Virus Outbreak Church Finances

The Rev. Alvin J. Gwynn Sr., of Friendship Baptist Church in Baltimore, sits in his church’s sanctuary, Thursday, March 19, 2020. He bucked the cancellation trend by holding services the previous Sunday. But attendance was down by about 50%, and Gwynn said the day’s offering netted about $5,000 compared to a normal intake of about $15,000. “It cuts into our ministry,” he said. “If this keeps up, we can’t fund all our outreach to help other people.” (AP Photo/Steve Ruark)