Oneness Pentecostal. Avg. attendance at present is probably about 250.

I tend to espouse the theory that people are going to give as much as they're going to give, period. If they have the desire to give to the church, they'll make provision, set an amount aside, and they'll do so whenever they get the chance.

Having ATM available doesn't mean "no cash offerings". It would be there for convenience.

Our church just renovated space for a coffee shop which opened about 6 weeks ago. They named it "Holy Grounds". LOL! It's great. People are in there before and after service chatting, fellowshipping and we've had a number of visitors there as well. It's a great place to make friends and get to know people.

In fact we include coupons for free coffee in all visitors welcome packets.

Another good reason to have ATM available ---- which we don't yet by the way but the idea has been discussed.

Our Starbucks, cookies, and donuts are free!

:hypercoffee:hypercoffee:hypercoffee

Well there you have it! There is no need for an ATM machine when you have an outreach program!!!!

:killinme

:telephone:telephone

My initial thought when I first starting reading this thread was that I'd love it. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to church and forgot the checkbook at home. I don't usually carry much cash. And I write very few checks. (that's why I didn't notice the checkbook wasn't with me). Having an ATM would have been very convenient lots of times.

HOWEVER, then I started thinking: If I were visiting a new church for the first time, looking for a church home, and I walked in and the first thing I saw was the ATM machine over in the corner - I would run out of there as fast as I could go. We have people complaining all the time about the church 'begging for money all the time'. Imagine what a sinner would think if saw the machine.

Something about this keeps reminding me about Jesus throwing those guys out of the temple. I realize it's a different thing. But I'm not sure that a sinner would realize that - a sinner with just enough knowledge to know the story about Jesus and the temple, but without enough to know the concept of tithing and giving to God.

Maybe the ATM machine could be in the prayer room :)

I was thinking the bookstore but not all churches have them. Or the fellowship area. :donuts

Well then nobody'd ever know it was in there. :roseglasses