E-GIVING FAQs

E-Giving or online giving is an easy, cost-effective giving option for both you and the church. With online giving, you can reinforce your commitment to give your tithes and offerings to God first. One easy step each year guarantees that the church will receive your gifts on a regular basis, even if you are out of town or you forget one week. And on a practical note, online giving reduces the staff time needed to process offerings.
 
More information about giving at MUMC. 

 

What is e-giving?

E-giving is short for electronic giving or online giving. It is an automatic transfer program which allows you to make contributions to MUMC without writing checks. This can be done from a computer anywhere, 24 hours a day.
 

What is the advantage of e-giving?

It saves time. It saves work. E-giving simplifies your contributions by decreasing the number of checks you write and have to remember to bring to church. You also help the church stabilize its budget and save time processing offerings.

How does e-giving work?

Contributions are transferred automatically from your checking or savings account directly to the church’s bank account. All you have to do is log onto our e-giving site and set-up a profile to make donations to MUMC via your selected account. You can specify the schedule of how often you would like your contribution made (once only, weekly, twice per month, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc.). You also have the option to have your automatic deductions run for a limited period of time.

Is e-giving risky?

E-giving probably involves less risk than a check contribution or carrying cash. It cannot be lost, stolen, or destroyed in the mail, and is not handled by as many people during processing. The MUMC e-giving website is operated by a company specializing in these kinds of transactions. They use state of the art equipment and encryption, just like your bank. 

When will my contribution be deducted from my account?

Your contribution will be debited from your account on the first business day after the donation. If your donation is scheduled for a Sunday, your donation will not be processed until the following business day. Because each bank processes the giving requests at varying speeds, we typically advise the transaction will take between 3-4 business days to clear. You will receive an email when the donation is initiated and another email when the process is complete.

What Payment Methods do you Accept?
We accept donations from credit/debit cards as well as your Bank Account (our recommendation). While we’re happy to accept your donation by any means, Bank Account donations cost significantly less, allowing more of your gift to go towards ministry.

 

How will e-giving appear on my bank statement?

All transactions will appear as “E-Giving” on your bank statement.

Can anyone who works at the church see my bank account numbers?

No one at the church has access to your account numbers.

 

With e-giving, can I put amounts in different funds and special offerings, and have them all withdrawn from my account at different frequencies?

Yes, you will have the option to choose from all of our ongoing funds, including the General Budget (church operations), our Building Fund (Mortgage and Maintenance), missions or other specific ministries or projects.  You can set up to contribute to different funds at different frequencies; however, you will have to do each one separately. There is no method for splitting a single transaction into different amounts and frequencies. When you have completed giving to one fund, simply go back in to complete another. You will receive separate receipts for each.

Without a cancelled check, how can I prove I made my contribution?

You have the option of printing or saving either the payment acknowledgement page or the emailed acknowledgements. The church also has proof of your donation. Any of these can prove your contribution.

What do I use when I do my taxes? Will I get a statement of everything I gave online?

You will receive an annual statement from Mechanicsville UMC with all your donation information (online and in person). However, you may also print out a statement from the e-giving website for all transactions that were made online. This can be used for tax purposes.

Can I look up all my donation history online?

Yes, visit the MUMC e-giving website for a report. The only transactions you can view online are the ones that were completed online. Please contact the church office for complete donation information.

How do I participate in the weekly offering if my contribution is automatically processed online?

We understand that sometimes you might feel like you have missed something as the offering plate goes by and you have not placed an offering that week. Because of this, there is an option available to all persons who contribute online that allows you to print an “envelope” at the end of your transaction, which also serves as a hard-copy receipt of your contribution. Please note: this is not necessary in order to receive credit for your contribution; it’s just an extra step for those would like to have tangible proof of offering.

What do I do if I forget my username or password?

If you forget your password, click on the “forgot password” link on the MUMC e-giving website and your password will be emailed to the address on file. If you have forgotten your username, click on the appropriate link. You may also email the service provider at egiving@envelopeservice.com.

What if I change bank accounts?

Visit the MUMC e-giving website and update the information from your Main Menu under the section View/Edit Member profile. You have the ability to change your personal information, payment information, and edit any giving schedules. Do not create a new account; always edit your existing account.
What if I want to change the amount of my recurring gift?
Simply visit  our giving page and Sign In. Once logged into your account, you’ll find your information (and how to edit it) in the top corner.  You may edit your recurring gift amounts, frequency, fund, and preferred payment method.

What if I try it and don’t like it?

You can cancel your automatic deductions anytime via your e-giving profile.