Frequently Asked Questions about Electronic Giving
The church has established an electronic giving arrangement that will allow you to stipulate an amount to be directly transferred from your bank account to the church as your monthly contribution. While you are always welcome to continue giving in the manner you are accustomed, this additional option, for those who choose, will simplify your giving.
What is the benefit of this new option? Electronic Giving will simplify your contributions by decreasing the number of checks you write to the church. No more last minute check writing as you are running out the door to attend worship service. This option also helps the church by ensuring consistent donations throughout the year, particularly in the usually lower-attended summer months.
How often will money be deducted from my bank account? Monthly. As the church ventures into this new method of giving, we are starting with a limited contribution schedule of monthly. This will keep the initial costs of processing to a minimum.
Can I still use my bank? Yes. Banks all over the
May I enroll in the automatic transfer at a later date? Yes. You may enroll throughout the year.
Will I still receive the normal contribution statement? Yes. You will receive the same contribution statement that is usually mailed out on a quarterly basis.
Do I have to keep any records? Yes. You will need to record your monthly deduction in your checkbook for your own record keeping purposes. The deduction will occur between the 5th and 10th of each month.
May I place an envelope into the offering plate? Yes, even though it is not necessary for the transaction to be processed. You may desire to participate in the worship service by placing an empty offering envelope into the offering plate. Mark it with the letters “EG” on the front of the envelope to indicate Electronic Giving.
Will I still be able to give to special offerings? Yes. We encourage your participation in special offerings. Those offerings will be collected in the offering plate. The electronic giving arrangements are for Mission & Ministry and Building Fund contributions only. Many will base the transferred amount on the amount of their pledge to those two funds.
May I change my transfer amount? Yes. We can make changes to the amount transferred from your account; however, we discourage repeated changes throughout the year. Please contact the church and we will work with you on any necessary changes.
What if an unexpected situation arises with my bank account or financial situation? If there is a change in your transfer amount or a change in your bank account information, contact the church as soon as possible and we will respond to your request in a timely fashion. All changes need to be confirmed in writing with a signature. If there is an unexpected overdraft in your account, the contribution will not get transferred. Aldersgate’s bank, BB&T, has assured us there will be no overdraft fee for you or the church. The church will notify you if a contribution does not get transferred.
If you would like to sign up for electronic giving, please complete the Authorization Agreement for Preauthorized Offering Payments and send it to the church. We will process your request and begin withdrawing your gift in the next month of 2008. We will process a practice transfer with zero dollar amounts if time permits to make sure all input information is correct. Be sure to include your name and contact information in case the church needs additional information or clarification. If you have additional questions, please contact Meghan Lau at (703) 765-6555 x 607 or m.lau@aldersgate.net.