Snow Leaves Churches Wanting

On top of the recession, this past weekend's snowstorm and accompanying cancellations hit one sector particularly hard: churches.

Though not all congregations cancelled Sunday services - several Roman Catholic churches went ahead with Mass - the majority of churches missed an opportunity to pass the plate.

Many church administrators said they'll recover, but they may have to tinker with the budget to make it through.

"It won't cause churches to shut down," said the Rev. Earl Johnson of Martin Street Baptist Church. "But it will take until the end of the year to figure it out."

Baptists and other independent churches were the hardest hit.

Many mainline Protestant denominations now ask members to make a yearly pledge so they are less dependent on the vagaries of the collection plate. Bigger churches allow members to make donations through an automatic bank draft or by paying online.

But a rainy-day fund can be useful.

"Our church has some reserves so we can get through a day like this and not be immediately in trouble," said Bob Warner, treasurer at First United Methodist Church in Cary.

First United Methodist was worse off in one regard: It has a $1 million building loan. Churches without mortgage payments are the most likely to withstand the shortfall.

One week's collection can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars in smaller churches to several thousand dollars in larger congregations.

Cary's Colonial Baptist Church, one of the Triangle's largest Protestant churches, typically sees $106,000 per week, said Ewart Hodgins, director of administration.

But Hodgins said the church will recoup at least half that amount this Sunday as faithful members double their donations.

And although cancellations are never a good thing, last Sunday was better than most. January is typically a lackluster month because people have just made year-end tax-deductions and are paying down Christmas debts.

Also most people are paid the first and third weeks of the month, and church administrators say they typically see a spike in donations on those weeks. Jan. 31 was the fifth Sunday of the month and not a pay week for most.

Still, given the option, many church leaders said they felt good about their decision to cancel services and would have made the same decision again.

"I'd rather err on the side of safety," said the Rev. Lorraine Ljunggren, pastor of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Raleigh. "We'll worry about the money later."