More Needy Are Turning To Clergy for Funds, Faith

"God is not surprised by plunging economic activity," the Rev. Rod Stafford of Fairfax Community Church told his congregation on a recent Sunday, quoting from Deuteronomy: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

Beyond the spiritual, though, houses of worship are nervously looking at their own finances. For many, donations are still strong. Studies suggest that religious giving isn't seriously affected by economic downturns. But they are still worried.

For the 130-family Akoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Station, anxiety is pervasive, even as giving every week has remained steady and no congregants have expressed any change in their finances, treasurer Rich Wolford said. "I think everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop," he said.

Some religious groups are seeing the economic decline trickle down into their own coffers.

At the All Dulles Area Muslim Society, the area's largest mosque, Ramadan giving, which is used to help the needy, dropped 15 percent to $59,000, according to Imam Mohamed Magid.

First Trinity Lutheran Church in Northwest Washington held a churchwide meeting last Sunday to inform members that contributions are down $30,000 this year. At the same time, the church's utility bills have soared 30 percent and it has had to reopen a food pantry that it closed years ago. "We're just going to hope that people give more," said the Rev. Tom Knoll.

Institutions that took on major renovation projects during the stock market boom are weighing whether to go forward. At Tabernaculo de la Fe (Tabernacle of Faith) Pentecostal church in Adelphi, Pastor Carlos Cabrera put plans to rebuild his church on hold.

Fall is stewardship season in many houses of worship, which means congregants are making their pledges for the coming year so clergy can draft their budgets for staff salaries, roof repairs, social services and evangelism.

Although it might seem difficult to ask Americans for money right now, clergy say giving now matters more than ever.

"Part of our responsibility is to be generous and provide for those less fortunate," said the Rev. Henry Brinton of Fairfax Presbyterian Church, who has been preaching Scripture about the economic situation every week for almost a month. "In a way, a time of crisis brings us back to the basics."