The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany has decided on extensive cost-cutting measures due to the coronavirus crisis. In its meeting on Sunday (June 21), the governing body of the Free Church voted on further measures as part of a nationwide savings package.
"We have now decided on total savings measures amounting to €245,000. This is a total of 6.5 percent of the planned donation income," said CFO Dieter Neef. The savings measures relate to the two supra-regional Adventist church administrations in Germany (North and South German Association) for the year 2020. "In addition, all regional Adventist church administrations (associations) have also decided on corresponding savings packages," Neef announced. The total savings volume amounts to around 2 million euros.
No church taxes
The Free Church of Seventh-day Adventists does not levy church taxes but maintains its pastors and institutions through voluntary donations and gifts, including the biblical "tithe". In addition to ten percent of their income, many members give other donations for special projects.
Decline in donations
Failing church services and economic restrictions also led to a decline in donations and tithes for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is reflected in the figures for the months of March and April 2020, according to CFO Neef. Various church institutions have announced short-time work since March. In addition, there were nationwide cancellation costs of around 100,000 euros due to events cancelled as a result of the coronavirus. A crisis fund for liquidity support in the amount of 450,000 euros was set up for companies and institutions of the Free Church in Germany. According to Neef, however, the Adventist Church in Germany is still in a relatively good position compared to other entities of the subcontinental Adventist Church leadership in Western and Southern Europe.
The original article was published here.
