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Reality is, it's difficult to sustain a self-supporting church that has a full-time, credentialed pastor and offers youth programs, music, etc with an average Sunday attendance of less than 200. Not impossible, but difficult... just not enough income, unless there are big givers in the congregation. For this reason many churches aspire to grow larger than that. This is average Sunday attendance, not membership which is typically 3 or 4 times larger than ASA depending on how you count members.
That is quite true. Probably why finding this "sweet spot" can be such a challenge but is definitely sought by many -- large enough for programs/support/friendships but not too big where you feel lost in a sea of strangers.
As an alternative, perhaps look for a church that sets up small groups for more interaction at a manageable level. As was pointed out, churches of 300 or less can struggle to stay afloat and always aspire to be bigger. Even if you find one at 300 now it most likely wont stay that way.
lol ..... you should start this church and get the tax exemption
You don't get any tax exemption on church salaries. Church employees pay income taxes like everyone else. It is just that the church doesn't pay corporate tax on donations received.
As someone pointed out earlier, small churches (which is by far in the majority of churches) can't afford to pay full time staff so they do their work as volunteers and have other jobs to support their calling for service. Which I find to be very admirable.
Not entirely... only the portion of their property regularly used for religious, charitable, or community purposes. For example, if they lease out parking spaces between Monday and Friday, the parking lot becomes taxable.
Basically the same rules apply to any non-profit. Examples: the Ravenscroft property in north Raleigh is appraised at $75 million for tax purposes, but the school pays no property tax. WakeMed, no tax, $500 million for the New Bern Ave campus alone. Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, no tax, $7 million. Marbles Museum, no tax, $3 million. And on and on.
I'm aware that you specifically asked for "non-denominational," and that would have been our choice, but we happened upon a Methodist church that as of last January, adopted a new mission statement and an open, accepting, affirming, inclusive approach that we really like. It used to be Trinity Methodist (on Bloodworth in the Oakwood neighborhood.) It's now called Open Table Church - and there is apparently a movement of sorts within the Methodist church... to split off Open table churches as a separate denomination. The congregation currently numbers between 100 and 150 average attendance, and there are kids programs (not enough teens yet to have a separate program for them.) There is a strong component of community outreach and involvement, the congregation is a mix of mostly older (60's through 80's and older legacy members, it is LGBT friendly/welcoming, and also racially integrated. We are a mixed couple and had finally decided, after church shopping for months, that we'd have to settle for a nearly all-white or all-black church. We've been regular attendees since late January of last year, donate monthly, and are involved (I've been a lecter and run some AV stuff as a sub, and my wife sings periodically.) No one has ever asked us if we are going to "join" or pressured us about anything. It's the most friendly church environment I have ever experienced. I did not have preconceived notions about Methodism and I still don't, because they preach the teachings and actions of Jesus and God's love as the driving influences we should try to guide our lives by. Also , the pastor Jason Butler is charismatic yet self effacing, funny, down to earth, and a very dynamic speaker - in addition to being a deep thinker that makes complex issues applicable to the teachings.
Not a bad place to just check out some Sunday morning at 10 AM.
I realize you posted this in Febr. 2017, but I just got to it cuz I don't hit city-data-Raleigh very often.
How did your friends do in coming to this area & looking for a church?
In a larger question, I'm always curious about what people mean when they are looking for a non-denominational church; I usually interpret that as they are trying to get away from some bad experience (and I'm aware I'm probably wrong with that).
I realize you posted this in Febr. 2017, but I just got to it cuz I don't hit city-data-Raleigh very often.
How did your friends do in coming to this area & looking for a church?
In a larger question, I'm always curious about what people mean when they are looking for a non-denominational church; I usually interpret that as they are trying to get away from some bad experience (and I'm aware I'm probably wrong with that).
They tried a few that were recommended and then some and ended up going to Ekklesia Church which meets at Athens Drive HS in their auditorium and have been very happy there.
As far as "non-denominational" I think many people search for those because they tend to be less rigid and bound by tradition and those churches can make the Sunday morning experience meaningful to people who either come from a variety of backgrounds or no church background. It's also a "happy medium" when couples come from very different church denominations and want something of a "shared" church faith.
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