CHURCHES RECEIVE MORE CALLS FOR HELP

Posted originally here.

Pleas for help — spiritual and financial — are flooding U.S. churches, from tiny congregations to megachurches, as recession woes seep into the pews, a new survey finds.
Pastors say they’re giving out benevolent funds in record numbers, increasing ministries to the unemployed and the financially fearful, even reaching into their own pockets more to help.
Nearly two in three pastors (62%) report more people from outside their church asking for help, and nearly a third (31%) see more such requests from church members, according to a survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors.
The survey, by LifeWay Research, a Christian polling firm based in Nashville, finds that 40% of pastors say they have church members out of work, and 37% say their church has increased spending to help the needy. (The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.)

For entire article check here.

This is a great opportunity for the church to shine. What can be done to help those struggling in this economy
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1. If the church has the resources, buy groceries for people or help with electric bill, a mortgage payment, rent, water bill or gas bill

2. Provide financial counseling if you have those in your church capable of doing that.

3. Provide help with resume writing and interviewing skills. See Rick Meig’s (Blind Beggar’s) piece here. A lot of times your local unemployment office will have people who can help with things like this.

4. You can always pray for people.

What other ways can you think of to help. I’m trying to figure out how we can help people in the Lake Como community - looking for more ideas.