Q. Does online giving encourage people to go into debt to give to the Church?

     A. Hillside Baptist Church teaches that living "debt free" is a worthy goal for all Christians.  We offer online giving only as a convenience and not as a way to circumvent sound Biblical money management principles or in any way to incur debt.  Members are strongly discouraged from using credit cards to give to the Church, unless you use a rewards card for paying bills and have a proven pattern of paying off your card each month before interest is charged.

 

Q. Why give online?

        A.  Online giving is not designed to replace the offering plate during the Church services.  There is just something good about bringing an offering to Church and giving during the worship service.  However, in this era of online banking, automatic bank withdrawals, and bill pay this is a convenience many folks find to make their financial management simpler.  Too, online giving makes it possible now to give while on vacation or away from the Church for other reasons.

 

Q. How safe is online giving?

       A.  In many ways giving online is safer than writing a check because an electronic gift cannot be lost or stolen.  Hillside Baptist Church processes all online giving through PayPal.  When you create your PayPal account, you will determine your own login ad password.  At no time will Hillside Baptist Church ask for your login information.  We have a strict privacy policy that ensures your information is kept secure.  Please help us keep your information safe by protecting your login information.  Access to sensitive personal and financial information can be gained by letting someone else use your account or by leaving the information for someone else to see.

 

Q. What types of bank accounts can I give from?

       A.  You can give online from your checking account, Master Card, Visa or Discover.

 

Q. Can I use a debit card?

       A.  You can use a debit check card from Visa or Master Card.

 

Q. Are there fees involved with giving online?

       A.  Not to you.  You will not pay any fees with an online gift.

 

Q. Can I make a one-time contribution?

       A.  Yes.  The system allows you the option of making either a one-time contribution or setting up a recurring contribution.  For a one-time contribution, you can designate that the contribution should be made immediately or, for both one-time and recurring contributions, you can schedule the contributions to come out of your bank acoount on the date(s) specified by you.

 

Q. Will I still receive a contribution statement from the Church?

       A.  Yes.  The Church will continue to send year-end contribution statemens to your address on file for tax purposes.

 

Q. When will contributions be taken from my account?

        A.  Contributions will be taken from your specified account within 48 business hours of the date you requested.  This time frame allows time for the contribution to process through your bank and the Church's bank.  If the date of your contribution falls on a weekend or a holiday, the transaction will be initiated on the next banking day.

 

Q. Does it matter which Internet browser I use?

       A.  No.  Any browser will work.

 

Q. I have additional questions about online giving, who can I talk to?

       A.  For any questions, concerns or comments about the online giving system, please contact our Church office at 423.847.6557.