Churches Get Creative, as Gas Prices Soar
Pastor Dale Morgan
Churches Get Creative, as Gas Prices Soar*
By Ashly McGlone,
Religion News Service
At St. Stephen Baptist Church in Louisville, the 14,000-member
congregation billed itself as a "seven-day-a-week" hub of activity, with
choir practices, ministry meetings or small groups scheduled every night.
Then Pastor Kevin Cosby noticed a drop-off — people simply couldn't
afford the gas to drive to several activities on several different evenings.
So Cosby shuffled the schedule to combine all activities on Wednesday
night to give parishioners a "one-stop-shop for your soul." The church
also bought a third 14-passenger bus to shuttle people to and from church.
"We thought it would be a better practice of stewardship," Cosby said.
"The good use and stewardship of resources is how we demonstrate our
love for God."
Members with long commutes say they already feel the benefit of the
Wednesday shift.
"I think it's great. Tonight I am going to attend three different
auxiliaries all in one night," said Cornelius Pumphrey, an 11-year
member who lives 25 miles away. "Gas here is $4 ... I will be able to
save a considerable amount."
Added Brenda Dudley, a member for 21 years, "Budget-wise, it really
helps to have everything under one roof at one time."
With rising food and gas prices, Americans are grappling for economic
stability. Religious institutions, in turn, are getting creative in
trying to soften the blow of rising prices on parishioners' pocketbooks.
Some churches have responded with weekly gas card raffles and subsidized
gas outreaches to the community. For others, like St. Stephen, the
answer lies in major changes of service offerings.
In Eastlake, Ohio, the Worldwide Great Commission Fellowship church
started raffling one $25 gas card and one $20 grocery card during Sunday
services for all attendees last month.
"People feel they cannot afford to come to church, and if they do come,
that they do not have money to give into the offering," said Pastor
Melinda Bauman. "That is a significant sign that people are struggling."
In Flushing, Mich., the Rev. Mary Lloyd said God called her to give $5
gas cards to first-time visitors. Her 300-member church, Community Hope
Church of God, has given out more than 36 cards since May.
"It costs a lot to even come to church," Lloyd said. "We want to say
thanks for coming to church and here is a way to come back."
Meanwhile, the Catholic Diocese of Providence, used a $17,500 grant from
the Catholic Charity Fund to buy more than 1,000 bus fare booklets that
were free to qualifying recipients based on income and how the tickets
would be used.
"Someone that makes $50,000 on paper may not sound like someone who
qualifies, but they could be caring for three to four children, or an
ill parent. All those factors are considered," said Mark Guilfoile,
director of communications for the diocese.
From bus tickets and gas cards to filling gas tanks with subsidized
gas, novel ideas by religious organizations big and small are popping up
across the nation.
Not many would choose to fill other people's gas tanks, but North Point
Church in Springfield, Mo., set out to do just that. The 2,500-member
church sponsored a gasoline outreach in May as a part of its "52
unforgettable experiences" vision statement.
The event at a local gas station was scheduled to last 52 minutes as the
church paid more than $1 on every gallon purchased. But not wanting to
turn anyone away, the church subsidized 4,000 gallons of gas for 400 to
500 cars, lasting three hours. The total cost for the outreach was just
under $9,000.
Greg Marquart, director of church ministries at North Point, said the
goal of the event was not about gaining members.
"There's no question Jesus came to this Earth and met physical needs.
Our goal was to meet the need," Marquart said. "We wanted to tell people
we cared about them without ties or caveats, and that's truly the
biblical model."
Responses to gas hikes have taken on a more rustic, pastoral nature for
some Texas churches.
At the Lone Star Cowboy Church, the Rev. Jonathan Coe has seen up to 15
horses on any given Sunday in the parking lot, up from the usual three
or four. As a pastor of two cowboy congregations 45 minutes apart, Coe
has also felt the stress of rising fuel costs.
"It used to cost me $50 to fill up my diesel truck. Now it costs me
$132," Coe said. "I would imagine I am spending $1,200 a week between
Sunday services, weekly events and Bible study." Limited church funds
mean he is only reimbursed for gas half of the time, he said.
Churches are also seeing financial ministries expand, and say requests
for food and gasoline assistance are up. A recent Gallup Poll found that
approximately one in six Americans cannot afford the cost of driving,
and a separate poll of Southern Baptist pastors by LifeWay Research
found that 72% say the U.S. economy is negatively affecting their churches.
Cindee Coffee, spokeswoman for Southeast Christian Church of Louisville,
said about two-thirds of the 18,000-member congregation is living
paycheck to paycheck. Demand for financial counseling has risen, and
calls for help in buying buy food and gas have increased on the church's
emergency-only after-hours phone line. In addition, some church
employees have opted for a four-day workweek to reduce commuting costs.
According to Dave Travis, managing director of Leadership Network, a
Dallas-based evangelical think tank, churches have only begun to see the
impact of rising fuel costs.
"Everyone thinks of the $4 gas mark, but it also hits the utility bills.
There might be a change in service offerings when heating and cooling
costs come in the winter," Travis said.