2024 donor report.

As we close in on the end of another year, many of us consider our capacity for year-end charitable donations. Each year, we want to make sure that we communicate how Commons Church has used your contributions and provide insight into how the church is doing financially. We have also launched our annual Advent Campaign; you can read more about our efforts here.

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A DECADE IN NUMBERS

1.1M Views

In 2024 we crossed 1 MILLION views and 6000 Subscribers on our Youtube channel!

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795 Volunteers

Since 2014, 795 people have volunteered with Commons. Over 300 so far in 2024.

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1.3K Donors

Over the last decade 1334 peope have donated to Commons. Over 500 have already donated in 2024!

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250,000 Downloads

In 2024, our podcast crossed a quarter of a million downloads over the past ten years.

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$1.6M Given Away

In ten years, Commons has given $1,607,716 to local and global initiatives outside our doors.

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11k Stampede Guests

We have served 19,000 pancakes, poured 121 gallons of syrup, and seen 11,000 neighbours at our Stampede Breakfasts.

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What a year 2024 has been. The highlight, of course, was our 10th anniversary. Together, we packed out the Jack Singer Hall to celebrate 10 years of God's faithfulness to this community. And it was a blast! So many people put so much effort into making that day possible. More than 100 volunteers and hours upon days of planning. But it all came together in one fantastic service. It was remarkable to look out from the stage and see the entire Commons community gathered under one roof to worship together.

And yet, the surprises didn't stop there. At our 10th anniversary, we also welcomed Marda Loop Church into the Commons story. With our Kensington Parish once again bursting at the seams with four services every Sunday, we are excited to begin working toward the launch of a new parish in South Calgary. That said, the timeline is still under development. There are some significant structural issues that need to be addressed in the existing church on our new property, but we have been hard at work all through the year preparing and planning, working towards a full presentation at our upcoming AGM in early 2025. A continuing Christian presence in the core neighbourhoods of Calgary is a missional value for Commons, and our ability to address the spiritual and social good of Marda Loop is an exciting priority for our next ten years.

A man stands on stage during a presentation in a large auditorium filled with seated audience members. The stage is illuminated and the background features dark lighting with string lights above.

However, that's not all that 2024 brought us. We had our biggest stampede breakfast ever in July, with just over 1700 guests joining us for pancakes on the block. We added a permanent noon service to round out our Sunday schedule. And our in-person attendance is up 17% year-over-year. In fact, the real highlight is our kids' department, which has seen a 26% increase over last year. And while we've been grateful to see so many kids on Sundays, we're also very proud of our kids’ team, who is currently putting the finishing touches on our new, three-year, in-house Commons Kids curriculum. In the fall of 2025, we'll start over again on year one and begin the work of refining and improving the base that we've created over these last three years.

In 2024, we put a lot of effort into groups and courses in an attempt to create small and midsize gathering points within the community. That has been a big win. Courses have been well attended, and we put effort into recording and packaging that material so that it's available on our website. Our groups have been a lot of fun as well, with new community groups popping up around the city, and new service opportunities, particularly those created for families to participate in together, have been filling up quickly. We hope to continue expanding these areas in 2025.

Crowd of people at an outdoor event with tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths, children and adults socializing, inflatable bounce houses, and trees in the background.

Financially, 2024 has been rock solid. And we are incredibly grateful for your continued generosity and support of Commons. We have been right on target with our budget for both revenue and expenses, and that consistency makes it easy for us to plan and forecast the road ahead.

In 2024, we made some significant capital investments. A new sound system for the sanctuary. It was the first upgrade we've made in 10 years and the first custom-designed sound system we've ever had in the building. We added an HRV unit for better air circulation and AC units in the sanctuary to ease the summer heat just a bit but also to contribute to a healthier airspace for us to share. We've been monitoring CO2 levels on Sunday, and these investments have made a significant impact in keeping us close to our goal of 500 ppm, even with four services of people moving through the space each Sunday. Those who regularly sit on the balcony will also recognize that we invested in a new, safer, and up-to-current code, railing. As a parent with kids who love to sit in the balcony, this was an essential upgrade for me.

Finally, we made the difficult decision to move away from our pews and invest in more comfortable seating. And while the pews were beautiful, the new seating has opened up a lot of flexibility for us to use the space in new ways. Sevenpm can now sit around round tables in the sanctuary. Our courses can now be run in the sanctuary utilizing our video technology. And even our youth group has been able to deconstruct the sanctuary for all kinds of fun events throughout the year. On a historical note, we are expecting the delivery of new custom infant baptismal fonts that have been created for us using hardwood saved from our pews.

2024 Expense

Donations year-to-date: $990,238
Expenses year-to-date: 1,101,804

Figures represent Jan 1 to Oct 31, 2024. Full audited financials will be presented at the AGM in early 2025.

In 2025, we will have some big decisions ahead of us as we navigate our plans ahead in Marda Loop. This will be a more significant initiative than we have ever taken on at Commons. And yet we are confident that the spirit has led us into this opportunity and will continue to guide both our decision-making and our generosity as we chart the course ahead.

Thank you so much for all of your contributions to Commons this year, both financially and through your prayers, for the hours that you have volunteered to this community, and for the commitment that you make to come and participate in the community each week. It means the world to us, and as a staff, we feel incredibly privileged to play a part in your lives.

Aerial view of a residential neighborhood with a house, trees, parked cars, and a large apartment building on a cloudy day.

Jeremy Duncan
Lead Pastor

Below are some incredible ten-year stats from our first decade together. Thank you for being part of the Commons story, and please consider how you might contribute before year-end.

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