2025-04-01T20:35:09-07:00 2024-12-31 990 2024-01-01 833356410 SPARROW MINISTRIES INC SPAR 4109213955 1603 Front Avenue Lutherville MD 210935312 Virginia C Becker President 4109213955 2025-04-01 1 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z VIRGINIA C BECKER 1603 FRONT AVENUE LUTHERVILLE MD 210935312 199352 0 X sparrowministries.us X 2019 MD Sparrow Ministries Mission: To prepare couples to begin well and coach couples gently through the unfolding, ongoing adventure story of their marriage. Sparrow Ministries objective is to support engaged couples in preparation for a life spent together and support married couples through the life stages of their marriage. This will be accomplished by offering workshops for large groups, small group meetings of 5-6 couples over a short term of 4-8 weeks, coaching individual couples on an as needed basis, and training leaders in local churches via speaking engagements. 0 0 2 8 0 0 205366 181550 33641 17802 0 0 0 0 239007 199352 0 0 0 0 195452 189155 0 0 78013 18755 56365 214207 245520 24800 -46168 201085 154917 0 0 201085 154917 Sparrow Ministries Mission: To prepare couples to begin well and coach couples gently through the unfolding, ongoing adventure story of their marriage. Sparrow Ministries objective is to support engaged couples in preparation for a life spent together and support married couples through the life stages of their marriage. This will be accomplished by offering workshops for large groups, small group meetings of 5-6 couples over a short term of 4-8 weeks, coaching individual couples on an as needed basis, and training leaders in local churches via speaking engagements. 0 0 2208 0 2500 Premarital preparation for engaged couples is provided by Sparrow Ministries through two interrelated offerings. These are a workshop and small group meetings. The first offering is A Marriage Worth Pursuing Workshop which takes place over two days for the purpose of foundation building using God's original design for marriage and covers several marriage-related topics such as communication, finances, in-law relationships, sex & sexuality, etc. In 2024, three workshops were scheduled, one was held and two were canceled. A total of two couples participated in the workshop that was held in June. It required 10 planning hours, 20 hours to prepare for the workshop, and 8.5 hours to implement the workshop. In addition to the workshop is Premarital-focused Small Groups which occur over a four week period following the workshop involving five to six couples and a trained couples coach where couples can explore and talk about their upcoming marriage in a safe small group environment. No premarital small groups were held in 2024. 3941 0 4200 Marriage enrichment for couples is where Sparrow Ministries offers a variety of events to keep marriages strong and growing, or to address issues that may be causing a rough patch in the marriage. These events and offerings can be in the form of a workshop or a marriage-focused small group that may meet for six to eight weeks. A two-day Thriving Marriage Workshop is planned around several topics to be covered: 1. spiritual, emotional, and sexual intimacy; 2. safety; characteristics of marriages that last, etc. through a balance of teaching, gender-based group discussion, and couple time. Other topically based workshops held for couples are Soul Care for Couples, Communicate to Connect, as well as Blended and Blessed. In addition to workshops, topically based marriage enrichment seminars in the form of small group meetings over several weeks are offered. In 2024 there were three Thriving Marriage workshops scheduled, one Soul Care for Couples workshop was scheduled, two Communicate to Connect workshops were scheduled, and one Blended and Blessed workshop was scheduled. Due to lack of participation, all seven workshops were cancelled. All scheduled workshops required a total of 99 hours of planning and preparation time as there was an expectation of adequate participation. Two 6-week marriage enrichment seminars were held in 2024. Planning and preparation were minimal. A total of 18 couples participated. 131181 0 10328 Sparrow Ministries also offers Coaching for couples who have attended either a premarital workshop or a marriage workshop. Coaching is also offered for couples and individuals who have immediate needs and who have not attended a workshop. After a premarital workshop, Premarital Coaching is couple to couple coaching to complement the workshop where couples are encouraged to process the information from the workshop and personalize the help and support they may need to take the next step toward marriage. After a marriage workshop, Marriage Coaching can help a couple better understand the workshop material relative to their personal story as well as work to resolve rough patches in their marriage. In addition to the coaching that results from a workshop, a couple may contact Sparrow Ministries to meet with a coach who can help them through and beyond the rough patches in marriage, when having another couple to talk to, share with, and pray with is really all you need. In 2024, 58 different couples and 39 individuals received Coaching for a total of 3,302 hours of coaching time. Included in this total was 4 hours of planning, preparing, and praying. 1449 0 0 Sparrow Ministries believes that healthy marriages and families are the heart and soul of every church and community. With this in mind, Sparrow Ministries will partner with local churches and organizations to better equip, support, and care for the marriages and families in their congregations. Erich and Virginia Becker of Sparrow Ministries make themselves available for Speaking Engagements at church conferences, retreats, and other church venues on topics related to marriage and family. Sparrow Ministries has its own packaged topics or can customize for the unique needs of the church. Sparrow Ministries also offers Coach Training, a program to train couples so that couples who attend Sparrow Ministry workshops can get follow-up and coaching at their home church. In 2024 Sparrow participated in one speaking engagement at Heartland Church in Freeland, Maryland. 1449 0 0 138779 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 MD X Virginia C Becker 4109213955 1603 Front Avenue Lutherville MD 210935312 Erich Becker Co-Executive Director 50 0 X 77000 0 8779 Virginia C Becker Co-Executive Director 50 0 X 70000 0 13474 Matthew Good Client Management 0.75 0 X 0 0 0 Samuel Erdman Financial Management 1.5 0 X 0 0 0 Melissa Court Chairperson 2.25 0 X 0 0 0 147000 0 22253 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 181550 0 181550 Marriage Coaching 624190 10326 10326 0 0 Marriage Enrichment Events 624190 4976 4976 0 0 Premarital Preparation Workshops 624190 2500 2500 0 0 0 0 0 0 17802 0 0 0 0 0 0 199352 17802 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 154000 110880 15400 27720 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14000 10080 1400 2520 8252 5942 825 1485 12903 9290 1290 2323 900 900 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1243 0 1243 0 42000 3500 38500 1455 0 1455 0 2245 0 751 1494 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 194 0 194 0 2582 0 197 2385 0 0 0 0 436 0 436 0 896 0 896 0 Donor Relations Expense 1586 0 0 1586 Workshop Expenses 935 935 0 0 Fed and State Filing Fees 241 0 241 0 Coaching and Mentoring Expenses 1652 1652 0 0 245520 138779 28728 78013 200649 154917 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2907 2907 436 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 201085 154917 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 201085 154917 201085 154917 201085 154917 -46168 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 X 159932 140314 126930 205366 181550 814092 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 159932 140314 126930 205366 181550 814092 814092 0 27083 0 0 0 27083 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 841175 17803 0.96780 0.90712 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2907 0 2907 0 0 0 0 0 0 Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 2 The president and vice-president are husband and wife. The treasurer is the son-in-law of the president and vice-president. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b An electronic pdf draft is generated by the Form 990 Online software service. This pdf is then sent to each board member for review. Once questions are addressed, each board member sends an email authorization to the form preparer. Only and until an authorization email is received from each and all board members is the form submitted to the software service for efiling with the IRS. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Each board member is required to read and sign the Conflict of Interest Policy. If any new members join the board during the current operating year, they are required to read and sign the Conflict of Interest Policy. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 In 2022, an increase of Executive Director compensation was raised as an item for further research in the board meeting held on 12-12-2021. Independent research was conducted on competitive salary and benefits packages for nonprofits of a similar size and age. During a board meeting held on 1-10-2022 where the executive directors and the treasurer, who is a relative of the executive directors were not in attendance, a modest increase was granted. Rationale behind the decision included performance metrics (span and reach of services and increased donor support), compensation data, and cost of living data. Sources for comparability data were Blue Avacado, Comparably, Indeed, Maryland Nonprofits, and Sobel Co. No Increase was granted in 2024. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 18 Sparrow Ministries will make these documents available to the public upon request. The inquirer may view a paper copy of the document(s) requested during a scheduled appointment with one of the executive directors. In 2024 no one requested to see the governing documents, IRS Form 990, or financial statements. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 Sparrow Ministries will make these documents available to the public upon request. The inquirer may view a paper copy of the document(s) requested during a scheduled appointment with one of the executive directors. In 2024 no one requested to see the governing documents, IRS Form 990, or financial statements.