Halo Study in North Carolina
P artners for Sacred Places , in partnership with the
Duke Endowment and the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute , completed a study to better understand the local economic impact of rural churches by examining the impact of United Methodist Church ( UMC ) congregations in North Carolina ’ s small towns and rural areas . The study examined who benefits from the presence of these congregations and what vital contributions these churches make to their communities as conveners , trusted partners , and service providers .
Partners and the Urban Institute conducted extensive interviews with leaders of 87 rural UMC churches and then monetized and assigned a numerical value to six areas . These areas include :
• Direct spending
• Education & childcare
• Magnet effect
• Individual impact
• Community serving programs
• Outdoor recreation space
$ 140,738
The study found that Methodist churches are not just for Methodists alone — 72 % of those benefiting from programs housed in United Methodist Churches are not members of those congregations . An additional finding is that small churches can make a big impact because congregational size and economic impact are not always correlated . One of the most important implications of this reality is that civic leaders — including mayors , foundations , business leaders , arts organizations , community groups — should see their sacred places as contributors of significant public value . Read the full study at sacredplaces . org .
The Angelic Threads clothing closet is one part of Evansdale United Methodist Church ’ s local economic impact . Photo : Rachel Hildebrandt
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