Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Encouraging Churches to Be Good Neighbors in Their Communities

 



In Jeremiah 29 we find a “letter to the exiles”. God, through Jeremiah instructed the exiles to be good citizens and neighbors even in the city of their exile.

We read verse seven… Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

I submit that as good advice for contemporary houses of worship in today’s communities.

In the State of Indiana, churches are exempt of paying real estate tax or personal property tax. Very often churches, due to this exemption, hold much property, sometimes acres of real estate that, if it were available on open market, would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions.

No taxing jurisdiction, school, county, fire department, realizes any tax revenue from such exempt property.

This exemption has the effect of transferring tax burden from the church to the increased burden of individual property owners.

Given this fact, that individual property owners are in a sense “sponsoring” the local church, providing for fire and police protection, I encourage churches to be good neighbors to the community. Seek peace and prosperity, pray for the community.

Practical suggestions might include offering your facility as a polling location for election day. Churches typically have great parking and can accommodate voters.

Perhaps allow your facility to be used free of rental cost to people or organizations within a determined geographic area or radius.

Open your facility to be used for “town hall” discussions.

Maintain your playground equipment such that it is of the highest safety value.

Most churches I know of do indeed make attempts to be good neighbors.

My encouragement is that you are reminded that the non-exempt community, even folk who may not think the way you do on religious matters, are providing much actual dollar exemption to you as a religious organization. Have a policy of intentional action to be a good neighbor.

 " a good neighbor is a very desirable thing"  Thomas Jefferson