Anonymous contributions

[DaveBj]

I did a search on this topic (anonymous giving), but all I found had to do with anonymous Christmas gives. So I’m starting a new topic.

The reformed U.S. personal income tax rules that went into effect this year mean that I no longer have to keep track of medical expenses, charitable contributions, and all the other things that go to make up deductions. I added them all up back in April, and the standard deduction was greater, so I took that.

If I no longer have to keep track of charitable / church contributions, I can theoretically start handling them as I have always wanted to handle them – anonymously, in the true spirit of Matthew 6:1-4. Plain cash in the collection basket.

I know that there are arguments against that kind of giving, especially in the Catholic Church, which is really big on each family having its own set of envelopes, and on keeping track of what everyone gives. If anyone wishes to try to convince me that my desire to keep the amount of my contributions private is wrong, I would like to hear the reasons.

D

 

[Tis_Bearself]

They’re your contributions, you can do what you want.

Since I do online giving or checks pretty exclusively (I only use cash for “cash only” restaurants and playing lottery) my name on my account or checks is going to get associated with everything. I don’t tell others what I give and I don’t expect the church to share this info so that works for me.

The one thing I have noticed is that if you need a wedding or funeral they will usually check your giving records as a way to see if you’ve been coming to church or at least supporting church. I have heard pastors say they have no other way to keep track in a large parish.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

In addition to what’s already been said, there’s a benefit to the parish to have an idea of how many parishioners are giving (regardless of amount), and that can’t be determined from anonymous cash.

 

[adgloriam]

Hey @DaveBj just wanted to take the opportunity to drop in on your thread and say: Hi.

Anyway, I can’t really add anything to the question you raised…Sorry.

 

[Babaganoush]

I agree with your approach. Don’t let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. There is no reason why the church needs to know how much you actually give.

 

[midori]

Haha, even I don’t know how much I give…

I always participate in the annual Diocesan Appeal, but apart from that, just cash into the basket.

 

[Diaconia]

Dave:

There is nothing wrong with giving anonymously, you are free to do as you wish.

It provides important additional benefits to your parish if you use envelopes or write a check:

• Allows the parish to track the number of donors over time
• Helps the parish with preparing the annual budget and forecasting for large projects that do not occur regularly (planning to replace aging equipment like a boiler, etc.)
• Provides a verifiable manner to know which donors are regular in their giving (at my parish regular donors get to use the Social Hall for free for weddings, showers, anniversaries, etc. Christmas-and-Easter-only parishioners pay a partial fee, and non-parishioners pay the full fee).
• When a larger-than-normal amount of cash appears on a weekend - we have no idea how it occurred: lots of visitors? one donor who gave a windfall? a small group of donors gave way more than typical?

As an aside, most of our parishes have been noticeably affected by the reality of most people taking the standard deduction. Not for profit organizations are all feeling it; churches are more insulated than other types of charities, but are still experiencing it.

Deacon Christopher

 

[Pattylt]

When I was in crisis with my faith of Judaism, I attended many Christian Churches and was startled at the way they do charity and funding for the churches, it’s quite different from Judaism. We do not do collection baskets!

Jews usually pay a yearly subscription type of amount to their synagogue. Giving to charity is somewhat more private as Jews consider the highest level of charity when neither the giver nor the recipient knows where the money went or who it came from. Children would usually give some cash in envelopes at weekly Sabbath school but that was the only visible giving I remember.

The first time I heard a Pastor in an Evangelical church announce that Mr. and Mrs. so and so gave X dollars for our roofing fund, I was appalled! Later I realized that there were some benefits to fund raising in this manner but it was a culture shock at first.

To this day, my upbringing about the privacy of charitable giving is still at work and I consider it a very private action. So, my point of view is that you should do what you feel is right. The Church may benefit from knowledge of your name but they know what their averages are and will never turn down an anonymous donation because of privacy concerns.

 

[DaveBj]

Thank you, Deacon Christopher, for your reasoned response. I have read your bulleted items carefully, and while they are all valid, I still believe that Matt. 6:1-4 outweighs them.

D

 

[dochawk]

It provides important additional benefits to your parish if you use envelopes or write a check:

I find that my contributions are more likely to get there if I simply put them on auto payment . . . :crazy_face:

It’s not that they get intercepted, but that they stay in the checkbook, get left on the counter, washed in my pocket . . .

hawk

 

[Gingersnaps4]

It’s a nice idea but the practicality of it depends on your situation. For instance my children go to catholic schools and so we need a stewardship/practicing parishioner form signed by the pastor as well as documented service hours in a ministry in order to get any financial assistance with tuition…which would be very considerable for 3 children with no help from the diocese. Nobody but the pastor (when signing the form) and 1-2 office staff ever see the amounts, so even if you write checks it’s still basically anonymous.

Even if you do decide to donate anonymously, I would still turn in the envelope with your name on it, and just put the cash in the plate separately. You will want yourself counted as an actively present parishioner if nothing else. If your family needs a wedding or funeral or anything else you don’t want them thinking you never go to mass and aren’t a real parishioner…