German churchgoers use plastic when the collection plate comes around

Churchgoers are used to the sound of coins clinking in the collection basket but one small congregation in the German town of Leer is now allowing people to contribute by card too.

Worshippers no longer have to have their coins and banknotes ready but can use their bank cards to make donations at the Protestant Reformed Church in the Loga district.

It was quite a novelty, especially at the start, says Pastor Ingo Brookmann. Rather than a collection plate, basket or bag, a small red plastic device is passed from one person to the next - just like the ones at shops' cash registers.

The German church extended the time for the collection to ensure there was enough time to try out the new digital technology during the service - as devices sometimes lag. Often, the collection takes place during a hymn. "The congregation now sings one or two more verses," says Brookmann.

But it only takes a bit of practice to make a donation in a matter of seconds, says the pastor, pulling out his bank card to demonstrate. Churchgoers can choose how much they want to give, with options ranging from $1 and $50.

The small machine beeps as Brookmann makes his selection and holds his card up to the machine. The machine displays a large green tick - without the need for a PIN number.

All the church needs is a good wifi connection.

The local church, whose congregation numbers 1,300, decided to try out the technology after the bank began to charge them for accepting coins.

"That's quite a problem for us," says Tomke Borus, who is responsible for collections in the parish.

The donations are supposed to go entirely to the intended donation purposes, which range from food banks to church aid organizations. That leaves the parish "stuck with the fees," he says.

Switching to plastic has worked well so far, with around a third of service attendees opting to donate using their bank cards. Generally, some 50 to 80 people attend the services.

Those who donate are anonymous, the church underlines. "We want to get people to do it, but we don't want to force it on them," Pastor Brookmann says.

More and more churches may face this issue, says the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Meanwhile, a further problem is the falling number of bank branches with cash registers or machines for depositing coins.

It is not clear how many of Germany's Protestant or Catholic churches have adopted this approach.

The Archdiocese of Cologne has embraced testing the digital solution. Some churches however have tried then discontinued the approach, put off by the increased effort or costs, says the Archbishop's General Vicariate.

But the pandemic has also boosted interest in contact-free payment and the Protestant Church says 5% of congregations offer digital donation options - amid the increased number of online church service formats since the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The new system may mean more money for churches. "Reports from churches that offer online donation options cautiously suggest that the amount of individual donations is generally higher than donations into the traditional collection bag," says the EKD.

Meanwhile, a Hanover church has set up a machine in the entrance area, allowing people to make donations by card or cell phone at a collection machine that is permanently installed near the door.

Christian Dösinger, a member of the church council, says that the parish is happy with the purchase, a one-time cost of $2,170, several years ago. On average, people donate around $10.

However, the congregation has not dispensed with the traditional bell bag. "The amount of cash deposited is still significantly higher than the donations from the machine," says Dösinger. The council assesses the machine's profitability every year.

German churches expect interest in digital payment options to grow in the future.

Churches in Oxford, York and London in Britain have tried similar contactless payment methods for congregants. The head of visitor services for St Albans Cathedral, Laura Bloom, told the Church Times newspaper, “Our congregations were excited to use this new innovative device, and it proved to be a popular option on both the Sunday and Monday services.”

In Germany's Leer, the church expects the congregation will not have to keep singing hymns for longer once worshippers are a bit more accustomed to using the new payment method.