The word portal doesn’t generally have very good connotations.  In most sci-fi movies portals being opened create all sorts of problems and generally cost people their lives.  On a much lesser scale, the college athletics “transfer portal” has become a thorn in the side of sports fans and the programs they support.

Despite the above, we here at Timberville Church of the Brethren opened a portal recently.  While in the grand scheme of things, I think our new online giving portal is a good thing, it is not without some trepidation that I announce it in this space or any space for that matter.  Because of mistake on my part, the announcement in this past week’s bulletin was much larger and more intrusive than originally planned.  As the giant QR code and announcement was inserted in the bulletin, I was reminded of something that happened a couple years ago.  We still used pre-printed bulletins at that time and one week I pulled them out and on the cover was the picture of an offering plate with the words. “God loves a cheerful giver.”  You all never saw those bulletins because I tossed them in the trash.  There’s no doubt that the church needs money to operate and to carry out its mission but having a bulletin like that just seemed crass in my opinion.  My wife and the church secretary agreed with my assessment, and we found a different bulletin cover to use that week.

Whether the oversized announcement Sunday was a bit crass or not is up to you, but it represents a reaction to the world in which we live.  The days of waiting behind folks writing checks at the grocery store are all but gone.   Just mailing checks to pay bills seems to be going the way of the dodo as well.  So much of our financial life is now conducted online and the church needed to catch up a bit.  We are hopeful that the online giving portal provides folks with a much more convenient way to support the mission and ministry of Timberville Church of the Brethren.   As Anne Whitney mentioned Sunday, this is simply another way to give.  We will still have offering plates in the back of the church each Sunday and we will bring them to the front during the service to thank God for his blessings and to acknowledge the faithfulness of those who give to the church out of those blessings.

With all of that said, here’s the official announcement:

Dear members of our church community,

We want to start by expressing gratitude for your unwavering support and generosity towards the Timberville Church of the Brethren. Your contributions have been essential to our ability to continue carrying out our mission and serving the needs of our community.

We also want to take this opportunity to introduce our new e-giving platform, Vanco. This platform provides a secure and user-friendly way to give to our church online, and we are confident that it will make giving more convenient for many members of our congregation and those who join us via Facebook each week.

You can give now at this link: Home | Timberville Church of the Brethren

Whether you choose to give online or in person, your support is vital. We are so grateful for your generosity and commitment to our shared mission.

Thank you again for all that you do.

Blessings,

Pastor Karl Magenhofer