As many as one in five churches could permanently close as a result of shutdowns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, according to David Kinnaman, president of the prominent Christian research organization Barna Group.
In an interview with NPR Monday regarding the status of American churches after months of shutdowns, Kinnaman said although churches were handling things “pretty swimmingly” at first, circumstances have changed for some.
He noted that although many churches have opened as states’ shutdown orders are loosened, their services have had “a lot less people coming.”
“They’re recognizing that the relationships that they thought were much deeper with people were actually not as deep as they expected,” Kinnaman told NPR.
Kinnaman then explained that, in keeping with research from earlier this year, he still expected to see about one in five churches permanently close within the next 18 months….
The above comes from an Aug. 26 story in the Christian Post.
I’m sure this is true. When the churches open up again in June, some people came back. Then when the governor mandated the mask,the attendance is has really dropped off. I think it created the desired effect, that things are out of control.
Bishops have nothing to fear. Like corporate fat-cat CEOs, they will be fine. The staff at parishes who do all the work for poverty wages will suffer the most.
The goal of the secularists is to rid the world of God and shutting down the churches seems to be helping achieve that goal. As for the bishops, stop giving any money to the diocese. Earmark all money to your parish with “mortgage payment, electricity, property maintenance”, etc. so that none can go to the diocese.
Some bishops have acted pastorally toward their flocks with spiritual messages. Haven’t heard a word from the SD bishop…
Peggy, that sounds like a good idea, if that is what you want to accomplish, but it really won’t work because each parish is taxed each year. No matter where you designate your money to be used, the parish still has to pay the tax. And then, to make you madder, the diocese is taxed by the USCCB each year. Here is an idea to think about. Most dioceses do not “tax” the Easter and Christmas collection. Give your annual tithe on those two days and it won’t go to the Bishops. So, if you make $50K per year, simply write two checks for $2,500 and have it over with.
not true… donor restricted funds are not included in the amount assessed by the diocese for the cathedraticum, the cathedral tax. The reason is that if a portion of the donor restricted funds were paid as tax to the diocese, then the donor’s funds would not be 100% used in accord with the donor’s restricted instructions for the money’s use. Everything you give to a parish should be designated as restricted: give for groceries, give for building improvement, give for music, give for catechesis, give for salaries, give for utilities. Don’t give unrestricted donations. And don’t give to Together in Mission. Send a letter to Gomez saying you’ll instead be giving that money as a restricted donation to some other church entity directly.
Peggy, Bob One and Anonymous, Amen, Amen, Amen! Great posts, better put then I could have done, great creative thinking, thank you, made my day. God bless you all.