New York
Increasing numbers of parishioners are telling their churches: ?Put that on my credit card.? While electronic giving may never entirely replace the traditional collection plate, charging offerings to a credit card or bank account is becoming increasingly popular.
?This is about reflective giving, rather than reflexive giving,? said Andrew Goldberger, the co-founder of ParishPay, a New York-based company that has established an electronic credit-card payment system now being used by churches in New York, Illinois and California.
The system allows parishioners to set aside a designated amount each week or month that is automatically deducted from credit cards or bank accounts. Among the company?s clients are Greek Orthodox parishes in New York and the Catholic archdioceses of Chicago, Illinois, and San Jose, California. The firm expects to announce that it is signing on a number of Protestant groups shortly, as well as several Jewish bodies, he said.