Robin Prosoki puts socks and underwear into festive bags. She wraps gloves with brightly colored paper, puts ribbons and bows on scarves and ties strings around other essentials for the winter.
The presents are donations for the less fortunate, gathered and wrapped by the people of Corpus Christi Catholic Church as part of their annual Christmas gift drive.
The number of presents is fewer this year, Prosoki said. Donations of all kinds are down and, as it tries to maintain a balance of paying the bills and helping the community, the church's budget is starting to get tight.
"We've had to cut back on doing some of the things we used to do," Prosoki, the church's accountant, said. "With the economy the way it is, the donations aren't coming in as much, but people are still in need."
Corpus Christi isn't the only Lawrence church bracing itself for tough economic times. It's one of the hundreds of churches across Kansas looking to tighten its budget as the American recession hits believers' ability to give. Churches aren't going out of business just yet, but their leaders are concerned - and cutting back on the community support services they offer.
Paul Gray, head pastor of Heartland Community Church, said donations and attendance are down as parishioners take second jobs and extra hours that keep them from services. People aren't as able to get their time or their money, he said.
At the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen, which is run and staffed by volunteers from several local churches, Greg Moore, LINK director, is feeling the pinch of an economic downturn.
"I've been really worried about it," Moore said. "I'm wondering if the churches will still be able to keep us going."
Moore said the number of people coming for meals has increased dramatically, while the money coming in has declined.
"Four years ago, 85 guests would be the busiest day we'd get," Moore said. "Now we serve 150 people plus on a normal day."
In October, LINK served 2,844 meals at a cost of $24,174. In November, it served 3,146 at a cost of $26,741.
Moore said he was concerned about the strain getting worse, but that, for the time being at least, LINK would continue to provide its services in the same ways.
"It hasn't affected us too much yet, but I guess it has in little ways," he said. "When we run low on sugar, I just don't put any more out any more. When we're out, we're out."
Even for nonbelievers, churches serve a valuable sociological role in America as providers of these kinds of social services, Aaron Ketchell, lecturer in religious studies, said.
"Christian churches have historically adopted a doctrine of 'social gospel' - that is, that taking care of the poor is a main facet of Christianity," he said. "Taking away the ability of a church to do that would worry a church leader, I would imagine."
But some religious leaders are less worried than others.
David Berkowitz, the president of the Lawrence Jewish Center, said his synagogue isn't cutting back just yet, but did anticipate a slightly lower than average result on its fundraising effort this year and would be setting more aside in next year's budget in case things get worse.
At Ecumenical Christian Ministries, food donations are actually up, Thad Holcombe, the organization's minister, said.
"I think people know there's a lot of people having a hard time," Holcombe said. "So some are giving what they can."
Gray said he believed that, though religious centers were having a hard time, the negative economy was in a way good for them in that it was renewing some followers' interest in religion as a social support network and spirituality as a means of coping with worldly troubles. He cited the increase in interest in faith-based counseling at his church as an example.
"God's still in the business of helping people," Gray said.
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