Churches Brace for Budget Squeeze as Pledge Drives Close

As they wrap up seasonal pledge drives, churches around the country are feeling the pinch of reduced commitments from parishioners, reports the Star Tribune.

The recession has many congregants reducing their annual pledges or simply matching past giving levels — a net loss for churches and synagogues when inflation is factored in. Some attempt to make up the difference when they can at the collection plate, the newspaper reports, but those donations cannot be factored into institutions’ budget projections.