Local churches and their national organizations across the country have not been spared from the current economic crisis, as more are finding it difficult to maintain giving levels to support their operations, reports the Associated Press.

Many congregations are cutting expenses, delaying building projects, and taking other measures to respond to a decline in dollars in their collection plates. Those feeling less of a pinch are churches where tithing — the practice of giving 10 percent of one’s income to the church — is the norm, the news agency reports.

Meanwhile, national church organizations, from the Episcopalians to the Methodists, are facing major losses in their investments, which in some cases are critical to their operational budgets.

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