As businesses close and people are told to stay in their homes to combat the coronavirus, church tithing is down nearly 75 percent in some cases, leading to some churches to pivot to online donation.
Americans filed for jobless benefits the week of Mar. 15, almost five times the record high from 1982.
Steve Tomlinson, senior pastor of Shelter Rock Church in an affluent suburb of Long Island filled with hedge fund managers and doctors, said his church has seen a 30-35 percent drop in giving since March 15. The church has already furloughed employees that worked only on Sundays and cut salaries of the executive team by 20 percent and other staff by 10 percent, hoping to pay back the difference when the crisis ends.
"Some of our older congregants who are faithful in giving, they don't use the platforms... online and so we are trying to help them with that," he said."We still receive checks in the mail." "Don't say you have no idea what we're going to do," he advised."Have the mindset of you're addressing people who are already generous and you're just empowering them to give online. It's not a 'We're so nervous,' but, 'We know God is faithful and generous.
"As cool as it is to have spaces, the ministry is what people do," Reed said."Something about a crisis triggers something in us like 'I have to do something.' People are finding needs."
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