Florida church sends collection notices to parishioners

[OnlinePoker]

Most people who attend church are used to seeing the offering plate passed around the pews. People donate what they can as a proud member of the congregation.

But a Tampa women told ABC Action News her church says she must pay more than $1,000 a year in donations or don't come at all.

http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/hillsborough-regional-news/church-members-complain-about-collection-notices

[Bettie]

1. Churches are profit centers

this one is more blatant about it than most.

[Warpy]

4. Oh, horror stories abound about strong arm tactics to collect tithes

at Roman Catholic churches and Mormon temples, churches demanding to see tax returns so that the family can be assessed the "proper" donation. It's not just the glitzy megachurches that are doing this stuff.

[Bettie]

6. I stopped going to church

back when you still just put what you could in the collection plate and they didn't track everyone's donations by member number via those envelopes.

It is sick that they prey on people who want to belong, want to believe and think this is the cost of doing so.

[Frustratedlady]

13. Nothing new. We have a couple churches around here (including Catholic churches)

...which have elders who make visits to the homes to "encourage" donations/tithing. You either do it with money or labor or you are shamed.

There was one old lady in a neighboring town who used to take tins of goodies around to the bank, post office, city hall, etc., to brighten the workers' day. Her husband had died and this was her way of keeping busy and thanking the community. The church heard about it and made a visit to shame her for giving to the public before giving to church members. They warned her and told her to stop that practice or they would kick her out of the church.

Bless her heart, she refused and is no longer a member of that church. However, she is loved by the community for her thoughtfulness and continues to derive great satisfaction out of the friendliness of people who matter.

[MohRokTah]

2. Makes sense.

Churches are scams. At least this church is being open about being a scam.

[fredamae]

3. Do they still qualify

for tax free status when Billing for services?

"God Bills His Faithful"????
"No Money? No Blessings!"
"Pay Up or Go to Hell"?

[passnobuck]

5. George Carlin - God loves you!

but he needs your money.

[GreatGazoo]

15. "The God I believe in isn't short of cash, mister!" - Bono

And I can't tell the difference between ABC news, Hill Street Blues
And a preacher on the old time gospel hour
Stealing money from the sick and the old
Well the God I believe in isn't short of cash, mister

[Bad Thoughts]

7. Christians are now treating churches (like social services) like give-a-ways?

I am not surprised.

[Phentex]

8. This is nothing new...

maybe for this church but not for churches in general. Some go as far as "requesting" a certain percentage of your income.

[woodsprite]

9. My mom said our local Methodist church did this to our family back in the 40s.

You had to pay a certain amount/mo or you couldn't be a member of their church. Dad felt that you didn't need church to worship or believe, so he told them "don't bother coming back then."

Thankfully, I've never been to a church where they've done that. I imagine if you 'pledge', they may be able to legally come after you. Don't know.

Can non-profits groups come after you if you 'pledge' a donation (verbally or in writing) but don't carry through with a donation?

[lindysalsagal]

10. WWJP

What Would Jesus Pay?

[dembotoz]

11. Pretty damn pathetic

[gollygee]

12. This is less unusual than you think

I see problems on both ends. On one end, conservative Christians talk about how much they give to church, but they really don't and their churches can have a really hard time paying bills because no one gives any money. Churches have no other sorce of income than their congregants. The collection plate doesn't usually bring in enough money, and churches usually ask members to pledge a some amount per year (usually based upon what the person can afford and not a flat rate like that.) It should be no suprise that people talk about how much they love and support their church when they really don't. We're talking about hypocrites here.

And there are churches that actually check people's tax records when they join and fully expect a 10% tithe if they want to participate.

[sarcasmo]

14. Who would Jesus fleece?

[sunnystarr]

16. Tithing isn't new and it's expected.

I remember getting the envelopes for my weekly donation. However, I was never sent a bill. All donations were voluntary and if you couldn't donate you were still a valued member of the church. I know some in the church were able to give 10% of their income, but most weren't and didn't, giving only what they could afford.

[Gormy Cuss]

17. Voluntary being the operative word.

It's not unusual for churches to set out expectations on levels of donation. In some faiths, there's a strong push to pledge a certain amount per year because the churches can use those pledges for budgeting purposes.

Sending out bills like this is fine if church goers are told up front that this is the expectation, but sending it out after the fact? They can stick the notice where the sun don't shine.

[olddots]

18. hey who doesn't use pay pal from their phone ?

its all about the money ,you don't want to know how much tickets are for the high holy days at temple .

One reason religion bizz is shrinking in the world is because it has competition from other forms of entertainment .

[struggle4progress]

19. ... The young woman ... said she was surprised that the church would insist that she owed them

anything since no one even bothered to call her to find out how she was doing even though she had not been attending the church for a while. "What Church does this ... why would I want to go to a church that everybody talk about everybody. ... Christ don't have nothing to do with this paper you typed. ... They said I owe a fee for not coming to church. ... I just haven't been back to that church. ... If I'm such a member why no one called to check on me," wrote Peterson. The letter, from assistant administrator Ladreda Spencer and B.R. Fulton Jr., pastor the church, highlights a number of fees an adult member of the church needed to pay to be "in good standing and have the right to vote." The contributions include a general minimum contribution of $50 monthly; a $15 assessment for Mount Moriah Day, and a $15 assessment for the church's anniversary. "In sending this letter, it is with much regret. We value you as a member of our congregation and your attendance in the worship services. You are currently delinquent in your financial support," said the letter ...

Florida Church Threatens to Boot Member for 'Financial Delinquency;' Gives Her 90 Days to Overcome 'Hardship'
BY LEONARDO BLAIR , CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER
July 14, 2015|8:00 pm
http://www.christianpost.com/news/florida-church-threatens-to-boot-member-for-financial-delinquency-gives-her-90-days-to-overcome-hardship-141514/

[onenote]

20. I find this to be a complete non-story.

Last edited Wed Jul 15, 2015, 02:51 PM - Edit history (1)

The OP states that the woman was told she must pay "or don't come at all." Maybe that's what the story originally said, but it's not what it says now. Now it simply says she must pay "or she wouldn't be considered a member".

I know of any number of churches and synagogues that allow anyone who wants to attend religious services, but who charge " dues" or a "membership" fee for those who want the benefits of being a "member" of the congregation - benefits that might include the right to vote on the election of congregational officers, participate on committees, have their children attend "Sunday" school, and so on.

While the way this church handled it seems ham handed to me, the fact that they have a membership "dues" requirement for those who want to do more than simply attend open religious services is not out of the norm.