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Study: Overall Giving by Church Members Increased from 2000 to 2001
CHAMPAIGN, IL (October 21, 2003) - The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC)
remains one of the most generous denominations, according to recent
statistical analysis on church giving by empty tomb, inc.
"The State of Church Giving through 2001" was released last Wednesday
(October 15). It is the 13th in a series published by empty tomb, inc.,
a watchdog group. The book included information from the Yearbook of
American and Canadian Churches (YACC) regarding giving in 2001. Of 41
denominations listed, the ECC ranked fourth in percentage of giving to
the denomination's congregational finances and second among
denominations of more than 5,300 members.
The ECC had 103,549 full/confirmed members, according to YACC
statistics, and gave $198,202,551 to congregational finances, an average
of $1,904 per member. Last year, the ECC's 101,317 members gave
181,127,526, an average of $1,787 per member. The Allegheny Wesleyan
Methodist Connection, a denomination of 1,697, was the most generous
giver to its denomination in 2001, giving an average of $2,262 per
member. The 5,278-member Evangelical Mennonite Church, which gave $2,001
per member, was second.
Among other denominations of comparable size, the Wesleyan Church, a
denomination of 114,211 members, gave an average of $1,942 per member;
the Presbyterian Church in America (250,638) gave $1,617 per member; the
Christian and Missionary Alliance Church (191,318 members) gave $1,479
per member; the Reformed Church in America (173,463) gave $1,318 per
member; the Church of the Brethren (134,828) gave $510 per member and
the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (85,427) gave $482 per member.
On the whole, giving by church members increased in 2001 for both
internal operations and activities beyond the local church level,
reported Religion News Service in an article about the new data last
week. Giving as a percentage of income increased for total contributions
from 2.63 percent in 2000 to 2.66 percent in 2001. The 2001 figure is
lower than the 3.10 percent in 1968, however, based on data from a group
of denominations studied by empty tomb, inc. since 1968.
Sylvia Ronsvalle, co-author of the study with her husband, John
Ronsvalle, said the findings indicate that church giving was generous in
the year when the nation recovered from the September 11 terrorist
attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. "The upturn in benevolences
may suggest that church members chose to help victims of the 9/11
tragedy through their church structures," she added in her statement
about the research.
To order a copy of "The State of Church Giving Through 2001," or to find
out more about the organization and its research, call empty tomb at
217-356-2262 or email info@emptytomb.org. The organization's website is
www.emptytomb.com.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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