여러분이나 부모님이 매년 교회에서 미리 인쇄된 헌금 봉투 상자를 받았던 것을 기억하시나요? 주일마다 예배를 드리러 갈 때마다 작은 봉투에 수표나 현금을 넣고 봉인해 헌금함에 넣었죠.

But, if you missed a few Sundays — then many of us skipped those weeks or months of giving.

Fortunately, we’ve found ways to expand the opportunities to give. Pre-printed pledge envelopes still can be found, but their use has dropped in many churches. Taking their place: Online pledge tools and easy-to-use direct transfer options such as Venmo or PayPal.

One such church finding strong success in encouraging online giving is Covenant Presbyterian in Boise, Idaho.

“We were very intentional in returning to passing the offering plate as the pandemic allowed us to,” said Rev. Kevin Starcher at Covenant Presbyterian. “However, we almost always say you can give online at every opportunity where we ask people to financially support the mission of the church.

“We had already transitioned to online giving in 2017, which was very helpful as we went into the pandemic,” he said. “Today, approximately 50 percent of our giving comes through electronic methods.

“The primary benefit of offering online giving is to share with our community that the church is in touch with the larger culture and provides easy access and means for giving.  Providing online giving speaks to GenZ and Millennials who hardly ever carry cash or checkbooks with them, but are primarily accustomed to giving electronically,” Starcher said.

An advantage of moving to, or at least offering, some sort of electronic payment service is that people can make their give at any time, whether they intend to attend Sunday service or might be out of town. Or they can give more generously on the weeks when the rent or mortgage isn’t due.

“We try to focus not on the mechanism of giving, but to provide every opportunity to make giving easy as it supports the ministry of Jesus Christ,” Rev. Starcher said. “Our online, distanced and remote population has been faithful in giving and it always brings a smile to my face when we receive donations from 2,000 miles away.”

Something else to consider: Many of these services can be set up as recurring contributions that automatically occur until the donor changes the giving plan.

“We are grateful for the Presbyterian Foundation as they offer some of the lowest electronic transaction fee is available in the market,” Rev. Starcher said. “I would like to explore other (digital giving tools) for our church, including Venmo and Apple Pay. Even by offering these means shares with younger populations that the church is staying relevant to the culture that surrounds us.”

Stewardship is a year-round effort. Church members and the community need to be reminded, regularly, of how the church contributes to making our world a better place. When done properly, through multiple communication channels (Sunday service messages, emails, texts, narratives shared on the church website and social media, etc.) it encourages participation in the life of the church.

One simple way to improve that life is to establish recurring (weekly, monthly, quarterly) electronic contributions.

“Our congregation really tries to lift up the value of the mission regularly and intentionally throughout the year,” Rev. Starcher said. “We strive not to ask people to give to the electric bill, but to fund the gospel of Jesus Christ as it plays out in our programs and ministry.”

Once your church has found the right app, link or online service to handle your online giving (the Presbyterian Foundation has great resources, by the way), take the time to educate and frequently remind members of how to use the online giving tool. Keep in mind that some – even many – donors may not regularly attend Sunday services.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Put a QR code in your bulletin that takes members to your online giving portal, and be sure the portal provides step by step instructions on how to use it. Not everyone is familiar or comfortable with this process
• Use your church website, newsletter and emails to talk up the benefits and ease of online giving
• Announce from the pulpit that electronic gifts are welcome, and mention periodically how to do that in simple terms
• If the congregation leans toward 55-plus, consider hosting short sessions immediately following a Sunday service where you provide one-page instructions for how to find the portal, how to set up an account if needed, and how to give once or to make it a recurring gift
• Always be willing to have someone from the church office meet privately with anyone needing personal help with online giving. Just like in elementary school, sometimes successful adults are reluctant to raise their hand and admit they don’t understand something their children or grandchildren have mastered!

As with so many things in communications and stewardship, you don’t have to take the leap –even small steps can add up to a marathon of great results.