Public outrage as churches solicit for offertory amid Coronavirus lockdown

Social media users including government officials have condemned churches that continue to solicit for offertory and tithes from their members in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak that has triggered economic hardship among some members of the society.

In order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government temporarily suspended physical church services and masses.

This prompted some churches to organise virtual services as well as new ways of collecting tithes and offerings from their members.

For instance, the Association of Pentecostal Churches in Rwanda (ADEPR), circulated a letter to its members, which is titled; "The way of giving offerings and tithes amid difficult times"

In the letter the church outlines three ways through which the faithful can contribute their tithes and offerings during the lockdown.

According to the letter signed by Ephrem Karuranga, the ADEPR Spokesperson, they include using the offertory boxes at church premises, depositing the money into the church's bank account and sending the money through mobile money.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church in Muhanga District also advised its members to pray from their homes but collect offertory and deposit the money into the church's bank account in addition to using other digital payment platforms.

These are the similar strategies taken by most Christian denominations, including Catholics and Anglicans, as they attempt to sustain the flow of their revenues.

However, social media users described this as exploitation of an already "financially vulnerable society".

Edouard Bamporiki, the State Minister in the Ministry of Youth and Culture reacted by calling on church leaders to think of ways of supporting vulnerable people rather than the vulnerable people supporting churches.

The minister challenged the leaders to use their influence and "savings" to support society.

Another social media user Cléophas Nzeyimana said that he was used to seeing vulnerable people receiving support from faith-based organisations during times of hardship such as war, famine and disease outbreaks.

According to Mwenimana Karangwa Sewase, people should use their savings to cope with difficult times caused by the virus instead of giving them to churches as offerings.

Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Minister of State for EAC Affairs also reacted by saying that faith-based organisations and churches should not exploit church goers by demanding offerings and tithes.

Instead, he said, they should seek ways to support their members which are unable to feed themselves due to COVID-19.

Joseph Ryarasa Nkurunziza, the Chairperson of Rwanda Civil Society Platform stressed that, currently, faith-based organisations and churches should support their members who have increasingly become financially weak instead of demanding offerings from them.

"Our advocacy should be well understood. Faith-based organisations and churches should partner with government to support vulnerable people who were affected by the virus outbreak. Even if people who are financially capable can accept to give offerings, churches should use these offerings to support needy people in these difficult times," he said.

Nkurunziza also urged the government to inject some more funds in social protection programmes during this period of COVID-19.

"Businesses have closed and workers laid off. Government should provide support in two ways. People who were in 1st and 2nd categories and others who were living on casual work should be supported by the government. Government should also waive taxes for businesses that are no longer operating due to COVID-19 impact," he added.

Onesphore Yadusoneye, the Director of Communication Department at Seventh Day Adventist church says that it's not the policy of the church to force people to give offertory.

"Whoever might have done it, was not representing the whole Adventist Church in Rwanda," he said, calling on members of the Adventist Church who are well-off to support their vulnerable counterparts.

Canon Dr Antoine Rutayisire, a Senior Pastor at St. Peter's Remera Parish of the Anglican Church, said that usually, offerings are provided by those who wish and have financial capacity.

He, however, made the case for sustained collection of offerings, saying that pastors and other employees of the church are still working and paid.