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You might expect us to say something like "it's better to give than to receive." But if we truly look at it as God would have us, it's better to give what we receive. Through God, we receive many things - our talents, finances, possessions, opportunities - and in return, He asks that we give back only a portion. It is through this commitment that we enable more hearts to be reached, more lives to be changed, more families to be brought together, more souls to be stirred, and more hope to be shared. With Him, there is as much receiving as there is giving. And we are thankful for the resources with which we are entrusted through His faithful provision to each of you.
If you have questions related to finances or the mission of River City Church that are not addressed below, please feel free to contact our Financial Director, Pam Noel.
Partnership in the Mission
 As a response to God's gift of grace, there are several ways you can be a partner in our mission to reach lost people for Jesus Christ. You can give your time. You can give your talents and abilities. And you can give your financial resources.
If you are checking church out and still aren't sure about this God thing, then we ask that you let us serve you, and don't feel obligated to give.
However, if you call this church home, if you are excited about what this church is doing in the city of Cambridge for Jesus Christ, if you are experiencing life change through a growing relationship with Jesus, then we invite you to become a financial partner with River City Church. We make it easy to work giving into your budget and schedule.
Numbered Envelopes
 These envelopes keep contributions private, while still allowing them to be tracked for charitable receipt purposes. Each Sunday, just put cash or a cheque in your envelope and drop it in the collection basket during service. You don’t have to put the amount or your name on it, but we will keep track of it and send you a tax receipt each year. The envelopes are available at the Information Centre on Sunday mornings.
Request your numbered envelopes today!
Pre-Authorized Giving (PAG)
 This option allows you to arrange bi-weekly or monthly giving to River City directly from your bank account, much as you would pay many of your bills. Even if you aren’t in church on a Sunday, your contributions will continue working for the ministry of River City. You don’t have to remember the envelopes or find a cheque on Sunday morning. This option allows you to conveniently budget your giving as part of your overall finances and provides River City a secure and steady source of funding. You can sign up for PAG at the Information Centre on Sunday Morning, or by filling out the PAG form below.
Canada Gives
 Our safe and easy on-line giving option is great for people who are away from River City for extended periods of time but still want to financially support the mission. "Friends of River City" find this option handy too! Visit www.canadagives.org for more information.
Tax Receipts
Since many newcomers to River City Church have little or no church background we find that we get many questions related to charitable giving receipts. Here’s how it works:
All donations made to River City Church are eligible for federal and provincial tax credits. Of course these can only be issued for donations that can be recorded (via offering envelopes, checks or Pre-Authorized Giving). Donations up to $200 generate a 16% federal tax credit, which increases to 29% for donations that are above $200. Couple this with the provincial tax credit and you can elevate your total credit to as much as 47%.
How is Everything Paid for?
As a non-profit, registered, charitable, religious organization, the simplest answer to the question of “How is all this paid for?” is: River City Church People. River City’s existence and future relies on a growing community of people who, having had their lives impacted and helped by God at this church, respond by investing financially and regularly contributing to God’s work at River City.
The most frequently asked question is: How much should I give?
Three guidelines the Bible gives on giving are that it should be:
- Personal
- Planned
- Proportional
"On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income..." 1 Corinthians 16:2
"Each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7
Accountability
The ministry of River City Church is funded by God's provision through givings and tithes of faithful River City Church partners and attendees. The mission of the River City Church Finance Team is to ensure that we honor God's provision by exercising wise and faithful stewardship, ethical business practices, and full accountability so that the financial integrity of River City Church remains above reproach. Our mission is facilitated through our system of internal controls over financial reporting and our internal budgeting and reporting processes. Additionally, River City Church has regular independent reviews of engagement conducted.
Regular reporting to our financial partners is an important part of this accountability.
Budgets
The River City Church fiscal year runs from July to June. The budget process begins in April with a combined Board and Director meeting to discuss overall strategic and visionary goals. From there, each Director, with input from their teams, prepares their plans for their Ministry to support the vision for the coming year. These plans and the costs associated with them are submitted to the Finance Team for compilation into the full budget. Once the budget is compiled, it is presented to the Board for final approval.
Financial Updates
Regular financial updates are provided via the website, the program, mailings and Sunday morning announcements. At any time, the Finance Team is available to answer questions regarding the financial situation at River City Church.
- Financial Statements (coming soon)
Quarterly Reports
Every quarter, the Finance Team updates all the Financial Partners of River City Church. This update includes a personalized account for each partner, along with a current financial statement and general information about the state of River City Church. It is our intention to provide this regular communication to our partners so they are informed about the financial health of this ministry and so that they can review their giving on a regular basis.
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