"These are the times that try men's souls." -- Founding Father Thomas Paine

Although Paine was referring to the political upheaval of the American Revolution, his words are no less relevant in relation to today's hard economy. A number of area churches are heeding that call, seeking to go the extra mile to help many keep the faith in trying times.

Several area ministers say that they are acutely aware of the hardship that the economy is placing on the members of their individual congregations and the community at large. Their response is to step up efforts to address the physical, financial and spiritual needs of people during the holidays and into 2009.

The Rev. Jon Ropp of Orangeburg's Trinity Presbyterian Church says that everyone is being asked to reach out and help to the best of their ability.

"On New Year's Eve, we'll have a potluck supper, where people can bring their campers and tents, where folks will be able to praise the Lord at the church," Ropp said.

The Rev. Cary Hilliard of First Baptist Church in Orangeburg says his church will be offering classes that can provide sound budgeting advice with an eye toward acting as a good Christian steward.

"We'll have a class next year, hopefully by February, called Financial Peace University, offered by radio financial adviser Dave Ramsey," Hilliard said. "This is a biblically-based program that will help families to budget better and get out of debt. By next fall, we also want to offer a class from Crown Financial Ministries that will take the next step and show people how to map their future through financial planning."

Cope Baptist Church opened a food closet last summer, and several churches operate soup kitchens, including First Baptist and Orangeburg's Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, where the Rev. Dr. Frank Larisey serves as rector.

"We're doing things that are typical at Christmas, like the Angel Tree Project to provide Christmas gifts, but now there is an added emphasis because folks are hurting," Larisey said. "We operate our soup kitchen every Tuesday, where we are feeding 90 people and up. The number of people served is also steadily increasing. We are continuing ongoing work with the Community Care Ministries, Healing Species and one of our members is on the board at The Samaritan House.

"This economy has affected a lot of our parishioners in different ways, but there is a genuine feeling that there is an extra need to reach out and be as generous as possible."

Orangeburg Lutheran Church pastor, the Rev. Garry White, says his church has a special ministry to help older members of the community and the congregation.

"I feel the church definitely has a responsibility to create a stronger and more pronounced presence in the public during tough economic times as this," White said. "We have our Friends Helping Friends at Home Ministry, where our members will go out and help out with everything from minor construction to just finding out how they're doing and what their needs are."

The Rev. Caesar R. Richburg, pastor of Williams Chapel AME Church in Orangeburg, says his church has a strong benevolent ministry in the community.

"We believe in assisting them but also especially those in the body of Christ," Richburg said. "Our congregation has helped many in Orangeburg with purchasing food and utility bills, many of whom are not church members. Just before Christmas, we had a dinner celebration at the church for the children of the 30 to 40 female inmates at the Orangeburg-Calhoun Detention Center and the guardians of those children."

However, it is the targeted message of faith that leaders in the spiritual community are sending that helps people who are hurting and looking for answers.

"Many of my sermons focus around not having fear," Larisey said. "That phrase, 'Do not be afraid,' appears in Scripture, in both Testaments, 365 times. God said He loves us and will take care of us when we turn to Him. He will meet our earthly and spiritual needs, especially in times of trepidation."

"I know that people are hungry for hope right now," Hilliard said. "We want to instill an understanding of security in God through a relationship with God. On a recent Saturday, God gave it to me to totally change the Sunday sermon I'd planned and preach from Jeremiah 29 -- "For I know the plans I have for you ... plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Our sanctuary was covered with people in prayer, which is what we must do to seek peace through Him."

"The Scriptures say the poor will always be with us," Richburg said. "This is the day of the church; it takes the church to raise the village, and we cannot abdicate our responsibility. We are called upon to empower the lives of people. If we don't, we will lose a lot of people.

"There should not be a single member of the body of Christ not being assisted or assisting others."

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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