A place of privilage?

Spectrum/Rev. Howard Bess

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently published its list of the 400 most successful fund-raising organizations in America. Once again, the Salvation Army was number one.

The Salvation Army has got it figured out. If you can recruit enough merchants to allow the placing of offering plates just inside their front doors, a combination of guilt and genuine American generosity can take your organization all the way to the top.

All of us are somewhat familiar with the Salvation Army. We know about them because of their reputation for providing social services for a lot of people who need help. While some people would question some of their tactics, I know of no one who questions their good intent and their commitment to what they do. But how did they work their way into this favored fund-raising position?

The Salvation Army is a small, Protestant, fundamentalist Christian denomination. Their churches have worship services with preaching, Sunday school, prayer meetings, and summer Bible camps for children.

In general, they do all the things that other Christian denominations do. Then they do social services out of proportion to the size of their membership. The Army's greatest skill is to get the general public to underwrite their operation. They do it through their kettle-size offering plates and through providing services for which governmental agencies will pay. They are experts in identifying government funding pockets.

Is the Salvation Army the largest faith-based provider of social services? No, they are well down the list. The number-one church-based provider of social services in America is Lutheran Social Services. Other large providers are Catholic Social Services, the Southern Baptists and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Almost every denomination runs some sort of significant social service, not just for their own constituents, but for people in need, whoever they are. With few exceptions, all the other denominations raise funds from their own members and constituents.

The efficiency of the Army's operation is easily demonstrated. During the past Christmas season, I entered one of our chain grocery stores. I chuckled as I said "hello" to the pastor of a local Lutheran church. He was there faithfully ringing the bell and bringing everyone's attention to the Salvation Army offering plate.

A day later, I entered yet another chain grocery store and observed the choir director of a local Presbyterian church. She was singing Christmas carols next to the Salvation Army offering plate. The Salvation Army really knows how to get everyone involved in passing their hat.

I entered yet another grocery store and found good friends of mine faithfully ringing the bell. On an impulse, I went to see the store manager. I asked her why the store allowed only one religious group to have this place of privilege.

The answer was simple. "We always have!"

I asked if she realized that the Salvation Army was a rather small fundamentalist denomination that has a discrimination policy against gay and lesbian people. She really hadn't thought about it. I asked her if she would allow the Catholics, the Lutherans, the Mormons, the Baptists, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Church of God, the Nazarenes and the Seventh-day Adventists to do the same thing. She was gracious and simple in her answer - "No one else has ever asked."

Some major chain stores are wising up. Target department stores announced this fall that the Salvation Army bell ringers would no longer be allowed in their stores. Their decision made the evening news. Other chains, including The Home Depot, are following suit.

I like local solutions. Here is mine. The Palmer Chamber of Commerce and the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce should unite and sponsor the Valley Christmas Offering Plate.

All members of the Chambers would place an offering plate near the entrance of their businesses. Next, the Chambers would sign up participating churches. It would be a sweet deal for everyone. The Chambers could take a percentage for providing bell ringers and whistle tooters. They could keep the books so that the public could trace the actual use of the gifts.

The Chambers could then divide the bounty with all participating religious organizations. Possibly rather than "Valley Christmas Offering Plate," they could call it "Valley Christmas Split the Pot."

Fair is fair!

The Rev. Howard Bess is pastor of a local American Baptist Church and a sometime commentator about community life.