Anyone else NOT use church offering envelopes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use internets, but I do feel a little weird just passing the offering.

+1 We do monthly direct debit. It's easier for the church and us to keep track that way. I offset the awkwardness of skipping the offering plate during the service by giving each of my children $1 to put in the plate.

Episcopalian, BTW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attend a non-denominational Christian church. I almost never use envelopes and, unless I'm out of cash and decide to write a check, my church doesn't know what I give.

I would never attend a church that required pledges, direct debits, etc.

I posted before about direct debits. It's not required at all, but its easier for us than writing a check. We do pledge at the beginning of the year, as do most members, so the church can budget. Pledges make up about 90-95% of the money the church collects, " loose offerings" about 5%.

It may also depend how much you are giving. We are giving more than $600/month. Even if i wanted to drop that much on the plate I normally don't have that kind of cash on me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend a non-denominational Christian church. I almost never use envelopes and, unless I'm out of cash and decide to write a check, my church doesn't know what I give.

I would never attend a church that required pledges, direct debits, etc.

I posted before about direct debits. It's not required at all, but its easier for us than writing a check. We do pledge at the beginning of the year, as do most members, so the church can budget. Pledges make up about 90-95% of the money the church collects, " loose offerings" about 5%.

It may also depend how much you are giving. We are giving more than $600/month. Even if i wanted to drop that much on the plate I normally don't have that kind of cash on me.

Yes, you keep mentioning that. Why?

[Anonymous]

I do an annual pledge which the church asks for (it's optional and encouraged for budgeting). I don't do the envelopes but my parents do. Instead, I have signed up for monthly direct debit cause it is easier for me.

[Anonymous]

a pledge? seriously? A PLEDGE???????????? WTH?

I'd run from a church that "encourages" any such thing. Seriously, my dad is a pastor and I can't fathom the though of asking people how much they intend to give during the year.

Do the freaking budget based on the previous years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:a pledge? seriously? A PLEDGE???????????? WTH?

I'd run from a church that "encourages" any such thing. Seriously, my dad is a pastor and I can't fathom the though of asking people how much they intend to give during the year.

Do the freaking budget based on the previous years.

Most churches do this, so I'm not sure why you're behaving like it's unusual or offensive, especially since your father is a pastor. You really should know better (or, I suspect you do but you're being obtuse).

I sit on the Finance Committee of our church. We do actually base budgets on six-year averages, but pledges make up 2/3 of the budget. It's common and there isn't anything wrong with it.

[Anonymous]

We use envelopes so people don't see how much we give.

[Anonymous]

On average, how much does one give a month to their church? $600 a month seems kind of high. And then you pay tuition on top of that? Seems kind of high to me.

[Anonymous]

PP, there have been a couple of recent threads on this, so do a search. I pledged $1000 this year, since my daughter started choir so this is the first year we've gone more than just Christmas and Easter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what you mean. Do you just give ad hoc instead of pledging?

I give what I give, when I give. Money has nothing to do with following Christ.

Proverbs 3:9-10

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Luke 21:1-4

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Can we also follow the quotes about stoning people, "eye for an eye," etc?

Christ stated that we love God and one another. Man has created much of what we follow, or are supposed to, in regard to religion.

[Anonymous]

No one complains about the 30-40% that gets forcibly given to the government for useless and fraudulent programs.

[Anonymous]

Now the government wants to limit your charity that isn't towards the government

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:a pledge? seriously? A PLEDGE???????????? WTH?

I'd run from a church that "encourages" any such thing. Seriously, my dad is a pastor and I can't fathom the though of asking people how much they intend to give during the year.

Do the freaking budget based on the previous years.

Most churches do this, so I'm not sure why you're behaving like it's unusual or offensive, especially since your father is a pastor. You really should know better (or, I suspect you do but you're being obtuse).

I sit on the Finance Committee of our church. We do actually base budgets on six-year averages, but pledges make up 2/3 of the budget. It's common and there isn't anything wrong with it.

+1. My best friend's Protestant church pushes them very hard to tithe, truly tithe as in 10% of their income, and they make pledges at the beginning of the year.

We give $50/wk to our Catholic parish and then usually a few hundred dollars to the Bishop's Lenten Appeal.

[Anonymous]

Never used them. Churches are not poor. Dont let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Giving must be done in secret. Churches can use last years income to budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My best friend's Protestant church pushes them very hard to tithe, truly tithe as in 10% of their income.

"Tithing" includes gifts given to charity, time given, etc. I will not designate a certain amount of cash toward my Catholic church because I don't want to pay for pedophiles' lawsuits. Obviously most priests were not involved in this activity, but the Church continues to hide, lie, etc., about it.

(Don't suggest I stop being Catholic, by the way. It's what I am in my heart and is bigger than a man-made institution.)