Dear Parishioner,
Our parish is now offering you the possibility of making your contributions by means of an automatic payment system. Many parishes have begun this and have found it beneficial. For donors, there are several advantages. It is a simple, convenient way to plan your giving and to have the advantage of not having to keep track of envelopes with checks or cash each time you go to church. It provides you with the opportunity to think and pray carefully about what amount is right for you to give. It enables you to follow through with a commitment to support your parish. In these ways, it can help people live the gospel call of stewardship more clearly and consistently as an alternative to giving only when you go to Mass.
For the parish it helps us count on your support. The money you give is deposited right away so there is no danger of loss. It involves a simple automated record system so we can easily inform you of your contributions, especially at the end of the year when we send you a receipt for tax purposes. You can read more below about the system we have chosen, ParishPay, which has been recommended to me by pastors.
You may want simply to continue your present way of giving and I am grateful to you for your support either way. But I thank you for carefully and prayerfully considering this approach!
What is an Automated Recurring Direct Donation?
This type of donation is a pre-authorized amount deducted directly from a parishioner’s checking, savings, brokerage, or credit card account and deposited into St. John the Baptist Parish account.
What payment methods does ParishPay accept?
ParishPay processes debits from checking accounts, savings accounts, or any other account, such as a money market or brokerage account. ParishPay accepts the following credit cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover.
How does one enroll in ParishPay?
One enrolls in ParishPay by going to St. John the Baptist’s section of www.parishpay.com, or by completing an enrollment card and then calling 1-866-PARISH-1 (1-866-727-4741) to speak with a customer service representative. The process takes less than 3 minutes. The call center is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
On what day each month does ParishPay withdraw donations from parishioners’ accounts?
ParishPay processes authorized donations on the 5th of every month. Funds are transferred immediately to St. John the Baptist Parish.
Can donations be processed weekly?
No. The convenience of using ParishPay is based upon a monthly transaction. By processing monthly, ParishPay helps keeps transaction costs as low as possible.
Does ParishPay service special collections?
Yes. There is a place on the enrollment form and the online signup for second collections, special collections, one time contributors, anonymous donations, etc.
How does a parishioner change his/her information, such as the amount of the donation, bank account number, new credit card number, or mailing address?
Changes to information may be done by completing a new enrollment form, by going to St. John the Baptist Parish’s section of www.parishpay.com, or by calling 1-866-PARISH-1 and speaking with a customer service representative.
How does a parishioner discontinue the service?
One simply goes to his/her account at www.parishpay.com, or e-mails to accounts@parishpay.com, or writes to ParishPay, saying that he/she wishes to terminate the service. St. John the Baptist parish staff is also available to assist parishioners with ParishPay communications.
How long do parishioners’ enrollments last?
Do they need to re-specify their donation each year?
Can contributions be adjusted for inflation? No re-enrollment is required. Updates can be made at any time. During the enrollment process, parishioners are given the option of adjusting donations to allow for inflation. For those who choose this option, inflation calculations are applied each January.
How safe are ParishPay transactions?
ParishPay transactions are as safe as transactions at the highest security bank sites. ParishPay utilizes the most sophisticated security and encryption techniques permitted by the federal government. Every measure is taken to monitor and ensure that all transactions are safe.
Is information about parishioners’ bank accounts or credit cards disclosed to anyone?
No! ParishPay never releases any financial information to any party for any reason, except as required by law.
What are the fees for ParishPay?
There is not cost to parishioners who use ParishPay’s service. Individual parishioners do not pay fees. For the first three months, there are no costs involved for the parish. After that there are small fees which the parish will assume but at the same time, the parish no longer has to pay for the cost of envelopes for those who choose ParishPay. Using a major credit card instead of a direct transfer involves a slightly larger fee of 2.5 %. The fact that using some credit cards may provide rewards to cardholders makes this option attractive to people who might be inclined to be even more generous for that reason! Overall, parishes that use ParishPay find that the steady, increased giving which results from using ParishPay offsets the cost to the parish in a significant way.
What happens with parishioners who feel uncomfortable not having something to physically drop into the Sunday collection basket?
No problem. ParishPay provides special “donation slips” for those who would like to place something in the basket each week.
How does the pastor know how much each parishioner gives through ParishPay?
The pastor is provided a monthly and annual report detailing the amount of donations by parishioners.
How does ParishPay handle anonymous donations?
If a parishioner chooses to make an anonymous donation, his/her personal information is not included on the report to the pastor. The pastor only sees a cumulative total of donation amounts received from anonymous donors.
Does the parishioner receive receipts for tax purposes?
Yes, all contributors enrolled with ParishPay can print out an annual receipt directly form the website every January, which they can use for IRS documentation.
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