Dear CFRTD Community:

Your generous end of year and recurring giving is needed to sustain future weekends. Even $20 a month would go a long way to transform lives, reach more pilgrims, develop leaders for Christ, and make a lasting Kingdom impact.

As we move from fall into winter and look toward the end of 2024, we reflect on the last three years under the Pay it Forward (PIF) giving model and PRAISE GOD that we were able to boldly move forward even though we still have not achieved the original goal of having at least two weekends funded.

When we were led by the LORD to move to this model, we had some wise and valuable members in the community express their concern that this NEW model could result in just a few paying for the many and that it wouldn't be sustainable. Their concerns were valid and reflect reality today under PIF but the truth of the time was, in 2021 that was EXACTLY the situation we were under when we were paying team fees. Only the few (team members) were already bearing the burden and paying the entire operations costs for the whole community. That had already become unsustainable and the team fees were about to go up significantly making it even more difficult and unreasonable for many dear brothers and sisters to serve within the community. By the LORD’s leading to PIF, we invited the ENTIRE community (more than just those who were able to afford the team fees) to now become part of the solution, allowing every person to give freely of their time, talents, treasure, and thoughts.

Now that we have fully transitioned under PIF, I would ask and even implore many members of our community to now step up and join the rest of the community NOT in paying any arbitrary or mandatory amount but to “Let each one of us give as we purpose in our hearts, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7) to sustain this ministry. Unlike the team fee situation, all giving is now tax deductible. As Christians, we support worthy causes all year long with our time, talents, treasure, and thoughts as we feel led by the HOLY SPIRIT. I pray you view CFRTD the same way and either start or continue to give as you would other worthy causes.

The Secretariat commits to being good stewards of all treasure given, will remain unpaid volunteers (unlike most ministries), and has asked our Treasurer to provide a summarized break down of how giving has been received over the last three years. As you consider how you will distribute any residual treasure you may have at the end of this year, please keep CFRTD in your thoughts and prayers.

TREASURER UPDATE

We started with $34,319 in donations at the end of 2021 to start PIF. This covered the expense of one set of weekends (half a year) but not the operations cost. The goal has always been to cover at least two weekends in advance.

Summary average over the last 3 years and this includes cost of team and pilgrims:

Average annual expense that is covered by PIF donations: $56,250 (remainder is covered by our annual fund raiser).

Average team size (combined men and women) per weekend: 95

Average ANNUAL cost per team member: $592 ($56,250/95)

If we had team fees now, we would have to collect $592 from each person each year in order to break even.

Average annual PIF giving for the last three years was $55,523 which falls short of the projected annual expenses, would NOT support a full team size and six tables of pilgrims, and slowly erodes the initial seed money we had to get started. What's also not shown or easy to discern from this is that we have only received $52,482 in PIF giving so far this year which is a downward trend and includes a single large gift of over $10K. If we remove that gift, we would be at 80 donors giving about $38k this year. Unfortunately, this number of donors represents only a small portion of our total community. If our community would unite and each member gave something including even small amounts, the cost would be covered by the many.

Here's a simple chart to show the overall numbers

END OF TREASURER UPDATE

Under PIF we understand that a few people will be able to give a lot and a few may only be able to give a little or even none but most will be able to give somewhere in between and that is exactly how the Kingdom of God is designed and operates here on earth. If each of us answered the call to give according to their ability, CFRTD and many of the other worthy ministries would quickly have the same concern that we see in Exodus 36:5-6 and would have to ask everyone to hold back on their giving, but we are far from that concern at this time.

We understand it is NOT realistic or biblical that each of us can or even should try to support and give to EVERY Christian Ministry out there. The LORD gives us each discernment and moves our hearts for the ministries we DO support. The two questions to consider when deciding if a ministry is worthy is 1) does it support the Great Commission from Matthew 28, to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and help grow the Kingdom of God here on earth and/or 2) does it help to support Matthew 25:34-40 "taking care of the least of these brethren" such as widows, orphans, prisoners, sick, and hungry.

We (Secretariat) praise GOD for each of you, descendants of Israel, grafted into the family of GOD and thank you for your time, talents, treasure, and thoughts for this ministry whose sole purpose is to raise and train leaders to go back out as disciples and serve in their communities and further HIS Holy Kingdom here on earth. We held elections and will be sending out a separate communication showing the board and committee members starting on January 1st, 2025.

Numbers 6:24-27 "May the Lord bless you and keep you:
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and God’s Blessings for the New Year to you and yours!!!

DeColores,

Your Brother and Sister in Christ,
John Thompkins, Vice President
Tina Harvey, Treasurer
Colorado Front Range Tres Dias Secretariat