Passing the Bag

Worship & Preaching > Offering Pros and Cons

The Offering - To pass the Bag - or not?

Offertory collections developed in the days when people were paid weekly in notes and coins. These days most people’s income comes through bank accounts, including pensions and social security benefits.

It is generally far easier to give by bank standing order, as it saves finding the right change each week. It also helps people gradually to increase their regular giving from year to year in line with inflation, without everyone having to find odd amounts of cash every week. Switching to standing orders:

improves the regularity and consistency of church income
cuts the time opening and checking the envelopes after the service
minimises the risks involved in weekly cash banking
cuts stationery costs —- dated envelope sets are fairly expensive
helps the church to budget and manage its finances more effectively, and
bank statements provide an independent audit trail for the Inland Revenue

Passing the offertory bag during the service

Benefits

Everyone involved physically in liturgical action
Visible symbol of gratitude to God
Better described as "receiving an offering" rather than "taking an collection"

Drawbacks

Can be intimidating or coercive for visitors
Some people finds it interrupts their worship or singing
Need to organise a rota of sidespeople collectors
Bank standing order givers embarrassed at passing the bag

Having a plate at the back

Benefits

Less obtrusive within worship liturgy
No need to organise sidespeople or collectors

Drawbacks

Visitors can miss the plate on the way in, or wonder why it appears
Regular attenders (eg choir) may use other entrances
Security risk if plate is unattended
Reduces the importance of money as a key part of personal discipleship

Whatever system your church uses, think carefully about the drawbacks, particularly from the perspective of a visitor or newcomer. Try and devise suitable ways of dealing with these problems. For example, the embarrassment that standing order donors might feel at passing the plate could be overcome by the use of (recyclable) “My gift to God” tokens.

It is generally useful to have a regular section in the notice sheet for visitors and newcomers on the following lines:

The members of St Richard’s generously support our various ministries which cost over £1,100 a week. Most of them give a regular proportion of the income God has given them, either through a monthly bank standing order or by weekly envelopes.

If you are a visitor and would like to give something to God’s work here, please use one of the yellow envelopes provided. If you pay UK income tax and fill in your name and address on the envelope, we can reclaim an extra 28% from the taxman — that’s £1.40 for every £5 you generously donate.

Thank you.