Trinity is making online donations available as a service through a third-party provider named Tithe.ly. The service allows you to control all aspects of your online donations from one-time to re-occurring donations and does so securely and conveniently. This specific provider was actually recommended in a letter from the Episcopal Dioceses of Long Island while they were discussing on-line giving.
The GIVE ONLINE button above, is specifically for donations just to our church (Trinity Episcopal Church of Northport) and the donations go directly to our church’s account.
The Process
Using either the free iOS or Android app is the easiest, but you will need to create an account before being able to use the apps and the first time you use the app and you will need to “Find a church…” to make sure you are designating your donations to go to “Trinity Episcopal Church of Northport”. If you allowed the app to use you location, you can simply tap on “Find Nearest Church” and “Trinity Episcopal Church of Northport” should be the only choice.
If you click on the GIVE ONLINE button, our link automatically instructs your donation to be designated to “Trinity Episcopal Church of Northport”, but you still need to login with a Tithe.ly account to take advantage of additional features like re-occurring donations, etc.
After clicking the GIVE ONLINE button, you will be presented with a screen almost identical to the one below, either Login with your Tithe.ly account or fill-in the fields for your donation. When everything is completed, the button at the bottom of that screen will change from Gray to Green and will contain the amount of your donation. Once you click on that button, you should immediately receive an email confirming your donation and you’re done!
Questions & Answers
Q: Do I have to create a Tithe.ly account to make donations?
A: Yes & No. If you just want to make a one-time donation, you do not need to create an account. However, if you want to setup re-occurring donations, see your giving history, store payment methods, then you will need to create your own account. Creating an account is so much more convenient and gives you full control over your donations.
Q: Is there a mobile app or do I need to use my computer?
A: Yes, there are mobile apps for both iOS & Android, but you can also use you’re your computer.
Q: What forms of payments are accepted through this service?
A: MasterCard, Visa and American Express credit & debit cards are accepted, as well as setting up direct deposits from your bank. I even see that Apple Pay & Google Pay are available on the respective mobile apps.
Q: Does this cost me anything?
A: No, Tithe.ly subtracts a small transaction fee (depending on the payment type) from each donation, which is how they get paid, but it costs you nothing. However, we have made the option available to you if you would like to add this transaction fee on top of your donation, so Trinity gets your full donation, and you will see exactly what this amount is before submitting your donation.
Q: What does “General Donation” mean in the “To:” field on the donation form?
A: This is just a way to categorize the type of donation that is being made. The General Donation is meant to indicate that this is just a regular donation made like those given in the collection plate during a regular service. Right now this and “Other” are the only choices in the list, but in the future we might add selections for special circumstances, but those would be explained during a normal service or in a Trinity newsletter. If you select “Other”, please also use the “Note / memo” section on the form so we can ensure your donation is going to the right spot.
Q: What do we do when the collection plate is passed around during service if we give online?
A: First and foremost, we do not want anyone to feel awkward or obligated, but we understand that people feel they need to place something in the collection plate. Here are a few options and you may even have your own idea. Some people like to place a dollar in the plate … or you can use your normal pledge envelopes and simply write “I give online” on it and place that in the plate … we have even created these little notes <click here> which you can print out, cut apart and place one of these in the plate. If you have other suggestions, feel free to reach out to any Vestry member.
For more Common FAQs for Donors from the Tithe.ly website, go to: https://help.tithe.ly/hc/en-us/articles/7441809506711-Common-FAQs-for-Donors
