What's the best way to go about donating $1000 to my church?

Question

I got a much better paying job and want to give thanks to God. Should I just put the check in the basket or give it directly to the Pastor? I'm Foursquare (a Pentecostal denomination) if that matters

Thanks for all the good answers, not so much to anyone who tried to discourage me, I've made up my mind and I want to give it to my church. Just wanted to know what is the appropriate way to go about this ... just putting it in the offering plate seems to be the consensus

A couple other things: my church is not wealthy, so the money really will be put to good use

Answer 1

write a check, so you can write off the charitable donation on your taxes.(make sure to get a receipt)

Answer 2

Discretely. Talk to your pastor afterwards and I'm sure he'll accommodate you.

But, if your local Church has already set up the programs it needs, has enough to pay the bills, support groups for youth etc, then you should be giving it to charity somewhere else. There is no sense in helping support something that is not financially burdeoned. You're much better off giving the money to an orphanage or homless shelter.

Actually, I have done some fundraisers for the homeless shelters. Its flat out amazing how many people they can feed. I think its like 14 cents a meal or something close. I'm sure you can thank God that way too.

Answer 3

Put it in a pew envelope or a regular mailing envelope (something that doesn't have your offering envelope number on it.)

If you are worried about giving cash, a certified bank check or a money order doesn't have to have your name on it

If you want it to go to a specific fund, CLEARLY INDICATE where the money is to go.

Another option would be to just increase your weekly offering so that by the end of the year you will have given $1000 more than your annual pledge.

If your church is not hurting for money, you could open up a savings account, money market account or something like that and let the money accumulate interest for a while. When you close out the account, get a bank check made out to cash or to a specific church fund.

Of course if you put it into one of your own offering envelopes, you will have a charitable donation record for income taxes when you get your year-end statement from the church.

IMO: If the church is not hurting for money I would give it to a religious charity outside of the congregation.
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Answer 4

i'd hand it to the pastor, if it's that much. of course, if your church is as wealthy as those around here, perhaps you could show your gratitude to God by giving it to a charity who really needs it. i'd rather see a starving family be fed and clothed than see yet another basketball court be built in the huge gymnasiums at church.

i love your attitude. i wish more people realized where the credit is due. all good and only good comes from God.

just had another idea...kind of silly and sneaky, i guess, but what about checking some books out of the library and inserting money into them for the next person. that way God really does decide who gets it.

one last thought...many years ago i needed to (for my own sanity) make restitution for stealing and the store had since closed down. i added up the money and mailed it to a charity for runaway kids. THEN much to my surprise, they sent me a thank you note. that almost ruined it for me because i only wanted God to know about it. i didn't want applause. i wanted to be right with God, you know? next time (if there is a need) i'll give cash anonymously, to help me remain humble.

Answer 5

Don't give it to the Pastor.

Just write the check and put into the offering without anyone knowing what's in the check.

If you use offering envelopes use one, and if you do place it face down into the offering plate as it passes by.l

If you put the check in directly, place it face down as well.

Your pastor might be told by the trustees a large check came in that day, but they should not tell him from who. That's between you and God.

When I served in local church I did not want to know who was giving what.

Pastor Art

Answer 6

If you have a particular function of the church you'd like to donate it for, then speak directly with the Pastor. Otherwise, if you put it in the offering plate it will go into the church's general operating funds (which isn't bad either).

Also, I would recommend writing the check. At tax time you'll need to note that your donation was for more than $250 (which requires a bit more information). (ETA - I'll add that it isn't wrong for you to pay by check instead of anonymous cash nor is it wrong to deduct it on your taxes. If you're troubled by either, please fee free to contact me to discuss).

PS - Please ignore the idiots on here making snarky comments. It is a very blessed thing you are doing, giving back to God what is His.

Answer 7

Write out a check in the Churches Name and put it in your
church envelope. Then give it to your pastor to prove it went to the church and not in the pastors pocket. Then you can deduct a portion off your income tax at the end of the year.

Answer 8

You should not make a big deal about it or allow others because that would, for me, make it ring hollow. If your pastor is the kind to make a big deal, turn it into a testimony time if that is allowed.

I would just write a check and put it in the offering plate
Congrats on the better paying job.

Answer 9

1. show me where G_D needs money, did his son not flip a table of money in a church out of anger? Does he not tell us he needs no items from our hands?

2. why give it to church just to gain praise, specially since you seek to get attention due to handing it to the pastor. this is not the work of Yahushua for he does things quietly where the right hand doesn't know what the left has done.

3. why not just send it to a homeless shelter or food bank ANONYMOUSLY, then you will be doing the work of the Great Spirit, G_D. Or better, go buy up $1000 in food and drop it off and then volunteer your time for the day as well, being anonymous the entire time.

in no way was this a put down or bash, just teaching.

Answer 10

I'm foursquare also, er I go to a foursquare church. I'm personally non-denom, prefer calvary chapel because they watch out for the church more I believe, beware of false teachers and such. I write a check and keep a copy for tax purposes. Put it in an envelope and put it in the tray. If you hand it to a pastor, you might be trying to give glory to yourself.

Answer 11

It depends how much you really trust your co-parishioners. What you could do, if you do trust them, is put the amount in cash in the plate. Just a whole freakin' wad. That way the pastor will simply think that the congregation is being extra generous.

Your right and left hands might know what the other is up to, but at least you'll be able to do it without making a show. That's in the gospels, right?

Hail Satan,

Lazarus