16 Feb '10 08:52>3 edits
interesting reading was an article written by Bill Underwood for the news group, The Examiner. He wondered at the percentage of his donations that would reach the people in Haiti and did what all good investigative journalists would do, asked around. He phoned thirty churches in his Phoenix area. Here are his questions,
• How many different services do you have in a week?
• What is your average attendance?
• Do you pass a collection plate at each service?
• Do you pass it more than once?
• Do you suggest/require a donation amount? How much?
• Do you communicate by letter, email, or phone call with your members regarding amounts they are suggested/required to donate?
• Besides the upkeep of your facility, what are the donations used for?
• Do you have salaried ministers or other local employees of the church?
• Are you asking your members to give something extra for Haiti?
• If so, are you taking that money from the regular donations, or do you have some special arrangement? (Passing a collection plate again, sending out request letters, etc.)
• If you are making special donation arrangements for Haiti, do you have a target figure?
• What percentage of the funds earmarked for Haiti do you expect to reach Haiti? (For example, the American Red Cross gets less than stellar reviews in several places on the web for spending too much on administrative costs.)
• Where are you sending the Haiti funds? (your organization’s upper management, CARE, United Way, etc.)
• What arrangement do you have for informing members of what they are contributing and how their money is being used?
I look forward to hearing from you.
He asked he Bapists, the Lutherans who claimed that 100% would reach Haiti, despite the fact that their officials are salaried, therefore he wondered, how could that be?
Check these figures for a Lutheran minister and his salary,
As of 2006, the President of the LCMS received a salary of $158,870. The First Vice President, $129,160. The Secretary: $147,263. Vice President/Treasurer: $147,263. Chief Administrative Officer: $129,160. Executive officers of major legal entities (Corporate Synod, CPH, CHI, Church Extension Fund, Foundation) received an average annual salary of $133,864. Executive directors of Corporate Synod, WBP, other boards, commissions and departments including LCEF and LCMS Foundation) and CPH VP and other officers received an average salary of $122,350.
mmm nice work if you can get it.
and finally with regard to yours truly, he reports
Each congregation is presided over by an unpaid body of elders. . . . The brothers and sisters who live and work at the world headquarters in New York and in branch offices around the world are all volunteers. None – from the newest laborer to the members of the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses – receive a salary.
the full article can be found here,
http://www.examiner.com/x-17373-Phoenix-Signs-of-the-Times-Examiner~y2010m1d26-Helping-Haiti-Give-generously-but-wisely
• How many different services do you have in a week?
• What is your average attendance?
• Do you pass a collection plate at each service?
• Do you pass it more than once?
• Do you suggest/require a donation amount? How much?
• Do you communicate by letter, email, or phone call with your members regarding amounts they are suggested/required to donate?
• Besides the upkeep of your facility, what are the donations used for?
• Do you have salaried ministers or other local employees of the church?
• Are you asking your members to give something extra for Haiti?
• If so, are you taking that money from the regular donations, or do you have some special arrangement? (Passing a collection plate again, sending out request letters, etc.)
• If you are making special donation arrangements for Haiti, do you have a target figure?
• What percentage of the funds earmarked for Haiti do you expect to reach Haiti? (For example, the American Red Cross gets less than stellar reviews in several places on the web for spending too much on administrative costs.)
• Where are you sending the Haiti funds? (your organization’s upper management, CARE, United Way, etc.)
• What arrangement do you have for informing members of what they are contributing and how their money is being used?
I look forward to hearing from you.
He asked he Bapists, the Lutherans who claimed that 100% would reach Haiti, despite the fact that their officials are salaried, therefore he wondered, how could that be?
Check these figures for a Lutheran minister and his salary,
As of 2006, the President of the LCMS received a salary of $158,870. The First Vice President, $129,160. The Secretary: $147,263. Vice President/Treasurer: $147,263. Chief Administrative Officer: $129,160. Executive officers of major legal entities (Corporate Synod, CPH, CHI, Church Extension Fund, Foundation) received an average annual salary of $133,864. Executive directors of Corporate Synod, WBP, other boards, commissions and departments including LCEF and LCMS Foundation) and CPH VP and other officers received an average salary of $122,350.
mmm nice work if you can get it.
and finally with regard to yours truly, he reports
Each congregation is presided over by an unpaid body of elders. . . . The brothers and sisters who live and work at the world headquarters in New York and in branch offices around the world are all volunteers. None – from the newest laborer to the members of the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses – receive a salary.
the full article can be found here,
http://www.examiner.com/x-17373-Phoenix-Signs-of-the-Times-Examiner~y2010m1d26-Helping-Haiti-Give-generously-but-wisely