Suburban Phoenix church encourages debit for donations

PHOENIX — Parishioners of one church in Tempe have a new way to help their church pay its bills.

“It’s a giving kiosk that takes debit and credit cards,” said church development director David Pederson at All Saints Catholic Newman Center. “It also allows them to sign up for recurring donations, similar to paying your electric bill or gas bill.”

People can also text in their donation.

“It’s a neat opportunity,” said Pederson. “A lot of our parishioners, and a lot of the people who are coming in and out of the Newman Center are (Arizona State University) students. It’s a generation that really doesn’t carry a lot of cash with them.

“We wanted to give them the opportunity to use the form of payment that they’re most comfortable with and have around most. That is using plastic.”

The church will continue to accept cash donations. Pederson said the church installed the debit kiosk in mid-February. He said it’s too early to tell how many people are using it.