Inflation hits church coffers

Press, 10 January 1981, Page 20

Inflation hits church coffers

Inflation has hit every pocket and the Church has been no exception. In the years before New Zealand changed to decimal currency, the usual offering in the collection plate was ’ six pence or a shilling. In recent times it has not been exceptional to find $2O notes among the silver or $1 potes. Knox Church held a "planned giving campaign” in September to make its congregation aware of the rate of inflation. I

The Rev. Dr Phyllis Guthardt said that many parishioners who. were committed to the church had promised a percentage of their annual wage to allow the church to keep up its activities. Churches with less stable congregations cannot rely on this sort of compensation. Monsigner J. M. Harrington, of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, said that with about 60 per cent of the congregation strangers, the church relied more on out'side contributions such as

■ donations and postcard • sales. 1 However, the Rev. R. G. 1 Maslin, of the Hoon Hay 1 Presbyterian Church, said ) that his church seemed to be better off than it was five j years ago. i Many of the congregation still paid tithes, or 10 per ■ cent of their income, but ; others were giving to keep : up with the rate of inflation, ; said Mr Maslin. ! “It is amazing where the • money is coming from,” he > said.