PEORIA, Ill. — The COVID-19 crisis is having a direct effect on local churches’ bottom lines.
Pastor Miranda Denler, who leads the congregation at Northwest United Methodist Church in Peoria, said once she knew the church would be closed due to concerns over the coronavirus, she reached out to the finance committee to make a plan.
“We don’t know how long this is going to last. But, if we have some actions that we’re going to take, then perhaps we can get out in front of it, instead of just waiting to see what happens,” Denler said.
Denler said so far, there’s been good response to online giving. But, it’s still not as much as they would see in the plate on a regular Sunday morning.
“We have multiple ways of giving. But, we know that giving isn’t going to be as much as it typically is,” Denler said.
In the first few weeks of online-only worship, Northwest UMC has seen a dip in giving. Letters have been sent to the church’s congregation to remind them they can mail in offering as well as give online.
Denler said many of the older church members don’t have email or access to the internet.
“Trying to get them connected to the worshiping community has actually been really difficult. We’ve been sending them sermons and devotional materials once a week. But, that’s not really enough to make them feel connected,” Denler said.
It appears that churches nationwide will be closed through Easter Sunday. Denler said Northwest UMC is looking at interactive options to keep the congregation connected until stay at home orders and social distancing suggestions are lifted.
1470 & 100.3 WMBD/Julia Bradley
