IT’S BASICALLY JUST IMMORAL TO BE RICH

From Current Affairs-

Here is a simple statement of principle that doesn’t get repeated enough: if you possess billions of dollars, in a world where many people struggle because they do not have much money, you are an immoral person. The same is true if you possess hundreds of millions of dollars, or even millions of dollars. Being extremely wealthy is impossible to justify in a world containing deprivation.

Even though there is a lot of public discussion about inequality, there seems to be far less talk about just how patently shameful it is to be rich. After all, there are plenty of people on this earth who die—or who watch their loved ones die—because they cannot afford to pay for medical care. There are elderly people who become homeless because they cannot afford rent. There are children living on streets and in cars, there are mothers who can’t afford diapers for their babies. All of this is beyond dispute. And all of it could be ameliorated if people who had lots of money simply gave those other people their money. It’s therefore deeply shameful to be rich. It’s not a morally defensible thing to be.

More here-

https://www.currentaffairs.org/2017/03/its-basically-just-immoral-to-be-rich

Justin Welby: Putting money in its proper place

From The BBC-

He lives in Lambeth Palace, surrounded by priceless artefacts and can legitimately claim to be the ecclesiastical leader of more than 85 million pilgrims. But the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, knows the experience of having little in the way of possessions.

As a 12-year-old boy, he recalls leaving rented flats in the dead of night, tiptoeing out of several buildings because his father was unable to pay the landlord. The fees for his final two years at Eton were never paid but absorbed by the school. He has known the insecurity and humiliation of not having enough money to pay the bills.

That experience appears to have shaped his determination to hold loosely to the trappings of this world.

As he writes in his book Dethroning Mammon, which is published on Thursday: "The problem with materialism… is not that it exists, but that it dominates. It shouts so loudly that it overrides our caring about other things of greater value."


More here-


http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38157626

Faith in Focus: For love of money?

From Central PA-

The song on the radio advertisement for a casino or some other establishment says “I want money, that’s what I want.”

Is it okay to want it?

As we know, to love money brings us to the root of many evils. It’s not about money being evil, having money being bad, or needing money making you someone destined for eternal suffering.

We have been given teachings meant to shape us into the way humans are to relate to others and to the material world. There are some things we absolutely must have. About these things we pray that we have what we need.

More here-

http://cumberlink.com/news/local/neighbors/pets/faith-in-focus-for-love-of-money/article_0b35df12-44d2-54ad-828d-dcefa0be49fa.html

Caring for the earth is our responsibility

From Wyoming-

We used to call it “conservation.”

Christians call it “stewardship.”

Some call it the “E” word.

There are red-flag words that when said, often keep people from paying attention to what else might be said, so I will not mention the “E” word in this article. There appears to be a political (which usually means, financial) debate going on about the “E” word and about the “GW” words. Regardless of political stances in these issues, the Bible does address it.

Let me first say that I am neither an environmentalist (OK, I used the “E” word after all) nor an industrialist, though I benefit greatly from both, especially when I buy gas for the vehicle I drive to get to the wilderness areas set aside for future generations. Here in Casper, our economy and many of our jobs depend upon energy production. (I doubt I would be paid except for the fruits of our energy economy here.) Actually I guess that makes me both an environmentalist and an industrialist, not to mention a “figitalist,” for I could not find the wilderness without my cell phone.

More here-

http://casperjournal.com/opinion/columns/article_846b05c3-b149-50d7-9f80-b967c5840dd1.html

Giving up again, though givers down

From The Church Times-

PARISH giving has risen to its highest level on record, to almost £1 billion. But the figures for 2013, the latest available, also show that the number of donors has shrunk.

The Church of England’s 12,500 parishes raised £953 million in 2013, statistics published yesterday by the Archbishops’ Council show. This is an increase of £24 million from 2012.

A one-per-cent cut in expenditure to £920 million means a £33 million surplus. The first surplus since 2007 was generated in 2012 — to £0.2 million, compared with £60 million generated in 2007, before the economic downturn.

More here-

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/31-july/news/uk/giving-up-again-though-givers-down

Why Christians should ditch monuments in favor of messages

From RNS-

 I was working with a historic church, whose majestic facility was built long ago by wealthy industrialists.

The church needed to raise $3 million each year just for facilities maintenance and repairs, plus another $3 million to operate the church, do outreach and serve constituents.

It was an impossible task. If all members — not the 50 percent who actually donate — gave at normal giving levels, they would need 3,000 pledges, three times their most optimistic count.

Meanwhile, emergency repairs required a major capital campaign on top of the $3 million nut.

I made a suggestion: Close the doors, and worship on the front steps and yard. Let the city see your faith. Make a joyful noise.

More here-

http://www.religionnews.com/2015/01/20/christians-ditch-monuments-favor-messages-commentary/

Workshop will examine new approach to stewardship

Fbrom Florida-

When most church members hear the word "stewardship" they think money. Capital campaigns. The annual pitch for tithing.

But the Rev. Canon Chuck Robertson says proper stewardship involves more than fund-raising. It's about taking care of each other, of newcomers, and of the community at large.

"It's not about a program," he said, "it's about a new way of thinking about who we are."

Robertson, the Canon to the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and author of 10 books including "Transforming Stewardship," will host a workshop on Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at St. John's Episcopal Church. The public is invited.

More here-

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20110924/LIVING06/109240302/Workshop-will-examine-new-approach-stewardship?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7Cfrontpage%7Cs

A report from the Standing Commission on Stewardship and Development

Written by a member of the diocese-

Time, Talent, and Treasure. These words are so well known to anyone involved with stewardship in the church, but do they really address the challenges that parishes and dioceses have today as they face shrinking congregations, challenging budgetary constraints, and a lack of understanding of the basic concepts of stewardship? Is stewardship, as our members have heard from so many out in the church, just about fundraising? As one said at our first meeting: “We always seem to define stewardship holistically, but end up at annual giving.”

As a part of our initial conversation in November 2009, it became clear that two objectives would inform the Stewardship and Development Commission’s work during this triennium. Both ‘stewardship’ and ‘development’ are part of our name, but they have vastly different reaches, definitions, and outlooks.

First, we would begin an exploration of what is meant by stewardship broadly – stewardship of our churches, our resources, our planet and environment, our time, and our bodies, among other things. Second, we needed to understand and think about ways to provide practical, on-the-ground advice and support to parishes and dioceses that are struggling with very real financial challenges.

More here-

http://episcopalchurch.org/92553_128557_ENG_HTM.htm

Churches see some rebound in giving

From The Tribune Review (Pittsburgh)-

The Rev. Carmen D'Amico visits his ill parishioners if they're hospitalized. But if they lie sick at home, he sends another parishioner or a priest who is studying at Duquesne University.

The recession has forced him to serve as pastor at three parishes — St. Benedict the Moor in the Hill District; St. Mary of Mercy, Downtown; and Epiphany, Uptown. And this shepherd almost sounds guilty at the pastoral corners he must cut to serve three flocks.

"I'm always running from one place to the next," D'Amico said. "I always feel (like I'm) rushing, which is not a good thing when you're doing pastoral ministry."

These three city churches are among those nationwide that are still reeling from the impact of the 2008 recession, but some are just starting to heal financially as their collection baskets grow heavier.

"Some churches are beginning to see an uptick, a rebound, but there are still a number of churches struggling," said Brian Kluth, founder of Maximum Generosity Ministry and State of the Plate Research. "You're still dealing with 40 percent of the churches in America having a hard time."

Read more:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_734850.html#ixzz1L8JFU5aJ

Those with less likely to give more

From Indiana-

John Reece of Lafayette makes less than $20,000 a year, but he still finds time to volunteer.

"It's easier for me to give time than it is money, but time is money one way or the other," said Reece, who volunteers at the food pantry run by St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Urban Ministry. "I like helping out somewhere so that's what I do. It needs done. I have a big heart. I was brought up that way."

Surprisingly, people who have less tend to be more generous, charitable, trusting and helpful compared to their upper-class counterparts, according to a study that will be published in the August edition of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

"What we find counterintuitively ... is that the needy or the relatively less wealthy are actually more generous," said Paul Piff, lead author of the study. "They are more giving toward other people (and) they care more about the needs of others in their social surroundings."

More here-

http://www.jconline.com/article/20100802/LIFE/8020303

Research desk responds: How generous is the United States?

From Thw Washington Post-

wintday asks:

how do Americans compare with the people of other countries as to charitable contributions, in total, per capita, in proportion to GDP or some other measure of wealth. And if possible, please break out contributions to churches, which, I think, are in large part payment of the cost of mutual member benefits, rather than "charity" which benefits the larger community.

A comparison of non-military foreign aid (international "charity," if you will) would also be interesting. And if you can, note aid which is truly disinterested from aid which is tied to purchasing donor goods.

I'm afraid there's no data that breaks out churches, and I'm not sure, contra wintday, that would be wise. Some church contributions go to spending benefiting the individual congregations, but some go to organizations like Episcopal Relief & Development or Catholic Relief Services that do on-the-ground charity work. The UK's Charities Aid Foundation did a comparison (PDF) of nations' giving as a percentage of GDP and, sure enough, the United States comes out ahead by a wide margin:

More here including charts-

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/06/research_desk_responds_how_gen.html

Churches cutting back as donations dwindle

From this morning's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. (Front page)

Water from the leaking roof of the Door of Hope Community Church in Lawrenceville has damaged plaster on some interior walls, but the cost of repairing the slate and tin roof is beyond the church's means.

"I don't know what we can do, or how we're going to get it fixed. We need a miracle," said the Rev. Steve Ramsier, pastor. The church was built in 1881, destroyed by fire in 1908 and rebuilt in 1918.

In addition to a roof, the church's wish list includes a copier, storage containers, projector, laptop computer and a 144-square-foot tent. But donations are down at Door of Hope, and at churches across the country, a study shows.

Americans are passing on their financial pain to churches and other nonprofits by cutting back substantially on giving during the fourth quarter, according to the study by Barna Group, a California-based company that tracks church trends.

During the past three months, one of every five households, or 20 percent, has decreased its giving to churches, Barna said.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_604751.html

Clergy brace for downturn in giving

From the Boston Globe-

Many organizations are also already cutting. The Catholic Diocese of Worcester has imposed new restrictions on building projects. The Unitarian Universalist Association has put off planned maintenance work on its Beacon Hill headquarters. The Archdiocese of Boston has been steadily cutting staff. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts has cut staff and spending. And religious colleges are cutting too, including, most recently, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, an evangelical institution on the North Shore that announced Monday it was laying off employees and reducing spending.

Many clergy believe that religious philanthropy, especially at the local level, tends to be more resilient than other forms of charitable giving during a recession. But they note there is no exact precedent for the current economic crisis, making forecasting the impact this time speculative.

"Perception and fear are a greater concern now than the real economic problem, and the fear of things getting worse will probably dominate people's reaction," said Chuck Zech, a professor of economics who studies church finances at the Villanova School of Business.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/30/clergy_brace_for_downturn_in_giving/

MONEY IN, MONEY OUT: Testing Faith

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

You don't have to be an economist to tell which way the financial winds are blowing.

You could just as well be a minister, rabbi or imam, all of whom are waiting to see how a roiling economy might affect both their flocks and their ability to minister to them.

Local clergy already have noticed spillover effects from the economic uncertainty. For example, several say they've seen an increase in requests for assistance -- food pantry distributions and help with rent payments -- from congregants.

The Rev. Eldwin Lovelady, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, says members of his church -- which includes Filipino and Hispanic communities -- now are being asked to pledge contributions for the coming year.

http://www.lvrj.com/living/34543409.html

If we are fortunate, much good might come from doing without

An Interesting Opinion piece on the possible spiritual benefits of the current financial crisis. Tom Ehrich is an Episcopal Priest in Indianapolis.

I am telling church leaders that it is time to let go of old anxieties, especially self-centered fussing and stale traditions, and to focus instead on being lean, efficient and self-sacrificial enterprises that are dedicated to serving others. Too many congregations are strangling on yesterday's bickering and priorities.

There are so are many families and businesses with arguments that don't end and business models that don't work. We all need fresh starts.

In fact, when we stand back, I think we will see why we ran up $2.3 trillion in personal debts: We were trying to escape ourselves and the difficult decisions that we needed to make in order to have peace and meaning in our lives.

We have tried to live without God. We have tried not to see our skills, blessings -- indeed, our very existence -- as God-given assets entrusted to our care, but rather as economic engines for amassing worldly wealth. In our world-view, we weren't engaged in a dynamic transaction with a living God. We were living as we chose, and if we turned to God at all, it was only as a last resort.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20081115/LIVING09/811150381/1007/LIVING

Stewardship in a time of financial crisis challenges congregations

From Episcopal News Service-

Stewardship season, the time when Episcopal congregations ask their members to decide how much of their income they will give to support the church's mission, coincided this year with a global economic crisis that caused layoffs, home foreclosures, shrunken investment portfolios and retirement accounts, and mostly dire predictions about the future.

While some Episcopal congregations advocate the biblical tithe of 10 percent and others suggest proportional giving (setting an initial percentage of income to pledge and then increasing it each year), both models – and all the variations in between – depend upon givers knowing or being able reasonably to predict the income upon which to pledge. The current uncertainty makes that predicting harder.

Yet the Rev. Brad Whitaker, rector of Christ Church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, said, "I don't feel it's appropriate to go into panic mode." He won't be preaching "arm-twisting" stewardship sermons, he added.

Grosse Pointe Farms is close enough to Detroit to be feeling the downturn in the automobile industry and some of Christ Church's more than 350 pledging members have lost their jobs – or are worried about them. In the midst of that anxiety, Whitaker's message is that pledging must be "an honest reflection of my thankfulness for what God has already given me."

Tom Gossen, executive director of the Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS), said in an interview that a traditional stewardship message of "what I believe, why I give and what difference it makes" is still the best way to approach the season, no matter its context. "It's got to be giving out of love," he said.

http://www.episcopal-life.org/79901_102453_ENG_HTM.htm

The economy and pledging to the church

A general overview abut how the current crisis in the economy is affecting giving.

However, many churches rely on income from investments for their financial health and are already slashing their 2009 budgets.

Kurt Barnes, treasurer of the 2.2 million-member Episcopal Church, said the value of the denomination's endowment funds, which cover 5 percent of the annual budget, have declined by 30 percent this year. Some staff at Episcopal headquarters in New York offered to take a pay freeze, but church administrators declined, saying it wouldn't be fair to the employees.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i84i8b7x-3G6rr7A8TilALhbaKxgD944AA9O0

Gerorge Werner: On Being a Steward

The Very Rev. George Werner former Dean at Trinity Cathedral Pittsburgh and former President of the House of Bishops sent the following.

Stewards of the Church

I reluctantly, and with sadness, find I must reply to an argument being offered concerning the Property of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The claim has been made that the property belongs to those who are currently tending it. One of the clearest of principles in the Episcopal Church (and many others) is that we are stewards, not owners. It is a scriptural concept, that we are the temporary managers whose job description is to maintain and enhance (see Parable of the Talents Mt. 25:14-30) that to which we have been entrusted and then pass it on to our successor.

It has worked brilliantly for centuries. Clergy are entrusted with Church buildings, land, chalices, vestments, linens and other appointments of worship and community. Our generous forebears have left behind dedicated funds for music, for scholarships, for endowments, for personnel positions and maintenance of all the above.
Unfortunately, from time to time, some group makes the judgment that “this time is special and that we are more able, more effective, more holy, more scriptural, more just or more righteous than others. Therefore, we must take ownership of that we once accepted in trust as stewards.” But I would think that such a self praising judgment needs to be left to the One true Judge, who will separate the sheep from the goats and the wheat from the chaff.

I question neither the sincerity or the commitment of such folk. I understand that I am a dinosaur who actually believes that vows should be taken seriously. At my Ordinations to Diaconate and Priesthood, not only did I respond orally and positively to accept the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church but signed the documents of that vow before the ceremony could be continued.

I believe in the Communion of Saints. For me that includes the hundreds and the thousands of wonderful lay people who gave so much of their time, talent and treasure, to build these communities and then passed them on to another generation. In both our sacred and secular worlds, there are too few voices of gratitude for those who given us so much and too many shouts of “mine” in this difficult moment of God’s history.

This is my thirtieth year as part of this Diocesan family. When I arrived, we were just completing the last significant Diocesan fund raising for mission. Though other campaigns were proposed, none came to fruition. So the property and funds in question were the product of decades and centuries. (I was a steward for Trinity Cathedral for more than twenty years of Trinity’s twenty-five decades of history.)

Serving as a steward was a great honor and privilege for me and I never felt the need or desire to be an owner of such a treasured place and gloried history. But then, I am a dinosaur who believes in vows and commitments, and Dinosaurs are best known for being extinct.

Why Can’t Religion Be “Pay to Play”?

Andy Muhl sent this along. No more stewardship committees?

The most annoying volunteer job I’ve ever had is that of treasurer at my synagogue; three years at one place, and I was dumb enough to volunteer for three years at another.

Trying to eke dues out of the small number of delinquent members had bad effects on my blood pressure.

Synagogues and other religious organizations are public goods; it’s easy to enjoy the services offered (pun intended) without paying your fair share of the costs.

Many European countries do it differently. When you move to a town in Germany, for example, you are asked to state your religion at the city office. Unless you say none, you are then assessed a surtax of 8 percent on your income tax liability, and the funds are paid directly to your religious community.

With a progressive income tax, this means that the rich pay a greater share of their incomes to support religious institutions than the poor do.

No need to go harassing delinquent members; it’s pay to play.

As a synagogue treasurer, I would have loved that; as a U.S. citizen, I realize that this is inconsistent with the separation of church and state in the United States (but any more so than Bush’s faith-based initiatives?).

And I realize that it might be difficult to determine what constitutes a religious organization — a problem that has arisen in Germany.

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/why-cant-religion-be-pay-to-play/

Economic crisis hasn't hit churches yet

A report of the impact (or lack of one) on the economy on church giving.

The Rev. Harold Bishop, interim rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Chambersburg, said he has seen no impact of the economy on his congregation.

"Maybe it's because of my dynamic personality," he joked.

Speaking seriously, he said contributions are up slightly. As for the economy, he said, "I don't think it's anything to worry about at the moment. Things look pretty decent (in the church)."

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_10526187