IT’S GOOD TO HAVE A FEW BORING PEOPLE around to quietly keep the world in order.” My brother Ben was teasing when he said this about me, but he made a good point. Office work is not for everyone, and some do indeed find it boring.
I think that’s probably the case for our NCEM field missionaries, who love to spend time with people rather than paperwork … relationship building rather than receipting … Bible studies rather than bills … accountability partners rather than accounting practices. You get the picture. But that’s where I come along and say to our field missionaries, “Have no fear: I’m boring so you don’t have to be!”
Of course, from my perspective it’s not really boring at all. I am part of the Finance team serving at NCEM’s Headquarters near Prince Albert, and I love it. I was made for this kind of thing.
Literally, I am made for it: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10, ESV). “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:28, ESV, emphasis mine).
When I was first introduced to work at “HQ” I became familiar with the postal mail opening process, which continued as my main task for about a year. Slicing envelopes open is the easy part — though we have to be careful not to slice the contents!
Then the donations by cheque have to be examined with care, one by one. Who is the donation from? Which missionary or department is this for? Is the cheque misdated, or post-dated? Did the donor remember to sign it? Is there any disagreement between the cheque and the note that came with it?
After the mail has gone through the opening process (and a double-checking of cheques) then it’s ready for receipting, which is another part I’ve had my hand in.
The receipter takes the numbers and codes written down by the opener, then enters them into our computer system so that we can issue the appropriate receipts for donors. We soon hear the whirr of several printers working as receipts, reports, labels, and acknowledgement letters are spit out in rapid succession, ready to be taken to the next stage in the process.
What about donations by credit card? I can help with that, too, and I do. I can set someone up for monthly giving, or facilitate a one-time gift. I often pour over the lists of monthly donors, contacting those whose credit cards may have expired or been compromised. Donors are moving away from cash and cheques, so this is a big part of how our ministries are funded, along with other forms of online and automatic giving.
Bookkeeping … I barely knew what that word meant when I started doing it, but I think I’m getting the hang of it now. In December 2022 I took over the bookkeeping for four of NCEM’s five Bible camp ministries: Arrowhead Native Bible Center, Big River Bible Camp, Higher Challenge Wilderness Adventures, and Kwayakotage Native Bible Camp (Laura Bekklatla takes care of Pine Ridge Bible Camp). I keep a record of every transaction — every dollar in and every dollar out.
It’s a lot of work, but our camp directors need to have accurate financial statements so that they know how projects are coming along, where funding is needed, and what funds are available. Tracking funds is part of assessing the health of a ministry and plotting a course for the future.
Ministry leaders appreciate good bookkeeping, and the government requires it. We have a responsibility to abide by the laws of the land, including the many requirements which regulate charitable organizations in Canada. One of the top requirements for a registered charity is to keep adequate books and records.
So the work of our Finance team at HQ really serves a lot of people: Canada Revenue, our donors, ministry leaders and supervisors, field missionaries and, by extension, the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.
And while I’m happy to serve so many important and precious people, I also keep these words in mind: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24, ESV).
He is most important and precious to me. So, whether it’s boring or not, I “serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2) as I quietly work to keep donations and camp bookkeeping in order.
