Online Giving Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is online giving? Online giving is the ability to give a donation or schedule a series of donations using your checking account, debit or credit card on http://www.hopefellowship.net/.

Q. What is a contribution schedule? This is similar to a subscription. You can choose how often you would like an automatic donation to be made-weekly, every two weeks, or monthly.

Q. Why do I have to set up an account and password? Setting up an account and password allows you to enter a highly secure environment for your transaction. Once your account and password are established, all of your personal information including credit card information is safe and protected. Within 24-48 hours of creating your account, your login will be linked with your giving history and you will be able to view your giving over the last two years.

Q. Is it secure? All debit or credit card information you enter and store for online giving is secured by Hacker Safe. No one has access to your data unless authorized by you.

Q. Are there any hidden charges or fees to give online? Nope. You select the dollar amount for your gift. That is the dollar amount that will be recognized as your donation. No costs or fees.

Q. Nothing happens when I click 'Give Online'. What's wrong? If you are using a pop‐up blocker like Google Toolbar, Norton Internet Security or Pop‐Up Stopper, the window can't open. Most browsers also have an internal popup blocker that can be enabled or disabled. In order to use interactive features on http://www.hopefellowship.net/ (like online giving and event registration) you will need to allow pop‐ups.

Q. Can I use my debit card or credit card? As long as it's a MasterCard or Visa.

Q. Can I use an electronic check? Yes! Just enter the routing number and checking account number from your check, and the system will debit your contribution from your bank account.

Q. Can I just try this by giving one time? Sure. Select "One Time" in the frequency drop‐down box.

Q. If we want to help people get out of debt, why does Hope Fellowship accept credit card donations? Used within the parameters, debit and credit cards can be an efficient tool for payments and purchases. Many people utilize them in place of checks or cash throughout the month, and then pay off the balance in full. For these people, we offer the option of using a debit or credit card to give. We strongly discourage those who have ongoing credit card debt from exercising this option.

Q. How should I tithe if my income varies from pay period to pay period? Depending on which is more feasible for your situation, you can handle tithing with a fluctuating income in Online Giving a couple of different ways. Some people choose to give exactly one‐tenth of their earnings for each individual pay‐period. Others estimate their total earnings for the year and give a portion of the total tithe each week or month throughout the year.

Q. Can I designate my gift to a particular department or ministry? Every dollar given to the Hope Fellowship general fund is used to support the global mission of the church; therefore, gifts cannot be designated or restricted for use by a specific department or ministry.

Q. Should I tithe off my gross earnings or the net amount of my paycheck? Scripture doesn't use the literal terms "net" or "gross". It's more important to note that the spirit in which we give is of greatest value to God. He tells us in II Corinthians 9 that "each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give; not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Q. How can I keep a record of the amount I have contributed? You can view your online giving record from the online giving pop‐up window at any time. Scroll to the bottom of the window to see your giving history for the current year. There's also a drop‐down menu that allows you to view giving from previous years. Press Ctrl+P to print the window. We also send year‐end statements directly to your home address.

Q. Can I give online to the Wide Open Building Campaign? Yes. Select "Pledge drive" and then click the drop down menu to highlight "Wide Open Building Campaign pledge
drive" and your donation will go directly to the building fund.

Q. Can I post a recurring donation to the general fund as well as the building campaign? Yes. However, you need to create two contribution schedules-one for your general giving and one for the building campaign.

Q. When is the automatic contribution charged to my account? You choose: one time, weekly, every other week (bi‐weekly), twice per month (on the 1st and the 16th), monthly, quarterly or yearly. You can set up as many schedules as you would like, so it's possible to give a monthly gift as well as a weekly one. Contributions scheduled on Friday through Sunday may not show up on your bank account or statement until early the following week.

Q. How do I participate in the weekly offering if my contribution is automatically processed online? You can still participate in the offering during the service by reflecting on the message of the song or media that is being presented.

Q. What if I want to change my online giving or stop it? From the online giving window, scroll down to the contribution schedule. Select the green edit button to make a change or select the blue button to delete.

Q. Who do I talk to if I have more questions? Contact Linda Jewell at 972-377-8855, or linda@hopefellowship.net and she'll be glad to answer any questions you may have.