Last week, a couple came to the church asking for money to cover food and rent. They explained their situation, showed me pictures of their daughters, and generally made me want to help them. I directed them to the local food pantry, to which they replied that the food pantry could not give them anything more. As I sent them out with just a few dollars that I had in my wallet so they could get a little gas to make it home, I thought about how difficult it is to meet the needs of every person that comes in from the street and asks for help. Our church doesn't have a deacons fund or a pastor's discretionary fund or anything, and since we are currently fundraising for our new roof, there is really no extra money available for people like this.
When I got to my study this morning, I had an email waiting for me from the president of the local clergy association, telling me and the other area pastors that there had been a couple that was notorious for scamming churches into giving them money in the area. This pastor wrote everything that this couple had said to me, right down to showing pictures of two daughters, which they don't even really have. I felt bad sending them away basically empty-handed, and now I find out that this is a scam that they have run up and down the Jersey shore for quite some time.
How is a pastor supposed to tell the difference between those with genuine need and those who are looking for easy money? I've looked into what some other churches have done with benevolence funds, having people apply for money from the church and having their bills paid directly from the deacons. However, this does not address those who immediately need money or food. To pass everything through the deacons would be an enormous amount of work for them and might jeopardize the health and safety of those with need.
Since I am very new to all of this, I have not yet developed an ability to tell the difference between those who have immediate needs and those who do not. Is it better to give something to everyone that comes in, or deny everyone who comes in? Will this something that will become easier in time? In this community, with the location of the church, I'm sure this issue will present itself again soon. What should I do differently next time?
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4 comments:
FWIW, I think every good minister ought to be scammed once in a while. It keeps us humble. I KNOW (for a fact) I've been "got" at least twice. Here's my reasoning - Although the scriptures call us to be faithful stewards and all that, they also call us to help people. Period. Not in order to "get them saved" or when we're "certain" they need it. Sometimes we're going to be wrong and I'd rather be wrong on the side of helping someone who's scamming me than not helping someone who needs it.
That said, we recently re-started a deacons fund. We had one for years and never used it; closed it; did without it for about 5 years; restarted it last fall. It was an intentional bid on my part to help deacons be deacons. I don't touch it. The elders have NO say in. They decide how to use it, whom to help, etc. It was both an attempt to help those who really need it and encourage the development of a diaconate ministry in our congregation.
I also occasionally help with specific needs, especially food and gas. We get a LOT of people running out of gas near us (it's part of where we're at) and I usually try to keep a couple of gallons int he garage. I give food ONLY by either giftcard (specific to the grocery story) or by going with them. Outside of food or gas, little (if anything) is really THAT urgent and can't wait to either meet with a deacon (or the deacons), the local ministerium (which helps A LITTLE with rent and medications) or other local agencies.
I know that doesn't help with the whole discernment thing. But take comfort in getting "got" -- it's not always a bad thing. Give when you can. Don't give when you can't afford to have been scammed. (does that make sense?)
Grace and Peace,
`tim
I agree with Tim, but I would advocate for a few possible discernment tools.
1. Network with the local pastors . . .extensively. Anybody who is scamming you is scamming the whole neighborhood (and, if they're scamming, I would argue, they probably don't actually need help). Share your stories with your colleagues. Have people who come looking for help wait a bit while you call a neighbor pastor/rabbi/imam. If they aren't willing to wait, that's a clue that it's a scam.
2. By the way, if they come up with numerous reasons why the local food pantry/welfare office/shelter/etc. CAN'T help them--an answer for every suggestion you make--it's probably a scam.
3. The more elaborate the story is, the more suspicious you should be. Scammers have lots of opportunities to practice.
4. Try to arrange deals with a local grocery, a local gas station, etc., for vouchers that can ONLY be used to purchase food/fuel/necessities. Take people who come in looking for gas down to the gas station and buy them gas. Nobody who is scamming you will do that twice. After you take them, tell your colleagues about the visit and the story.
5. While you're networking, make the acquaintance of the local welfare office personnel (in NJ every town has such an office, as I recall). Work out some deals for helping people whom they refer to you in exchange for them checking out strays who show up at your door. The welfare office can check out stories far better than you can, and they usually appreciate making such connections.
Last, but not least, I don't care if your congregation is poor (or feeling that way), I don't care about the roof project: challenge them to create a Deacons' Fund, and challenge your deacons to administrate it (not you, though you will assist). Helping those in need isn't just part of the pastor's job, it's part of the congregation's job; your job is to help them grow as disciples (but you know that).
My wife and I had similar experiences when we were in the ministry. Being members of a growing immigrant community, occasionally we would discover some "scammers" amongst the multitude of those who sought genuine help. And this includes people who came to us for personal handouts as well. Amongst the sea of NYers, there are various postures when it comes to tossing change to the sea of needs. Some limit to purely help institution donations, while others take a more stoic approach and offer nothing considering the difficulty in differentiation a legit need from bullshit. You know all of this . . . for us in light of this, we still choose to give and make ourselves vulnerable to being scammed. But that is us!
I've been thinking about your post again... (Had two VERY different people in my office looking for money this past week). One we helped (extensively!) the other I turned away without a penny. The difference? The story.
The first person's story was "clearly" not fabricated. It was straight forward (despite having to be translated by his teenage son since I don't speak Spanish). The second person was demanding, rude, his "story" had several obvious breakdowns in logic AND, I later found out, he had stopped first at the parsonage and harassed my wife.
I may have gotten "taken" by the first guy (and if so, I was REALLY taken...) but if I did, at least it was done in good faith.
Grace and Peace,
`tim
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