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Figure 2.

Figure 2 presents 1968-2007 per member giving as a percentage of income for the composite
denominations. Total Contributions, Congregational Finances and Benevolences all declined
during this 40-year period as a percent of income. Total Contributions, decreased from 3.11%
in 1968 to 2.56% in 2007, a decline of 18% from the 1968 base. Congregational Finances declined
from 2.45% in 1968 to 2.20% in 2007, a percent change of 10% from the 1968 base in giving as a
percentage of income. However, giving as a portion of income to Congregational Finances in 2007
was in line with mid-1970s levels. Benevolences declined from 0.66% of income in 1968 to 0.37%
in 2007, a decline of 44% as a portion of income. The level of 0.37% of income in 2007 was the
lowest level in the 1968 through 2007 period.
However, during the same 39-year interval, U.S. population increased from 200,745,000 to 301,737,000,
an increase of 50%. Therefore, while this church member grouping represented 14.1% of the U.S.
population in 1968, it included 10.0% in 2007, a decline of 29% from the 1968 base.
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