wfn.org | ELCA Congregations Spend Millions on Social Ministry

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

May 9, 2002

ELCA CONGREGATIONS SPEND MILLIONS ON SOCIAL MINISTRY
02-111-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A three-year study of 400 congregations of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) revealed that up to one
third devote a significant amount of their time and budget to local
social ministry activities but are restrained from doing more by limited
budgets and volunteer staff.  The study report is titled "Lutheran
Congregational Social Ministries in the Era of Welfare Reform."
     ELCA congregations spend an estimated $30 million annually in
local social ministry activity, according to the study.  The vast
majority of these congregations are engaged in collecting and
distributing food and clothing.
     Other findings are that:
  +  ELCA congregations with various hunger ministry programs fed 4.3
million people in 1998 and probably in each year since the survey year.
  + about 16 percent of ELCA congregations provide blood pressure
screening out of concern for members' health.
  +  11 percent of ELCA congregations make beds and shelter available
for homeless people and 40 percent financially support community
organizations that help the homeless.
  +  22 percent of congregations participate in a preschool program.
     The study found evidence that a growing number of families are
coming to ELCA congregations for food assistance.  It also noted an
increased need for food during the summer, when school breakfast and
lunch programs were not available for children.
     The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA) confirmed the
report's findings with a 2001 survey of congregations and social
ministry organizations.  LOGA is the ELCA's federal public policy
advocacy in Washington, D.C.
     Kay A. Bengston reported the results of the 2001 survey in
"Assessing Welfare Reform:  A Guide for the Re-authorization of
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)."
     "Of those surveyed, 94 percent said they had seen an increase in
emergency need (food, utilities, rent) since the enactment of TANF in
1996.  Lutheran Social Services has seen a similar increase," wrote
Bengston, LOGA's assistant director for public policy advocacy.
     President Bush "has made an effort to involve the religious sector
in doing more social outreach to the people in their communities," said
the Rev. Leslie F. Weber Jr., associate executive director, ELCA
Division for Church in Society.  In an effort to assist all its
citizens, the government is trying to help smaller faith-based
organizations gain access to federal funds, he said.
     The welfare reform study indicated that more must be done to
educate congregations about these opportunities to use federal funds.
"Only 11 percent of ELCA congregations take advantage of government
funding, including but not limited to 'Charitable Choice,' for all
social ministry related programs," said Weber.
     Weber said the study is especially significant this year, because
the U.S. Congress is making such key decisions as re-authorization of
TANF and re-authorization of the food stamp program.
     "The government is looking to the churches and faith-based
community to do more," he said.  "We found only about 7 percent of our
congregations have staff to do this."
     Among the study's conclusions is that it is "unlikely that ELCA
congregations, on their own, could provide a significant increase in
services for persons in need."
     A project team composed of staff from the ELCA Divisions for
Church in Society and Congregational Ministries and the Department for
Research and Evaluation conducted the study.  Susan Kosche Vallem,
chair, Social Work Department, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, was the
project director.
     The study was supported by a grant from Aid Association for
Lutherans (AAL), a fraternal benefit society based in Appleton, Wis.
AAL has merged with Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal benefit society
based in Minneapolis.
-- -- --
     Copies of the "Lutheran Congregational Social Ministries in the
Era of Welfare Reform" are available by calling the ELCA Division for
Church in Society at 1-800-638-3522.
     "Assessing Welfare Reform:  A Guide for the Re-authorization of
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families" is available at
http://www.loga.org/ -- the Web site of the Lutheran Office for
Governmental Affairs.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html