After trailing the idea in 2017, last March, the church announced they would introduce contactless giving in 16,000 churches, Cathedrals and historic sites. It was properly rolled out in September 2018 in London, Manchester, Peterborough and Merseyside.
In a bid to make sure the church kept ahead with the changes to the way people like to pay, the option was provided for one-off givers at tourist sites, instead of collection plates and to pay for events such as baptisms, weddings and booking church halls.
Alison Davie, church secretary at St George's Church Hub, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, told Premier at the time: "Our parishioners can occasionally find themselves strapped for physical cash, so it's fantastic to be able to offer an alternative which is quick and convenient.
"We hope this is a step forward for St George's and many other churches like it, in staying ahead in the modern era."
In The Sunday Telegraph this week, it was revealed that giving to the churches involved in the digital collection plate trial has nearly doubled since the innovation came in, with £875 more being given per 500 parishioners.
The technology company SumUp, who provided the card readers, reported that 175 more donations can be made to a church during a service of 500 people than could before.
It's been enough work trying to get electric guitars and drums into #church, let alone #contactless payment.
— Jonny Freeman (@jfreeman_93) July 15, 2018
A welcome move https://t.co/csGnFyoPQz
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