Bethany Community Church

Taking steps with your finances:

• Start giving regularly. Stay faithful and consistent with an automatic recurring schedule. Create an account and start online giving.
• Be a percentage giver. Because our church falls substantially short of God’s principle of “the tithe,” we’re inviting everyone to prayerfully consider what God has to say about giving; take a step toward giving God more control of your finances; and see how God uses that to bless and transform you.
• Make a year-end gift. Special one-time, year-end gifts can be symbolic response of a renewed focus and commitment. This faithful act changes the giver from the inside out. Split your holiday budget between buying presents and making a special offering.
• Get help. Sign up for the Financial Peace University class; it’s offered quarterly at Bethany through the Community Groups Catalog.

Pray through these probing questions:

• What am I doing to teach my family about the joy of generosity?
• Where in my life am I rich in the things money can’t buy?
• If today were my last day, would I be happy the legacy my financial choices leave?
• What’s one thing I can do today to live with a generous heart?
• Where have I seen the generosity of others directly affect my life?
• Although I might not be chasing money, are there areas of my life where I hold onto and give it more importance than it deserves?

Is online giving secure?
Yes, all account information you enter is secure. Our payment process uses a secure 128bit encryption process. No one has access to your data unless authorized by you.

Are there any hidden charges or fees?
No. You select the dollar amount for your gift. That is the dollar amount that will be recognized as your donation. No costs or fees.

What is a contribution schedule?
This is similar to a subscription. You can choose how often you would like an automatic donation to be made – one-time, weekly, every two weeks or monthly.

Why do I have to set up an account and password?
Setting up an account with a password allows you to enter the secure area of the web site for your transaction. Once your account and password are established, all of your personal information (including account numbers) is safe and protected.

Can I designate my gift to a specific department or ministry?
All of Bethany’s departments and ministries are supported by the General Fund. Designated gifts should be factored into your General Fund gifts. Every dollar given to our General Fund is used to support the overall mission of the church.

Where does the money I give to Bethany go?
For a detailed breakdown of how Bethany stewards finances, please read our 2011-2012 combined ministry plan and budget.

When is the contribution charged to my checking account or debit card?
Transactions usually take 2-3 business days, so contributions scheduled on Friday through Sunday may not show up on your account until early the following week.

What if I want to change or stop my online giving?
At any time you can log into the system with your account name and password and make changes. From the online giving window, select “View History” to view the contribution schedule.

If I sign up for online giving are you going to email me all the time?
No! We won’t bury you with unwanted email or pester you to give more.

Who do I talk to if I have more questions?
Please contact our Finance Director, Tim Nygard.