August 27, 2002
Just Because We Can, Doesn't Mean We Should ... Let's take five with Moira Gunn. This is "Five Minutes".
As a kid, my family went to church every Sunday, and my father brought along the weekly donation envelope. The box of envelopes was kept in the dining room, and he hurriedly pulled one out each week, just as we were in the final "rush around" to assemble at our 1956 charcoal gray Oldsmobile.
The envelopes themselves were distinct with large, bold print declaring the date and sometimes an indicator for a special holy day like Christmas or Palm Sunday.
We went to what was called the "children's mass," and the kids from the parish school all sat together by grade. We actually had our own smaller offering envelopes, and we were repeatedly told it didn't matter whether we gave or not; what was important was to turn the envelope in.
While the reasons for this were as varied as they were vague, there was a distinct message that no one should feel embarrassed by their poverty.
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As any fundraiser will tell you, the presence of these envelopes brought far more money into the parish then just passing the basket. Habitual giving is dependable sustenance, and a cynical part of me even looks at the children's envelopes as training for the future.
And the envelopes had other functions, as well - which kids were coming to mass; which families donated at what levels. After all, we're human: there is always temptation when information is looking us straight in the face.
There was also a fallacy in the premise that the envelopes masked whether a child gave a donation. When I put my weekly 35 cents in the little envelope, it was apparent that it was weighted down and you could see the outline of the coins. Even the presence of the occasional dollar bill for special holy days could be discerned.
It must have been excruciating for those kids who had to turn in empty envelopes.
But now technology is replacing the weekly donation envelope.
Automatic electronic deductions - be it from checking accounts or credit cards - are a familiar fundraising tool in the world of not-for-profits and charities. And now they are making headway into religious sectors, as well.
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To be clear, some church groups have eschewed the practice totally, while others will not accept credit cards. In a somewhat confusing mixture of the old and the new, one system issues you stickers to paste on your weekly offering envelope to indicate that your donation came in electronically.
The fundraisers correctly point out that this practice ensures a more even cash flow, especially during the summer months when people go on vacation, and during the winter when weather can prevent even the most devout worshippers from coming to the church.
Still, it sticks in my craw.
What if a member of the family loses his or her job? What if someone is seriously ill, and there are extraordinary expenses? The church is supposed to be there to spiritually support you during these times - not go on mindlessly deducting from your bank account.
The children who handed in those empty envelopes so long ago are now adults with family responsibilities. I can't imagine how mortified they would be to have to call the church, and say, "Please cancel our automatic donation."
Let's not forget the lesson of all new technologies - just because we can, doesn't mean we should.
I'm Moira Gunn. This is Five Minutes.
