2 Corinthians 9:6"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously."
For churches that teach the words of Paul from the Bible’s Second Corinthians, there's no time like a recession for spreading God's love. Throughout the Bible there are references to caring for the needy, and many (if not all pastors) would say it's the church's responsibility to not only tend to the spiritual but the physical needs of the community in which it exists as well. But a recession is a recession, and it affects churches and religious groups just as much as it affects businesses and families. So how are they extending help spiritually and financially when their own budgets are likely in trouble as well? That's the question I tackled in this feature. The problem is: no one really tracks this kind of information. Especially in Louisville. So I talked with several clergy (more than are in this story) and tried to get a feel for how churches are changing their giving strategies in the recession. I think I got a pretty good idea for the need and how church leadership and their parishioners are trying to extend their reach, but there's a good chance I didn't get to your house of worship. Share with us in the comments how your church is changing the way it looks at financial giving to the community, or how parishioners are stepping up through volunteerism. I got the sense through my interviews with people on the ground that there is a rise in desire to help, especially through volunteering, as the effects of the recession become more real to congregations. Do you find that to be true? We'd love to hear your story of donations of time or money, how that has changed in the recession, and why.
