Monday, December 01, 2008

last updated: May 31, 2008 06:12:22 AM

You've no doubt read recently about the soaring foreclosure rates and the severe cutbacks that schools, government and businesses have faced. In April, the Pew Research Center said a new study showed that one out of every seven U.S. workers feared being laid off in the next 12 months.

The money woes have reached the faith community as well.

A study released earlier this month by LifeWay Research shows that 72 percent of Southern Baptist pastors indicate that difficulties in the U.S. economy are negatively affecting their churches, and 27 percent indicate that their congregations will not meet their budgets if current trends continue.

The story is the same for congregations in the Modesto area.

A May 15 letter from Youth for Christ executive director Rick Fritzemeier said the "current downturn of finances is threatening" the ministry. "Just this morning, I had to release one staff member from our team. It was a very difficult thing to do. ... It is safe to say that (without further contributions) we will approach a shortfall of nearly $68,800 before Aug. 31."

On May 16, KAMB Christian radio station manager Tim Land sent out an e-mail including this statement: "The first four months of this year have been extremely challenging for our staff. Only 66 percent of our operating expenses have been met so far."

Although those examples sound steep, they are a mere blip compared to the reported $5 million to $10 million shortfall for the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church building project on Maze Boulevard. While the contractor will be fully

paid for the building and initial landscaping, the opening of the church is on hold until the necessary funds come in to complete the interior, officials said.

Similar stories cross religious boundaries. Yet with the bad news comes faith -- the faith printed on U.S. currency: In God We Trust.

Here are comments from area faith leaders:

Father Joseph Illo, pastor at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, said that for five years, his church's budget increased

7 percent annually with revenue increasing 8 to

9 percent. But in the past year, he said, "our revenue only increased

1 percent, and we are budgeting (conser- vatively) at a 5 percent decrease in revenue. This will mean some staffing and program cuts."

However, he added, St. Joseph's charitable giving fund is bolstered by gifts collected in a "second" Sunday offering, "and these have not dropped significantly. For example, we have maintained a consistent $10,000 offering at each of our five "St. Vincent de Paul" offerings per year, and we distribute about $60,000 in direct aid per year for food, utilities, rent and clothing to the poor who come to the church."

Bishop Stephen Blaire also gave a mixed report. He confirmed that giving also has been down at the cathedral in Stockton and that the diocesan budget "will be tight" this year. But a capital campaign that began in select parishes earlier this year "seems to be going well at this point."

Chuck Adams, senior pastor of The Carpenter's House in Modesto, said his church has seen a decrease in giving and tightened its budget in response.

But he also said the church has added staff and areas of ministry -- "necessary steps we needed to take to be effective in ministry. Remarkably, we are seeing our budget hold fast in light of these additional expenses. We are finding that after we have done all we can to be good stewards, what we do is still a matter of trust in God's ultimate ability to provide what we need to do his work."

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