Megachurches software help keep track of their members (tithing/attendence)

[rainbow4321]

Coputer kiosks monitoring tithe and attendence?


Maybe it is just me, but if I went to church, I'd prefer the "pass the tithe plate" and not "this computer will allow us to see how much you are giving" and.... my attendence record is MY business.


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-ChurchBiz_10bus.ART0.State.Edition1.4d781fe.html


Families form lines and check in at 32 kiosks spread among the church's six entrances, swiping "Quick Passes" at the self-service machines. Parents register the kids for classes, then a kiosk spits out sticky name badges for both parent and child with identifying information: child's and parent's names, classroom and any food allergies.

About a dozen of the kiosks have volunteers standing by to help families who have forgotten their digitized cards.


Using the Internet, Fellowship Tech helps churches digitize operations just like a secular business would – from wristbands for children in day care (think hospitals) to tracking which members stop attending (try dropping your cable service) to monitoring tithing levels (just as the American Cancer Society might contact someone who stopped giving).

Among the features:
-Tracks total church attendance, as well as how often a specific individual attends.
-Tracks donations from members.
-Provides a children's check-in to prevent kids from being taken by unauthorized adults.
-Allows members to organize and manage activities for Bible study, sports leagues and choir practices

[WCGreen]

1. Well know Salvation comes at a cost...

Hell, the gatekeepers to heaven must be compensated for their tireless work...

[begin_within]

2. Our Father is Watching You

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. A lot of churches keep track of how much parishioners give

Not at all unusual.

[begin_within]

4. Because donations to churches are generally tax-deductible, if

the church is qualified as a tax-exempt organization, and if the donation is voluntary and does not provide a material benefit to the donor. Most churches keep track of how much that each parishoner or member donates throughout the year and may even send a summary to the member at the end of the year for their tax records.

[rsmith6621]

8. Yah....What Bob Weaver Said..

......I wish everyone would just chill....this practice has gone on for years...lets get back to topics that affect all of us...


Leave God alone.

[begin_within]

10. It does seem creepy though, to have "check-in kiosks"

At least at my Mom's church (Catholic) it's all very discreet, they come around with the collection baskets about halfway through the mass, and parishoners who have pre-printed envelopes drop them in the baskets, and the next day someone in the office goes through them and records it all. It barely takes a minute of the ceremony. And you can just drop in cash if you want, and then it's all anonymous. They don't even know who you are or when you were there. And nobody "checks up" on whether you attended mass that day or not. If you aren't there for a few weeks, the next time you show up, other parishoners will greet you and wonder if you were OK, etc., but that's just a social thing, not any official church thing. Nobody keeps tabs on which days you came and which you didn't. I think the check-in kiosk thing is way over the line.

[cliffordu]

13. I've been in a lot of churches in my time and I'm thinking

God has less to do with all the time.


Your mileage may vary.

[jwirr]

17. Especially because those givers want to have a record for the IRS

when the year ends. What is the difference if it is on the computer or kept in a set of books?

[ikojo]

5. Aren't these the same types that scream 666 when the idea of

a cashless society is discussed? Guess they don't fear Big Brother if he says Amen and Hallaluyah

Pass
The
Loot

And some right wing Christians think JEWS are money hungry!! The carrying of money is prohibited on the Sabbath, which is why there is no collection plate in a synagogue. Oh trust me shuls have their way of wringing money out of members but on Shabbos you are there to worship not to pay.

[begin_within]

11. How do members donate?

In Catholic churches, they take collection baskets around, about halfway through the mass. How do they collect in synagogues? Just wondered.

[ikojo]

19. You pay annual dues. Generally since synagogue presidents know they

will have the most people in services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur they do an appeal for money from the bimah (pulipit) but people don't write checks on those days. Some synagogues will sell "tickets" to RH and YK services to non members. It sounds crass but I guess it's not really. If that family doesn't want to join the shul but wants to attend services on the "marquees" days then maybe it's not out of order to ask for some money. More shuls are going to not charging for RH & YK services, particularly orthodox synagogues.

Broken down into weeks, I guess what some shuls charge for dues is probably no greater than what people who regularly give in the plate give annually.

Once a synagogue has your name and address though...whoa be unto you because you'll get pleas for the building fund and the rabbi's fund and this fund and that fund. Oy!

[begin_within]

20. Well the Catholic church does the same thing...

...almost every week it's a pitch for the missionary work, or Catholic Charities, or the school programs, or the building fund, or the annual Catholic Appeal, or something. This is in addition to the regular weekly donation. It never ends with them... they are masters at asking for money. They don't ask for a lot at one time, but they ask frequently and they ask everyone. So it all adds up over time.

I had heard of selling tickets for Rosh Hashanah services before but that was because it was held at the Civic Theater and they can't just use that for free, they have to rent it, so I assumed the tickets were to defray the cost of renting it. But normally all donations are done by mail rather than in person? There are no "collection baskets?"

[ikojo]

21. No collection plates, although there is a container called

a tzedakah (charity) box that you can drop coinage in on non Sabbath days when you are in the synagogue.

Much solicitation of funds takes place via mail and a plea might be made on a Saturday morning during the announcements at the end of services. Generally there is a call for funds during the High Holy Day season (Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur) when the audience is larger than any other time of the year (just think if how many people go to church on Christmas and Easter and you have an idea). An envelope is usually placed in the slot where the prayer books are kept in the pews.

The Jewish Federation system is also VERY adept at not only asking for money but at finding you should you move. They are to Jews what Catholic Charities is to Catholics.

[Wilms]

6. .

[TexasObserver]

7. We don't know much about God, but we know HE NEEDS YOUR MONEY.

George Carlin, I think it was, who said it.

[rainbow4321]

9. I'd like to know what happens if a member tries to walk on PAST the kiosk

And what the "volunteers standing by" those kiosks have been instructed to do when that that member doesn't "check in".

[begin_within]

12. THIS story from 3 years ago is even weirder than the "kiosk" thing

Wheelchair-Bound Woman Kicked Out Of Church

A 65-year-old wheelchair-bound woman with congestive heart failure was kicked out of her church because she was not paying her tithe, NBC 4 reported. Loretta Davis told NBC 4's Mike Bowersock she was shocked when she received a letter saying she was no longer considered a member of her church, The Living Word Tabernacle. Davis made an agreement with the church that she would give 10 percent of her income. Then she became ill and stopped making payments, so the church revoked her membership.

"Since Jan. 5, I've been in the hospital 15 times," Davis said. "I've suffered with cellulites since I've had the open heart (surgery)." Davis is no longer paying the church $60 per month from her $592 per month Social Security check, Bowersock reported. "I have my tithes that I was supposed to pay, but I have not paid them since this has went on," Davis said. "In the time of (Davis') need, they should be caring, supporting, asking what she needs -- help her if she needed help," said Teresa Meeks, who is Davis' daughter. "I was so hurt on what they did to her."

The church moved out of its building in Waverly earlier this year and Davis' dismissal has become the talk of the town, Bowersock reported. In a letter to the editor of the local paper, the former pastor said it is true that Davis lost her membership for not paying her tithes. In the same letter, he said Davis was not kicked out of the church for not paying her tithes. The Rev. Paul McClurg, who started the church, said Davis is still welcome to attend church but is not allowed to be a member. The issue upset Davis' 83-year-old mother so much that she quit the church. The members have been holding services in a Lion's Club hall while waiting to build a new church. There are at least two former members who will not be attending with them."

http://ericfoy.com/?q=node/26

[JBoy]

14. If god is all-seeing, he'd already have all this information.

Just get him to dump you the data. Maybe into an Excel file.

[Turbineguy]

15. Sticky name badges....

The (temporary) Mark of Satan!

[SocratesInSpirit]

16. checking attendance???

Why do some churches feel the need to infantilize their members? (this question is rhetorical, of course!) I wonder if people get gold stars for perfect attendance? :eyes:

[skooooo]

18. Time to TAX

[sarcasmo]

22. I LOVE not going to church.

[krabigirl]

23. same here. feels so good to be free.

[sarcasmo]

24. A free mind is glorious.

[BlooInBloo]

25. It's an amazingly easy solution to so many problems.