by Mrs Haruo » Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:04 am
Along the line of church property being off the tax rolls, I know tax laws vary around the country state by state, and I am just beginning to learn more than I ever wanted to know, getting more involved in local politics and community management. I never thought I would see the day when I would say to myself, "Oh no, not another new church", but the comment is often made by local homeowners. It is often heard in monthly community board meetings by those who are already involved in their own spiritual practices (or lack of interest). People who used to use public transit to get to church on Sundays are no longer able to in most counties in Western Washington because bus companies struggling to balance the budget have stopped Sunday service altogether. Our neighborhood used to have a thriving business core with several grocers within a one mile range and drug stores, gift shops, auto parts, hardware etc. With the coming of "superstores" a few miles down the hill where one can get all their shopping done under one roof- the independent Mom and Pop shops have died out up here on the hill, now we have a number of competing store front churches competing for limited parking space on Sunday and maybe evening services one or two nights a week, the rest of the time shuttered tight. As often as not, these churches feature highly amplified music and spoken word right when a lot of neighbors want to enjoy their day of rest RESTING, not having conversation in their own back yards drowned out by people who may not even live in the neighborhood, just were looking for a cheap space to rent. Definitely a community relations problem
Don't despair if your job and your rewards are few, remember that the mighty oak was once a nut like you!