A new survey of more than one thousand churches nationwide reveals nearly 40% of them are seeing a decline in offerings.

The "State of the Plate" research says 38% of churches nationwide have seen a drop in donations, many of them for a second straight year.

We talked with several pastors in Tallahassee, some say donations are holding steady, another said they're up and at St. Peter's Anglican Church on Thomasville Road it's a mixed bag.

"We have members that pledge to the Church, and they've stayed true, even though I think they've sacrificed in other areas of their lives in order to remain true," said Rector Eric Dudley. "But people who show up off the streets who aren't members of the Church, who aren't as engaged in the life of the place, obviously are not giving as heartily. And so we've seen a drop, a decline in plate giving itself by about thirty percent," Dudley said.

Dudley says the biggest sign of tough times hasn't been in the offering plate, but in the number of people who show up at his church needing help. That has doubled in the past year.

For more information on the State of the Plate, go to www.STATEofthePLATE.info