While the economic downturn is causing some to rein in their budgets, several Kane County churches are seeing their parishioners do just the opposite when it comes to church contributions.

“This year we’ve had a number of folks who have stepped forward to give additional gifts because they recognize people are really hurting in this economy,” said the Rev. Michael Stoner, pastor of Batavia United Methodist Church.

While some area churches have seen a rise in members’ generosity, others, such as St. John Neumann Catholic Church in St. Charles, have seen a drop in donations.

Some churches have started to monitor expenses and cut unnecessary costs, but remind church members that a giving spirit in tough times is necessary to help others in need. Donations fund more than just church needs, including service projects coordinated through the church.

“We have people struggling trying to make ends meet,” said the Rev. Rich Rosinski, pastor at St. John Neumann. “The people we are trying to help during holidays are just as hungry in February and March; their struggle is not just during the holiday time.

“We’re aware that the need to give is a constant challenge.”

Economy’s effects unclear

Tithing, or giving 10 percent of one’s income back to God, is a principle practiced at many religious institutions and described frequently throughout the Bible. While churches could feel an impact from the recent spike in unemployment numbers, a bad economy is not an indicator of decreased giving, according to an official at empty tomb, a Christian research organization based in Champaign.

“The concept of giving has religious roots in this country,” said Sylvia Ronsvalle, executive vice president of empty tomb. “So people who attend feel accountable, and therefore they would continue to give. That would explain why there is no clear pattern.”

Churches tend to experience fluctuations during times of economic strife — not necessarily a decline. The pattern Ronsvalle references was a study performed by the organization in February that examined “giving per church member” during the last six recessions between 1968 and 2005.

In exactly half of the recession years, giving actually increased, while in the other three years it decreased.

“So what we found was that church giving does not directly respond to the economy,” Ronsvalle said. “Part of the reason is that people view church giving just beyond the family. If they are going to cut back, it (the church) isn’t the first place they are going to cut back.”

However, Jan McPeak, business manager at the Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles, said she expects donations to decline at Baker in 2009. Although the church has seen a rise in donations, McPeak said Baker has felt the effects of unemployment and a stagnant economy.

“We have made budget, but I have a feeling next year may not be as good of a giving year," McPeak said. “Many congregation members have lost jobs this year. Many don’t have money to give. It doesn’t mean they stop giving; they just give less. Our income is not as it has been.”

McPeak said the church might have to turn to its emergency funds, church donations set aside as financial backing in case donations dip in the new year.

Rosinski said many of their church members have lost their jobs or have lower incomes.

“People are struggling,” Rosinski said. “They’re not able to offer to the parish community as much as they have in past.

“The economic crisis is touching the parish as well as touching everyone’s life,” Rosinski said.

He said the lower donations have led to cost-cutting.

“Right now we are very carefully and cautiously using the (donations) that people give us to meet the needs of the parish,” Rosinski said. “We’re trying to maintain the programs that we have but at the same time we’re encouraging all our departments to monitor their spending.”

Katie Phillips, congregational administrator for the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, said like most organizations and individuals, the church is also cautious with its spending.

“But we’re pleased that our pledgers continue to fulfill their commitment to our community, even at this uncertain time,” she said. “We don’t foresee any drastic curtailing of our operations.”

The Rev. Michael Rasicci of Calvary Episcopal Church in Batavia said the church staff has taken into account the number of parishioners who have lost their jobs or suffered a loss in their retirement funds when putting together the church budget.

“In projecting the budget for next year, we’re aware we may have more difficulty,” he said.

Generosity brings hope

McPeak said losses from lower donations may be offset by the generosity of other members increasing their donations. McPeak said most of the congregation’s members have increased their monetary pledges for 2009. She said Baker is fortunate to be located in an affluent community as well.

“There are so many people in need and the church is the first place they turn,” she said.  “There are wonderful people that are continuing to give.”

Traditionally, churches see a boost in member donations around the holidays. At Baker Memorial, 35 percent of the church’s annual income comes from end of the year donations, Stoner said.

“Overall giving has been down a little bit,” he said. “But we always see a significant increase between Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

He attributes the end-of-year boost to two factors.

“People are generally in the spirit of giving and becoming more aware of the needs around them,” he said. “There’s a sense of the season.”

Rosinski said there has been an increase in gift requests in Neumann’s Giving Tree program, where local organizations coordinate requests from needy families to receive Christmas presents.

He said despite the volume of requests, parish members filled each request.

Stoner also said many who have made financial pledges for churches tend to put them off until the end of the year.

“They realize they’ve only fulfilled 50 percent of the pledge,” Stoner said. “There’s kind of a catch-up factor.”

Donations serve many needs

Church donations fund more than church operations, as many participate in projects that help the needy and homeless in conjunction with other charitable organizations, like the Salvation Army.

Church staff members said parishioner contributions have made it possible to continue service projects in their communities.

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva has still been able to hold its monthly “Beyond Our Walls” collection, where it donates to a charitable organization or cause.

“This month, for instance, our special collection went to buy gifts and throw a party for boys at the Illinois Youth Center who do not have families visiting them over the holidays,” Phillips said.

Gail Quinn, St. John Neumann’s business manager, said church donations also fund service programs throughout the year including clothing drives for the poor and children’s religious education programs.

Rasicci said service projects that needed to be done at Calvary Episcopal Church have gotten done.

“We do have some endowment money and memorial funds that we can use for specific things,” he said. “But we try not to tap into those accounts unless we absolutely have to.”

At Batavia United Methodist Church, a number of parishioners have stepped forward with contributions to increase the church’s Good Samaritan fund, used to help people who need groceries or rent money.

Stoner also noted the church’s eighth-grade confirmation class, which recently collected 159 bags of groceries to stock the shelves at the Batavia Food Pantry.

“It really brought an awareness to them about the families the food pantry serves,” he said.

Staff writer Annie Reed contributed to this article.