Reply to How much do you give at church?

Forum Index » Religion

Reply to "How much do you give at church?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]I note that listing pledge amounts is gentle extortion btw.[/quote]

It's really, really not. Pledges are a planning tool. Most non-Catholic churches do not get any diocesan support, and in fact usually have to donate (sometimes tithe) to the diocese.

Pledges allow churches to know whether they can hire in the upcoming year (or at least maintain current staff); whether they can tackle that big maintenance project they've probably been putting off for a few years; whether they can increase their missions work in their community or around the world.  Our church estimates that, based on our current membership, that it costs about $4K per family to have the staff and buildings that we have. Some people can contribute more, offsetting the people who can contribute less.  $4-5K annually is normal, and a small percentage of income in this area.[/quote]

+1, people really need to understand that there's no one paying the bills but the congregation. And, since the church is member-run, both expenses and income should be made known to the members.

I agree that $20 in the plate is plenty if you're visiting, or going a couple times a year. But if you're a regular, and especially if your kid is in Sunday school, I think you have an obligation to both give and volunteer. The church does not run on $20 per week per family. [/quote]

This.

We have families with very large incomes who come every week and have their children in Sunday School and youth group who give very little. They want all of the benefits while contributing nothing. A church is a community. The building, the bulletins, the maintenance on the historic organ that you like photographing and posting, that wonderful Sunday School program ... these things cost money. And at least in my church the people coming on Sunday are the only ones paying for it. Big surprise, those who are not pledging but expect every benefit (don't get me started on the mommies that show up to the summer party with their cameras, all set to post) are also the ones who have not volunteered a minute of their time. They think the flowers magically appear on the altar, and the organ magically gets fixed, and the finances are magically taken care of, and the Sunday School programing appears out of thin air...[/quote]

People like you  are why I don’t go to church. How “Christian” and judgmental of you. [/quote]

Come on. That's not why you don't go to church. And if you don't go to church why are you so invested in this thread? [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics