The Chicago Tribune published a story over the weekend about ramped up charitable activity on the part of churchgoers:
For thousands of years, worshippers have made offerings and supported charities and evangelism efforts. But as Christians try to reconcile Chicago’s shootings, poverty and homelessness with their religious duties, more churches are sending their faithful out to minister on an individual level.
Scott Thumma, a Hartford Seminary professor, said such calls for Christians to address pressing needs within their communities are becoming more common across the country. In just over a decade, the percentage of large churches he surveyed that said their congregations were “working for social justice” increased from about 1 in 3 to about 6 in 10.
Such work fulfills a clear doctrinal purpose, Thumma wrote in an email: It answers the Bible’s mandate that believers “serve others, offer a cup of water to the thirsty and food to the hungry.”
Read full story here. Does this ring true in your parish? If so, why do you think it’s happening?