Pre-Authorised Payments for your Offerings at St Stephen’s

From Fr. Mark:

On behalf of the Parish Council, I would like to thank you for your regular financial support to St Stephen’s and to invite you to consider how you might continue with your support. After consultation with a number of parishes, we are considering Pre-Authorised Monthly Payments. It is working well in these parishes and approximately 15-30% of parishioners employ Pre-Authorised Payments.

What is Pre-Authorised Payments?

Pre-Authorised Payments are automatic withdrawals that you authorise St Stephen’s Parish to withdraw from your bank account. Instead of using cheque or cash for your tithes, a payment is made automatically from your bank account to St Stephen’s bank account on a monthly basis.

Why use Pre-Authorised Payments?

This greatly simplifies the process of tithing for you as you give your offering and for the Parish Office as we administer the offerings.

• Your contributions will be made regularly, even if you are away on vacation or sick or too busy or – for some of us – if we happen to forget. Thus, the tithing income is more predictable for the parish.
• It avoids the use and cost of cheques.
• It eliminates the frustration of getting halfway to church and realizing that you forgot your offering envelope and/or cheques.
• It saves time and work for those who count and administer the offerings each week.

How do you sign on?

1. Decide on the amount of the monthly pledge for : a) normal Sunday Offering, b) Special Collections (mostly from the Diocese).
2. Complete and sign a form, which will always be available the church main entrance.
3. Attach a void cheque with the form and place in the Sunday collection basket.

When is the money withdrawn?

Your pre-authorised payment will be withdrawn automatically on the first of each month.

What are common concerns?

• Q1: There is no indication that I am putting anything in the collection basket.
  • During the Sunday collection, mark on Pre-Authorised Giving on your envelope.
• Q2: Am I losing the privacy or security of my bank account?
  • The Parish Secretary (Vienna Sequeira) is the only person who has access to the bank information which is in our database that is under password protection.

What if I want to make a change to my monthly amount?

Complete and sign another form and place it in the Sunday collection basket. The Pre-Authorised Pyament forms will always be available at the church main entrance.

What if my payment fails to go through? Or if I change bank accounts?

For any concerns, please contact the Parish Office.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Mark