McShorts

Updates, Uh Ohs and a Eulogy

UPDATES

McManus Studios LLC appears to be thriving with this brief mention in the New York Times:

The New York Times
Media & Advertising - People and Accounts of Note
Published March 1, 2010

"Boy and Rocket, Los Angeles, a commercial production company, was opened as a division of McManus Studios by Erwin R. McManus, who leads McManus Studios, and Kevin T. Willson. Mr. Willson is a director who directed a commercial for Doritos, “Casket,” which was one of four spots created by consumers that the Doritos parent, the Frito-Lay unit of PepsiCo, ran during Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7."

Public records for McManus Studios LLC can be found at the California Business Portal. It appears to be a for profit company since McManus Studios LLC does not appear on the California Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts.

Interesting how the New York Times doesn't report that Erwin R. McManus is the pastor of Mosaic in Los Angeles.

In the meantime, the sad saga of the orphaned "Awakens" continues with this update on their non-profit status from the CA Registry of Charitable Trusts:

(Info current as of 5/6/2010)

1. Awaken Center for Creativity - NOT REGISTERED (This is a new designation)

2. Awaken International - Charity, Exempt, Active

3. Awaken - Charity, Exempt, Active

4. Awaken Humanity - Charity, Exempt, Active

So, three of the children are now "active" but, have they been good little children and filed their tax forms on time? Remember, the McManus Studios website once said that "Awaken is a non-profit under McManus Studios."

Curiouser and curiouser.


UH OH!

As of May 15, 2010, the IRS may start revoking the exempt status of 501(c) non-profit organizations that have not filed tax returns in the past 3 years. This also applies to small non-profits making $25,000 a year who are required to file the new "electronic postcard" Form 990-N.

If a small non-profit has been relying on the exempt status of a larger parent organization, they'd better make sure the parent has been reporting to the IRS that it is the fiscal agent for the smaller group!

For calendar year organizations, the first return was due on May 15, 2008.



RIP EMERGING CHURCH?

Once again, Erwin McManus' name is included in a movement he claims he is not a part of and worse yet, it is a movement that is now no longer considered "fresh" and "cutting edge."

Farewell emerging church, 1989-2010

Well, at least McManus has something to fall back on in his old age
. . . maybe.