Magyar Egyház, 1979 (58. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1979-05-01 / 5-6. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ that it may enter in and abide with you and all Hungarian Reformed churches may fulfill their destiny measured out by our gracious Heavenly Father. May God’s Holy Spirit dwell in you, not only during the Pentecost holiday but for ever! Dezső Abraham, Bishop ☆ ☆ “POORER” CHURCH MEMBERS DONATE MORE OF INCOME A few of the faithful pay the major share of church costs. The facts about church finances are these: Some 25 percent of the members give 75 percent of the income. Another half the members give the remaining quarter of the income. “The rest of them are riding free,” says the executive secretary for 59 Churches of the Brethren in Ohio Northern, including four in the Akron area. “If people would tithe (give 10 percent off the top of their income), no church would have a financial problem,” said the church support chairman for the 60 churches of the Eastminster Presbytery, a district streaching from Akron to the Pennsylvania line. But people don’t tithe, except in a few churches. Most denominations report income ranging from 2.5 to 3 percent of member families’ annual income. Ironically, the churches considered “poorer” do better on a percentage basis. The “rich” churches get a lesser share of their members’ money. For example, dedication will he held May 6 for the new, $416,000 Vesper Lake Apostolic Christian Church on Knollwood drive, Bath township. Construction started 20 months ago by the congregation, which moved from Akron's North Hill. The new building is paid for. The 100 members had $100,000 in a building fund when construction began in August, 1977. Said member Mrs. Katherine Tiffan of Coventry Twp., a widow, “We broke ground and began raising funds. Our people are born-again Christians and we give as to the Lord.” Reports Presbyterian pastor Ross, “I know of a community where a man’s social status is reflected by his church membership. You can watch them change church membership as they get job promotions, until they reach the pinnacle of success and join the Episcopal church. “Yet the per-capita giving in the Episcopal church is the lowest in town. It seems that people’s hearts become more fixed on what they have as they get more.” In some churches, fund raising has been hurt by the causes the church supports. Some Methodists, for example, have been upset by their denomination’s support for revolutionaries in Rhodesia, some of whom have claimed credit for shooting two commercial airliners out of the sky. As a result, a movement is growing to allow local Methodist churches to designate the causes to which their funds will be applied. That stands in sharp distinction to current practice of the denomination. At issue is the 12 percent of a typical church budget which is sent to the denomination. Mr. Tolbert explains, “The people who object to some of these expenditures aren’t opposed to missions. In fact, they’re very mission-minded. Despite their objections, few churches have refused to make mission contributions. They just want to be selective.” Many churches strive to “tithe” their income, to give away at least 10 percent as they encourage their members to do. But denominational churches are also faced with demands from headquarters that ministers" salaries keep pace with the cost of living. With housing and other personal allowances included, the average Presbyterian pastor last year earned S16,524. The senior pastor of one prominent United Church of Christ in West Akron this year will get S19.907. The education director will be paid $11,440. A Christian Church (Disciples) pastor on the north side of town will get $16,470. A Baptist preacher at a large east side church will get $19,445. V bile such salaries may he competitive, they generally sap half the church budget. A United Church of Christ, will spend 52 percent of its $50,895 total income this year for staff salaries and allowances. After sending 12.6 percent to the denomination, the rest will go for maintenance, supplies and utilities. Churches rely on a variety of w ays to raise their funds, and the most common is simply to ask for it. Yearly, in many churches, a committee of volunteers visits the home of every member and solicits a pledge of regular contributions. Most members and volunteers say it is a harrowing time. Per capita giving in Akron area United Methodist churches now is SI 20 per year. It is not an exceptional figure. Christian and Missionary Alliance church members in the 12 Akron area congregations give an average $250 per year, according to the district superintendent for Ohio and West Virginia.
