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Who should pay for sunday school activities

My kids are in a church sunday school program and they are taking a field trip to a local bowling alley. I'm surprised because the church is making the parents pay. Is this normal?

Re: Who should pay for sunday school activities

  • Yes.  Churches are nonprofit and have tiny budgets.  I am surprised that you are surprised. 
  • Yes, of course it's you that needs to pay.
  • I would be angry if I found out my church was paying money out of their budget to send Sunday School kids to a bowling alley - - that has nothing to do with religious education.

    If you don't like the expense, then don't send your kids on the trip.  If you can't afford the trip but would like the kids to go, speak to the office.  I'm sure they will make arrangements for your children under some type of scholarship.

  • I have never been to  a sunday school activity that I didnt pay for myself. 
  • Yeah, I'm surprised you're surprised too! 
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  • I'm a youth leader, and we always have the parents pay for lunches out, or field trips.  We pay sometimes, if it is short notice, but we never take it out of the church youth fund.

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  • imagejulie324:
    Yes.  Churches are nonprofit and have tiny budgets.  I am surprised that you are surprised. 

    Me too. Parent responsibility 100% 

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  • lol are you kidding me?

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  • We are opposite at our church.  If the church organized something, they pay for it.  Example our awanas program feeds the kids every week. We do not expect parents to pay.   We have trips planned for different sunday schools and the church pays for them.

    To add our church is not a big church, but not tiny either. Our awanas program has over 100 kids.

  • Yes the parent's should pay for something like that.  If a church paid for a field trip in that past they might not do that anymore. 

    I read an article saying that church giving is down about 40% for all churches across the country.  So as you imagine a church has bigger things to worry about like keeping their lights on and paying their employees.

  • Parents. I have no idea why you think the church should fund this. How much money do you give them?
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  • These are usually fun and inexpensive endeavors for families, kids, members and others who wish to partake.  Bowling's the cheapest thing in the world; it's also a lot of fun.
  • The other churchs around our vicinity usually pay for outgoings that they plan, and do not charge for classes/or VBS camps. I'm not sure where most of you guys live where you have to pay but this is something we're just not use to doing since  a new pastor took over.
  • imageLiloleme82:
    The other churchs around our vicinity usually pay for outgoings that they plan, and do not charge for classes/or VBS camps. I'm not sure where most of you guys live where you have to pay but this is something we're just not use to doing since  a new pastor took over.

    And maybe, just maybe, the new Pastor - having looked at the books, the membership and projected needs of his flock - has made some necessary changes?

    Honestly, it is people who cannot grasp/handle change bother me the most.  Life has too many variables to be able to stay the same OR keep up with the Jones (or in this case Trinity Baptist down the road). 

    Finally, please do not blame JUST the Pastor.  A pastor cannot make uniltateral decisions for a church.  There are always governing boards...so these decisions did not come lightly.

    If I were you, I would go to your church and offer up your help/monies, you know to offset the costs of the NECESSARY church functions, vs kvetchig about not being able to get your bowling on.

     

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  • imageIlumine:

    imageLiloleme82:
    The other churchs around our vicinity usually pay for outgoings that they plan, and do not charge for classes/or VBS camps. I'm not sure where most of you guys live where you have to pay but this is something we're just not use to doing since  a new pastor took over.

    And maybe, just maybe, the new Pastor - having looked at the books, the membership and projected needs of his flock - has made some necessary changes?

    Honestly, it is people who cannot grasp/handle change bother me the most.  Life has too many variables to be able to stay the same OR keep up with the Jones (or in this case Trinity Baptist down the road). 

    Finally, please do not blame JUST the Pastor.  A pastor cannot make uniltateral decisions for a church.  There are always governing boards...so these decisions did not come lightly.

    If I were you, I would go to your church and offer up your help/monies, you know to offset the costs of the NECESSARY church functions, vs kvetchig about not being able to get your bowling on.

     

     

    yes.

     

    OP: you sounded very entitled. Its a fun optional activity they are organizing...not something mandated. If you don't want to go, don't go. 

     

     

    And yes, its normal. Heck, I teach at a private school and we charge for extra fun things. School field trips that are required as part of the curriculum? No, those are included in tuition. But extra fun things? Yep. They are optional. 

  • imageTarponMonoxide:
    These are usually fun and inexpensive endeavors for families, kids, members and others who wish to partake.  Bowling's the cheapest thing in the world; it's also a lot of fun.

    Yikes! Have you been bowling lately? It is definitely not a super cheap thing to do anymore!

    To OP yeah, you should pay. I am also surprised that you are surprised as many PP's have said.

  • imageJustaName:

    imageTarponMonoxide:
    These are usually fun and inexpensive endeavors for families, kids, members and others who wish to partake.  Bowling's the cheapest thing in the world; it's also a lot of fun.

    Yikes! Have you been bowling lately? It is definitely not a super cheap thing to do anymore!

    To OP yeah, you should pay. I am also surprised that you are surprised as many PP's have said.

    We just went and paid 4 a person. If you had to rent shoes, it was another 2. 6 is pretty darn cheap! Now there are fancy places that are more. But the old school allies are cheap around here and the area we just moved from.
  • I'm in my 20s, and back in my day of jr high/high school youth group we usually paid for our own expenses on fun trips, but the youth leaders usually made it known that help would be available for those who wanted to come but may not have the money.

    For more expensive overnight trips like CIY and other conventions and such, there were usually scholarships hosted by the church or individual members who wanted to help by hosting a kid. 

    If you feel like there is a need for youth program funding, talk to the youth program leaders about starting one up!

  • In the church I grew up in, we always did fundraising for larger things, like mission trips, but for bowling, movies, etc. we always paid our own way. These are usually additional activities outside of the church setting and are purely social events. When I taught Sunday School, they purchased the teacher and student books, then had a supply closet for crafts and stuff. I have been attending a larger church lately and they also work the same way. There is also assistance for those less fortunate built in as part of the budget.
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