The national recession is affecting every area of life from dining out to buying shoes for the kids. It's also affecting church giving. While the church continues to require operating funds to function, it becomes increasingly challenging to meet ministry needs when giving is down. Here are some ways to help your church continue to minister to your community during the recession without going under.

• Pray about your church's needs. Prayer should bathe every aspect of your church administration, especially giving. After all, the church is the Lord's and He is the one who will care for her. Lovingly remind Him of His promise to do that very thing, then trust Him to meet every need.

• Offer members a chance to give at every service and every function. Some churches only pass the offering plate on Sunday morning believing that people who want to give will do so then. If your church's giving is down, begin to offer the opportunity for giving at every service and event. Every dollar will help.

• Hold fundraisers. Instead of simply budgeting for youth and children's ministries expenditures, ask the department directors to raise the funds they need to operate. There are hundreds of options available, and fundraisers provide great fellowship as well as raising money.

• Cut back on some discretionary spending. Just as you must cut back at home, the church needs to eliminate expenses that aren't mandatory. Cutting back on the electric bill by turning off unused lights, adjusting the thermostat to save money and asking Sunday school members to contribute to the coffee fund are some quick, easy-to-implement ideas that can help.

• Scale back on purchases, too. In larger churches, especially, it's easy to get in the habit of buying whatever we want. We buy new choir music every season, three sizes of paper plates for the kitchen, hand lotion as well as soap for the restrooms. While these amenities are nice and they make the church more comfortable, there may come a time when they have to be reduced or eliminated from the church budget. Reevaluating every purchase becomes more important when giving is down.

• While you want to reduce spending, you also want to encourage your members to continue giving. Some ways to do that include posting your needs in the bulletin each week, preaching a sermon series on tithing and stewardship, or offering a faith promise program. All of these strategies will help inform your congregation of the church's financial needs while offering them the opportunity to be a part of God's work in your church.

These are just a few of the many ways you and your congregation can save money and manage the church finances more efficiently. Consider every possible way you and your church can be faithful stewards of what God provides. He will definitely bless your efforts during even the toughest economic recession.