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Edmonton, AB—Evangelical churches in Alberta's capital are following the cashless society trend by installing debit machines in their foyers-the collection plates of the 21st Century.
Debit machines that allow churchgoers to swipe their credit or debit cards and instantly send donations to the church have been installed in several Edmonton churches, including North Pointe Community Church, where a Point of Sale (POS) debit machine was installed for their congregation's convenience six years ago.
"We (as a society) are doing everything by ATM already-we want to be in alignment with society and provide this for our congregation," says Bob Jones, lead pastor at North Pointe. Their POS is located at the information desk in the foyer where church members can use their bank or credit card and funds are deposited directly into the church's bank account.
"I'm not sure if it's increased giving-it's just more convenient. About 20 per cent of giving is done through the machine," says Jones, who estimates his congregation has 800 members. "Another five per cent choose to have their tithes withdrawn automatically from their bank account."
So that leaves three quarters of the church population that still give via the traditional collection plate.
"People like envelopes," Jones says with a chuckle.
Over on Edmonton's east side, Sherwood Park Alliance has a POS at the information centre in their lobby, but church accountant Brenda Quark says they only take debit.
"We aren't prepared to pay the fee for credit cards. Not for tithing. People have asked us about it, but I think the bank takes two and a half per cent and I don't want to pay that," says Quark. "We like to make it convenient for people, and we do have on-line giving as well. We have to keep up with what's happening out there. We can't stay in the past, whether it's the way we give or style of worship. We have to attract people and keep current."
Three hours south, Westside King's Church is one of the few, if only Calgary churches, where attendees can give back to God with a swipe of their favourite plastic.
Administrative assistant Shannon Couture says that Westside, a church known for its progressive, post-modern theology, has installed a POS and it has proven to be a welcome convenience to members of their church community, not only for their tithes and offerings, but to allow members to pay for courses, buy concert tickets and books.
"We also have a wireless Mobile Merchant (portable POS) for use offsite, for example, when we held a marriage course out in Elbow Valley, and if someone hadn't prepaid they could pay there," says Couture.
The POS was installed a year ago and is slow to catch on.
"It's at the back of the hall-people just know about it through word of mouth," she says.
Several smaller churches have made the decision to stick with cash because of bank fees or because they fear people will give donations via credit card and may actually be giving money they don't have.
"We can't presume what people would be doing with their cards. We wouldn't want people to go into debt just to give, but it's their choice. Most people are responsible," responds Couture.
A spokeswoman from Centre Street Church, one of Calgary's largest churches says their administration team has "thought about it but have no specific plans right now" to implement POS machines for use by weekend attenders.
In Calgary's extreme south east, First Alliance Church has yet to consider jumping into the 21st Century by going cashless.
"We have a lot of the older generation in our congregation, and they aren't open to it. They think more along the lines of the merchants and the money changers from the Bible. I think it would upset a lot of our congregation," says Carey Thiessen, director of operations at First Alliance Church. Thiessen says their coffee shop and bookstore take credit cards, and donations to the church can be made there via debit but it's not widely publicized.
"Our primary way of collecting offerings is through cheques in envelopes. But that's not to say we won't change sometime in the future."
And what about automatic debit?
"Giving to the church is supposed to be an act of worship," says Thiessen. "Some people believe it's not an act of worship if it's automatic. But people have their preferences."
He cites the example of younger people wanting to make sure that God gets first crack at their cash so automatic debit from their bank account works better for them.
Monthly debit has been offered for almost six years at Westside, but Couture says the primary way of collecting money remains the traditional basket passed down the rows by ushers.
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