Can any church member see the financials of the church?

Our church gives out the financials once a month at the members meeting. I don’t think it’s for everybody to see, but if you were considering becoming a member and asked to see the financials, they would show you.
If there are laws against showing non members, I am unaware of them.
Also, I have seen where members fold up the papers and stick them in the hymnal holder and leave them. So anyone attending services can read it. Doesn’t seem to be a super secret at my church.
Note: I am in the U.S.

It probably varies from church to church. Most that I’ve seen will give a periodic update of the information.

Our Baptist churches always did. Weekly tithes and missions donations were posted each Sunday. From what I recall we also had fiscal reviews.
I don’t recall the Catholic churches doing so.

Yes, it is. There are oversight committees, outside auditors, and any member at any time can not only see the books but also sit in on the meetings. They’re not allowed to speak or vote, but they can be there. There are absolutely no secrets.

It depends on the church and their relationship to the congregation.

But – Remember that under both state and federal regulations churches are NOT exempt from all forms of taxation.

Yes, we have quarterly statements we put out and budget meetings once a year where the congregation votes on the staffs’ increase of pay.

We do not post how much each member gives, however. @KNOWITALL does your church actually do that? I would never go to a church that makes public what each member individually gives. What somebody tithes or gives freely to the church is between them and God. People do make pledges once a year as to what they are going to give, and I’m sure it is understood that they should to the best of their ability live up to that pledge, but it is not anybody’s job to judge whether they are doing that or not and it is not anybody else’s business. Obviously some people will have access to that information but it’s not shared with the general congregation.

^I think she means the total collected in tithes for that period. Tithes are confidential.

@chyna Yes. The little billboard things just show totals. :) Baptists put in at in a collection plate, no counting, unlike Catholics who send a mailing envelope and do track it.

It depends on which Church you refer.

@KNOWITALL thanks for clarifying! When I went back and read what you had posted, I realized that that was I misinterpretation on my part. Probably partly due to the fact that I did hear somewhere recently that there are some churches that regularly post what individuals give.

I’ve been part of many church’s, now am on council of a Methodist Church (Chair of Children’s Ministry) but not a member. Haven’t been a member of any church for a bit over 10 years now.

Anyway, some, including a Baptist Church where I served as Musical Director, will ask for your planned donating/tithing for the year. They do this for budgeting reasons, only you and the finance committee know your pledge. They do give you then assigned numbered envelopes to put your donations. They do this not to force you to pay your pledge, but Church tithing/offering is tax deductible to the giver, and at the beginning of new year they’ll give you form of what your actual weekly gift was so you can report on taxes.

@Acrylic Mega churches here want your W2’s. Seriously. But they can regrow toes so makes sense they charge more. Links available if needed. :)

I doubt it, immensely. Most churches/synagogues are run informally at best. The larger ones might have a manager or executive director at best, but that’s likely to be the exception, not the rule.

That means that the church’s finances will be informally kept. And likely only one person can make sense of them.

Now, that’s on an individual level. The BIG churches (i.e. the Baptist Church of America or whatever it’s called), the Mormons (LDS church), etc. WILL have very complete finance information. (Not the Jews, there is not one central Jewish coordinating agency).

But what would happen if you wanted the Baptists or Mormons to open their books for examination? First they would ask “why” – then they would stall, then they would obfuscate, and maybe a year later they would dribble out some information.

Bottom line: they see themselves as private and it’s none of your damn business about their finances.

My church always did, but I bet you wouldn’t get that from many churches.
I’m thinking about Catholic ministries being careful not to reveal cash settlements.

Regarding the W2’s, that’s because they expect a flat 10%, or something similar, is that right?

Interesting that it’s similar to a progressive tax that the more money to more people are expected to donate, although I understand when we talk about progressive actual taxes we mean a higher percentage.

So, do most Christian churches not have a standard membership fee each year? I thought Catholics have that sort of thing like the Jews.

@JLeslie the church I attend now and the one I attended before that don’t have this, but the church I grew up in had something called a per capita. It wasn’t really a membership fee, but it was money that they asked each member to pay once a year to go towards the presbytery, which was an administrative body which oversaw the churches in the region. It was usually only about 12 bucks a year. They asked people that they pay it, but it was in no way required. Whoever didn’t pay it, the church ended up having to pay for themselves because it was due to the presbytery. But that was the last I heard of any church that does that, nor have I heard of any other church that has a membership fee.

@JLeslie I think you’re thinking of tithing. Tithing is where people are expected to give 10 percent of their income. Nobody that I know does that although one couple I’m friends with used to do it (Catholic church). I’ve never heard of a membership fee.

@JLeslie the churches that I’ve attended (Protestant) have always passed a plate for donations. You put what you want. A dollar, five dollars, ten dollars, twenty, whatever you want.

Catholic churches that I’ve been to have passed the plate as many as three times during a service. They will say once for the school that needs a new roof or some bullshit like that, meanwhile, the Catholic church is like the largest landowner in the world or something like that. It’s ridiiculous but they cry poverty.

I can’t speak for all synagogues, because I’ve never belonged to one, but the one here where I live has an annual membership. Here’s a link to their application page, the fees are at the bottom. They even have a capital fund contribution, I’m not sure if that is required. https://www.templeshalomcentralfl.org/_files/ugd/65bb99_d82749b7feb045e4960180d91898a53d.pdf

The Rabbi who married my husband and me, his temple in Ft. Lauderdale they had especially low rates for young adults.

Jews aren’t allowed to touch money on the sabbath, and that’s when they go to services, so they can’t pass around a collection plate. It’s kind of nice to not be hit up for money while at a service, but the membership fees are high in my opinion. I have no idea how much an average middle class person usually gives to their churches. I guess it’s not really that much for someone who goes regularly.

I’m aware of tithing, but wasn’t sure if some Christian churches have membership fees similar to my link.

No membership fees in any of mine in my entire life. It is polite to give something if you go to service, and a bit shaming if you can’t.