Church of England converts congregations to cashless
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from outdated payment methods
Our fintech which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. The Church of England is making contactless, virtual terminal, and SMS mobile payments available throughout England, in a bid to make transactions faster and easier for its congregations.
Giving its respect at the altar of modernity, its churches will now be able to offer cashless payment options for events including weddings, christenings, fetes and concerts, as well for making one-off donations and the booking of churches and halls.
John Preston, national stewardship officer of the Church of England, says: “How we pay for things is changing fast, especially for younger church-goers, who no longer carry cash, and we want all generations to be able to make the most of their place of worship.”
Over 16,000 churches, cathedrals, and religious sites will now have access to portable card readers through the Church of England’s “Parish Buying” portal via a partnership with SumUp and iZettle.
The readers will be used to take contactless payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as chip and PIN capable.
The pay-as-you-go pricing is “well suited” to the needs of religious institutions, charging only a small transaction fee when the reader is used.
The decision follows a trial which began in summer 2017 in cathedrals and parish churches.
According to the Church of England, technology facilitating charitable donations on a self-service basis, including passing around a reader for the collection, continues to be trialled and is expected to be launched in phase two of the project.
Amen.
Meanwhile, in Hell, and with a touch of satire, the diabolical dominion is calling out to fintech firms with the offer of tax breaks and moral ambiguity.
