By Sandra Lopes
As collection plates make their way up and down most church aisles, fewer people are reaching for their wallets.
Instead, a growing number of people at churches like First United Church on Kent Street are choosing to have contributions withdrawn from their bank accounts every month.
First United Church has accepted pre-authorized payments for almost a year, but Rev. Sharon Moon says there has been an effort within the last few months to encourage people to pay upfront. They hope to make the congregation aware of the program by distributing flyers.
“We want people to think about what they are giving,” says Moon, of the local program called First Things First. “We are trying to teach stewardship, which is an attitude of proportional giving of time, energy and finances.”
Don DeGenova, chair of the church’s board of stewards, says this approach also helps the church keep a balanced budget. As donations fluctuate through the seasons, the church often runs a deficit. Faced with this uncertainty, DeGenova says the church must estimate what it might receive later in the year.
“When people pay this way we have a better idea of what our budget is,” he says.
With a congregation of about 300 households, the annual budget of First United Church is about $160,000. With 55 households now participating in First Things First, that means a guaranteed contribution of $6,500 per month.
Across the country, the United Church of Canada has been running the Pre-authorized Remittance program since 1975, but word of the program has spread over the last two years.
Today, 18,000 individuals at 850 churches raise over $1.7 million across Canada with the program. It is used by other faiths, including 37 Anglican, 23 Presbyterian and 39 Lutheran congregations.
Aylmer resident Ann Qualman attends First United Church and says she is happy with the program and has been using it since its inception last year. She says she wasn’t attending church regularly and was having trouble keeping track of her contributions. “Now I’m supporting the church even when I’m not there,” she says.