I hope I got your attention by that subject title. The difference I am talking about is the differences between giving between the OCA/Antiochian Archdiocese on the on hand and the GOA on the other hand. It is not only the amounts and rates, but also the attitudes that are poles apart. How in the world are we ever going to have a local church when such a chasm exists!!!
See http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/2015/assembly-releases-new-study-on-orthodox-generosity-and-giving-to-the-church
Some telling factoids:
Comparing the three main jurisdictions (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Antiochian
Archdiocese and Orthodox Church in America), members of the Antiochian Archdiocese and Orthodox Church in America made the highest contributions to their parishes. In both of these jurisdictions, an average household gave about $3,000 to a parish in regular contributions in 2014. By comparison, an average (median) GOA household contributed $1,500 to a parish in regular giving in 2014...
Converts to Orthodoxy give almost twice as much annually to their churches as “cradle” Orthodox when measured in actual dollar amounts ($2,800 versus $ 1,500 per average household) and they give more than twice as much when donations are measured as a percentage of a household's income (4.9% versus 2.2%)....
The culture of giving to the Church because of personal religious convictions and an internal "need to give" is the dominant culture in parishes of the Antiochian Archdiocese and the Orthodox Church in America. In GOA churches, the adherents of a pragmatic approach to giving—"I give because my parish has needs"—are as vocal as those who give because of religious reasons and an internal "need to give"...
Nearly half of converts to Orthodoxy support the concept of tithing (10% of income given to the church) in comparison with less than one-third (30%) of cradle Orthodox who support this idea...
See http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/2015/assembly-releases-new-study-on-orthodox-generosity-and-giving-to-the-church
Some telling factoids:
Comparing the three main jurisdictions (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Antiochian
Archdiocese and Orthodox Church in America), members of the Antiochian Archdiocese and Orthodox Church in America made the highest contributions to their parishes. In both of these jurisdictions, an average household gave about $3,000 to a parish in regular contributions in 2014. By comparison, an average (median) GOA household contributed $1,500 to a parish in regular giving in 2014...
Converts to Orthodoxy give almost twice as much annually to their churches as “cradle” Orthodox when measured in actual dollar amounts ($2,800 versus $ 1,500 per average household) and they give more than twice as much when donations are measured as a percentage of a household's income (4.9% versus 2.2%)....
The culture of giving to the Church because of personal religious convictions and an internal "need to give" is the dominant culture in parishes of the Antiochian Archdiocese and the Orthodox Church in America. In GOA churches, the adherents of a pragmatic approach to giving—"I give because my parish has needs"—are as vocal as those who give because of religious reasons and an internal "need to give"...
Nearly half of converts to Orthodoxy support the concept of tithing (10% of income given to the church) in comparison with less than one-third (30%) of cradle Orthodox who support this idea...