Presbyterian congregations in Canada have almost doubled their givings to missions over the last 20 years. In 1985, according to data reported in the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assembly, Presbyterian congregations gave $9.5 million to missions (General Assembly budget, as Presbyterians Sharing was called at the time, Other Benevolences, and Women's Missionary Society/Atlantic Mission Society). In 2005, Presbyterian congregations reported giving $18.5 million to missions. What is striking about this $9-million increase is that $6 million went to Other Benevolences, to mission projects and initiatives outside the national church budget. Other Benevolences includes local food banks, Presbyterian World Service and Development, interdenominational mission efforts, congregational short-term mission projects, and so on.
From 1985 to 1996, givings to Presbyterians Sharing and to Other Benevolences grew at almost the same rate, increasing approximately 30 per cent. Twice as much money went to Presbyterians Sharing as went to Other Benevolences. The last year that givings to Other Benevolences were less than half of what was given to Presbyterians Sharing was 1997. Since 1997, congregational givings to Presbyterians Sharing have risen by two per cent and congregational givings to Other Benevolences have more than doubled, growing 110 per cent. It is true that the 2005 figures are skewed by the outpouring of support for the victims of the tsunami. But the fact remains that 2005 was the first time the amount given to Other Benevolences surpassed the amount given to Presbyterians Sharing.
While it is easy to get lost in the numbers, one thing is clear: a major shift in giving practices has taken place over the last 10 years. Individuals and congregations are prepared to dig ever deeper to give to Other Benevolences, while their giving to Presbyterians Sharing remains virtually unchanged year after year. Why?
First, Other Benevolences are often mission endeavours that allow donors to connect their giving to specific people, programs and projects. They can visualize who will benefit directly from their gift. Giving to Presbyterians Sharing does not allow that direct connection to occur since donations go into a centralized fund and are then distributed to various programs and projects. It is not possible to connect my gift with a specific person or project.
Second, local church leaders who the donors know and trust select congregationally chosen missions. Giving to these projects is rooted in trusting the locally known leadership to make wise choices about projects to be supported. Presbyterians Sharing donations are sent to unknown leaders who are removed from the local congregation. The projects and programs are nationally chosen and local communities of faith feel they have little or no influence in deciding what their money will be used for.
Third, recent research indicates that holding open a wide variety of giving options results in people giving more. This goes against the old adage, “People rob Peter to pay Paul.” In fact, what happens is that people give to both Peter and Paul, giving more in total. Congregational giving to Other Benevolences follows precisely this idea, presenting a wide variety of projects for congregational members to support. Presbyterians Sharing, on the other hand, is a single giving door, offering only one way for people to give to the national church's projects and programs.
The system of using a unified denominational budget and centralized funding within The Presbyterian Church in Canada was adopted in 1912. This was a model that made sense at the time. The figures reported in A&P over the last 10 years clearly indicate that the giving patterns which held true through most of the twentieth century have fundamentally changed. People are ready to give — that has not changed. What has changed is the types of projects and programs they will give to and the expectations they have in giving. The challenge is to open giving opportunities that are sensitive to the giving practices of today.
