CEDAR FALLS - It's tough to build the kingdom of God if you can't afford the bricks and mortar.

News reports from across the country say churches are seeing a significant dip in tithes and offerings, forcing them to cut programs and services, lay off staff and, in some cases, close their doors.

But Cedar Valley churches say despite a sagging economy, parishioners here have built a solid foundation of giving.

"Just last week I was reading about a church in Arizona with a staff of 250 that laid off 100 employees," said Chris Rygh, executive pastor at Prairie Lakes Church. "We know it's out there. We feel pretty blessed to be in an area that is holding steady."

Rygh said giving remains consistent at Prairie Lakes, and other Cedar Valley churches report similar findings. Some churches are even seeing an increase in dollars in the collection plate.

At Faith Wesleyan Church, tithes and offerings are up about 3 percent over last year at this time. The small church has an attendance of 80 to 100 on Sundays, and the Rev. Dean Schmitt said if members stay at their current level of giving, the church could end the year with a $10,000 increase in tithes and offerings from 2008.

Schmitt isn't surprised to see his flock digging deeper. Even in tough economic times, if a church is meeting the needs of its members, they will respond in kind, he said.

"Starting in January I did a series of messages on giving that focused on the positive results and what God can do," Schmitt said. "I said to people, 'try it for 90 days and if you don't see any positive results in your lives, we'll give you your money back.' I haven't heard from anyone wanting their money back."

Economic downturns don't always hurt churches' bottom lines. During six recessions between 1968 and 1995, donations to Protestant denominations declined three times and increased three times, according to empty tomb, inc., which analyzes church giving trends and doesn't capitalize its name.

"If people are going to cut back, this is probably not the first place they're going to cut back," said Sylvia Ronsvalle, the group's executive vice president. "There's weekly attendance, accountability to a group of people you know, the needs are right there - and there's a strong religious impulse."

Regena Huffman, business administrator for St. Patrick's Catholic Church and treasurer at Faith Wesleyan Church, concurs.

"People see the church as a shelter in the storm, and they want to support that," she said.

Tithes and offerings at St. Patrick's have seen no significant ups or downs in recent months, but the church does operate in an ongoing deficit.

"It's not dismal. There's about a 2 percent difference between money in and money out," Huffman said, noting the gap is closed with careful cost-control measures.

While local churches are holding steady financially, they are watching the economy closely and exercising restraint. Prairie Lakes, with an average combined attendance of 2,000 at Saturday and Sunday services, recently completed some planned remodeling work to increase capacity but put the brakes on a planned building addition this year. Vacant staff positions are kept open longer, said Prairie Lakes' director of finance George Wessel, and church administrators are keeping close tabs on operational expenses.

"A year-and-a-half ago we put together some plans in case we hit a situation like this and needed to scale back," adds Rygh. "We expected if the economy went south it would result in lost revenue and very likely the demands would go up. So we planned for more ministry on fewer dollars."

St. Patrick's gives away food baskets to area low-income families with immediate food needs. Over the last few months, the number of requests for the baskets has risen sharply, Huffman said. A steady cash flow in the collection plate helps the church keep its lights on and serve the needs of its members and the community.

"There's not a lot of room to trim expenses," she said. "But there's no way to expand (services), either. But we have to remember that as a faith-based organization we often have to step out in faith."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Meta Hemenway-Forbes at (319) 291-1483 or meta.hemenway-forbes@wcfcourier.com.