Churches and charities.

[jonny]

Aqualung mentioned that the LDS gives a lot to charity. Here are some resources on what it done.

I think that one of the benefits of the way that the LDS church works is that everything is central, so all the money is dispersed as needed, not necessarily where donated. Also, members are given the opportunity to donate to specific charities. We have tithing, which is used to support local congregations. There are also fast offerings. This money stays in the ward and is used to assist local members with things like paying bills and stuff. The church has bishop's storehouses where members can go who need food (food is supplied by the church farms and ranches). Locally we also have Deseret Industries, which is like a goodwill. Members can donate old items to D.I. and people can go get cheap clothing and stuff like that. The D.I. stores are also used as vocational training for people with disabilities.

On a world-wide level, members can donate to funds such as the Perpetual Education fund (gives loans for education to members in third-world countries), the chuch humanitarian fund, the temple building fund, the Book of Mormon fund, the missionary fund, etc. I like this because it gives members some control over what the money they donate pays for. The church's welfare department is located at "Welfare Square" in SLC.

The wards are constantly doing things like making hygiene kits, quilts, etc. for needy people in other countries. Last month my single's ward raised 4,500 at an auction. The money will be used for a bunch of families that the ward adopted for the "sub for santa" program. We'll be going out as a ward to purchase the gifts and delivering them to six families this week. On Saturday everyone in the church in the area where I live is supposed to donate a bag of food to the Utah Food bank. Members are also encouraged to donate time at church farms, canneries, deseret industries, etc.

Anyway, there are tons of ways that LDS members are given opportunities to donate to charities. I personally like donating to the Perpetual Education Fund because it is a program I really believe in.

Here are some links to information about LDS charities:
http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/
http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/pef/welcome/0,7133,3403-1-10,00.html
http://www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/welfare/welcome/0,7133,1325-1-9,00.html
UN comments on Welfare Square - http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595077938,00.html
More details about the various programs -
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/welfare/

 

[Evenstar]

I must ask "how do you truely know your money is going to such places?"

Do you see paper work saying Thank you so much for the $15,000 we have done this, with your money.​

You see I never have. I see pastors wearing lovely suits mind... but he never says "Thank you for giving to our church, I brought this suit with your money" lol

 

[jonny]

I must ask "how do you truely know your money is going to such places?"

Do you see paper work saying Thank you so much for the $15,000 we have done this, with your money.​

You see I never have. I see pastors wearing lovely suits mind... but he never says "Thank you for giving to our church, I brought this suit with your money" lol

My church has a volunteer clergy and they are not paid. I used to be the Ward Clerk and was in charge of the money in the ward. They have very tight controls over it to make sure that it ends up where it is supposed to be. Every penny donated has to be deposited into the bank on the same day that it is taken out of the envelopes. The money is sent to Salt Lake and the church gives each ward a budget every year. At the end of the year every member has a meeting with the bishop where they are given the opportunity to compare their donation records with the ward's records. The LDS church also has an independent auditing department that audits the church funds each year and makes a report to the church in our general conference. Audits are also performed annually on a ward and stake level.

 

[Green Gaia]

I must ask "how do you truely know your money is going to such places?"

Do you see paper work saying Thank you so much for the $15,000 we have done this, with your money.​

You see I never have. I see pastors wearing lovely suits mind... but he never says "Thank you for giving to our church, I brought this suit with your money" lol

We have an Operating Council and one of it's duties is Finances, meaning making sure that the money donated goes where it is supposed to, that the bills are paid and tracks where the rest of the money spent, be it on social action projects, things for the church, etc. As a member, any UU can view the financial statements of their church at any time. It is not kept secret.

 

[Evenstar]

So only heads in the church, see where the money goes?

I see heads of the church getting richer, you must admit they dont eat beans 4 nights a week.​

The church is on a pretty income, most of them have lovely houses. I feel they pocket a lot of the money given, they must to keep up a high standard of living.

 

[jonny]

So only heads in the church, see where the money goes?

I see heads of the church getting richer, you must admit they dont eat beans 4 nights a week.​

The church is on a pretty income, most of them have lovely houses. I feel they pocket a lot of the money given, they must to keep up a high standard of living.

The prophet of our church lives in an apartment. You can see the bullet proof glass from temple square. The leaders of our church were very successful for the most part (heart surgeons, lawyers, nuclear physicists, etc.), and live off their savings or book deals for the most part.

 

[jeffrey]

Look at how many members are in your church. What is the average tithe? multipy that by how many members you have. Are you forced to tithe? What happens if you can't afford too? I have no problem with pastors and preachers living well, but money corrupts. Jim Baker. Jimmy Swaggert. Oral Roberts and his 900 foot Jesus. Just to name a few.

 

[Evenstar]

I think if churches or church leaders were not so lavish, a lot more money could go to others with less.

I feel it all boils down too "what would Jesus do?" And I dont believe for one second he would have bullet proof glass, How much did this cost?​

Once again this money would feed a number of children this christmas.

 

[jeffrey]

Preachers and Pastors love to tell the story about Ananias and Sapphira. Of how they where killed for not giving all of what they have. But they don't like to talk about what the Apostles did with the money. Did they erect lavish Churches or Temples? Nope. How about treating themselves to rolex watches? Not hardly. Tailor made togas? Don't think so. Acts 4:35 "and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they where distributed to each according to their need. Sounds like they helped each other.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I know of a local church that tells its members how much they are expected to donate based on thier weekly income. If it's 10%, and adjusted for those who get paid bi-weekly, I don't know. And it hordes the money for itself. It went from a basic one story brick building, to a very large building , approximatly three stories high, with a glass wall for the main entrance side, a few chandelers, two large spiral staircases, and a large balcony. And that is what you can see driving by.
Even though I don't have a church, I have donated several dollars to Pals for Paws and Wolf Park, which is a reserve/park for wolves. I love going thier on howling nights.

 

[jeffrey]

Luke Wolf, If you ever get through Kentucky, stop by for a cup of English tea. You can hear the coyotes howling out back of our house at night.

 

[jonny]

I think if churches or church leaders were not so lavish, a lot more money could go to others with less.

I feel it all boils down too "what would Jesus do?" And I dont believe for one second he would have bullet proof glass, How much did this cost?​

Once again this money would feed a number of children this christmas.

It's my money and I feel comfortable with how the church spends it.

The LDS church has numerous enterprises which have nothing to do with the member donation. It owns businesses, real estate, tv and radio stations, bookstores, publishing companies, malls, banks, universities, insurance companies, hotels, parks, newspapers, etc. It even used to own department stores. Most of these businesses are left over from the early days of the church. It is very likely that the residence of the prophet is not financed by member donations since it is likely a part of the Beneficial Development Company.

Here are main LDS Church owned businesses. There are many more.
Beneficial Development Company is a property development company dealing primarily with real estate holdings in and around Salt Lake City. In a very few instances, the company has installed roads, water systems, and other amenities for residential developments.

Beneficial Life Insurance Company offers the full range of life insurance protection. The company operates subsidiary insurance companies in Des Moines, Iowa, and Portland, Oregon.

Bonneville International Corporation is a commercial radio and television broadcast company with stations in Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, and New York. A division, Bonneville Communications, provides promotional services, and produces and distributes the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast, the general conferences of the Church, the Homefront Series public service announcements, items for the Missionary Department, and various seasonal programs. The company also provides commercial advertising and promotional services for national businesses and organizations.

Deseret Book Company operates retail book stores in Utah, Idaho, California, Oregon, and Arizona. The company also serves as a publishing arm of the Church to publish books and other materials for and about the Church. In addition, the company operates the Mormon Handicrafts outlet in Salt Lake City.

Deseret News Publishing Company publishes Salt Lake City's afternoon daily, the Deseret News, and is a partner in the Newspaper Agency Corporation, which handles printing, advertising, and circulation for the two Salt Lake City dailies.

Deseret Trust Company receives and administers trust funds and trust properties given to the Church.

Farm Management Company manages commercial farms and other agricultural properties owned or leased by the Church, including Deseret Ranches of Florida (Orlando), Deseret Land and Livestock (Rich County, Utah), Deseret Farms of California (Sacramento), Rolling Hills (Emmett, Idaho), West Hills Orchards (Elberta, Utah), and Cactus Lane Ranch (Phoenix, Arizona).

Temple Square Hotel Corporation operates The Inn at Temple Square, a small European-style hotel across from Temple Square; and The Lion House, a historic building in downtown Salt Lake City that is used for luncheons, dinners, wedding receptions, and other social events.

Zions Securities Corporation manages properties owned by the Church, primarily in the downtown area of Salt Lake City, including the ZCMI Mall, the Eagle Gate Plaza office tower, the Eagle Gate Apartments, the Gateway Condominiums, several other apartment buildings, and a number of parking facilities.

From http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/business/Church_EOM.htm

THE CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints Foundation receives from Church businesses contributions from their pretax earnings, which in turn are given to the community as contributions to the arts, education, and charitable groups, and other beneficiaries. The LDS foundation coordinates the distribution of major portions of the charitable contributions designated by Church-owned businesses. In recent years, the Foundation has been a significant contributor to the new LDS Hospital wing, the new Primary Children's Medical Center, the new Holy Cross Hospital, the Salvation Army, Saint Vincent De Paul Center soup kitchen for the homeless, the Salt Lake City Homeless Shelter, the Utah Symphony, Ballet West, the United Way, and related organizations. Income from Church business operations permits participation in local community causes without using the tithing of members from around the world. Those tithes are dedicated to continuing the primary work of the Church, which includes teaching the gospel to the world, building faith and testimony and promoting activity among the membership, and helping members to complete sacred temple ordinances in proxy for the deceased.

If you don't like how a church spends your money, don't donate to it. The OP question was does your church donate to the needy and do you believe they are doing enough. Yes, my church donates to the needy. I don't believe that anyone could ever do enough, but I believe that we are doing our part.

 

[anders]

Look at how many members are in your church.

I officially left a few months ago, so it isn't mine, but I suppose the number for the Church of Sweden is 8 to 9 million.

What is the average tithe?

Zero.

There's a church tax, collected together with national and municipality taxes. Where I live, it's slightly less than 1 % of your taxable income. You still pay a fraction of that after leaving for burial purposes. Some of the tax and Sunday collection money will go to charity work, like work among refugees in Africa, but in any case, the audition is as strict as for any municipal, governmental, public etc. entity. And that is STRICT.

Clergy wages range from USD 2200 per month for the newly ordained to 5600 for the Archbishop. And remember, that's before tax at some 30+ %. And of course there's no extra money in any way.

 

[jeffrey]

I read Acts, Like 5:32 and see how they lived their lives. Humble. Few possessions. I wonder if they would approve of some of the Churches today, with all that money. Their taylor made suits. If these rich and powerful churches sold their possessions, used the money to feed the hungry, world hunger might be no more.... just a thought.

 

[jonny]

I read Acts, Like 5:32 and see how they lived their lives. Humble. Few possessions. I wonder if they would approve of some of the Churches today, with all that money. Their taylor made suits. If these rich and powerful churches sold their possessions, used the money to feed the hungry, world hunger might be no more.... just a thought.

There was a quote in one of the articles I posted from the UN that if everyone observed the law of the fast and fasted for two meals a month and gave that money to the hungry that the hunger problem would be solved. We don't need to rely on the churches to do what we should be doing. We can do it ourselves.

 

[jeffrey]

There was a quote in one of the articles I posted from the UN that if everyone observed the law of the fast and fasted for two meals a month and gave that money to the hungry that the hunger problem would be solved. We don't need to rely on the churches to do what we should be doing. We can do it ourselves.

Which hasn't been done and won't be done, just like these posh churches won't part with their money to feed the world. Don't see that as living by the apostles' or Jesus' example.

 

[jonny]

Which hasn't been done and won't be done, just like these posh churches won't part with their money to feed the world. Don't see that as living by the apostles' or Jesus' example.

Has anyone tried? Members of the LDS church are supposed to fast on the first Sunday of every month and donate a "generous fast offering." This is the main source of income for helping less-fortunate members.

The churches are parting with their money to help feed the hungry. I'm sure there are similar examples in every religion.

http://www.lds.org/newsroom/showrelease/0,15503,4085-1-16834,00.html

Ethiopian government and United Nations (U.N.) officials have issued renewed appeals for food to save starving children and others suffering from hunger in that African nation of 67 million people. A severe, extended drought continues to threaten some areas of the country with famine. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which provided more than 3,000 tons of food to Ethiopia in March, is responding to these new requests with an additional 2,000 tons of supplementary food for the elderly, for expectant and lactating mothers and for children.

...

The Church is producing and shipping an additional 240 tons of Atmit, an Ethiopian porridge mix based on a centuries-old recipe. This supplemental food product is mixed and packaged in Salt Lake City at Welfare Square, a unique production and services facility that is a key element of the Church’s worldwide welfare and humanitarian program.

...

The Church has contracted with an Ethiopian supplier to produce an additional 1,800 metric tons of Unimix, a corn-soya mixture with added sugar, salt and vitamins. Distribution of the Church-donated Unimix has been underway since March in cooperation with both Project Mercy and Catholic Relief Services, the overseas relief and development agency of the United States Catholic Conference. Catholic Relief Services is distributing Unimix to seven villages east of Addis Ababa, where an estimated 260,000 people are suffering. Unimix is another supplemental food product that meets the unique nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating mothers and children under 5 years of age.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints previously sent food aid to Ethiopia in 1985 and again in 2000 when grain from Church-owned farms in England was bagged by British Latter-day Saint volunteers and shipped by sea to relieve suffering from food shortages. In 2002, the Church donated food boxes and locally purchased cereal grain to assist famine victims in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and other areas of east Africa. When floods struck Zimbabwe and Mozambique in early 2000, the Church sent nearly 2 million pounds of aid and chartered two helicopters to evacuate victims and deliver critical relief supplies.

Christian principles of compassion and caring for others have always been fundamental teachings of the Church. An organized humanitarian service was formed in 1985 when Church leaders asked Latter-day Saints in the United States and Canada to participate in two special fast days to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia, Chad and other sub-Saharan nations. By going without two meals on the designated days and contributing at least the value of the meals missed, Latter-day Saints donated in excess of $11 million, all of which went directly into relief efforts with the Church bearing all administrative expenses.

Since 1985, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has mounted more than 144 major disaster relief projects worldwide. Overall humanitarian assistance rendered since 1985 totals over $89 million in cash donations and more than $456 million in material assistance. All activities are supported largely by Church member donations of funds and volunteer labor.

One reason for the continued expansion of the humanitarian work of the Church stems from an ongoing commitment to minimize overhead expenses. Church members and friends of the Church know that their humanitarian donations will be fully utilized to help people in need.

 

[Aqualung]

Look at how many members are in your church. What is the average tithe? multipy that by how many members you have. Are you forced to tithe? What happens if you can't afford too? I have no problem with pastors and preachers living well, but money corrupts. Jim Baker. Jimmy Swaggert. Oral Roberts and his 900 foot Jesus. Just to name a few.

You can always afford to tithe. It's just 10%. If you're following the Lord's commandments and tithing, you won't ever need to not tithe. That's because he will look out for you. If you're tithing, and then one day you can't afford it, give your ten percent anyway, and then ask the bishop for some help this month. You can ALWAYS afford to tithe.

As to the lavishness of leaders of the church. All their money they got from their own jobs, not from the church. They also gave 10% of that money to the church. They also give fast offerings, and also probably quite a bit more than a poor college student like myself gives to the other funds in our church.

As to tithing. You don't have to tithe. You won't get excommunicated if you don't. But why wouldn't you? The tithing money is not lining our bishops's pockets.

 

[Katzpur]

My girlfriend was telling me that her minister is using her churches money to build an extention on his house. Unfortunately i don't know if they give to charty, but i haven't heard of them giving to any charity. They occasionally have a day to raise money for the minister...i mean church, but thats it.

Oh, my gosh! That's unbelievable!

 

[jeffrey]

aqualung, I take it you have never been poor. Never lived on the street. Never had to worry about where you might sleep, or where your next meal would come from. Some people cannot afford to tithe. Some people cannot afford to eat, right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. I take it a person of such would not be aloud to join your church? Seeing they can't tithe?