Money makes the church go around

Due to the mammon drying up, a Portland church has decided to shut down for 30 days so they can pay the bills. [Source]

To save money, First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland has decided to close for the month of July. The Rev. Marilyn Sewell, senior pastor, said the 142-year-old church faces a projected $185,000 deficit for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

The closure, during a traditionally quiet month in the church calendar, will save a predicted $100,000 in staff pay and help the church avoid laying off employees. Employees also will take an additional two weeks of unpaid leave. Even so, the church will have to make additional cuts, said the Rev. Thomas Disrud, Sewell’s associate.

Am I reading something wrong or is the monthly staff payroll 100,000 dollars?  Besides this being a false religion, sounds like some greed issues are going on and now the people are holding on their hard earned cash.

“The congregation needs to own the problems and understand the consequences,” said Sewell, who announced the decision during services Jan. 25 and then sent a letter to the church’s 1,500 members.

Normally, the church expects about 4 percent of pledges to go unpaid, she said, a number that’s been consistent through the 17 years she’s been pastor at First Unitarian. But this year, about 10 percent of pledges are unpaid, and about 250 families haven’t pledged at all.

Sounds like the “give me the money” scenario, Im Speaking Truth has blasted on his blog.  As this mammon mudslide gains intensity, those who have used God’s church  and his name as a tool to get money are going to have their ugly backsides revealed. And good. Jesus said my house should be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.