First, the chart displays the average contribution per member for the last 10 years. Contributions are all monies received by all treasurers of organizations in the church, including payments on pledges, loose offerings and special offerings. Among all Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations the average contribution in 2008 per member was $1109. In general, per-member contributions are larger in larger-membership congregations and smaller in the smaller-membership congregations. Second, the average contribution per worshiper was also calculated. Some experts recommend the latter statistic because it reflects a more accurate picture of the giving level of the active members of the church. Generally, the average contribution per worshiper is the higher number. Among all PC(USA) congregations, average contributions per worshiper were $2175 in 2008.
Key Questions:
- What are the significant trends in your congregation's contributions?
- Given this era of intergenerational transfer of wealth, how can your congregation increase the number of bequests?
- What factors are influencing the congregation's investment income?
- What is the level of your congregation's giving to mission?
- Has mission giving increased or decreased as a percentage of all contributions or expenditures?
