church fund raisers

NewCreation435

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I remember when I worked with a youth group in Virginia we had a number of fund raisers so the kids could go to camp and some other things we wanted to do. We had a spaghetti dinner after church and our profit went to our youth fund and another time we had a car wash. Without those fund raisers we wouldn't of been able to go to some things. The youth budget didn't allow for that. We also did a yard sale at my house after receiving goods from people in the church and raised several hundred dollars
Do you think it is okay to do church fund raisers on church property? Do you think it is okay to ask the youth to work at those fund raisers if they want to share in the profits of it?
I will tell you some people objected saying that the church offering should be what was used to pay for what we wanted to do alone.
 

psalms 91

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I remember when I worked with a youth group in Virginia we had a number of fund raisers so the kids could go to camp and some other things we wanted to do. We had a spaghetti dinner after church and our profit went to our youth fund and another time we had a car wash. Without those fund raisers we wouldn't of been able to go to some things. The youth budget didn't allow for that. We also did a yard sale at my house after receiving goods from people in the church and raised several hundred dollars
Do you think it is okay to do church fund raisers on church property? Do you think it is okay to ask the youth to work at those fund raisers if they want to share in the profits of it?
I will tell you some people objected saying that the church offering should be what was used to pay for what we wanted to do alone.
I think fundraisers are great and I disagree with those who want to kill them. Not only does it raise money for a good cause but also puts the church out in the community where they should be. Agreat opportunity to brioadcast the programs that the church offers and to show a servants heart towards those that are not churched or saved. That is the whole problem with many churchs, they stay within their walls and as the congregation gets older and dies off so does the church
 

NewCreation435

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I think fundraisers are great and I disagree with those who want to kill them. Not only does it raise money for a good cause but also puts the church out in the community where they should be. Agreat opportunity to brioadcast the programs that the church offers and to show a servants heart towards those that are not churched or saved. That is the whole problem with many churchs, they stay within their walls and as the congregation gets older and dies off so does the church

I agree with you. I think the youth I worked with appreciated it more because they worked hard for the cash they earned. It teaches them something about responsibility.
 

Pedrito

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Church fund raisers can be particularly good if they are also church fun raisers.
 

Lamb

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I don't mind the Youth having their fund raisers. Like your church my former one had the car washes but their dinners were at restaurants where they would receive a percentage back of the sales made either 10 or 15%..I can't remember. Most fund raising events are not held in the sanctuary but in a fellowship hall (unless it's in the parking lot like for a carnival) so there is still some reverence.
 

Josiah

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I don't mind the Youth having their fund raisers. Like your church my former one had the car washes but their dinners were at restaurants where they would receive a percentage back of the sales made either 10 or 15%..I can't remember. Most fund raising events are not held in the sanctuary but in a fellowship hall (unless it's in the parking lot like for a carnival) so there is still some reverence.


I agree.

While I'm not opposed to things like Youth fund raisers or for special, non-budgeted things.... I think the ministry of the parish is the financial responsibility of the members of the parish - to be accomplished via our regular weekly offerings.

In my former (Catholic) parish, there were ENDLESS tricks and fundraisers - sometimes for special thing (which I don't oppose) but often to actually support the budget of the parish. This SCREAMS that we members won't support our ministry and parish.... and that our people won't give in response to the Cross but only if we get some pony ride or tamale out of the deal. Worse is when gambling is used in lieu of people giving from their heart and faith (something our Catholic parish REFUSED to do but is fairly common in the USA).
 

psalms 91

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Most of our outreach is free althopugh we do the ham pot pie dinner but that is the only fundraiser that is paying for a meal, all the ingredients are donated by the members. I see nothing wrong with this as it is a great time of fellowship and we get to talk to many people that we otherwise might not.
 

Albion

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I agree.

While I'm not opposed to things like Youth fund raisers or for special, non-budgeted things.... I think the ministry of the parish is the financial responsibility of the members of the parish - to be accomplished via our regular weekly offerings.

In my former (Catholic) parish, there were ENDLESS tricks and fundraisers - sometimes for special thing (which I don't oppose) but often to actually support the budget of the parish. This SCREAMS that we members won't support our ministry and parish.... and that our people won't give in response to the Cross but only if we get some pony ride or tamale out of the deal. Worse is when gambling is used in lieu of people giving from their heart and faith (something our Catholic parish REFUSED to do but is fairly common in the USA).

I remember all that, too. My feeling is that many Catholic parishes have bigger financial needs than the average Protestant ones, owing to having such monumental church buildings that date from an earlier time and now are expensive to maintain, plus also a parochial school in many cases. So if they have fun-raisers, okay. However, the tradition in many parishes of weekly Bingo games and raffles, etc. probably does offend some people because of the gambling aspect and the non-stop nature of these promotions.
 

NewCreation435

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The one car wash that I remember doing we didn't charge anything and just suggested a donation. It was up to the people who came how much of a donation. We probably got more that way than by asking for a certain dollar amount. The yard sale did very well even though my pastor didn't seem that impressed with what we raised for support. He was a hard man to please
 

NewCreation435

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The fundraisers at our church all go to support mission trips, which are generally self-pay but often expensive. Those organized by the church as a whole are for the student/youth trips. For the youth, they are required to work at these fundraising events, if they want to share in the discount on trip costs that the fundraiser brings about. These fundraisers are very well supported - two years ago, the church raised so much money with fundraising, and with the location being one of the cheaper places they've gone, those students who did all they were supposed to didn't have to pay a dime. Chaperones didn't have to pay either. There is, of course a whole vetting process - bible studies, book reports, journaling, attendance, personal evangelism - that the youth have to do to earn the privilege to go. The students work their rear ends off both before and during these trips.

Our church does many other kinds of mission trips that adults and families can do. It's all self-pay, but the church will cover 10% for members. Some individuals/families will do personal fundraising to support trip costs. I've mostly seen custom t-shirts and flower sales. And of course just general requests for donations.
 
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