About Automatic Giving
Electronic Giving is a convenient, consistent way to help our church grow.
Please consider scheduling a recurring electronic contribution today. It’s easy! You will no longer need to write out checks and prepare envelopes every week. Even when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, your electronic contributions will continue to be received on an uninterrupted basis. Get started today! Forms are in our church office, or click here to download the form for printing; after filling it out, return it to the church office.
Automatic Giving (Electronic Fund Transfer) FAQs:
Q. What is Electronic Contribution?
A. Electronic contribution is an automatic transfer program that allows you to make your contributions without writing checks.
Q. How is my electronic contribution automatically deducted from my account?
A. Once you authorize the transfers, your specified contribution is electronically transferred directly from your checking or savings account to the church’s account.
Q. When will my contribution be deducted from my account?
A. On the due date that was specified on your sign up form. You never have to worry about forgetting contribution.
Q. If I do not write checks, how can I prove I made my contribution?
A. Since your contribution is made at a pre-established time, you simply record it in your check register on the appropriate date.
Q. Without a cancelled check, how can I prove I made my contribution?
A. Your bank statement gives you an itemized list of electronic transfers. It is your proof of contribution. In addition, your statement from FUMC will show your contribution just as it always has.
Q. Is Electronic contribution risky?
A. Electronic contribution is less risky than check contribution. It cannot be lost, stolen or destroyed in the mail. It has an extremely high rate of accuracy.
Q. What if I change bank accounts or want to change my contribution amount or allocation?
A. Notify the church and ask for a new authorization form to complete. Please give us at least two weeks to set up the change.
Q. How much does Electronic Contributions cost?
A. It costs you nothing and saves you time. There is a cost to FUMC of .25 cents for each transaction. However, the current envelope system costs FUMC about $8 per year per member. By discontinuing envelopes for EFT participants, we hope to balance off or reduce the overall costs.
Q. What if I try Electronic Contributions and don’t like it?
A. You can cancel your authorization by notifying the office at any time. Your cancellation must be in writing, just as your original authorization was.
Q. How did FUMC select the service that will handle the EFT Program?
A. The service that FUMC is using is the one selected and recommended by the United Methodist Church’s General Council on Finance and Administration.