Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 211, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 1, 2015 Page: 16 of 34
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NATIONAL
16A
Sunday, March l, 2015
Denton Record-Chronicle
Snowy winter rough
on houses of worship
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rector at the Islamic Council of
New England, says the mosque
he attends in Sharon, Massa-
chusetts, is hoping to make up
its shortfalls during its annual
fundraiser in March.
A number of religious leaders
say donations are not down as
drastically as they could be, giv-
en that attendance has dipped
anywhere from 15 to 50 percent.
Online donations increasingly
are a reliable revenue source,
helping many weather the lean
attendance months.
But as the winter weather
wears on, expenses are piling up.
At Epworth United Method-
ist Church in Worcester, the Rev.
Patricia Miller Fernandes is
waiting to see what the final bill
will be after rooftop ice loosened
bricks and mortar, sending
building materials crashing to
the ground and leaving a gaping
hole in the roof.
‘We’re trying not to think
about that until the reality
comes in,” Miller Fernandes says
of the repair costs. “You always
go to the worst-case scenario
and I’m not trying to go there.
We’ll have to see what comes
back from the insurance compa-
out and face the frigid tempera-
tures.”
Storms cut church
attendance, funds
in New England
One silver lining: The bad
weather is prompting some reli-
gious leaders to search for cre-
ative ways to keep their congre-
gations engaged, from hosting
“prayer calls” by phone to email-
ing Scripture studies and orga-
nizing free activities for families
when school gets canceled.
The response, they say, has
been positive.
Mark Huber, the pastor at
Sanctuary, a Protestant church
in Marshfield, says nearly 500
people from across New Eng-
land watched an online worship
service he did from his living
room couch while a blizzard
howled outside.
“It really has got us thinking
about how we can be here in the
church and still out where peo-
ple are,” he says. “There are a lot
of people who are stuck in vari-
ous places for different reasons
but still want to connect to a
community and be a part of ser-
vices.”
By Philip Marcelo
Associated Press
BOSTON — Religious lead-
ers in snowbound New England
are beginning to ask themselves
how on Earth their houses of
worship will make ends meet af-
ter all these acts of God.
Churches, synagogues and
mosques report attendance is
down at services, as poorly
timed winter storms have hit on
or close to days of worship. And
getting the faithful to come out
is challenging, with limited
parking and treacherously icy
sidewalks plaguing the region.
For many places of worship,
that has meant donations are
drying up just as costs for snow
removal, heating and mainte-
nance are soaring.
“You have this perfect storm
of people not being able to go to
worship and so not bringing in
offerings, combined with much
higher than usual costs,” says
Cindy Kohlmann, who works
with Presbyterian churches in
Greater Boston and northern
New England.
She says the financial toll
could force some of the roughly
60 Presbyterian congregations
in the region to close. The
churches have collectively re-
quested at least $300,000 from
the national church’s disaster re-
lief fund to help cover their bills.
At the Most Holy Redeemer
Catholic Church in Boston, the
Rev. Thomas Domurat says he
will hold two collections at Sun-
day Masses in an effort to gather
more donations for snow ex-
penses.
Mazen Duwaji, executive di-
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■
Christine Peterson, Worcester Telegram & Gazette/AP
Custodian George Blomquist clears snow from the sidewalk in front of Our Lady of the Angels
Church on Monday after a weekend snowstorm in Worcester, Mass.
SMING
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Religious leaders say many
congregants are taking this win-
ter of discontent to look beyond
their own problems.
Some houses of worship have
seen greater donations of winter
clothes and canned goods, while
congregants at others are find-
ing different ways to help the
homeless, elderly and other vul-
nerable populations struggling
more in the snow.
“These storms can bring out
the best in people or they can
bring out the worst,” says Yusufi
Vali, executive director at the Is-
lamic Society of Boston Cultural
Center, a mosque in Boston’s
Roxbury neighborhood. “And
for people of faith, that’s really
the challenge: How do we re-
spond to this in the best way
possible?”
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Religious leaders say atten-
dance declines aren’t just affect-
ing the bottom line.
Many community programs
and activities are suffering, from
cultural events and lectures to
addiction support groups, finan-
cial literacy classes and free
medical clinics.
“People are hunkering down
at night and they’re not coming
back out,” says Alan Teperow, ex-
ecutive director of the Syna-
gogue Council of Massachusetts
and a member of Temple Eman-
uel in Newton, an affluent Bos-
ton suburb. “Once you’re home,
it’s difficult to say you’ll go back
Jw
111
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Sleeping Lizzards
Thomas’ Ethan Allen Interiors
UNT Gallery on the Square
W. Douglas Antiques
DINING, PUBS & BARS
Abbey Inn
Andaman Thai Restaurant
Beth Marie’s Ice Cream
Cartwright’s Ranch House
Chestnut Tree Teahouse & Bistro
Dusty’s Bar & Grill
East Side Social Club
Hailey’s
Hypnotic Donuts
J&J’s Pizza
Jupiter House
Lone Star Attitude Burger Co.
Loophole Gastropub & Ale House
Mellow Mushroom
Mulberry Street Cantina
Oak Street Drafthouse
Queenie’s Steakhouse
Sweetwater Grill & Tavern
Weinberger’s Deli
Wine Squared
SHOPPING & SERVICES
A Creative Art Studio
Amyx Fine Jewelry Consignment
Atomic Candy
Barefoot Campus Apparel
Outfitters
Bella Designs
Big Fatty’s Flaming Foods
The Candy Store
Circa 77 Vintage Boutique
The Courthouse Collection
The DIME Store
First People’s Jewelers
Garden Gate
The (Ghost) Note
Impressions by DSSLC
la di da and Shoe Fly
McBride’s Music & Pawn
McNeill’s Appliance
More Fun Comics & Games
Noles General Store
Salon NV
SCRAP Denton
Serendipity On The Square
Shop The Barn_
*
IS®58| Good
i J Neighbor
Kteta, Pharmacy
VitaminsPlus
VI
«
Efims
Your Health Food Store
Research a health concern or find
supplement information at
nnw.vitamins-plus.net
824 W. University Dr.
Denton Center
Denton, Texas
DRIVE-THRU PHARMACY
Drug
Kroger
Emporium
STORE HOURS:
MON-SAT 9AM - 9PM
SUNDAY 10AM-6PM
University
Carroll
PHARMACY HOURS:
MON-FRI 9AM - 8PM
SATURDAY 9AM - 7PM
SUNDAY 12PM - 5PM
Pharmacy: 940-387-1290
Vitamins Plus: 940-382-8816
Store: 940-387-0350
COUPON
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BLUE DIAMOND
GOOD HEALTH
Veggie Stix
Almond Breeze
Assorted Flavors
*
i KPP149
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$■139
Don V forget - Spend your Downtown Bucks at participating
“Share the Love” merchants through March 8th!
For more details, visit Facebook or the website
, www.DentonMainStreet.org
2015 DMSA Platinum Sponsors:
jm
O
With Coupon
S R
Limit one per customer.
Original Coupons only. Good at Denton
Drug Emporium. Expires 3-7-15
Limit one per customer.
Original Coupons only. Good at Denton
Drug Emporium. Expires 3-7-15
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IlL-ntiH] Ri.wtrd-1 linmiL'k
NORTH SI AK BANK
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MEDIA COMPANY
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To advertise, call Becci 940-566-6853
SALE CONTINUES!
50% OFF
New Spring^^
Arriving Daily!
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Moving
Layaway Now:
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• Tyler Candles • Aromatique
• Yellow Box • Boots
• Brighton • Jeans
• Most Clothes (excludes spring arrivals)
* Gadgets * Cookbooks (excluding Denton Woman’s Club)
Visit us for Spring Open House
Friday, March 6 & Saturday, March 7
I
#l
v Children’s
l \ Boutique
Clothing
1
At
V
Check Daily for
New Markdowns!
Unbeatable
Prices
|1 Fall & Winter u
|l Buy One
il Get One Free! t**-
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\
The
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Courthouse Collection
w-
KftKgEMgini
[STS]
A Kitchen &
Gourmet Shoppe
Inside
The Courthouse Collection
Downtown Denton on Courthouse Square
111 W. Hickory • 381-1956
https://www.facebook.com/TheCourthouseCollection
When You Want Something Special... Come To the Square!
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Under Armour (food lad Lc Top Mudpie
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LOW PRICES EVERY DAY LOW PRICES EVERY DAY LOW PRICES EVERY DAY
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Parks, Scott K. Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, Tex.), Vol. 111, No. 211, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 1, 2015, newspaper, March 1, 2015; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1125010/m1/16/: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .