By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
June 26, 2003

After several years of crunching numbers for the church, Lynn Hoffman is retiring as the volunteer bookkeeper at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City.

"I enjoyed it. Bookkeeping is something that I have enjoyed since high school. It was a gift that I could give to the parish," explained Hoffman. "I think it was a gift that was appreciated by the parish because then we didn't have to pay for the bookkeeping service."

She pointed out that back in 1974 her work at the parish began as a part-time paid secretary and bookkeeper. Hoffman left the work of the parish in the late '70s to devote more time to the family business, Halman Construction. At that time, she stayed active with the finance committee.

"It was in about 1986 that I started doing the parish bookkeeping as a volunteer," said Hoffman. "They wanted to start looking at doing the bookkeeping on the computer. The parish secretary wasn't comfortable with that, and the staff at that time didn't have experience with accounting on the computer, so I volunteered to put it on the computer system."

She wasn't sure if it would be temporary or for a lengthy period. Seventeen years later, she knows the answer. The parish liked her work, and she found it to be no problem.

"After such a long period of time, I really felt someone else might like to do it and my time constraint is heavier now with our business," said Hoffman, who will retire from the parish position but will stay active in the family business.

Through the years, she did most of the bookkeeping for Sacred Heart either at home or at her office. As the parish bookkeeper, Hoffman also served as secretary to the parish finance council.

"By the time that I would do special reports and gather information that the finance committee would need to do their work, it was about 40 hours a month," she noted.

Royce Ranniger, director of operations for the diocese, said, "Our operations/finance offices review parish financial statements every year. Sacred Heart Parish of Sioux City ranks amongst the best in the diocese in presentation and accuracy in its financial reporting. We commend Lynn for her outstanding work and gifts of time, talent and treasure to her parish."

Through the years, noted Hoffman, the size of the parish has grown substantially as has the budget. She also helped Sacred Heart move to a central accounting system where all parish groups such as the school hot lunch and bus program accounts were consolidated into the parish bookwork. This process was due to a standardization that the diocese had requested of parishes.

Hoffman has also helped the diocese by being a part of a pilot parish program as the standardized system was first underway.

"I think it is very valuable," she said. "In other volunteerism, I helped a few other parishes with their books. Everyone was doing something different. The standardization has to be very much of a help for the chancery office. It gives everyone a guideline."

While Hoffman serves in more visible parish roles such as Eucharistic minister and lector, she said she liked the bookwork because it was behind the scenes. At one point, she was also the parish sacristan and that, too, was behind the scenes. In the past, she co-chaired the parish dinners.

"I will continue to provide whatever information I can to the parish pastor as far as financial history," said Hoffman, who encourages others to get involved in their parish. "Now I will have more time for the family business and my grandchildren."

Her official duties as bookkeeper will conclude when she turns in the final paperwork at the close of June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

"It has certainly been my pleasure to work with the various pastors," she said. "I started out with the LaSalette fathers and when they gave up Sacred Heart as one of their missionary parishes, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the diocesan priests. It has been enjoyable."