Ok dear readers, I have a question.
Are minorities really to blame for the financial mess?
Now I know that some of this is because of sub-prime, but can a whole financial system break down because minorities were given bad loans? C'mon now, I have a hard time believing that.
I am asking this because I don't like the spin that's being placed on this as being something that's caused by the "other". In fact, I'm sickened by it.
Showing posts with label Money Issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money Issues. Show all posts
Friday, October 10, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Dow Down 778, Do You Have Any Money Left?
What a day dear readers, what a day.
Mondays are my light days, so I can work from home if I so choose. I did. And decided to go back and forth between CNBC and MSNBC to see what was going on as far as the bailout was concerned. Well....the answer came a little after 2:00 EDT. 228 nay, 205 yea.
Where do we go from here ladies and gentlemen? Here are some questions:
-Does the market really need $700 billion dollars?
-What protections should there be for the public and taxpayers?
-Is there any situation in which judicial review is a bad thing?
-What should happen in bankruptcy court in regards to mortgages?
Like I said, a few questions for consideration.
Those who know me in my non-anonymous life know that governance issues play a large role in my life. I also spend a bit of time trying to help those who make decisions understand how those decisions might play in the public eye. And my professional persona is cringing at how this is going to play tomorrow morning. It's not going to be pretty dear readers, not pretty at all. I'll probably write something about that later in the week.
Anyway, I hope you all are not panicking. Panicking is not good for anybody.
Hopefully Charlie Rose will talk about this tonight. My guess is he will.
Mondays are my light days, so I can work from home if I so choose. I did. And decided to go back and forth between CNBC and MSNBC to see what was going on as far as the bailout was concerned. Well....the answer came a little after 2:00 EDT. 228 nay, 205 yea.
Where do we go from here ladies and gentlemen? Here are some questions:
-Does the market really need $700 billion dollars?
-What protections should there be for the public and taxpayers?
-Is there any situation in which judicial review is a bad thing?
-What should happen in bankruptcy court in regards to mortgages?
Like I said, a few questions for consideration.
Those who know me in my non-anonymous life know that governance issues play a large role in my life. I also spend a bit of time trying to help those who make decisions understand how those decisions might play in the public eye. And my professional persona is cringing at how this is going to play tomorrow morning. It's not going to be pretty dear readers, not pretty at all. I'll probably write something about that later in the week.
Anyway, I hope you all are not panicking. Panicking is not good for anybody.
Hopefully Charlie Rose will talk about this tonight. My guess is he will.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Is It Really A Bailout?
Hello dear readers.
I haven't written since the AIG mess, mainly because I've been watching CNBC most of the time when I'm not either working or in my class.
I can't answer the question as to is this really a bailout, but I'm upset at how this is being framed; as if everybody whose home has been foreclosed on was greedy and stupid and should have never gotten a home in the first place. If I remember this right, when the housing crisis started, the issue was not really the people who were working two jobs to keep their home, but "flippers" who thought they could make some quick money in the housing market and took out very risky loans to begin with. Am I remembering this right?
Well.....back to financial news....CNBC or Bloomberg.
I haven't written since the AIG mess, mainly because I've been watching CNBC most of the time when I'm not either working or in my class.
I can't answer the question as to is this really a bailout, but I'm upset at how this is being framed; as if everybody whose home has been foreclosed on was greedy and stupid and should have never gotten a home in the first place. If I remember this right, when the housing crisis started, the issue was not really the people who were working two jobs to keep their home, but "flippers" who thought they could make some quick money in the housing market and took out very risky loans to begin with. Am I remembering this right?
Well.....back to financial news....CNBC or Bloomberg.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
It's 10:45.....Do You Know Where Your Money Is?
Well, the market goes down 446 points. What to make of that?
I must say I'm surprised that there isn't more postings on the financial situation, but I'm not really all that surprised. Bread-and-butter and money issues have never been big issues to talk about in many UU circles.
Anyway......should the government have bailed-out AIG?
I must say I'm surprised that there isn't more postings on the financial situation, but I'm not really all that surprised. Bread-and-butter and money issues have never been big issues to talk about in many UU circles.
Anyway......should the government have bailed-out AIG?
Monday, September 15, 2008
Things Are Heating Up
Hello dear readers.
Seems like things are heating up in the UU-blogosphere over cultural misappropriation. I'll have a post about that soon.
Right now, though, I'm watching CNBC and all the talk about the financial markets. Very interesting stuff if I do say so myself.
What should/is going to happen to AIG?
Was the government wrong in not helping Lehman?
What the hell is Bank of America thinking buying Merrill Lynch?
Is this the beginning/middle/end of the financial crisis?
oh well, back to CNBC. And maybe Charlie Rose will talk about this tonight.
Seems like things are heating up in the UU-blogosphere over cultural misappropriation. I'll have a post about that soon.
Right now, though, I'm watching CNBC and all the talk about the financial markets. Very interesting stuff if I do say so myself.
What should/is going to happen to AIG?
Was the government wrong in not helping Lehman?
What the hell is Bank of America thinking buying Merrill Lynch?
Is this the beginning/middle/end of the financial crisis?
oh well, back to CNBC. And maybe Charlie Rose will talk about this tonight.
Friday, May 30, 2008
There Should Be Some Advantage To Being A Fair Share Congregation
Hello dear readers.
I seem to be getting all sorts of good gossip these days, but this one is the most important to me.
It seems that the President of my district (Central Midwest for those of you who didn't remember) is a part of a congregation that is not in full Fair Share status with either the UUA or the district. Or at least that's what the gossip is.
This does not seem fair to me. There really should be some advantage to being a Fair Share congregation.
Is this a common occurrence in other districts? How can the President of a district faithfully stand there and talk about congregations contributing to the district at Fair Share levels and yet not be part of a congregation that is doing just that?
I'm developing a headache trying to make sense of this. So I shall stop here.
I seem to be getting all sorts of good gossip these days, but this one is the most important to me.
It seems that the President of my district (Central Midwest for those of you who didn't remember) is a part of a congregation that is not in full Fair Share status with either the UUA or the district. Or at least that's what the gossip is.
This does not seem fair to me. There really should be some advantage to being a Fair Share congregation.
Is this a common occurrence in other districts? How can the President of a district faithfully stand there and talk about congregations contributing to the district at Fair Share levels and yet not be part of a congregation that is doing just that?
I'm developing a headache trying to make sense of this. So I shall stop here.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Why I'm Still Writing On This
ChaliceChick asked me why I'm still writing on this. I hope this post will explain some.
I was raised in a very working class home and church was a big part of my life. We did lots of things for the church and traveled quite extensively because of it. I know that this is coloring my view of the whole registration/hotel issue and I don't apologize for that. This is more than about $15 for me.
I find it amazing that other comparably sized religious groups find ways to accomodate those of lesser means and yet we seem to keep having problems.
I know this is a really short explanation, but hopefully it will shed some light on me.
I was raised in a very working class home and church was a big part of my life. We did lots of things for the church and traveled quite extensively because of it. I know that this is coloring my view of the whole registration/hotel issue and I don't apologize for that. This is more than about $15 for me.
I find it amazing that other comparably sized religious groups find ways to accomodate those of lesser means and yet we seem to keep having problems.
I know this is a really short explanation, but hopefully it will shed some light on me.
Why Frontenac? or Class and District Assembly pt.2
oh my dear readers! I truly did not expect to start off a firestorm, but I might as well go with it.
Since ChaliceChick did some research on hotels in the area of the Hilton-Frontenac, I decided to do a little more research, both on that hotel and some others. But a little info first.
Last year, in Oak Brook, the rooms were in the $90s (I can't find a hotel receipt but do remember that much), but less than $100, at the Marriott. (I do find it interesting that we will be paying more in a suburb of St. Louis than we did in a suburb of Chicago)
In 2006, in downtown Madison, the rooms were $85.
In 2005, in Arlington Heights (another suburb of Chicago), the rooms were $74 at the Sheraton.
So I don't think it's irrational to ask this question: WHY FRONTENAC?
Here is a little info on the Hilton-Frontenac: it has 263 rooms and it's normal rate is $143.10. Yet if the district had chosen the Hilton at the St. Louis Airport, it would have picked a bigger hotel (395 rooms) and one with a lower rate ($89.00).
But even more than that......why choose Frontenac, which only has 1 choice, when you could have gone to the airport or Westport and had many?
Let's look at some more hotels at the airport.
The Renaissance has 393 rooms and a rate of $89.00. The Marriott has 601 rooms and a cost of $89.00. Both of these would have had ample meeting space. Then there are the smaller hotels if one needed/wanted to go elsewhere. And most are within walking distance
Then there's Westport (as you can see, I know a little about where hotels are clustered in St. Louis). The biggest hotel at Westport is the Sheraton. It has 2 hotels there with a combined number of rooms of 510 (300 in one and 210 in the other) and ample meeting space. There are also a number of hotels in/around Westport within walking distance of the Sheraton if people wanted to stay somewhere else for whatever reason.
So again.......WHY FRONTENAC?
Since ChaliceChick did some research on hotels in the area of the Hilton-Frontenac, I decided to do a little more research, both on that hotel and some others. But a little info first.
Last year, in Oak Brook, the rooms were in the $90s (I can't find a hotel receipt but do remember that much), but less than $100, at the Marriott. (I do find it interesting that we will be paying more in a suburb of St. Louis than we did in a suburb of Chicago)
In 2006, in downtown Madison, the rooms were $85.
In 2005, in Arlington Heights (another suburb of Chicago), the rooms were $74 at the Sheraton.
So I don't think it's irrational to ask this question: WHY FRONTENAC?
Here is a little info on the Hilton-Frontenac: it has 263 rooms and it's normal rate is $143.10. Yet if the district had chosen the Hilton at the St. Louis Airport, it would have picked a bigger hotel (395 rooms) and one with a lower rate ($89.00).
But even more than that......why choose Frontenac, which only has 1 choice, when you could have gone to the airport or Westport and had many?
Let's look at some more hotels at the airport.
The Renaissance has 393 rooms and a rate of $89.00. The Marriott has 601 rooms and a cost of $89.00. Both of these would have had ample meeting space. Then there are the smaller hotels if one needed/wanted to go elsewhere. And most are within walking distance
Then there's Westport (as you can see, I know a little about where hotels are clustered in St. Louis). The biggest hotel at Westport is the Sheraton. It has 2 hotels there with a combined number of rooms of 510 (300 in one and 210 in the other) and ample meeting space. There are also a number of hotels in/around Westport within walking distance of the Sheraton if people wanted to stay somewhere else for whatever reason.
So again.......WHY FRONTENAC?
Monday, February 18, 2008
Class and District Assembly, or What I'm Asking For pt.2
Well dear readers I'm having so much fun being in a cranky mood I think I'll stay that way.
I decided to look up a few things about where the CMwD assembly is going to be. I'm not thrilled. So here's the next thing I'm asking for.
CAN WE NOT HAVE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE SUBURBS??????
This year the assembly is in Frontenac, a ritzy suburb of St. Louis. Last year the assembly was in Oak Brook, one of the ritzy suburbs of Chicago. Not only do these suburbs have class issues, these suburbs also have racial issues. Why are we picking places like these? Aren't there hotels that fit the district's requirements that are in places other than Frontenac and Oak Brook? Or are we really trying to send subliminal messages to those in lower socio-economic classes and to people of color that we don't really want you?
I decided to look up a few things about where the CMwD assembly is going to be. I'm not thrilled. So here's the next thing I'm asking for.
CAN WE NOT HAVE DISTRICT ASSEMBLY IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE SUBURBS??????
This year the assembly is in Frontenac, a ritzy suburb of St. Louis. Last year the assembly was in Oak Brook, one of the ritzy suburbs of Chicago. Not only do these suburbs have class issues, these suburbs also have racial issues. Why are we picking places like these? Aren't there hotels that fit the district's requirements that are in places other than Frontenac and Oak Brook? Or are we really trying to send subliminal messages to those in lower socio-economic classes and to people of color that we don't really want you?
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Some People We Want Are On A Fixed Income, or What I'm Asking For
Hello dear readers.
Ogre asks me what I'm looking for when I'm talking about things related to District Assembly. I think that's a legitimate question and one that should be it's own post instead of a comment on the last post.
Ok....here's what I'm asking for. If you'll read my post "Sleeping Arrangements", you'll see that I'm asking that there be a lower cost alternative to the ritzy hotels that we use for the annual meeting. That is the fixed cost. And I know that it might just be the way I was raised, but when the "special" room rate is $105+tax, then we're talking about the only people who can afford that are in a different tax bracket (or have expense accounts). Unless there are 4 people in a room, that is a high cost for a church meeting.
What I'm asking for is the acknowledgement that there are people in our churches who want to be involved who are in fixed incomes, and try to make some accomodations for that. All the great religions ask us to remember the least of these. Doesn't seem to be much rememberance of that in UU circles.
As for the students, it still goes back to the fixed costs of the hotel room and transportation, as you can always bring your own food and food costs are mutable. But that is still $105+tax for 2 nights. If there were a lower cost alternative, then maybe there would be greater participation by people of all socio-economic classes in the work of our districts and association.
That's what I'm asking for.
Ogre asks me what I'm looking for when I'm talking about things related to District Assembly. I think that's a legitimate question and one that should be it's own post instead of a comment on the last post.
Ok....here's what I'm asking for. If you'll read my post "Sleeping Arrangements", you'll see that I'm asking that there be a lower cost alternative to the ritzy hotels that we use for the annual meeting. That is the fixed cost. And I know that it might just be the way I was raised, but when the "special" room rate is $105+tax, then we're talking about the only people who can afford that are in a different tax bracket (or have expense accounts). Unless there are 4 people in a room, that is a high cost for a church meeting.
What I'm asking for is the acknowledgement that there are people in our churches who want to be involved who are in fixed incomes, and try to make some accomodations for that. All the great religions ask us to remember the least of these. Doesn't seem to be much rememberance of that in UU circles.
As for the students, it still goes back to the fixed costs of the hotel room and transportation, as you can always bring your own food and food costs are mutable. But that is still $105+tax for 2 nights. If there were a lower cost alternative, then maybe there would be greater participation by people of all socio-economic classes in the work of our districts and association.
That's what I'm asking for.
Yet Another Thing About District Assembly
I seem to be having problems with both GA and District Assembly this year. Must be going through a cranky phase.
Anyway, dear readers, I went through the brochure for the CMwD meeting again and saw that there is a Young Adult/Full-Time Student rate of $45. But guess what, dear friends; your meals are not included and you still have to pay for your room.
So not only do you still have to pay for a room, pay to get to St. Louis and pay $45 registration, you have to pay for ALL your food. So I guess the District is telling you to bring your own or starve.
Ain't being a UU grand?????
Anyway, dear readers, I went through the brochure for the CMwD meeting again and saw that there is a Young Adult/Full-Time Student rate of $45. But guess what, dear friends; your meals are not included and you still have to pay for your room.
So not only do you still have to pay for a room, pay to get to St. Louis and pay $45 registration, you have to pay for ALL your food. So I guess the District is telling you to bring your own or starve.
Ain't being a UU grand?????
Sleeping Arrangements At District Assembly
Well hello again dear readers.
Steve Caldwell brings up the idea of using local churches as places for people to sleep during District meetings as a way to cut down costs.
I'm all for options, and that is one, but I must be honest and say that my preference is a bed. I just think we ought to be able to find less expensive beds, be able to cut the registration fee and still have a good meeting.
Is there any way that there could be alternative options as far as hotels go? Have the ritzy hotel and have a Days Inn as the other option?
When are we going to acknowledge that the best way to get people to participate is to not have too many financial obstacles in their way?
Steve Caldwell brings up the idea of using local churches as places for people to sleep during District meetings as a way to cut down costs.
I'm all for options, and that is one, but I must be honest and say that my preference is a bed. I just think we ought to be able to find less expensive beds, be able to cut the registration fee and still have a good meeting.
Is there any way that there could be alternative options as far as hotels go? Have the ritzy hotel and have a Days Inn as the other option?
When are we going to acknowledge that the best way to get people to participate is to not have too many financial obstacles in their way?
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Even More On The District Meeting
Hello again my dear readers.
H Sofia reminded me that I had not included the price of meals into my analysis of the upcoming CMwD annual meeting. And I must thank her for that.
Lunch on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday seem to be the only meals included. But where does that leave all us hungry souls on Friday when we arrive in St. Louis? Up ---- creek it looks like to me. So that means one must add something to our $621.14 total for a meal on Friday. Let's assume that you can get a meal for $15-$20/person. (might be pushing it there, as I don't know if there are any restaurants around the hotel and you know the price of a hotel restaurant is going to be more than that) So the price of dinner on Friday will be anywhere between $35 and $50 depending on taxes and tips.
Let's add it up again friends. $621.14+$35=$656.14. Or it could be $621.14+$50=$671.14.
So that means a party of two can do District Assembly for the low, low price of $700. (almost)
And yet we talk about wanting to grow. Growth and expansion of representation doesn't happen when it costs $700 do be a part of things.
H Sofia reminded me that I had not included the price of meals into my analysis of the upcoming CMwD annual meeting. And I must thank her for that.
Lunch on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday seem to be the only meals included. But where does that leave all us hungry souls on Friday when we arrive in St. Louis? Up ---- creek it looks like to me. So that means one must add something to our $621.14 total for a meal on Friday. Let's assume that you can get a meal for $15-$20/person. (might be pushing it there, as I don't know if there are any restaurants around the hotel and you know the price of a hotel restaurant is going to be more than that) So the price of dinner on Friday will be anywhere between $35 and $50 depending on taxes and tips.
Let's add it up again friends. $621.14+$35=$656.14. Or it could be $621.14+$50=$671.14.
So that means a party of two can do District Assembly for the low, low price of $700. (almost)
And yet we talk about wanting to grow. Growth and expansion of representation doesn't happen when it costs $700 do be a part of things.
It's District Meeting Time
Hello dear readers.
I'm looking over the brochure for the Central Midwest District annual meeting and can't help but think about how, in many ways, hypocritical we are.
Registration for the meeting is $155 for a full-time adult. This doesn't count dinner on Saturday evening, which is $35. So, before adding in the price of the hotel room, the price is $190 per adult. Now let's add in the hotel room. The special price for our meeting is $105/night. If you are going to stay both nights (since our meeting runs Fri-Sun), that comes to $210+taxes (which are 14.83%). That total is $241.14. Let's imagine that a couple wants to come to the meeting. Let's add it up, shall we. $155x2=$310. Add in the price of a room which will be $241.14. Add in the banquet at $35/person for a total of $70. The grand total for 3 days at a UU meeting will be $621.14.
$621.14?!?!?!?!?!?
This total, my friends, doesn't even include the cost of getting to St. Louis for those of us who are not locals.
$621.14
And yet we seem to talk a lot about trying to include as many UUs in the process as possible. Why don't we quit telling that tall tale. If we wanted more people involved, we would find a way to do this less expensively.
I know......if you volunteer for two hours the registration gets reduced to $115. Even if both people in my scenario above volunteer, the price is STILL $541.14+expense of getting to St. Louis.
As much as we don't want to talk about it, we don't want you if you can't afford to be one of us.
(and yes, dear readers, I have the same complaint about GA)
I'm looking over the brochure for the Central Midwest District annual meeting and can't help but think about how, in many ways, hypocritical we are.
Registration for the meeting is $155 for a full-time adult. This doesn't count dinner on Saturday evening, which is $35. So, before adding in the price of the hotel room, the price is $190 per adult. Now let's add in the hotel room. The special price for our meeting is $105/night. If you are going to stay both nights (since our meeting runs Fri-Sun), that comes to $210+taxes (which are 14.83%). That total is $241.14. Let's imagine that a couple wants to come to the meeting. Let's add it up, shall we. $155x2=$310. Add in the price of a room which will be $241.14. Add in the banquet at $35/person for a total of $70. The grand total for 3 days at a UU meeting will be $621.14.
$621.14?!?!?!?!?!?
This total, my friends, doesn't even include the cost of getting to St. Louis for those of us who are not locals.
$621.14
And yet we seem to talk a lot about trying to include as many UUs in the process as possible. Why don't we quit telling that tall tale. If we wanted more people involved, we would find a way to do this less expensively.
I know......if you volunteer for two hours the registration gets reduced to $115. Even if both people in my scenario above volunteer, the price is STILL $541.14+expense of getting to St. Louis.
As much as we don't want to talk about it, we don't want you if you can't afford to be one of us.
(and yes, dear readers, I have the same complaint about GA)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Bring Your Passport or, Real ID and General Assembly pt.2
Hello dear readers.
Big thanks to Joel Monka for the link to the Real ID pages. It just shows how confusing this really is.
But now we can talk about economic issues related to General Assembly. Joel, in his response to my question, says that he is going to bring his Passport just in case. While I think that is a good idea, that brings up this point. There are some of our fellow UUs who don't have Passports.
What's a Passport running these days? $100 or so???
So on top of all the other costs associated with GA, some of our fellow UUs might have to pop an extra $100 or so just so they can enter the convention center. Interesting.
Talk amongst yourselves.
Big thanks to Joel Monka for the link to the Real ID pages. It just shows how confusing this really is.
But now we can talk about economic issues related to General Assembly. Joel, in his response to my question, says that he is going to bring his Passport just in case. While I think that is a good idea, that brings up this point. There are some of our fellow UUs who don't have Passports.
What's a Passport running these days? $100 or so???
So on top of all the other costs associated with GA, some of our fellow UUs might have to pop an extra $100 or so just so they can enter the convention center. Interesting.
Talk amongst yourselves.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Stop Treating Your Church Like the Sierra Club, or Why Tithing Matters pt.2
Oh my dear readers! I was going through UUpdates a few minutes ago and came across this:
Let me suggest a modest proposal which, I believe, can help solve the financial problems of the Unitarian Church of (blank). The proposal is this: take this congregation off of your “charity” list! Do I have your attention yet? If not, I beg you! Remove this congregation from the list of causes and services you support, it doesn’t belong there.
Amen and Hallelu to that!!!!!
Your church is NOT the Sierra Club. (I'm not picking on the Sierra Club, so no comments along that line please) Your church SHOULD hold a different place in your life and deserves to be seen that way.
It's nice to see more UUs talking like this. Gives me hope that one day UUs will actually ASK people to give more than 5% to their church.
Bless you dear minister at the Unitarian Church of (blank). I hope you get everyone in your congregation's attention.
Let me suggest a modest proposal which, I believe, can help solve the financial problems of the Unitarian Church of (blank). The proposal is this: take this congregation off of your “charity” list! Do I have your attention yet? If not, I beg you! Remove this congregation from the list of causes and services you support, it doesn’t belong there.
Amen and Hallelu to that!!!!!
Your church is NOT the Sierra Club. (I'm not picking on the Sierra Club, so no comments along that line please) Your church SHOULD hold a different place in your life and deserves to be seen that way.
It's nice to see more UUs talking like this. Gives me hope that one day UUs will actually ASK people to give more than 5% to their church.
Bless you dear minister at the Unitarian Church of (blank). I hope you get everyone in your congregation's attention.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Why Tithing Matters
Hello dear readers.
While I was scrolling through UUpdates earlier today, I came across this:
“We, the members of the Unitarian Church of Staten Island, challenge YOU, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, to a high-five challenge.” This means, they challenge a majority of the pledging units of First Church to give at 5% of their annual adjusted income.
5%?!?!?!?!? The challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!? This is all we're asking of members of our churches? 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?
This, my friends, explains why the megachurches are building multi-building complexes and UUs can barely build outhouses. 5%?!?!?!?!?!?
When did UUs devalue tithing? And why did this happen? If you want quality you must give money to it. The work of the church needs money. The facilities require upkeep; this requires money. If you want staff, you must be willing to pay them a reasonable salary. And the challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Call me old-fashioned, but we need a new(old) attitude. If you believe your church matters to you, you need to give it enough so that it can do its work without worry.
While I was scrolling through UUpdates earlier today, I came across this:
“We, the members of the Unitarian Church of Staten Island, challenge YOU, First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, to a high-five challenge.” This means, they challenge a majority of the pledging units of First Church to give at 5% of their annual adjusted income.
5%?!?!?!?!? The challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!? This is all we're asking of members of our churches? 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?
This, my friends, explains why the megachurches are building multi-building complexes and UUs can barely build outhouses. 5%?!?!?!?!?!?
When did UUs devalue tithing? And why did this happen? If you want quality you must give money to it. The work of the church needs money. The facilities require upkeep; this requires money. If you want staff, you must be willing to pay them a reasonable salary. And the challenge is for 5%?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Call me old-fashioned, but we need a new(old) attitude. If you believe your church matters to you, you need to give it enough so that it can do its work without worry.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Theology of Abundance, or Fundraising-UU Style pt.2
In "Gone A'Traveling" I talked a little about the theology of abundance. In thinking som'more about it, I do have a question about how it can be used in a UU context.
Can a theology of abundance really work without G-d?
Hear me out on this. A theology of abundance requires that we humans let go and give things over AND believe that in giving things over, new avenues will appear. So my question becomes if we're supposed to give things over but we don't have G-d, what are we giving these things over to?
As a Christian, I have some concept of G-d, but I'm really wondering how this would work in a congregation that is avowedly humanistic/atheistic. I would really appreciate hearing from those who are involved in the money aspects in their congregations (of whatever theological stripe), whether you are a lay leader or minister.
Can a theology of abundance really work without G-d?
Hear me out on this. A theology of abundance requires that we humans let go and give things over AND believe that in giving things over, new avenues will appear. So my question becomes if we're supposed to give things over but we don't have G-d, what are we giving these things over to?
As a Christian, I have some concept of G-d, but I'm really wondering how this would work in a congregation that is avowedly humanistic/atheistic. I would really appreciate hearing from those who are involved in the money aspects in their congregations (of whatever theological stripe), whether you are a lay leader or minister.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Gone A'Traveling, or Fundraising-UU Style
By total coincidence this was the weekend that all the members of the house went a'traveling. Me by myself, the others together. It's a good thing about everybody in the house being adults, we're not obligated to go somewhere just because another member of the house wants to go somewhere.
As I was saying, I went a'traveling to visit some dear UU friends who live east of Eden. Part of the reason that I went to see them was that their church was having their annual auction and I'm always interested in how UUs fund raise. All-in-all it was a good evening, but as I sat there I wondered just how much money they made and how much more they could have made had things been a little different. More on that in another post.
So being with my UU friends this weekend has got me to questioning yet again: why are UUs sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bad at raising money for their churches? For a group of people who, on the whole, have more disposable income than most others, UU churches seem to always be in a perpetual state of near desperation when it comes to money. It also strikes me as odd considering many members of UU churches fund raise for a living.
Why has the theology of scarcity taken hold in UU churches instead of the theology of abundance? Why do those who have less disposable income give more to their churches? (and yes, I do know some of this has to do with theology, but not as much as you might think) Why do UUs treat giving money to their church as an afterthought? On the flip side, why does the typical UU church as for so little (somewhere between 2-5%)? When Us/Us/UUs threw most of the Christian theological baby out with the bathwater, why did we give up the idea of TITHING?
As I was saying, I went a'traveling to visit some dear UU friends who live east of Eden. Part of the reason that I went to see them was that their church was having their annual auction and I'm always interested in how UUs fund raise. All-in-all it was a good evening, but as I sat there I wondered just how much money they made and how much more they could have made had things been a little different. More on that in another post.
So being with my UU friends this weekend has got me to questioning yet again: why are UUs sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bad at raising money for their churches? For a group of people who, on the whole, have more disposable income than most others, UU churches seem to always be in a perpetual state of near desperation when it comes to money. It also strikes me as odd considering many members of UU churches fund raise for a living.
Why has the theology of scarcity taken hold in UU churches instead of the theology of abundance? Why do those who have less disposable income give more to their churches? (and yes, I do know some of this has to do with theology, but not as much as you might think) Why do UUs treat giving money to their church as an afterthought? On the flip side, why does the typical UU church as for so little (somewhere between 2-5%)? When Us/Us/UUs threw most of the Christian theological baby out with the bathwater, why did we give up the idea of TITHING?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)