How are other charities and not-for-profit organizations adjusting to the economic recession? What follows is a letter written to a pastor by a church member who works for a financial firm as a consultant for non-profit organizations. (Names and details have been edited to protect the confidentiality of the church and individuals.) The letter contains helpful insights for every church leader in these perilous economic times.

Hi Pastor,

In your voicemail message you pondered whether we needed to be thinking about the current situation differently, or addressing the congregation differently. As you know, I spend a significant amount of time with not-for-profits, who are also being hit hard by the economic downturn. While a little different, I thought it may be helpful to share with you what we are seeing.

Not-for-profits across the board are experiencing sharp drops in giving. The dollar amount of the average gift is dropping, and the number of donors is dropping by double-digit percentages. ...