From East Tennessee, a report on how churches are reordering priorities in light of the economic climate.
As Christmas draws near, churches in East Tennessee are adding greenery to their sanctuaries in preparation for Christmas Eve services. But there's another kind of green on their minds.
Service at St. James Episcopal Church this Sunday followed the normal routine: singing, praying, preaching, and the offering.
But these days, the small silver plates hold some uncertainty.
"We haven't seen any big impact yet but I think we will," said St. James Interim Rector Rev. David Hackett.
It's a concern that's entering into future plans for the church.
"We're in the throes of setting up the budget and it's very flexible at this point," Rev. Hackett said.
They may have to cut some programs in order to maintain priorities like their annual Christmas food pantry, which saw an increase of more than a 30% increase in applicants this year.
"We're going to have more and more folks showing up on our doorstep, needing help. We're willing to make some adjustments in our priorities to see that [that need] is met."
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=72338&catid=2
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