Tech Forum

ssonderegger wrote:Every time I research the topic, I get this story of "the church prefers that you pay at your unit" -- like it's some sort of sin to want to pay your tithing online. I don't write checks. OK, I write one check a month -- tithing and fast offerings.

I know this topic is quite lengthy, but it has been mentioned multiple times that it is indeed possible to use electronic bill payment services to make donations to your local unit. There's no reason at all that you would not be able to pay your tithing first, do it electronically, and do it at the ward level. By no means is it any kind of sin to want to pay your tithing online.

Every bill payment service I'm aware of has the ability to send a paper check. That's the option you will need to use at this point. It's best for you to counsel with your ward financial clerk and/or bishop to understand how your ward would like this handled:

• Some wards are fine with you directing that the BillPay check is sent directly to the bishop, and you detail the breakdown by donation category on the memo line of the check.
• Other wards want you to deliver a donation slip to the bishopric that can be matched up with the BillPay check that is sent directly to the bishop;
• If your ward doesn't like either of those options, you can always send the BillPay check to yourself (made out to the ward, but with your address), and then you put that check with a donation slip in a regular donation envelope. That's clearly some hassle, but you still benefit from the automatic payment feature and you don't need to even own a checkbook.

Last update from Italy.
We are asked to NOT give a receipt of our online offerings payments to local leaders.
This means that unit will be informed throught MLS of our offerts.
This way prevent loss of local information from donors. Now I can pay my offerts online and forget any other requirements.
A small Italian proud!

marianomarini wrote:Last update from Italy.
We are asked to NOT give a receipt of our online offerings payments to local leaders.
This means that unit will be informed throught MLS of our offerts.
This way prevent loss of local information from donors. Now I can pay my offerts online and forget any other requirements.
A small Italian proud!

Thanks for the news! This is very encouraging, especially the part about MLS keeping updated with all your donations. I think if we can exercise some patience (I know to some it will seem like a great sacrifice ), the day will come when this will roll out to the rest of the church.

Is there any reason there is not an online form you can fill out for donations along with an electronic payment? Does anyone know if this is in the works? It certainly is not good if I just fill out a bill pay and someone else has to fill out a slip to register the donation, but there are automated systems that can do this kind of stuff.

CodyAPhillips wrote:Is there any reason there is not an online form you can fill out for donations along with an electronic payment?

Unknown. But if you look back over the thread, you'll see plenty of speculation.

CodyAPhillips wrote:Does anyone know if this is in the works?

Not unless a church employee speaks up.

CodyAPhillips wrote:Is there any reason there is not an online form you can fill out for donations along with an electronic payment?

This could be done only with a centralized database (MLS) AND bank system!
The last is what is missing and probabily, at present, impossible to get!
The problem can be overcome having just one worldwide bank account (for all the country involved) and a web site that manage all unities account.
This imply that all the system works if and only where the web is available and functioning.

I was reviewing some finance records for our ward on Sunday and noticed that starting in late August there are direct payment deposits showing up as donation batches in MLS complete with all category information. These donations are also showing up on the on the donors statements.

So far, I haven't been able to find out how they are processing their donations.

Not all tithing information is provided to the wards through MLS: certain types of donations made directly to SLC are not reported to the wards.

Short of having to go through the entire thread, Australians have the option to pay over the internet by BPAY. A card was issued by the church for each member to the wards some time ago and it provides the reference number for the individual member (CRN) and then separate biller codes for Tithing, Fast Offering and Ward Missionary. The system works well, unless the member loses their card and, for whatever reason, didn't have the details recorded with their bank.
I have not been able to find a way to get a replacement card for the members of my ward. I imagine this system or something similar will be rolled out world wide eventually.

tckenney wrote:Short of having to go through the entire thread, Australians have the option to pay over the internet by BPAY.
...
I imagine this system or something similar will be rolled out world wide eventually.

Yes, it's clear that certain countries already have the option to make donations online. But because of differences in banking systems and the way that Church financial systems interact with those banking systems, I doubt that there will ever be one unified technique that works in all countries. Instead, it will have to be rolled out country by country, overcoming the challenges unique to each country, which I imagine is one reason why it is taking so long to be implemented in the US and Canada.