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Topics: Mormon Report / Everything Else

LDS Church adopts new tithing slips

Kate Ensign-Lewis - LDS Living - August 15, 2012

source: LDS Living

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Detail of the new tithing and donation slip for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Church has changed the design for tithing slips, including fewer item lines. The new slips will soon reach every congregation.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has approved and adopted new tithing slips for worldwide distribution to Church membership.

This change, which actually began in the early months of 2012, is now seeing more widespread effect as wards and branches restock tithing slips.

On the new slips, members will no longer find an address line; the new line asks for membership record number, which is not required for non-member donations or if one is donating in his or her home unit. Additionally, several lines of the old slip have been eliminated, specifically, lines designating funds for Book of Mormon, Temple Construction and Perpetual Education. Church members may still designate funds previously specified on the tithing slip (as well as various other Church funds) by writing them in the "other" field.

Finally, a change has been made to the language at the bottom of the slip, explaining how funds will be used. The previous explanation said, "All donations to the Church's missionary fund become the property of the Church to be used at the Church's sole discretion in its missionary program."

The new explanation takes a more general approach to donated funds: "Though reasonable efforts will be made globally to use donations as designated, all donations become the Church's property and will be used at the Church's sole discretion to further the Church's overall mission."

Scott Trotter, spokesman for the Church, said of the changes, "We feel a sacred obligation to make sure that tithing and other donations made to the Church are used prudently and wisely. The new language on the donation slips simply gives some flexibility to meet the changing needs of a growing, global faith as circumstances require."

These new slips are similar to slips that were previously distributed outside of North America.

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This article is edited from an earlier version to clarify the use of membership record numbers.

© LDS Living, 2012.

Tags: Tithing, Mormon Report, Everything Else, Our World

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Comments 21 comments

jouncyg said...

08:15 AM
on Aug 15, 2012

Who's idea was this anyway? This sounds like confusion to me. I have many non member relatives who like to contribute to missions. W/o an address how are they going to get their end of year receipt? More confusion and legwork. How many of us know our member # off the top of our heads when we are at church filling out a tithing slip???? The clerk is going to be kept busy.

paulrochester said...

09:40 AM
on Aug 15, 2012

LDS Living is turning into a LDS fringe magazine. Publishing articles under last names like: Ensign-Lewis... Sounds very feminist to me. More and more articles are fringe-leaning...

dennisk said...

10:03 AM
on Aug 15, 2012

I agree with jouncyg. Few people have their membership number memorized. They can retrieve it from their temple recommend but those withou a recommend have to ask the ward clerk. I also fear that contributions to the "other" funds will go down as people aren't reminded they exist.

federicogarza said...

10:42 AM
on Aug 15, 2012

There is a letter sent from the presiding bishopric to the bishoprics explaining a few things: 1) membership number is optional if donating in their own unit. 2) Non-members don't need to use a member number. 3) Using the member number will allow members to get a consolidated year-end receipt regardless of where they donated Since receipts are distributed by hand, non members can still go and request them in person. Also, it doesn't really matter if people don't donate to "BofM" anymore. The Church will use general funds as needed.

tussockgal said...

01:26 PM
on Aug 15, 2012

MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS - You will notice in the article that you only need to state your membership number when donating in a unit other than your own. I have asked another question for years: why can't we donate via electronic bank transfers? That would be so much easier.

richchipper said...

02:35 PM
on Aug 15, 2012

Paulrochester - Really? Because a female wishes to use a hyphenated last name, she's "on the fringe" or a "feminist"? Wow - in your world, would she be publically flogged for having a job that doesn't involve raising children and a spouse? And exactly what is "fringe" about an article on tithing slips? The fact that non-members may contribute to good causes? Adult members of the church can pay tithing if they haven't gotten a temple recommend?!?!? Say it ain't so!

seposm said...

06:06 PM
on Aug 15, 2012

It is pretty easy to pay your tithing online using your banks bill pay system. Google "Mormon life hacker" they have a great article on how to set it up. Works great for me as I am salaried and know exactly what my paycheck will be. I still donate fast offerings locally as those go directly to benefit members of my ward. But everything else I do online.

greeneyes said...

10:54 PM
on Aug 15, 2012

I agree with richchipper - what is "fringe" about the article? Why would hyphenating a last name be regarded as feminist? It's unfortunate when people make assumptions about someone or situations they know nothing about. The article was well written and informative. That is, no doubt what the author was aiming for.

trev_cos said...

04:11 AM
on Aug 16, 2012

Good on you Kate Ensign-Lewis (I can't see any issue with a persons name - I'm not that desperate to look for trouble). A well written article that gives the good oil on something we all (hopefully) use regularly. In Australia we have been using electronic payments for our donations for a while now. I suppose it's a big church now and there will be different systems for different parts of the vineyard.

katko said...

05:49 PM
on Aug 16, 2012

The article says "...membership record number, which is not required for non-member donations or if one is donating in his or her home unit." I'd like to do donations on line. I'll have to see if that's available where I live. The main reason I have checks is to pay tithing (occasional other uses).

katko said...

05:50 PM
on Aug 16, 2012

Oh and I wonder why no "Perpetual Education Fund" ??? I thought that was a great idea.

momstheword said...

11:28 PM
on Aug 17, 2012

I've never understood the logic behind not allowing members to see the balance sheet or annual report.

bearon34 said...

06:23 PM
on Aug 20, 2012

@paulrochester She took her husbands last name, which is hyphenated. What's feminist about that now? Judging = foolish

firebird said...

10:27 AM
on Aug 21, 2012

Yea, I was paying my tithing this Sunday and saw the line for membership number and I was like...ummm....I know it's on my Temple Recommend but I keep my recommend with my Temple bag. So I didn't have that on me and I don't memorize my membership number. Why all the fuss about needing membership number on the slip?

german_lds_member said...

05:07 AM
on Aug 22, 2012

Here in Germany we have been able to pay our tithes by electronic bank transfer for decades. Personally I don't like to do it. I only tithe once a year. But I keep the monthly tithe in a separate bank account. The accumulated interest goes into BofM fund or any other church funds. For me it's something sacred to tithe. I do it by giving the tithing slip to my bishop at the end of each year. The envelope contains cash. I rarely use cash in everyday life so this is something very special for me. It shows how important tithing is for me. But of course this is a very personal ritual. There's nothing wrong with using electronic bank transfer to tithe. Actually I think changing the tithing slips is not a good idea. First it'll confuse people. Second: Why don't list any funds anymore on the slip? That will certainly decrease the amount of money given to all the funds. And third: I don't see any reason at all to change the current slips in any way.

eightcowmom said...

10:02 AM
on Sep 19, 2012

the article did say if you are donating in your home unit (ie-ward where you would pay titihing) that it isn't necessary to have your membership record number listed.

mamapimbi said...

10:30 AM
on Sep 29, 2012

I move around A LOT. Every year I am in at least 2 different wards and many times those wards are in different countries. I am not the most organized person when it comes to tithe paying (it is something I am working on) and so I count on my end if year settlement as a time to review my income and my tithing and ensure I am a full tithe payer. The problem I have faced is that my Bishop in the ward I happen to live in in December only had the information on my tithing for his ward and none of the others, so if I moved in to that ward December 1st I may have a record of $0 paid to tithing when I go into the interview. For my own assurances, I then need to go through my incomplete records and find my old tithing slip copies to verify the total amount I paid and see if it is a full tithe. I am hopeful that if I now put in my membership number that my Bishops will see all of my tithes and be able to give me an accurate and complete account of my donations. If this happens that will make my life a whole lot easier and my declaration of being a full tithe payer more sure.

sestraleonard said...

11:47 AM
on Dec 18, 2012

paulrochester is obviously an article troll, since the main focus of his comments were ignorant and rude and had nothing to do with the main article. For his information, many women have hyphonated names that have nothing to do with the "feminist movement." For example, my best friend has been married twice. Her first husband died of cancer and when she remarried, her second husband wanted her and her children to still be able to carry his name, so they legally changed their names to a hyphonated one. Another friend of mine was born with a hyphonated name. It was her name at birth. Yes, I can see how that is extremely feminist. You jerk!

ikechukwu said...

08:16 AM
on Feb 23, 2013

The church is growing, and the new tithing slip is a blessing, makes mobility of slip and tithing fund easier. I would also want electronic tithing to be introduced in Africa West, particularly Nigeria.

maryloudunnigan said...

04:38 PM
on Apr 20, 2013

This is amazing!!! Love the new tithing slips, this also motivate members to go to the Temple that way they can have their membership number!!! I love everything the Church create. We members of the Church must agree because we sustains to the Bishop priesthood. What a great way to preach the Gospel!!!. Be Mormon Be Happy!!! ******************* <3 <3 <3 ****************

geneologistguru said...

04:58 PM
on May 16, 2013

I am anxious to find out about the automatic deposit ways to pay tithing. In our ward we are not allowed to pay our tithing after the second hour ends on Sundays. Its very problematic if you are teaching and hurrying between meetings. I have always prefered to pay my tithing each week, and this rule the Bishop's couselor is "enforcing" is the cause of delays in paying, Auto payments could solve this problem, and avoid hurt feelings from the counselor speaking angrily to you and slamming the clerk office door in your face as you are told "too late".

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