportionments provide for the District Superintendent, Bishop, and District and Conference offices. These “fair share” apportionments also support mission efforts in and around the Columbus area, across West Ohio, and throughout the world, especially in times of natural disaster through disaster relief. Our share of Apportionments are calculated by the Conference based upon our membership and operating budget.

Every United Methodist Church supports such connectional funds enabling us to “pool” our funds for greater Christian causes than any one church could possibly do alone.

This fund is a temporary fund used to pay the mortgage on our new 10,000+ square foot expansion. Each family of the church is asked to consider supporting this fund through a three year commitment. With every family supporting this effort financially our goal is to pay the mortgage fully in three consecutive campaign efforts.

Currently we are at the beginning of our second Capital Campaign and every gift enables us to pay the mortgage while expanding new bridge building ministries with our new space.

The Parsonage Fund is used to pay the mortgage and taxes on the church-owned parsonage. The parsonage is used to provide housing for a pastor's family and is a part of the salary package provided rather than offering the pastor a housing allowance. In 1998, the parsonage, just to the south of the church, was built by those faithful to take such a large undertaking. The cost was about $150,000.00, and since that time, approximately $30,000.00 of improvements have been added including fully landscaping 2-1/2 acres, sidewalks, blacktop driveway, front porch, deck, and a three bay “campus care” garage and shop.

The current value of the parsonage is appraised at $324,000.00. A small mortgage of approximately $40,000.00 remains. Our hope and prayer is that this could be paid off soon.

This is generated by those in the U.M.W. through various fund raising efforts. Over the years, the U.M.W. has provided for many church improvements, gifts to the General Fund, and a variety of Christian causes and outreach.

Currently the U.M.W. has committed to outfitting our new commercial kitchen with appliances and cabinetry.

HRC supports two types of mission funds. One is integrated into our General Fund budget and is supported through your gifts to the General Fund. This fund provides for local outreach and general mission efforts. The second Mission Fund is an occasional fund, meaning it is used to fund special mission outreach such as Mission Team trips to Honduras, New Orleans or Henderson Settlement in Kentucky.

Typically when you hear that our Mission Team is working to develop funds for a Mission Trip this second fund would be the recipient of your donations.

These are used to honor loved ones, friends, anniversaries, birthdays, etc., or to memorialize loved ones who have passed. At this time, the Commemorative Garden is being planned in front of the original church building and will consist of engraved paver stones, landscaping, lighting, and bench seating, created and designed to be a peaceful setting that will connect the two sidewalk entrances. All of this will be backlit by the significant cross on the front of the building.

Gifts can be given to support the construction costs through the Commemorative Garden Fund. Commemorative bricks (engraved) may be purchased through the Brick Fund.

Memorial Funds are given in memory of a loved one and used only for durable, long lasting items that pay tribute to those being memorialized. Some items purchased with Memorial Funds may include landscaping, altar ware, pictures, communion ware, or more.

The donor may identify specific items to be purchased with their Memorial Funds donation.

Q: So once the church has collected the offering who decides where it goes?

A: As this page explains, there are many funds that our church supports. The giver indicates the destination of most donations ahead of time (for example, the United Methodist Women's Fund, the Capital Campaign Fund), but when it comes to the General Fund, church leaders must decide how it is best spent. Every fall, each of our Ministry Leaders estimates the following year’s expenses and submits a budget request to our Finance Team. From these requests the Finance Team compiles a grand total in funding needed for the coming year. At the same time, the Finance Team adds up the total amount pledged by our congregation. Based on these pledges, and our congregation’s history of giving, we estimate the year’s income. Once the Finance team has numbers on both sides of the equation, we hope they line up. But if they don’t, then our Ministry Team Leaders must adjust their budgets accordingly.