30/11/2023
Christmas is a time when we normally see more people attending our church services, perhaps for the first time. While we aim to celebrate where we can in one place, we also need to engage with a wider community that wants to join in the celebration but may not be able to attend.. It’s important to think of your church’s giving opportunities in the same way. Online giving enables people to give to your church without having to physically visit the building. Read on to find guidance and ideas to encourage digital giving in your church this Christmas.
Getting started with online giving
If you haven’t set up your online giving yet, Parish Buying offers an affordable and simple online giving service through Give A Little. There’s plenty of guidance and step-by-step videos on the Parish Buying website to help you get set-up and it normally takes about an hour. If you want to set up an online giving page, please follow our step-by-step guide.
Please note in addition to setting up Give A Little, you will need a set up a payment processor. Stripe is for online giving/QR codes and Sumup is for both online and contactless giving.
Get creative with QR codes
QR codes are images that, when scanned on a phone or tablet, take a person directly to a specific website page. QR codes are a contactless and safe way to share your online giving page. If you have a Give A Little online giving page, the platforms generates a QR code for you that you can download and advertise to send people to your giving page.
You can add your QR code to posters, pew cards, Order of Service sheets, Christmas cards – in fact anything printable – or even display it on a screen. Make sure you include your QR code on a PowerPoint slide to encourage giving for those streaming services from home. For extra creativity, why not try using Canva to make colourful Christmas posters with your QR code!
Consider contactless giving
Christmas is a time when churches host many guest visitors, some of whom may have never attended a church before. Having a contactless machine creates an opportunity for those unfamiliar with churches to donate, as they probably won’t be carrying cash.
It’s worth considering the benefits of contactless giving, especially the instant and spontaneous donations it allows. If your church wants to invest in a contactless machine, please visit our Parish Buying page to browse a range of options that you can purchase at a discounted price.
Festive fundraising events
Each year, many churches host fundraising events during Advent and Christmas. The Diocese of Leicester has put together some fun, flexible and frivolous ways of bringing your community together, raising money and sharing the joy and good news of Christ’s birth. Whether you’re hosting a festive quiz or running an Advent Pilgrim Route, having an online giving page makes it easier for people to give to church and participate in events.
Email a giving appeal in your newsletter
You should share a link to your online giving page in your email newsletter or digital service sheets if you have them. Below is some suggested wording that you may wish to use:
Giving to St Barts this Christmas
We are grateful for all that you have given this year to sustain the life, mission and ministry of this church. Due to rising costs, because of inflation, it is proving more difficult for us to keep up with the running costs of the church. If you are able to give at this time, we would be really grateful for your support. Please visit our online giving page to make a donation. Thank you.
Make a gift to St Barts this Christmas (include link to online giving page).
Download our resources
Make it easy for your church this Christmas by downloading our free resources templates. You can access our resources via our Christmas Newsletter which also includes top tips for digital giving and shares a case study of one of our church’s success with contactless giving.
The National Giving team are here to support you as you encourage giving in your church at Christmas or at any time in the year. Visit Building a Generous Church for a wide variety of resources, guidance and inspiration.
- Digital Giving Team
