Traditionally, most Germans belonged to a church in their community, and a portion of their yearly taxes were paid to that religious institution. If someone decided to leave the church, an official statement had to be sent to the government in order to adjust his or her taxes. Then, at the next service, the name of the departing member was read aloud to the congregation. Below is an official order prohibiting the reading of departing congregants’ names from the pulpit. Perceiving the church as a rival to the state’s ultimate authority over the individual, the Nazis hoped to loosen the grip of the Christian churches on Germany’s many towns and cities. This document is an excellent example of how the Nazi authorities tried to accomplish this goal incrementally. After the issuance of this decree, Germans no longer needed to fear that leaving their local congregation would lead to social shaming. The regime, of course, hoped that this would help wrestle another person away from the churches’ influence.