To qualify as a gift in a respected year, federal regulations require that checks must be dated on or before December 31 AND, the envelope accompanying the check must be postmarked by December 31 as well. The date the envelope is metered is NOT the same as the postmark date. For instance: if an envelope has a meter date of December 30, 2008 and a postmark date of January 2, 2009, then the transaction is recorded as a 2009 donation.

For hand delivered checks, the date the check is received determines which year to record the donation.

A postdated check is a check that is dated in the future. Postdated checks are not recognized as a donation until the day of the date of the check. For example, suppose the church receives a check on December 30, 2008 but the check is dated January 1, 2009. In this instance, the donation is classified in 2009.

All this being said, when receiving year end donations, please be sure to use the above explanations when classifying donations. If we maintain your donor database, please be sure to let your bookkeeper know what calendar year the donation should be recorded. Generally, if the check is dated on or before December 31, 2008, we will assume it is a 2008 donation. However, if the postmarked date is AFTER December 31, please be sure to specify that on the copies of the checks / deposits that you send us.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this.

We hope you all have a great, safe holiday season! Merry Christmas!

All of your bills will be paid this week on Wednesday, December 24th, and will include any bills due up and through January 2nd.

Next week, all of your bills will be paid on Thursday, January 1st and will include any bills due up and through January 9th.

Now, we know that most of you all have decided to close your offices for the week between Christmas and New Years, so we’ll be sure to pay special attention to bills sent to us after you come back from your vacation to ensure nothing is paid late.

Regarding payroll, we plan to process payroll late this afternoon (January 22nd) or early tomorrow morning (January 23rd). If you have any payroll adjustments, please let us know ASAP via email (payroll@ps20.net). This includes any year-end / Christmas bonuses or other regular changes. All direct deposits will go through on December 31st however, employees may receive their pay stubs or live checks before then. If that is the case, please notify the employees that all live checks will be dated December 31st and they will not be able to deposit them before that date.

Again, we hope you have a great and safe holiday season! I’m up here in Michigan right now and it’s about 3 degrees (20 below with the wind) and there’s about 24″ of snow on the ground. I don’t know how you northerners do it! CRAZY! I’ll post some pictures in the next few days… The snow is literally piled up 50′ high in some places. It is at least 4′ - 5′ on the side of the road. Seriously, NUTS!

Oh, one other quick note, we recently launched our new “Sneezers” program! Take a look at our SNEEZER page www.ps20.net/sneezer

Ok, so based upon my previous posts (ie. The White House) most of you know that my aunt works [worked] as a special adviser to president Bush. Well, yesterday, Bush allowed my Aunt to bring some of her family in to meet with him for a few minutes. That’s CRAZY! Who get’s to meet the President of the U.S.? Anyway, my father went over to D.C. for this meeting. Quite interesting, to say the least. During their time together, my father got his picture taken with the president and, while shaking his hand, casually yet personally said to him,

“I just want you to know that there are still some of us out there that are proud of you and the work you’ve done here in this office.”

My uncle said, “Thank you for your service, Brother” to the president.

It got me thinking… if I could say one thing to the president, what would I say? What would YOU say if you got your picture taken with him? He’s a powerful man… Some say, the most powerful in the world! What would you say? He’s human and has blood flowing through his body just like you and I. He get’s paper cuts and sometimes food goes “down the wrong pipe” for him too!

Our church recently did a series called “Letters to the Next President”. What would you say to Obama if you met him today!

Check it out… Letters to the Next President

“I am thrilled to be a part of the PS20 team and use my accounting and IT skills for ministry! I’ve spent the past 25 years primarily in the insurance industry with roles ranging from Staff Accountant to Financial Analyst. I began my accounting career in Ohio and relocated to Georgia in 1984 with J. Gordon Gaines, a managing agency for various insurance companies. I then had an opportunity to enter the field of programming and spent about 5 years as a programmer/analyst for manufacturing and distribution firms. I returned to the accounting field and the insurance industry in 1992 when, as first employee, I joined The Covenant Group - a managing agent for two workers compensation insurance companies. During my 13 years with Covenant, I laid the foundation for the accounting department and spent some time in the IT department doing some initial programming of the policy and claims management system as well as financial statements, custom report writing and data/financial analysis. After Covenant, I was contracted with the Georgia Insurance Department for accounting, financial analysis and cash flow projections for two insurance companies under state supervision. Just prior to joining PS20, I held the position of Controller with Southern Casualty Insurance Company, a personal lines automobile insurer, where I prepared financial statements and wrote custom reports. My husband and I have two daughters, ages 15 and 12 who keep me quite busy with their activities! I also volunteer at my church, Concord Baptist Church, working with the youth ministry and love it! I feel very blessed for the opportunity to work with you and I look forward to using my analysis and reporting skills to serve your church or small business. Please contact me anytime!”

Here is a quick note from Zoie…

“I am really excited to be working for Ps20 and using my administrative and accounting skills again! For the past 2 1/2 years, I have been having a blast as a stay-at-home mom with our son, Will. Our family was blessed again with a baby girl about a year ago. Two kids under the age of three makes life beautifully crazy and it might seem like an odd time to start working again but I believe this is the right opportunity for our family. I have held various financial and accounting jobs in the past. Most recently, I was an internal audit consultant for Regency Centers and Florida Rock Industries (now Vulcan Materials), focusing specifically on Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance. Prior to those positions, I was a Principal Auditor for The Coca-Cola Company and was privileged to travel all around the country, assessing financial and procedural processes and taste testing Coke products (tough gig!). Out of college, I worked for Wachovia Securities as an Investment Banking analyst. Needless to say, I like doing administrative, financial and accounting-type work. I am eager to channel these skills and my experience towards small businesses and churches. In my spare time (yeah right!), I like to volunteer at my church (Access Church) and cook without using the microwave. I look forward to getting to know you and adding value to your church or business. Feel free to call me anytime!”

We rarely worry about the present. What we really worry about is what may or may not happen in the FUTURE. AND, we usually forget what has already happened in the PAST. We forget about how our worries didn’t help alleviate our fears. This message talks about a person who forgot about God’s past faithfulness. His worries drove him to a place emotionally, spiritually, physically, and relationally he should have never gone. AND, in response, God asked him a very important question that continues to speak to us today.

To watch the final part of “Why Worry” click here!

OR, copy and paste this link into your browser…
http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=3393

Just like Elijah, when our worries overwhelm us, we retreat to places we should never go. We often forget about God’s past faithfulness, because we are too concerned with the uncertainty of the future. God’s invitation to us every day is to go back - go back and fully engage with the reality of today, trusting that God is more concerned for your tomorrow than you ever need to be.

Our GOOD - good friends, Nate and Kristin Avery, started a non-profit organization that leads missions trips. Their vision is to “provide experiences to influence and define how the next generations will choose to invest their lives…” It’s a VERY cool organization.

Many of you know Kristin and Nate. Kristin helps out with a good bit of our marketing stuff. In fact, she was part of the team that put together our materials and plans for the Catalyst Conference. Nate worked with us at North Point and now works full-time for the Billy Graham Organization. Anyway, they left for Kenya a few days ago and I wanted to put out a quick post to ask you all for your prayers. For this trip, they have partnered with an organization 410bridge.

Here is a quick note from Nate…

The purpose of our trip is to serve and encourage the children and youth who live in the 410bridge communities and be a faithful steward of our 1 college student to help build a foundation of strategic relationships that will allow us to begin providing a life changing experience for young adults on a regular basis with our hope of influencing and investing in the lives of the next generations both in America, in the lives of our Kenyan friends, and ultimately many corners in the world.

If you want to get involved, go on a trip with them! Visit their website at www.chosetoinvest.org or join their facebook group

It’s a little hard to read, so I can tell it’s coming from one of the kids. Nice picture on the back, right? Anyway, Audrey and I were together when I opened the letter. We were excited and hoping to find a nice picture colored by Lexi. We put those on the fridge! BUT, we were totally duped! As many of you know, Kristy (my sister-in-law) is one of our bookkeeping geniuses and the wonderfully decorated envelope was full of her expense receipts! Not only was it NOT a nice picture colored by Lexi, but I now have to send her MONEY! Sheesh!

There’s really no point to this post, just a fun story! Have a great weekend ya’ll!

Ok, so this series we’re doing at church is really great. It’s SUCH perfect timing, so I’m going to keep posting about here.

“What are you worrying about these days? Most likely, your worry reflects your devotion. In other words, if you want to know what you are most devoted to, look at the things you worry about the most. Jesus understood the connection between our worries and our devotion. As a result, his approach to overcoming the paralyzing effects of worry starts with challenging not just how we handle our worries, but, more importantly, where we place our devotion.

Seeking first your own security will fuel worry. Seeking first the agenda of God will free you. Overcoming the paralyzing effects of worry requires more of a mental application - not so much a “do this,” but more of a “think this.” This week, sit down and make a list of the things that attract your devotion. As you look over each item on that list, say this prayer: “God, here’s my life… your will be done.”

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

WATCH IT HERE

Or, copy and paste this link into your browser…
http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=3376