DONATE
Church Connect and PayPal Donations
Donate via Church Connect - For Our Members and Known Guests Only
Our members and known guests can support St. Luke Lutheran Church in various ways. One way is to click on the Church Connect Donate button below. Donations can be made using your credit/debit card, ACH (E-check), or SMS/Text Messaging (via credit or debit card). We do not charge a fee to donate via Church Connect, but the third-party processor, Stripe, will charge a transaction fee. See below for more information on those fees.
To donate, either click on the Church Connect Donate button below to open the separate, secure webpage on your desktop, or scan the Church Connect QR code below with your cell phone or tablet to open the Church Connect log in page. The first time you click on the Church Connect Donate button or scan the Church Connect QR code, you will need to create an account. All you need to set up the account is your name and an email address. A temporary password will be emailed to you and you will then be required to reset it. We will not have access or any knowledge of your password, so please make note of it and keep it in a safe place. It is through this account that you can make your online donation. Once your account is set up, in the future you will only need to log in to your account to donate. Set up is easy and a fairly quick process. For more information, see "How to Use Church Connect" below.
NOTICE: In order to protect private information of our members and guests, we will only grant access to Church Connect to those persons of which we have a personal knowledge. If we have never had any contact with you, please use PayPal to make your donation instead of Church Connect.
Options on Giving via Church Connect
Once your account is set up, you will be able to donate three different ways: (1) via credit/debit card; (2) ACH (E-check); or (3) SMS/Text Message. When donating by credit/debit card or ACH, you have the option to donate: (1) Just once; (2) Weekly; (3) Every Other Week; or (4) Monthly. You do not have these options when donating via SMS/Text Message. It may take 7 to 10 days for this transaction to process.
How to Use Church Connect
Do you want more information about how to use Church Connect? You can click on the button below to be taken to a YouTube video made by ChurchTrac showing how to use Church Connect. In the video, when he says to open your browser and go to your church's Connect Page, all you need to do is either click on the "Donate by Church Connect" button below or scan the Church Connect QR Code below. This will take you to the Connect Page for St. Luke Lutheran Church where you can sign in if you have already created a Connect account or, if it is your first time, you can create your account. The rest of the instructions in the YouTube video should be about the same for getting around in Connect.
Church Connect App
If you scan the Church Connect QR Code below and you have not already installed the Church Connect App on your phone or tablet, then you will get a pop-up message asking if you want to install the app. For instructions on how to install the app, click on the button below, and a new page should open with those instructions. Once you install the app, you will not have to scan the QR Code from this website. Simply open the app on your phone or tablet to use all the features of Church Connect.
Stripe Third-Party Fees
The third-party vendor that processes the donation transactions, Stripe, charges fees for processing each donation transaction. We do not charge anything for making online donations. For credit and debit card transactions -- whether direct to the card or via SMS/Text message -- the fee per transaction is 2.9% plus 30 cents for the donation. If you make a donation via ACH (E-check), Stripe charges a flat fee of 25 cents per transaction.
Some people do not like it that the church does not get the entire amount of the donation made to the church. In that instance, if donating direct via credit/debit card, there is a box that will appear after you enter the amount of your donation asking if you want to have an additional 3% charged to your card to help cover the fee charged by Stripe. If that is your desire, then check that box. Be aware that this option is only available for the direct credit/debit charge. It is not available for ACH (E-check) or SMS/Text Message donations. In our opinion, ACH (E-check) is the most economical way to donate online.
PayPal Donations
Anyone can make a charitable donation to our church via PayPal. To do so, just click on the PayPal Donate button or scan the PayPal QR Code below. The fee charged by PayPal is 2.9% plus 30 centers per transaction -- the same as Stripe.
Donations
No matter which payment option you chose, we give you credit for the entire amount of your donation prior to any fee being deducted. All donations are tax deductible and are greatly appreciated.
St. Luke Lutheran Church is a 501(c)(3) corporation under the rules and laws of the IRS. All donations made via our website are tax deductible according to the rules of the IRS. No products or services are sold in exchange for online donations. The only benefits received by the donor from online donations are the intangible religious benefits the donor may receive. Our church depends on the free will offerings/donations from our generous donors for the operations of our church. No one is required -- and we will never force anyone -- to donate to our church for any reason. If someone contacts you stating they are from our church and they are requiring you to make a donation for some purpose, please do not make such a donation. Instead, contact us immediately with any information you have concerning the person contacting you in that regard.
If you have any problems or questions regarding making a donation, please see our Contact page for ways you can contact us in order that we can assist you.
Church Connect Donations
To use the Church Connect QR Code, open your camera app on your cell phone or tablet, and focus it on the QR code. It should then open the donation webpage on your cell phone or tablet. You may get a pop-up on your device asking if you want to open that page.
PayPal Donations
To use the PayPal QR Code, open your camera app on your cell phone or tablet, and focus it on the QR code. It should then open the donation webpage on your cell phone or tablet. You may get a pop-up message asking if you want to open that page.