MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
As the government shutdown rolls on, federal employees and their families are facing a lot of uncertainty. And as they try to make plans, some houses of worship here in the D.C. area are grappling with what this means for their own stability, as well as how to minister to people in their congregations who may be struggling. Adelle Banks of Religion News Service reports.
ADELLE BANKS: Faith leaders say this shutdown is having a big effect on their congregations.
DEREK GRIER: So it was a double whammy. Folks have either lost their jobs, went into early retirement. But now many of those who kept their jobs are not even being paid.
BANKS: This is Bishop Derek Grier of Grace Church, a multicultural megachurch in Dumfries, Virginia.
GRIER: When the government shuts down in the Maryland-Virginia-D.C. area, that's like Ford Motor Company shutting down, you know, in Detroit. It's a huge deal, and it's impacting a lot of people. There's a lot of pain out there.
BANKS: Grace Church is currently offering $500 emergency loan checks to members who find themselves with urgent financial needs, but they're not sure how long they'll be able to continue doing that. The Nation's Mosque in Washington is also giving out small loans for some congregants, and Imam Talib Shareef says people who ordinarily don't seek free food distribution are finding they need it now.
TALIB SHAREEF: If they're hurting, that means our treasury, our general treasury, for those kinds of disbursements are also hurting as well. So we're kind of focusing some of those things on immediate needs such as, I don't have any money, but I do have a light bill coming up right now.
BANKS: Houses of worship with smaller budgets are looking to provide other kinds of nontangible support. Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church has partnered with other churches to encourage federal employees who are working without pay. The Reverend Rachel Landers Vaagenes stands outside subway stations with signs that say you got this and you can do it.
RACHEL LANDERS VAAGENES: Maybe, like, 10 of us go and cheer from 7:30 to 9 on a weekday morning 'cause what's worse than being furloughed is working and not getting paid.
BANKS: Clergy say their congregants are frustrated with politicians on both sides of the aisle and expect their needs will continue to grow if the shutdown continues. For NPR News, I'm Adelle Banks.
KELLY: And that story was produced through a collaboration between NPR and Religion News Service. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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