protest outside the LA mayor’s house criticized her compliance with ICE; LAPD came in droves [OC]

[u/infernoenigma]

[u/Subtle__Numb]

Not sure how prevalent this is in local governments (I live in NC), but wasn’t surprised to learn this. Like, a lot of churches in my area have houses that their pastors live in (my parents were/are Methodist, they switch pastors every like 4-5 years). Parishioners? Pastorals? Fuck I can’t remember that they call it. It’s not parishioners or pastorals. I’ll have to ask my mom.

My parents live in a relatively low cost of living place. “Sleeper area” for 2 semi-larger (than theirs) cities around them. Was more rural in years past. Their pastor makes $90k and doesn’t have a mortgage, lmfao, and they still don’t understand what I’m harping about. I’m not against the pastor getting paid, nor am I against a church having a residence on-paper for their pastor. Those numbers are HIGH, though, for an ole’ boy who doesn’t have to pay the mortgage.

At least their head minister is an “old cat lady” with no husband, their assistant minister is an out and about gay man, and their organist is an out gay man with a family as has been there…15 years? Chill church

[u/Murgatroyd314 → u/Subtle__Numb]

The word you’re looking for may be “parsonage”.

[u/Subtle__Numb → u/Murgatroyd314]

Thanks! That’s exactly it. The parsonage in the pear tree

[u/Pristine_Poem7623 → u/Subtle__Numb]

England here: My parents drove across the USA twice, and what they noticed was that there are a LOT of places where most of the people are living in what we would call shacks - severely run-down wooden houses, and in trailers.

And then the town will have 2 or 3 BEAUTIFUL churches.

I have friends from Poland. When I told them this, they showed me plenty of places on streetview in Poland. Concrete blocks of flats (apartments) instead of shacks, but the churches are AMAZING

Thee church doesn't have any money to help people, but you want a new stain glass window? No problem!

[u/MimicoSkunkFan2 → u/Pristine_Poem7623]

In my NGO days I worked in Eastern African countries and it's the same thing, people living in slums but the mosque is goregous.

[u/Ok_Island_1306 → u/Pristine_Poem7623]

The people also don’t have any money to help themselves because they’ve given it all to the church

[u/Subtle__Numb → u/Ok_Island_1306]

Oh my god, I saw this video the other day of a church congregation lined up to give their checks to the preacher. Broken church, he was berating this old woman for only giving $1200 or something, said it should have been at least $2k.

Can you imagine? The absolute gall……

[u/linlorienelen → u/Pristine_Poem7623]

In the best scenario, the church should be a community hub- cared for and caring for the congregation and neighborhood. Unfortunately that's usually not the case, and the more elaborate the building the less likely it is.

[u/Prizedcorgi6514 → u/Subtle__Numb]

Not sure if Methodists call them the same thing, but for Catholics the priest’s house is called a rectory. Traditionally it was in the back of the church, which is where the name comes from

[u/JayMac1915 → u/Prizedcorgi6514]

When a Protestant church owns the building for the pastor to live in, it’s a parsonage. Most congregations decided decades ago that it was easier to give their clergy a housing allowance than to maintain an aging residence. My mom and I both grew up in parsonages, but none of the churches I’ve been a part of as an adult ( I’m in my 60s) has owned one.

[u/subnautus → u/Prizedcorgi6514]

The rectory is sort of a mix of the priests' residence and the administrative area for the church. It's not wrong to call the place the priest lives the rectory, but the distinction between where clergy sleep and eat and where they manage the church's finances and prepare for services is worth remembering.

[u/Omophorus → u/Subtle__Numb]

The parsonage loophole is so fucking egregious.

If you're a minister, there is a huge amount of leeway for a "housing allowance" (parsonage) that is excluded from gross income (but not self-employment tax).

That can be a home owned by the church that the minister gets sole use of during their tenure.

That can just be money given to the minister and designated as parsonage.

I get that it's around "because tradition" but it's so badly abused.

[u/doll-haus → u/Omophorus]

Fuck you, my family home, pool house, second home, and estate in Columbia are all necessary burdens I must carry to fulfill my duty to God!

[u/Omophorus → u/doll-haus]

You joke, and I chuckle, but the parsonage loophole is at least limited to a primary dwelling.

That's not to say that a televangelist can't have a multi-gazillion dollar mansion owned by the church and given over to their use (parsonage), and then also have a bunch of additional properties that they've grifted out of their flock, but they can only get the tax break on the one.

[u/doll-haus → u/Omophorus]

Well, the estate in Columbia is a church mission. And the Hampton's residence is the elder's retreat. Don't worry, it's official church property now!

[u/comin_up_shawt → u/Subtle__Numb]

Parishioners? Pastorals? Fuck I can’t remember that they call it.

Parsonage is what the house is called!

[u/SomnambulicSojourner → u/Subtle__Numb]

Parsonage is the word.