'Hungry for hope'

Church attendance increases as people search for faith, reassurance

For many, this holiday season has been anything but jolly.

Between the national recession, new crises and scandals in the political world and layoffs at businesses locally and across the country, December has seemed for many the start of a winter of despair.

But for some, religion has provided comfort and reassurance that no one is alone in this trying time.

Religious groups across the valley have seen increased or increasingly consistent attendance as people turn to a higher power - and to one another - for help.

"I think that during difficult times, church attendance always goes up," the Rev. John Bent said. "It goes up because people are hungry for hope. It also goes up because people don't have the money to spend on other recreation stuff they were doing before."

His church, Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish, hasn't seen a dramatic increase in attendance, but if the country's economic situation doesn't improve, Bent said he expects to see more people on Sundays.

At Bet Harim, the Flathead Valley's Jewish community, attendance is "comfortably up," Rabbi Allen Secher said.

Michele Carbery, education program coordinator at Kalinga Buddhist Center, said the center has seen a "modest increase" in phone calls from people looking for spiritual and practical guidance - although the increased volume could be the result of Kalinga's improved public outreach over the last few months.

Secher said people seem to be looking for reassurance that they're not the only ones facing hard times.

"It seems that it's a search for community, of really wanting to feel that we're not alone, I think, in our grief," he said.

That grief stems from mourning lost money or financial security, he explained.

"It's genuine," he said. "It's not grief like losing a loved one, but it's still grief."

Bent agreed.

"Any time that there's a loss, no matter what it is the only way to process this is by grieving," he said.

Those who are grieving their losses shouldn't be alone, he added.

"Bearing one another's burdens is an important part of making it through the grieving process," he said. "We need to know we're not alone as we make our way through."

But people shouldn't rely just on one another, said the Rev. Clint Theline of Faith Baptist Church in Kalispell.

"People turn first to mankind for help. The Christian's responsibility is to say, 'Turn to the Lord,'" he said. "When people go through tough times, they have to realize their hope comes from the Lord."

"The whole key to everything is it's a test to Christians," Theline added. "Our Lord is saying, 'Are you going to trust me or trust your pocketbook? Or trust your job? Or trust somebody else?'"

Religious groups are doing what they can to help the community. Kalinga's help is primarily spiritual advice through public talks, study programs and Buddhist practices intended to "help with all of our human problems and are particularly helpful during times of difficulty," Carbery said.

Other groups, while not neglecting people's spiritual needs, also seek to meet physical needs. St. Matthew's Catholic Parish in Kalispell is "way over budget" in its social outreach efforts, the Rev. Vic Langhans said.

The church's outreaches include operating a food bank and maintaining a supply of clothing for those who need it. St. Matthew's also helps people work out arrangements with landlords and utility companies if they have trouble making payments, Langhans said.

"Compared to last year, there's a lot more load on that whole ministry," he said.

However, even as people tighten their purse strings in other areas of their lives, they still give what they can to the church.

To help financially pinched families, Christ Lutheran Church has started a "Share the Bread" fund to set aside money to buy grocery gift cards for local families who may run a bit short of money this year.

"I know people who have said, because of where we're at, we're not able to give what we were able to give," Bent said. "I think other people are picking up the slack. Those that can are maybe giving more to cover for those who can't."

Hard times bring out people's generosity, Langhans agreed.

"I think actually things like this tend to bring out the best in people," he said. "Certainly those who are in need will see there is a great generosity in the hearts of people in this country."

Generosity is being carried out in many ways. Kalispell's Church of the Nazarene adopted a family for Christmas and purchased presents for two women and four children.

"That's been our main thrust this year, to make sure this family had Christmas," church secretary Sue Thompson said.

The church also recently added a text-message ministry, in which people can text their prayer requests to a church cell phone (270-9991). A team of people pray together over those requests every Monday night and pray individually throughout the week, the Rev. Ed Koteskey said.

The requests range from physical needs, such as cancer and addictions, to financial struggles and "other deep waters they happen to be going through," Thompson said. Because it's a relatively new ministry, the church hasn't received many texts yet, but Koteskey anticipates more will come in.

Helping people who need it can be tricky, Bent said. There is a stigma of shame attached to unemployment, so people who perhaps need help most may be hesitant to ask for it.

He recently asked people in his congregation to stand if they'd lost jobs, been laid off or lost income.

"People were surprised how many there were," he said.

An amazing thing happened at church that Sunday, he added.

"People began to realize, 'I'm not in this alone,'" he said. "The more that we can get it out in the open, the more people can talk with each other about what the situation is. We can hopefully step in and help."

That's the comfort religious communities can provide, Secher said.

"In essence it's really wonderful," he said. "I gain a sense of OK-ness because I know the person sitting next to me is in the same boat."

Remembering that can help people reflect on the things that can't be taken from them, Bent said.

"In high times we tend to go our own way, and in difficult times they bring us together and we reassess what's really valuable," Bent said. "What's really valuable are the things we still have, which are each other, love, support, encouragement, hope - all the stuff that these kind of circumstances can't take away from us."

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com