A Florida woman received a letter from her church telling her she was “delinquent” in her giving, and she had to give $1,000 a year or be dropped from its roll.
The Facebook posting of the letter this week set off a social media firestorm on the merits of such an ultimatum.
Some people saw no problem with the letter. It takes money to operate a church, they said.
Others said asking for specific amounts smacks of a membership fee.
The letter from Tampa’s Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church to member Candace Petterson said she had to contribute a minimum of $50 a month plus two special assessments. Petterson said she was unaware of those requirements.
In a Facebook post, she wrote: “if I knew a church charged 50.00 a month I would have never joined…especially if I’m a single parent trying to make ends meet…”
The pastor of the church did not respond to phone and email requests from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ABC Action News in Tampa said church leaders acknowledged the letter but would not comment further.
According to the letter, the church also has contribution requirements of children: $5 a month plus two assessments.
Petterson told ABC Action News: “It’s like you say to me, if you want to be a member of this church, you need to pay this. If you want to find God, it don’t say anything like that in the Bible.”
She said she is looking for a new church.
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