One of the big challenges of this COVID-19 situation is how to maintain giving patterns in the absence of the traditional Sunday morning gathering. I would encourage all of you to address the issue with your congregation members through email, text, or in your streaming/video communications—as difficult as it might be to talk about money, times like these require us to speak graciously but directly about the importance of caring for church financial commitments.
1) Encourage your congregation members to contact their bank to set up automatic ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments; this will take the burden of remembering off their minds and provide steadier payments for your church.
2) For the family members who are not “digitally inclined,” encourage them to use postal service mail to send their giving to the church; one enterprising church actually mailed out pre-addressed pre-stamped envelopes to their congregants for them to use for this purpose.
3) If you already have a platform set up for online giving, now is the time to communicate the steps and process involved to encourage your congregation to use it.
If you do not yet have a “church-hosted system” for online giving, this situation illustrates the value of considering some sort of digital giving platform to provide that option for your congregation. Some ideas (I am not endorsing any of these in particular, but offering the sites for you to do your own investigating):
- Services found at “tithe.ly,” “easytithe.com,” “vancopayments.com,” “lifewaygenerosity.com,” and “continuetogive.com” charge a small percentage of the gift plus a 25-60 cent fee per gift, but in return offer the ability for churches to get detailed financial reports and allow congregants to access services like downloading their own giving receipts and records.
- Here is a quick review of various online giving services— https://reachrightstudios.com/7-top-online-giving-companies-churches/ (2019)
Finally, I will be sending out an email to you in the next day or two that is addressed to your congregation members and discusses the importance of supporting the church with both prayers and with giving. We encourage you to forward it on to your members.
Blessings in Jesus,
Jeff Kephart