2theadvocate.com | Faith | State of the plate

By MARK C. HUNTER
Special to The Advocate
Published: Apr 25, 2009

In recessionary times, the offering plate can serve as an economic indicator of sorts. Houses of faith nationwide, and to a lesser extent in Baton Rouge, are responding like industry: freezing salaries, reducing budgets and scaling back or postponing capital projects.

Adelle M. Banks, reporting on the national trend for Religion News Service, noted the results of an online survey conducted in February by the National Association of Church Business Administration.

The association found that 32 percent of congregations reported financial difficulties related to the economy, while an even larger number, 47 percent, had reduced or frozen staff benefits, Banks reported.

Hundreds of congregations reported steps they were taking: replacing fresh flowers with silk, taking one light bulb out of three-bulb fixtures, cutting long-distance mission trips and focusing on local mission efforts closer to home.

“People are looking at anything and everything to try to hold down costs,” said Simeon May, CEO of the Texas-based network of church administrators who represent churches with at least 500 weekend worshippers.

In Baton Rouge, Mark H. Hunter, a frequent freelance contributor to The Advocate, interviewed 10 members of the clergy, who represent a variety of denominations and congregation sizes. Their general consensus: The Baton Rouge area has, so far, escaped the brunt of the recession and the churches are “depending on God and not on Wall Street” for their economic support.

The Rev. Matt Surber, Istrouma Baptist Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: Nearly 2,000 members.
DENOMINATION: Southern Baptist.
OF NOTE: Last fall the church approved a $12 million to $15 million “Generations Project” that would add a large commons area onto the main sanctuary building, build a new 28,000-square-foot children’s building, renovate the current children’s building and construct new, lighted soccer and baseball fields on the 38-acre property.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Since the economic slowdown, the church has decided to avoid going into debt by temporarily scaling back the project to just the renovations and two ball fields.
QUOTABLE: “I call it ‘the new economy,’” Surber said. “In the new economy you have to show a little bit more wisdom in how you spend your money. We’re not cutting back any on ministries — ministry is where we want our dollars to go because that is what is important — that is what affects people’s lives.”

The Rev. Dino Rizzo, Healing Place

CONGREGATION SIZE: More than 4,000 area residents attend Healing Place Church, 19202 Highland Road, for one of its four weekend services. The church has an attendance of nearly 7,000 when its campuses in Gonzales, St. Amant, St. Francisville and Gonzales are totaled together.
DENOMINATION: Full Gospel, nondenominational.
OF NOTE: The ministry, founded by Rev. Dino Rizzo and his wife DeLynn in 1993, is growing so fast it is building a new 3,200-seat, $24 million “Arena” at the 56-acre Highland Road campus.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Offerings are about the same as a year ago, but the church is “using wisdom” with the new building to avoid reducing spending on missions and outreach, Rizzo said.
QUOTABLE: “I think God’s people trust that God is their source, and I continue to see that every single day — people are trusting in God, they are being faithful,” Rizzo said. “There is a buzz word in the church world right now ... ‘Scarcity brings clarity.’ ... What it’s going to do is give us a more clear vision on what we should be doing and what we shouldn’t be doing. It’s almost like in a family: if there is less income, or there is the potential of less income, then you’re going to say ‘no’ and ‘yes’ a little better. Louisiana is a state of generosity — the people of Louisiana will sacrifice and give to the second mile ... that’s why I love it here. At the end of the day we’re just going to be obedient to God’s word and lift up Jesus no matter what — that’s what God’s people do.”

The Rev. Gene Rives, Baker First United Methodist Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: An average attendance of 35 to 50.
DENOMINATION: United Methodist.
OF NOTE: Rives also pastors the similarly sized Bethel United Methodist Church in Greenwell Springs.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Both churches are thriving, due in part, he says, to a growing outreach including the Community Café ministry, which feeds hundreds of area residents, Rives said.
QUOTABLE: “If anything, it seems to me that this economy offers a lot of opportunity for us. A crisis is always an opportunity. This situation is an opportunity to really live out the gospel and what that really means. I haven’t really noticed it because we’re responding to the needs of the community — that is what we do. More people want to live out their faith,” Rives said. “We have the leanest of budgets but we have a gift in the Community Café that is generating income — $22,500 last year — that is a lot for us! We are on schedule to do a lot more than that because that is part of our ministry. You ask where the money comes from? It just comes. What I see in this economy is an opportunity for the church to live out the Gospel.”

The Rev. Scott Schmieding, Trinity Lutheran Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: 1,200 members and an average attendance of 530.
DENOMINATION: Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
OF NOTE: The church recently purchased a 75-acre site on South Harrell’s Ferry Road, which is almost paid off, and is planning to hire an architect to draw plans for a multipurpose building.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Offerings are behind 2008 levels and salaries have been frozen, but programs haven’t been cut.
QUOTABLE: “I have simply been reminding people that the same God who has taken care of his people for generations will continue to provide for us even in these uncertain economic times,” Schmieding said. “I anticipate, and am very optimistic, that God will provide what we need to remain vibrant in ministry and outreach to the community and beyond. In spite of the economy we are moving forward in faith.”

The Rev. Charles T. Smith, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: 3,000 members and an average attendance of around 1,500.
DENOMINATION: Missionary Baptist.
OF NOTE: The church has long-range plans for more buildings, but no projects scheduled.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: None so far.
QUOTABLE: “At this point, fortunately, it (the recession) seems to be having no adverse effect,” Smith said. “The term I would use is ‘stable.’ I don’t see a significant difference one way or the other.”

The Rev. Chris H. Andrews, First United Methodist Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: 4,000 members and average attendance of 1,300 to 1,400.
DENOMINATION: United Methodist.
OF NOTE: The church is embarking on a $7 million capital campaign to build a new three-story children-youth building with a 300-seat conference center.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Offerings have been down some to begin the year.
QUOTABLE: “The question that is in my mind and the question that is in the hearts of a lot of our members is — in this current economic condition — ‘Do we have the resources to pledge it (the new building campaign)?’” Andrews said, adding he is confident in his congregation, especially because its membership financed a new building in 1926, three years before the Great Depression hit. “They weathered that and got through it, and I have no doubt that we will get through this and be fine as well. We’re going to keep the faith and move forward with a holy boldness.”

The Rev. Hawley Wolfe, Broadmoor Presbyterian Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: About 450 members and a regular attendance of about 200.
DENOMINATION: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
OF NOTE: The church is doing more community outreach than in past years thanks to a reserve of Hurricane Katrina funds that are being used to help community residents affected by Hurricane Gustav.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: The offering has remained steady, and the church’s emergency assistance fund is being used to help congregants who have lost jobs recently.
QUOTABLE: “We have been blessed in that our offerings have continued to be generous and sacrificial,” Wolfe said. “I do think there is a sense in which people say to themselves, ‘What is it that is really important in my life?’ and I think that for many people that their faith, and their faith community are high on that list. I think a lot of people have said that ‘If there is ever a time I need to get to my church it’s right now’ because I believe that they are helping their neighbors. I’ve heard it from everyone, that our community here in Baton Rouge and Louisiana is blessed for not being as severely hit as the other regions of the country.” “It was never a good idea to really trust in Wall Street. The only 100 percent return in investment you can make is in the Kingdom of God.”

Bishop Charles E. Wallace, Oasis Christian Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: More than 1,200 members and an average attendance of around 800.
DENOMINATION: Non-denominational.
OF NOTE: A fairly new building and a weekly television program are just two indicators of the ministry’s success.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Offerings are up, but the church is postponing projects such as a new electric sign that had been planned for this summer.
QUOTABLE: “We consistently teach on tithing and offering and our financial responsibility to our local church and we see consistent giving,” Wallace said. “I also take these trying times to continue to teach that this is no time to draw back from God because He is our source. I told them we should be more prosperous now than ever before because we live in a different economy than the world does — we live in the kingdom of God. God is our source and he promised to meet our needs. his provision is not based upon what is happening on Wall Street.”

The Very Rev. J. Mark Holland, St. James Episcopal Church

CONGREGATION SIZE: Membership of 2,000 and an average attendance of 520.
DENOMINATION: U.S. Episcopal Church.
OF NOTE: The church’s downtown campus includes St. James Episcopal Day School and the St. James Center for Spiritual Formation.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: Offerings affected but not to a significant degree.
QUOTABLE: “Part of the reason, I think, is that the Louisiana economy is out of sync with the rest of the national economy,” Holland said. “We’re still riding the bump and residual effects of the hurricanes. We expect our giving to actually be up next year. When people give to the church its about stewardship not fundraising —- they are saying ‘thank you for my blessings.’ ”

The Very Rev. Than Ngoc Vu, vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge

CONGREGATION SIZE: 212,000 members of the diocese’s 68 parishes.
DENOMINATION: Roman Catholic.
OF NOTE: Vu also serves as senior pastor of Christ the King Church on the LSU campus.
IMPACT OF ECONOMY: No significant impact among the parishes so far.
QUOTABLE: “Now, there are a couple of parishes where there has been some decrease but even then it does not seem to be significant,” Vu said. “The people are being very generous. It’s no secret that in tough times people go to church more. I read somewhere that the Wall Street area churches are packed. Here at Christ the King there has not been a significant decrease either. Every semester we send a letter to the parents of the Catholic students asking for their support and from the response we receive from across the country, our students come from all across the country, the appeal seems to be doing as well as in the past. It hasn’t really changed.”


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