What is electronic giving?
Electronic giving allows for a pre-authorized amount of money to be deducted directly from your checking or savings account and deposited into the church’s bank account.
Who can participate in electronic giving?
Any member of our parish can participate as long as you have a checking or savings account.
Is there a minimum amount I have to give in order to do so electronically?
No. We are grateful for any amount you can give.
How do I enroll?
Simply fill out and return an Electronic Giving Payment Authorization Form.
How often will withdrawals be made from my account?
We offer four options for the frequency of your donations: monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.
On what day of the month will the withdrawals be made?
You may choose to have the withdrawals made on the first or the fifteenth of a month. If the selected day falls on a weekend or holiday, the withdrawal will be made on the first business day following.
Quarterly donations are collected in January, April, July, and October. Semi-annual donations are collected in January and July. Annual donations are collected in January.
When will withdrawals from my account begin?
All new enrollments will be processed within a week of receipt. The actual date of your first withdrawal depends on the authorization effective date, payment schedule, and collection day you provide on your Electronic Giving Payment Authorization Form.
How quickly does Annunciation receive the funds from electronic giving?
Funds are deposited in Annunciation’s bank account on the same day that they are withdrawn from your account.
Will Annunciation still be able to provide me with a statement of my donations if I participate in electronic giving?
Absolutely! In fact, electronic giving makes record keeping much easier for Annunciation. When an electronic donation is received, a record of the donation amount and date is automatically posted to your contribution record in our census program. There are no envelopes for us to count and open, no checks for us to endorse, no need for us to make a trip to the bank, and no need to for us to manually post your donation to your contribution record.
I currently receive collection envelopes in the mail. Will you continue to send envelopes to me if I sign up for electronic giving?
Yes, we will. We are doing this for the benefit of those who want to participate in electronic giving, but feel uncomfortable about not physically dropping something into the Sunday collection basket. Each regular collection envelope includes a checkbox on the bottom left that you can mark, indicating that you are participating in our electronic giving program. If you wish to use these envelopes, simply place a check in the electronic giver box and drop it in the collection basket. Please do not put anything in the envelope or fill in a donation amount on the envelope.
Please note that the electronic giving program is being implemented for our regular Sunday collections only. Therefore, we would appreciate it if you would continue to use collection envelopes for holy days and special collections as usual.
How do I change my electronic giving information, such as the amount of the donation, bank account number, collection date, or payment frequency?
The Electronic Giving Payment Authorization Form allows you to inform us of such changes. Please be sure to submit changes at least two weeks prior to your next payment date.
What happens if I close my account and forget to inform Annunciation of the change?
The result is the same as if you wrote a check on a closed account. Annunciation would be charged a fee by the bank. We would contact you and request that you update your account information and reimburse us the $20.00 fee.
What happens if a parishioner supplies an incorrect account number when signing up?
We are asking you to provide a voided check (for checking accounts) or blank deposit slip (for savings accounts) so that we can confirm the accuracy of the account information on your authorization form. This reduces the possibility of error.
How does a parishioner discontinue participation in electronic giving?
A request to discontinue service may be made on our Electronic Giving Payment Authorization Form. Please be sure to submit the completed form at least two weeks prior to your next payment date.
How long does my enrollment in electronic giving last? Do I need to re-specify my donation each year?
Enrollment is good until cancelled and parishioners do not need to re-register each year. The only time a donation needs to be re-specified is if you wish to change your contribution schedule, contribution amount, or collection day.
Is my banking information safe?
The banking information you provide on your authorization form is the same information available on your personal checks. We do not request any social security numbers, account passwords, PINs, or other secure information.
In addition, authorization forms will be seen only by the Church of the Annunciation staff member responsible for processing your enrollment. All processing takes place at the Parish Center. Once your form is processed, it will be stored in a secure, locked location.
Who should I contact if I have additional questions?
You may contact Donna Muscarella at the Parish Center. You may call her at (201) 261-6322, extension 114, or e-mail her.
Electronic Giving Payment Authorization Form
Electronic Giving Payment Authorization Form Instructions
