Around 68 percent of Americans who observe Easter say their Easter spending will be affected by the coronavirus this year, according to WalletHub’s new Coronavirus Easter Survey, released today. This survey, which follows WalletHub’s report on the State Economies Most Exposed to Coronavirus, shows how the coronavirus pandemic has changed Americans’ plans and attitudes regarding Easter.

Below are additional highlights of the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A.

Key Stats

• Worshippers don’t want to stay home: 56% of Americans who went to church on Easter Sunday last year say they will go to church for Easter this year, if it is open.
• Republicans are more likely to attend services: Republicans are almost three times more likely than Democrats to attend church on Easter this year, if it is open.
• Pandemics make us appreciate family and health more: The coronavirus has made Americans most grateful for their family (40%), followed by health (29%) and then freedom (13%).
• Traditional Easter spending is down: Almost half of Easter-celebrating Americans are skipping out on candy, new outfits and Easter foods this year, in contrast with prior years.
• COVID-19 itself is scarier than financial troubles: 68% of Americans are more worried about the coronavirus than the U.S. economy.
• Many Americans think lockdowns should last: About half of Americans believe that non-essential business, restaurants and travel should not restart for at least 3 months.

Q&A with WalletHubHow Churches Are Coping With COVIC-19

How do Americans plan to celebrate Easter when they cannot gather in large groups?

“Americans that celebrate Easter this year plan to partake in at least some of their regular Easter traditions in a way that fits with social distancing guidelines.,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “For example, around 66 percent of people plan to have phone calls or video conferencing, 24 percent will watch church on TV, and 19.5 percent will have indoor Easter egg hunts. Some people may do all of the above.”

Do Americans want to open the country up by Easter?

“Only around 14 percent of Americans want non-essential businesses to reopen by April 12,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “In fact, the largest percentage of people, around 50 percent, think these non-essential merchants should stay closed for three months. Very few people think an immediate reopening is a good idea, at just 5 percent of the population.”

Will coronavirus put a big financial hardship on churches and other places of worship, especially around Easter?

“Churches may suffer from fewer donations, as around 27 percent of Easter-celebrating Americans plan to donate less on Easter this year than they did last year,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Most people, almost 66 percent, will donate the same amount. Over a quarter of Americans will also donate part of their coronavirus stimulus check to a religious organization.”
How Churches Are Coping With COVIC-19
What traditional Easter purchases will suffer due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

“The Easter candy industry will take a big hit, as over 42 percent of Easter celebrants who normally purchase candy say they will not do so this year,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Americans will also forego buying new outfits and Easter food at nearly the same percentages.”

Will most Americans obey social distancing guidelines this Easter?

“What is most concerning is that 56 percent of people who went to church on Easter last year say they want to go again this year, if services are held,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Fortunately, others are adapting to the circumstances more reasonably. Most people who celebrate Easter will end up staying at home, recognizing that limiting close contact will help flatten the curve and minimize the spread of COVID-19. It’s just the highly social minority we need to worry about.”

More on COVID-19 from WalletHub

• State Economies Most Exposed to Coronavirus
• Most Aggressive States Against the Coronavirus
• States with the Biggest Increases in Unemployment Due to COVID-19 
• Coronavirus and Money Survey
• Coronavirus Small Business Survey

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  ‘We are beginning to see the glimmers of progress’: A Holy Monday invitation to the cleansing power of Jesus

  In The Daily Article for April 5, 2020 Good and bad news on social distancing Five reasons Jesus cleansed the temple on Holy Monday Two transforming life principles

  Vice President Mike Pence said last night, “We are beginning to see the glimmers of progress” in the fight to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the US and around the world. I watched the press conference and was also encouraged by Dr. Deborah Birx, the US coronavirus coordinator. She reported on hopeful signs from Spain and Italy, “where we see, finally, new cases and deaths declining.” As she said, “It’s giving us hope of what our future could be.” All this because more people than ever are practicing social distancing. However, stay-at-home orders are also affecting many people in damaging ways. Some cities in China are reporting record-high divorce rates after stay-at-home orders were lifted. Pornography consumption rates in the US are up. Isolation is challenging those in recovery from other addictions as well. This Holy Week, we will focus each day on what Jesus did that day on his way to Calvary and the resurrection. What does Holy Monday say to us as we are socially distancing on a level unprecedented in our lifetimes? “Hosanna to the Son of David!”  Our Lord entered Jerusalem triumphantly on Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1–10), then spent the night in Bethany (vv. 11–12). On Holy Monday, he cursed a barren fig tree as a symbol of the “fruitless” nation of Israel (vv. 12–14; cf. Jeremiah 8:13; Micah 7:1). He next drove moneychangers from the temple (Mark 11:15–18). Then “the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them” (Matthew 21:14). He received the praise of children “crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’” (v. 15), despite the indignation of the chief priests and scribes (vv. 15–16). Then, “leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there” (v. 17). Let’s focus today on Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. Five financial functions took place there during Holy Week, each of which incurred our Lord’s wrath.

  Five reasons Jesus cleansed the temple  People came to Jerusalem for Passover “from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Since there were no banks along the way, they had to bring the money they would need to finance their trip to Jerusalem and back. (Some stayed in the Holy City for fifty days until Pentecost, which made their trip even more expensive; cf. Acts 2:5–11). Three financial functions were performed at the temple which carried their own Greek designation but are translated into the same English term: money-changers. One: Foreign coins had to be changed into local currency, which was the function of the kollybistes (the “money-changers” of Matthew 21:12). Two: Travelers would typically bring large denominations of money for ease of transport, which had to be converted into smaller coins. This was the function of the kermatistes, (the “money-changers” of John 2:14). Three: Travelers would also store money at the temple, a service rendered by the trapezites (the “money-changers” of Matthew 25:27). For the first two functions, the money-changers typically charged a premium of 4 to 8 percent; those acting as bankers paid interest at a fixed rate (though this was contrary to Jewish law; cf. Exodus 22:25). Four: Those who came to the temple were required to pay a tribute of “half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary” (Exodus 30:13). This currency was in use only at the temple. As a result, those who came to sacrifice had to exchange their currency for it. For each of these four functions, however, the money-changers were charging exorbitant rates. Since those who came to the temple had no other option, they were forced to pay them. Five: Animals used for sacrifice at the temple were required to be “without blemish” (cf. Exodus 12:5). Since raising such animals and then transporting them all the way to Jerusalem was difficult for most people, they chose to buy their sacrificial animal when they arrived. However, those who marketed such animals were charging unfair prices for them. For these reasons, Jesus “began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple” (Mark 11:15). He explained his action: “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers” (Mark 11:17). Two transforming life principles  Jesus’ cleansing of the temple teaches two profound principles today. First, our Lord knows our sins, whether others hold us accountable for them or not.  The authorities allowed corruption by money-changers and perhaps profited from them personally (cf. Mark 11:18; Luke 16:14; Matthew 23:25). But Jesus saw their sin and responded proactively to it. He sees our “secret” sins just as clearly today (cf. Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13). Second, our Lord is willing to forgive all we confess.  Holy Monday was the second time Jesus had to cleanse the temple (cf. John 2:13–17). The corrupt merchants had been unwilling to repent, so he was forced to judge and punish them. By contrast, if we will admit the sins in our personal “temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16), he will cleanse us and forgive us. If we continue to seek his help, he will continue to give us victory. I encourage you to make time on this Holy Monday to get alone with Jesus. Ask him to bring to mind anything in your life that needs to be cleansed from your “temple,” then confess all that comes to your thoughts and claim his forgiving grace (1 John 1:9). Ask him to help you cleanse your “temple” often. I am convinced that one way our Lord wants to redeem the social distancing of these days is by using it to draw us closer to himself than ever before. Who are the money-changers in your temple today?

  The latest at Denison Forum Some of the firsts caused by the pandemic: Finding strength for the battle Dr. Anthony Fauci is now a bobblehead: How to be able to say, ‘I arise today through mighty strength’ Funerals in the Holy Land and a virtual tour of Jerusalem: Using the pandemic for eternal good

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